Ethical Metalsmiths support the Western Shoshone fight to protect Mt. Tenabo

The Western Shoshone of Nevada have been fighting to protect their land for decades. This week the Western Shoshone Defense Project was denied the injunction that they filed against Barrick Mining Corporation (a Canadian company) to stall the construction of what is proposed to be the largest open pit gold mine in the United States. The mine is located on Mt. Tenabo, the sacred mountain of the Western Shoshone. It is from this mountain that the Western Shoshone creation myths come, along with medicinal plants and traditional foods. After taking a look at the information below, let us know if you would buy gold coming from this mine?

Here is a link to the latest news about the Mt. Tenabo case from the "Intercontinental Cry":
"Court Denies Injunction to Protect Mt. Tenabo"

For a bit of history about the Western Shoshone land struggles and gold mining in particular we encourage you to watch the 25 min. "You Tube" clip of the feature length documentary "Our Land, Our Life."



Thank you for reading.

Best,
Ethical Metalsmiths

Ethical Jewelry Summit: Ethical Metalsmiths announces initiative to address needs in artisanal mining sector

Ethical Metalsmiths has been instrumental in organizing the Madison Dialogue Ethical Jewelry Summit, which will take place October 25 – 26, 2007 in Washington, D.C. This multi-stakeholder event will bring together members of the jewelry supply chain, non-profit organizations and international donor agencies to discuss options for addressing social and environmental issues in the artisanal and small-scale mining sector worldwide. Participants will explore options for ethical sourcing of precious metals, diamonds and colored gemstones. Ethical sourcing presents a great opportunity for retailers to meet growing consumer demand for responsible products, and for miners and communities to benefit from increased incomes with lower negative social and environmental impacts.

Ethical Metalsmiths Co-Founder Jennifer Horning is a member of the event’s Steering Committee. The committee also includes representatives from the Association for Responsible Mining (ARM), EARTHWORKS, DeBeers, Communities and Small-Scale Mining (CASM) program, Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO), Partnership Africa Canada, Jewelers of America and the Rapaport Group. Attendance is limited. Please contact Jennifer Horning if you are interested in attending. For detailed background information, click here for a PDF with more info.