FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[marvinlewinsky]

Ethical mineral collecting

I would like to get some feedback from collectors on the subject of ethical mineral collecting.

I recently saw a video about the mining of Tanzanites in Tanzania and it was disturbing. In that part of the world there is no OSHA, no mining regulations, just the indigenous population being exploited.

See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4Xk5qtNqZo

There was a disturbing scene of miners being ‘sjamboked’ to keep them in line.

So, should we avoid buying minerals if they come from areas where human right issues are ignored.

[Peter Lemkin]

[marvinlewinsky]

Peter:

I am glad that you found my post worthwhile.

When one reviews the price of minerals in terms of geographical location, the most expensive often come from the third-world.

There is little doubt that miners in these areas are exploited and in some instances murdered.

I recall Rob Lavinsky talking about the fate of some miners at the Yaogangxian mine that were killed during attempts to recover Bournonite specimens. The miners were removing material from pillars and the mine ceiling collapsed. The miners were removing the material illegally as they were not working for the Yaogangxian mine operators. It got so bad that the Chinese government got involved and outlawed the practice.

I look very carefully at the source of a specimen before buying it.

Suffice it to say that I will not have many gem minerals in my collection – and cost is not a factor – I will not contribute to the exploitation of fellow human beings.

[Peter Lemkin]

[R Saunders]

Interesting subject, but I'm a new collector and buy generally at shows or tailgate shows. Where you do not think about when or how it came to market. As for magazine articles I think that due to the threat of libel, it may not be a good idea? In America and probably other parts of the world we are not allowed to bring in "blood diamonds." to sell, or the Krugerrand gold coins.

[Peter Lemkin]

Personally, I'm not trying to make people feel 'guilty' for 'just' buying mineral specimens withtout thinking about the ethical and financial situation of the miners who dug the out of the ground. What I'm suggesting is that people better inform themselves and that perhaps there be some entity that keeps track of this matter. They do for other minerals not sold as specimens ['col-tan' being one] and they do for coffee, textiles, electronics and many other commodities - so why not mineral specimens and gem rough?

[alfredo]

While I was working in Bolivia for 12 years I remember sporadic attempts by well-meaning but ignorant "do-gooders" to banish children from working in mines. Unfortunately, in all poor countries (and in the USA and Europe too in the 19th century when our ancestors were poor) the reality is that children had to work to support their poor families, whether it was in factories, farms or mines. That is not going to stop until a country reaches a certain degree of wealth.

In Bolivia no children are forced to work in mines, they do it voluntarily and proudly, because they make more money than the other kids doing the alternative typical Third World "kid" jobs, like selling chewing gum on the streets, or polishing shoes in bus stations. And the adult miners are quite protective of the children working in their midst. If you have a chance, watch the documentary movie "The Devil‘s Miner", about a 12-year old boy working underground in the famous tin-silver mine in Potosí where phosphophyllite comes from. I met that kid once, selling mineral specimens to tourists. He only worked mornings underground and went to school in the afternoon, and went on to graduate. Perhaps some people would think I was "unethical" to buy a rock from a child miner, but in my view I‘m just helping him support his mother and younger siblings, which he viewed as his duty.

I readily admit that the situation in some other countries (Congo? India?) could be much much worse.

[marvinlewinsky]

[Tracy]

[Peter Lemkin]

[Jordi Fabre]