No Gemstones Please: A Moral Stand

Ever since James Bond's Die Another Day set precedence for Hollywood about conflict diamonds

, other well-known artistic expressions have surfaced to decry the use of these minerals in expensive jewelry. Blood Diamond and Kanye West's Diamonds from Sierra Leone have all served to demonize these valuable jewels.

Do not be mistaken, however, in thinking that the culture of human suffering when treasured items are in the picture, is a new thing. Whenever something of value was found, in Africa or elsewhere, untold misery has always been accompanied on the populations surrounding these treasures. What do they mean then, when they say that a diamond (or any other precious mineral) is blood-free?

You do not have to envision child labor, with a machine gun and AK-47-totting men overseeing the work at the mines in order to characterize a precious stone as a 'blood diamond'. The conditions at most mines are at best, inhumane and dangerous for the workers. Safety of the workers is not the number one priority for these mining companies and many die in mine accidents due to neglect and lack of safety standards.

Silver

Fueled by a rise in demand and the subsequent rise in the price of silver, silver mining companies have accelerated production and mining of silver. This has led to the decline of mining safety standards and nowadays it is common to hear of mining accidents as a result of this reduced safety levels.

The well known Potosi mines in Bolivia have a very bad safety record and the silver that comes from the mines is tarnished by the suffering and the blood of the mine workers. All in all, 8 million workers have died in the mines since they were first opened by the Spanish colonialists in 1545.

Gold

From Indonesia to South Africa, gold miners die in massive numbers due to collapsed tunnels and fires. Most of the miners who face this cruel death are usually illegal miners who are usually pushed by the human suffering around them into the mining ventures in a bid to escape the poverty. In the Sierra Leone region, notorious for its gold and diamond fueled war activities, the stain of blood is ever more apparent.

Diamonds

These gorgeous stones are as valuable as they are instrumental in the death and the maiming of thousands upon thousands of civilians. Entire wars are fought in a bid to control the mining and trading activities and those who die from mine accidents form only a small fraction of the casualties of diamond mining. Others are people who have been shot for prospecting illegally in mines for these rocks which are worth millions of dollars.

The amount of human suffering that goes into making that diamond stone set in silver or gold is essentially what makes the jewels precious. If a walk along the cost ended up with a bagful of diamonds collected from the sand, the jewels would be as worthless as the sand itself. It is the human suffering that goes into obtaining the jewels that we pay for: we treasure it.

by: Greg Savoie

POST COMMENT

Fog Lights - Go For Top Quality Where Can You Get A Mortgage Loan? Present Ideas Offered By Specialised Organisations Portable Buildings Have A Wide Range Of Functions Making Them Extremely Useful Pounds Till Payday- Source Of Instant Cash To Accomplish Urgent Works 3 Top Tips For Avoiding Protein Deficiency How You Can Ensure You Get The Best Possible Divorce Settlements Falls From Height Variations In Party Entertainment For Special Occasions This Year You've Much More Option Get The Most Out Of Your Scary Gaming Experience The Different Types Of Lanyards Htc Titan Deals-look Only Here For Excellence