One site, the Wegner Quartz Crystal Mines in Mount Ida, Arkansas (a region with one of the world’s largest deposits of quartz), even boasts a zero carbon footprint as it plants trees to offset emissions.Įthical mining practices clearly exist in the industry, yet the lack of structure makes it difficult to assess whether all businesses are following sustainable protocol. There are also environmentally sustainable mining sites, many of which are in the US. The large-scale copper and coal mines extract roughly 500-600 million metric tons per year compared to 10,000-50,000 metric tons produced by gem mineral mines. It is certainly true that the crystal industry is not nearly as large as operations mining gold, copper and precious stones. No one is ditching phones on environmental grounds, but let’s make out the chakra healing hippies are responsible for the ‘new blood diamonds’ and irreversible ecological disaster.” “Then there’s the aluminium and silicon in the glass. Then the metals used include copper, nickel, silver, gold, cobalt, lithium, lead, tantalum and this isn’t even comprehensive as some of the fancier screens use even more rare earth metals,” he adds. “Phones are cased in plastic … the overwhelming majority made from crude oil. “Mountains are not being dynamited to get at a few quartz crystals, they are often collected from the rubble as a side-hustle.”
“Many, probably the majority, of commercially available crystals are by-products of larger mining, everything from construction materials to metals,” he says. Stephen Wells from Katcha Stones, a crystal brand that prides itself on its ethical sourcing practices, likens the new emphasis on crystal mining as scolding a child for dropping a sweet wrapper when a mountain of plastic has been dumped by larger corporations. Such examples prove worrying reminders to consumers of the dark origins of some of their gems, although these are issues affecting the the wider minerals industry, rather than specifically crystals. The New York Times has previously compared Myanmar jade to blood diamonds, with poor conditions around its extraction being linked to the spread of heroin use and HIV infection amongst the miners. “This is a major international issue – or should be – and a major source of instability and corruption around the globe.” “Gold, tantalum and other minerals are illegally mined in the Democratic Republic of Congo, while jade in Myanmar provided billions to a military regime,” Carter says. “Mining is a focus for hopes for development in Afghanistan after a peace deal, but it is more likely to be a major cause of instability and corruption.”Īccording to Carter, an unethical supply chain being ignored, or being unknown to purchasers, is an unfortunately common element of mineral mining.
“Districts have been destabilised and subsequently lost to the Taliban because of competition among illegal armed groups over mines – including Badakhshan’s lapis mines,” he adds.
Yet there are also some in the industry who say the sector is being unfairly demonised, turning the spotlight away from far more harmful practices seen in large-scale mining operations for minerals and materials with industrial uses. As Emily Atkin at The New Republic extensively reported last year, the matter has prompted calls for ethical sourcing to become a necessity, rather than an afterthought, in the crystal business. The sudden rise in demand has raised concern, as the pressure is on to cut prices, and it is becoming increasingly difficult for stockists to confirm the origins of their products. A lack of legislative framework means the industry’s fixed value is hard to pin down, but the fact that Google searches for ‘crystal healing’ have risen by 40% between 20, and ‘crystal shops near me’ queries by 35% since 2013, is testament to the growing popularity of crystals. ‘Healing’ crystals are being used to remedy a variety of ailments including stress and addiction, and some are believed to boost sensuality, creativity and concentration. Credit: Alexander Van DriesscheĮndorsed by celebrity fans ranging from Kim Kardashian to Gwyneth Paltrow, the crystal industry has seen a significant spike in recent years. Driven by celebrity endorsements, demand for crystals is surging, highlighting the costs of crystal mining.
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