My Trip to the Fairmined Gold Mines in Peru

Saskia Shutt — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 21:38:07 +0000

Why I Choose Fairmined Gold for My Jewellery

As a Fairmined licensee, I believe it’s important to know exactly where the gold for my jewellery comes from. That’s why traveling to Peru and visiting the Fairmined gold mines myself is important. Seeing the mining process firsthand gives me a deeper appreciation for the people and practices behind the gold I use.

So, why should you choose Fairmined Gold? For me, the answer is simple.

1. Positive Social and Environmental Impact

The Fairmined Certification changes lives. Ensuring miners work under fair conditions, receiving proper wages, and access to safe equipment. Promoting environmentally friendly practices, reducing the harm that traditional mining can cause. By supporting Fairmined Gold, you help create better opportunities for mining communities.

2. Transparency and Traceability

Fairmined Gold offers complete traceability through a transparent blockchain system. Meaning, you can trace the journey of your gold from the mine to your jewellery. Knowing your gold is ethically sourced brings an extra layer of value to every piece.

Choosing Fairmined Gold means choosing jewellery with a purpose. It’s a way to celebrate beauty, craftsmanship, and sustainability all in one.

Creating a unique Ring in Fairmined Eco gold

Creating this ring by hand in 18ct Fairmined Eco yellow gold, is a choice I make to ensure my jewellery reflects my commitment to ethics and sustainability. I start by carving the design in wax, shaping every detail with care and precision. Then, sending the wax model to Vipa Designs. A Fairmined licensee caster, in the UK, to cast into gold. With only two Fairmined licensed casters in Europe, this collaboration is truely special.

After casting, I solder the three prongs in place, holding the centre gemstone securely in place.

To complete the design, I set a dazzeling trillian-cut sphene alongside three pink sapphires, in the ring. Sourcing these gemstones from Miadana, a supplier supportsing responsible artisanal small-scale mining in Madagascar.

By using Fairmined Eco gold and responsibly sourced gemstones, I create jewellery that not only celebrates beauty and craftsmanship but also contributes to a better future for people and the planet.

Click here to read more about how Fairmined certification positively impacts the miners in the Fairmined premium report

Visit of three Fairmined Mines in Peru at 4660M

A meeting point between miners and jewellers, connected by ethical en traceable gold.

Miners are continuously trained, improving their responsible mining techniques and changing their mindset.

CECOMIP

This mine is Fairmined certified since 2016 and is an Artisanal Small-Scale Mining cooperation with 200 miners consisting of 63 women and 137 men.

CECOMIP is an alluvial mine; which means “open sky”. Digging large areas to extract the gold from the earth. With high-power pressure hoses, the gold is separate from the sediment.

Click here to watch the video about the benefits of Fairmined certification

What is alluvial mining?

Standing here, a large geometric pit stretches behind me and the miners. The striking open-sky mine is an alluvial where we extract Fairmined Eco gold. The process avoids toxic chemicals like mercury and cyanide, making it a cleaner, more environmentally friendly way to mine.

Three companies – CECOMIP, Oro Puno, and Cruz Pata – extract around 4 kilos of gold per month from these mines. They show how collaboration can drive sustainable and responsible mining practices.

But what happens to the soil we remove? This is one of the most fascinating aspects of Fairmined mining. Keep reading to learn how we restore the land after extraction and protect the environment for the future.

Click here to read more about CECOMIP

In the first image, the women miners are washing the course gold and separating it from the sediment, by means of panning instead of using mercury. CECOMIP has chosen to be environmentally conscience.

In image two and three you see how the fine gold is separated from the sediment in the gravimetric table (by means of shaking). Water is used throughout the mining process and this too, is recycled, filtered and reused. Working completely to a circular business model.

During my visit to Oro Puno, the miners asked if ARM (Alliance for Responsible Mining) could give them contacts in other countries, which they could visit, to bring new technologies to improve their filtering pools. They want to keep improving their activities in a sustainable way.

Oro Puno

Sustainable Practices in Fairmined Gold Mining

Here, the Oro Puno miners use the same separation method as in CECOMIP. What I haven’t mentioned yet is that all Fairmined mines practice circular mining, a vital part of their sustainable approach.

The process begins by collecting water in large pools. Filtering and cleaning the water before reusing it during the gold-washing process with high-pressure hoses. This closed-loop system means the water is used efficiently, and the only time it’s lost is through natural evaporation.

By practicing circular mining, they not only conserve resources but also ensure a more environmentally friendly and sustainable approach to gold extraction

Click here to read more about Oro Puno

Oro Puno is the main mine I source my gold from to create the jewellery I make for those who choose Fairmined. They are actually the first mine to be Eco-certified in Peru. It is also a smaller organisation. Approximately 20 miners.

Eco certified means that they no longer use mercury or other toxic chemicals to extract the gold. It also means that the mine invests in alternative ways to extract the gold by using ancient techniques such as panning and shaking-tables.

The Peruvian Government states that by 2023 gold mining, by means of mercury, will be illegal. The chemical will be banned as part of the gold mining process. In Colombia the use of mercury has been banned, in the gold mining process, since 2018.

Click here to watch the video about Oro Puno

These three pictures are jewellery I made in Fairmined Ecological gold or Fairmined silver. The gemstones and champagne diamonds come from responsible mining. The silver ring with oval sphene and turquoise sapphires is also part of the #Fairmined100challenge awarness campagne.

What happens to a disused mine?

Mines can be excavated up to 15 years.

Removing topsoil and base first and stored separately to allow mining. Once the mine is finished and there is no more gold to excavate, the base soil and then the topsoil are put back, and planting vegetation over it, creating a greenbelt. In short, circular mining practice.

Left Image: courtesy of Keiko Oshima, Gemologist, representing Mori Bijoux on the Peru trip practice

Cruz Pata

This mine has a few differences from the aforementioned mines.Only recently receiving Fairmined certification, subsequently, still using a small amount of mercury in a safe and controlled environment (by contained evaporation). Having three years to eradicate their mercury use, as the main goal is receiving Fairmined Eco status.

Cruz Pata is also a family run mine. It counts 26 miners. Six brothers own the mine, inheriting the site from their father.

Left Image: Agustin Pachari, Head of the Mining Project at Cruz Pata Chaquiminas (and one of the six brothers)

Click here to read more about Cruz Pata

From Fairmined to Fairmined Ecological

Cruz Pata is taking its time to stop using mercury because they want to explore new ways to recover gold that will guarantee better recuperation rates. Currently, Cruz Pata only recuperates 40% of the gold present in the soil. The goal of their research is to see how they can improve the recuperation rate. To improve it, they must improve the “lavado process” (washing stage). The gravimetric table can’t really improve the recuperation rate because most of the losses happen before this stage (at the washing stage). Instead of investing money in the purchasing of a gravimetric table, the miners of Cruz Pata, are firstly, studying their options. See how they can improve their water management resources . Sending samples to laboratories to receive more guidance, however this is a long process.

The image on the right, is an evaporator for mercury. This is the last process for separating fine gold from the sediment. Most importantly, it is done in a controlled and secure environment.

By 2023, mercury will be eradicated as part of the process at Cruz Pata. From the moment a mine receives its Fairmined certification, they have three years to become ecological, if they don’t achieve this within that timespan, they loose their certification.

Click here to read more about the differences between Fairmined and Fairmined Ecological

Cruz Pata is a family business and to generate more income, they went back to farming, as that is what their grandfather was. Behind Lisseth, mining engineer at Cruz Pata, there is a large lake with rain water and here they breed trout. It is a very a popular fish in Peru and you will find it everywhere on the menu

Alongside trout farming, they also breed alpacas for their wool. Alpaca wool is very expensive and difficult to get hold of in Peru, as it all goes for export to Europe and the US. Sadly due to this, most Peruvians can’t afford the alpaca wool. But luckily for the Cruz Pata miners, it creates a great source for their second income, to help fund their mining business.

Click this button to watch the video on what mining was like at Cruz Pata before their Fairmined certification

The Fairmined mining activity is performed by local miners who want the development and wellbeing of the community, which ensures their commitment to the environment preservation and the development of the community. It also ensures a positive impact on human rights within the Fairmined mining communities.

Thank you for choosing gold you can be proud of… Ask for the origins of your gold… Every gram counts to make a positive impact

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