Jewelers say they won't buy Pebble prospect's "dirty gold"

[Blue_In_AK]

Companies call for protection of river drainages

By ELIZABETH BLUEMINK
[e-mail] | [e-mail]

Published: February 13th, 2008 12:01 AM
Last Modified: February 13th, 2008 02:28 AM

Some businesses refuse to sell salmon from fish farms or "conflict diamonds" from war-torn countries. Now, gold from Alaska's massive Pebble mineral deposit is apparently off the menu for some jewelers.

On Tuesday, two days before Valentine's Day, five major jewelers, including Tiffany & Co., announced they are against using "dirty gold" from Pebble, a large and controversial copper and gold prospect in Southwest Alaska, because of possible risks to the region's salmon fisheries.

Pebble is controversial due to its massive size and its location at the headwaters of two of the five major river drainages that feed Bristol Bay's world-class salmon fisheries. If developed, it could be the largest gold-copper mine in the world, providing hundreds of jobs in a region where jobs are scarce, according to the mining companies involved. However, the companies have not yet finished exploring the deposit, north of Iliamna, and they haven't submitted any plans to state officials to develop a mine.

"This is the first time that we've seen jewelers take a stance ... against a particular mine," said Steve D'Esposito, president of Earthworks, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that endorses environmental and social criteria for global mining companies. His group unveiled the anti-Pebble pledge on Tuesday.

<snip>

Tiffany's chief executive Michael Kowalski said Tuesday that the company supports Bristol Bay residents who value the region's salmon fisheries over mining, and Tiffany will avoid using gold from Pebble if it is developed into a mine.

<snip>



My comments: The proposed Pebble Mine has the potential for causing more ecological damage to Alaska than drilling in ANWR ever thought of.
If you're not familiar with this project and its "issues" educate yourself here. http://www.renewableresourcescoalition.org/pebble_mine.htm
The fact that these major jewelers have come out against this mine is certainly good news, but the pressure needs to be kept up on a national level. Most of us here are already against it.

[gateley]

1. Thanks for the info and background - and good for Tiffany! If I were in the

market for a bauble or two, I'd definitely try to give them my business.

[Blue_In_AK]

2. I'm sorry, I forgot to post the link to the article

http://www.adn.com/front/story/313462.html

It's not just Tiffany's but several others.

"Last winter, an anti-Pebble coalition placed full-page ads in National Jeweler magazine, urging U.S. jewelry retailers to boycott gold from Pebble.

"The ad campaign apparently worked. Joining Tiffany and Ben Bridge, four other jewelers pledged their opposition to Pebble and mining in the Bristol Bay region: Missouri-based Helzberg Diamonds, New York-based Fortunoff, Illinois-based Leber Jewelers and Robb Blake, of Blake's Fine Jewelry in Eagle River."

I salute these companies for their environmental awareness and sensitivity to this very special region.

[gateley]

3. I join you in your salute -- and thanks for the link! nt