Behind the shine: how the jewellery trade relies on minerals tainted with death

 Cristina Villegas, Director of Mines to Markets at PACT, believes that mining, which is a crucial economic lifeline for millions of people, could be transformed into a fair industry. For jewellery companies, she says there is “literally no excuse not to act on gold right now”, and lists a host of initiatives including Fair Trade Gold, Colombia’s Fair Mined and Just Gold, which are “working in the most difficult conditions and showing it’s possible to have traceable, responsible gold” from many areas including eastern Congo.

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