Is boycotting the right strategy?

At least 13 million people worldwide from more than 30 developing countries engage in artisanal and small-scale mining and a further 80-100 million people depend on this sector for their livelihood.

Many indigenous communities have mined or panned for gold for centuries. Artisanal mining has been their right and often a result of extreme poverty, regional conflict, and environmental disasters.

An artisanal miner is essentially a subsistence miner, who often undertakes the activity of mining gold on the off season of farming. They are not officially employed by a mining company, but rather work independently, mining or panning, using their own resources.

While there probably isn’t one person on earth who prefers a conflict-diamond to one that is certified conflict-free, in demanding conflict-free we may be setting a standard that cannot be met by artisanal miners…the very people we are trying to help. By rejecting uncertified diamonds, we are taking away income from the poorest people on earth. Perhaps the large-scale mining companies should devote more resources to education and sustainable job creation in their communities.

Sources: CASM, Trust in Gold