“Whichever gemstone you select, it is important to buy from a trusted source in order to have full confidence; both that it has been sourced responsibly and that it is of the quality described.” – Jack Cunningham, Gemfields.
For those who love luxury jewellery, there is rarely a collection that doesn’t include precious stones. The Global Gemstone market is estimated to be worth around $23 billion, this market has often been criticised for the ways that gemstones are sourced (‘Blood Diamonds’ being a term that comes to mind). As consumers, it is our responsibility to purchase precious gemstones from companies who are working with suppliers such as Gemfields, who can provide proof that they are responsibly and ethically sourcing and processing gemstones.
Gemfields claim to lead the way in achieving sustainability in the coloured gemstone industry. We were intrigued to find out more about Gemfields and how they are working hard to source gemstones responsibly, with sustainability as their top priority. See the interview with Jack Cunningham – Sustainability, Policy and Risk director below:
Can you explain the process of mining gemstones?
For Gemfields, the mining process varies slightly from emeralds to rubies.
We mine the gemstones first; in Zambia this involves extracting emeralds from within the hard rock using experts with chisels and later with a crushing, washing and sorting plant. In Mozambique, the ruby-bearing gravel is scooped up and is washed thoroughly first.
Sorting of gemstones is conducted in a sort-house, where emeralds and rubies are graded using Gemfields’ proprietary grading system. Following grading, the rough emeralds and rubies are offered at private auctions to vetted partners with proceeds fully repatriated to the host nation.
What does it mean to source gemstones in a responsible way?
Like most mining companies, our operations have to adhere to the national regulations on mining – everything from the licensing, to safety, to environmental rehabilitation can be governed by strict codes of conduct or laws. As a minimum we will comply and rectify any non-compliances we find.
Beyond that, we aim to push towards international best practices. For instance, many mines spend more time extracting the ore (the raw material) than they do rehabilitating the environment because it is cost and time intensive to divert attention from mining. However, we believe it is a better strategy to fill in our mining pits when an area is no longer producing gemstones, so we are mining and effectively rehabilitating the mining area at the same time – minimising the effect we have on the environment.
For companies seeking responsibly sourced gemstones there are other questions that need to be answered, such as the relationship the mining company has with the community, or whether they have codes of conduct, policies and procedures that govern how the company does business.
What is the environmental effect of mining gemstones, and how are Gemfields combating this?
We are realistic and open about the impact of mining on the environment. Using environmental studies to guide us, we aim to meet and exceed international best practices to mitigate the effects of our operations.
We back-fill our open-pit mines, collect seeds of indigenous plants and trees from the topsoil and create a seed bank for replanting vegetation in order to return the land to its original state at the earliest opportunity.
We do not use chemicals that are hazardous to health, and we recycle the water used in our wash-plants. We are also calculating our carbon footprint and will look at ways to reduce this over time.
Can you explain your 3 key values for sustainability?
We believe that coloured gemstones should be mined and marketed by championing three key values: transparency, legitimacy and integrity.
Legitimacy: We go over and above accepted practices operating in a way that not only meets international and national laws, but that also challenges the sector by setting new benchmarks around sustainability.
Transparency: To lead we must be transparent. As well as leading with our own standards and initiatives through our downstream supply chain, we are working with partners to standardise strong, transparent practices across the industry.
Integrity: We are committed to embedding tangible operational actions from the mines onwards, to support sales and marketing of our product. Our proprietary grading system provides our partners with trusted evaluation and declaration of treatment.
Beyond the environmental impact of gemstone mining, how are you supporting the social impact on the communities surrounding your mining fields?
We work collaboratively with communities to develop projects that will deliver long-term benefits and legacies for local people and address the issues that most commonly affect less economically developed countries.
These projects are paid for in full by our operations and tailored to community needs in the areas of health, education and agricultural livelihoods. We build schools, provide health clinics and establish farming cooperatives, including women’s chicken farms, to empower and provide independence for local women.
We are an Africa-focused mining company, and there is an undeniable connection between the rarity of our coloured gemstones and the great African wildlife. We are also proud to partner with local conservation organisations that are protecting Africa’s animals whilst working with communities to prevent illegal poaching.
How are you championing the rest of the industry to be sustainable in the same way as you?
Gemfields is a leading advocate for improvements to the wider coloured gemstone and jewellery sector. Whether working with international non-profits and industry associations or with brands in the Coloured Gemstones Working Group, we have been at the heart of actions to develop pioneering industry standards and initiatives. These initiatives have provided open-access tools used by the whole industry to improve supply-chain transparency and white papers to identify areas for future focus.
Do you think it’s possible for mining gemstones to be sustainable on a global scale?
At Gemfields we prefer to use the term responsible sourcing because mining is by its nature an unsustainable industry.
Responsible sourcing for Gemfields means industry-leading policies and practices across operations, transparency in our auction sales process, an active role in working groups to modernise the sector and projects to improve health, education and livelihoods for the communities around our mines.
Given there are very few commercially viable deposits of coloured gemstones, global scale responsible sourcing is a challenge because many sources come from artisanal or small scale operations. However there is no one-size fits all approach to responsible sourcing, and if such practices become the norm, artisanal or small scale operations can start on a path of improvement and this can only benefit the supply chain.
What is your presence in the GCC region – which brands do you work with here?
Gemfields’ owned Fabergé has a retail presence in market and a number of other brand partners also sell privately in the region: Ana Khouri, Bina Goenka, Chopard and Fehmida Lakhany.
How can our readers know that the coloured gemstone they purchase have been responsibly sourced?
Do your own research. There’s plenty of information about sustainable jewellery online. All major jewellery brands have a dedicated team of gemologists and quality control departments responsible for selecting gemstones before they are set in jewellery. Ask questions. Sustainability is an important topic in today’s market, so most brands will be able to provide information on their ethos and strategy extensively.
Gemfields partners with jewellery brands that have a similar approach to sustainability topics, so checking on Gemfields website will provide an overview of the brands that feature our gems in their jewellery lines.
Whichever gemstone you select, it is important to buy from a trusted source in order to have full confidence; both that it has been sourced responsibly and that it is of the quality described.
If it is a significant gemstone you are purchasing, then there must be transparency on treatments of any kind, so it must be accompanied by a certificate from a recognised, independent gemological laboratory. Gemfields also partners with the Gübelin Gem laboratory of Switzerland, whose Provenance Proof technologies, not only cite the gemstone’s place of origin, but also set up an encrypted record of a gemstone’s journey as it changes hands from mine to consumer, providing a next step towards the goal of full transparency.
Find out more about Gemfields on their website: https://gemfields.com/
