It seems like a strange paradox that gold, one of the richest resources on earth, should be used to tackle poverty by gold miners and their families in South America and Africa. Over the last few years the Fairtrade Foundation has expanded its Fairtrade operations, fighting for fairer prices for local produces for products ranging from bananas, oil, cotton, chocolate and most recently teaming up with the organisation Fairmined, to certify gold production.
Artisanal and Small Scale mining (ASM)
Fairtrade and Fairmined teamed in 2010 up to help artisanal and small-scale mining organisations (ASM). This small scale mining is a labour intensive processes, that attracts economically weak rural and urban people into mining – the miners of Sotrami rely on dynamite to extract the ore which is then processed by hand to extract the ore, while the miners of Oro Verde, Colombia, pan for gold in water.
Initially, Fairtrade and Fairmined worked in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. However, more ASM mining organisations from mines in Africa and Asia are expected to join up as the process becomes established.
Despite the industry many ASM miners live in poverty with mining communities facing poor housing, sanitation and limited access to education and healthcare. Mining laws usually apply to the high end of industrial mining scale making ASM miners even more vulnerable to poor and sometimes hazardous working practices.
The tough work offers potential for miner's to improve their economic situation since ASM produce 10-15 per cent of our annual gold supplies although the figures show that 90% of labour in gold extraction comes from ASM.
Benefits of Fairtrade and Fairmined status for miners
Protection for miners comes from the Fairtrade approach, which ensures that miners receive a set minimum Fairtrade price for their gold and a chance to organise themselves into working groups leading to better bargaining power with traders. In return, groups are required to contribute to their communities' social and economic development, which is made possible by the Fairtrade premium. Fairtrade and Fairmined certification ensures that miners get a fair price for their gold.
At the same time Fairtrade and Fairmined check miner's environmental, labour and health and safety conditions ensuring standards set by The Alliance for Responsible Mining (ARM) are met. Certification is granted only when it deemed that gold has been extracted and processed in a responsible manner.
Another consideration is that no child under the age of 15 is allowed to work in a mining group and no one under 18 is allowed to work under hazardous conditions.
Fairtrade and Fairmined Products
Fairtrade and Fairmined gold products became available in stores on the symbolically romantic date of Valentine's Day – 14 February 2011. Among the first jewellers to sell Fairtrade and Fairmined gold were respected names such as Garrard, Harriet Kelsall and CRED.
Customers can recognise Fairtrade and Fairminded products via their dual label and distinctive jewellery product stamps. All products are made of 9ct gold or above such as jewellery, commemorative coins and religious artefacts.
Harriet Lamb, executive director of the Fairtrade Foundation, said: ‘The reality of gold production is at complete odds with what consumers imagine. Consumers care about the conditions faced by miners. This is why Fairtrade and Fairmined gold has the potential to tackle unfair supply chains, improve working and environmental conditions and deliver tangible and sustainable economic benefits to impoverished communities.’
References
More about Fairtrade and Fairmined Gold
Stores selling Fairtrade and Fairmined Gold Products
Eddie Dyja - I have been working as a freelance editor/writer since 2006. My specialist subject is British film and television having worked at the ...
