Bateman Jewellers are Trusted Saskatoon jewellery experts! Did you know that they are the oldest independent jewellery store in Saskatoon? Bateman Jewellers maintain that the relationship with their clients is very important to them. In their latest Saskatoon jewellery tip, they discuss recycling gold jewellery.
IS RECYCLED GOLD THE FUTURE OF JEWELLERY?
Gold Recycling
It is estimated that for every 1 million cell phones that are recycled, over 34 kg of gold can be recovered!
Alternatives to mining, such as recycled gold from e-waste, exist today and we are now able to craft beautiful jewellery while limiting our negative impact on the environment.
The future is here!
What does recycled gold mean?
Gold is a highly valued and much loved precious metal that is perfect for recycling. Indeed, gold does not decline in quality when recycled.
Gold can be found and recycled in many surprising places and due to this being largely unknown, much of it, unfortunately, goes to landfill.
Currently, around 90% of recycled gold comes from jewellery and the remaining 10% comes from other sources.
What is the impact of gold mining?
“There is no such thing as clean gold, unless it’s recycled or vintage.” - Alan Septoff, Communications Manager for the No Dirty Gold Campaign
1. Human Rights
A recently published article from Human Rights Watch highlights some of the key human rights abuses that can take place in the gold mining industry. For instance, in Venezuela, a high number of reserves of precious metals, including gold, is controlled by armed rebels. Those syndicates “exert strict control over the populations who live and work there, impose abusive working conditions, and viciously treat those accused of theft and other offences.”
2. Waste
One single gold ring can potentially create a staggering 20 tons of mining waste! This waste contains toxic chemicals which can contaminate the nearby water supply and soil. In some cases, local residents are exposed to chemicals such as mercury, which creates serious long-term illnesses. Mercury is a cheap product used to reveal the gold from the rock. Unfortunately, it causes devastating long-term impacts on the people and the planet.
3. Use of Water
Large-scale projects can use an average of 60,000 - 100,000 cubic meters of water every day. It would provide the basic water needs for a population equal to that of a large U.S. city for a year!
4. Acid Mine Drainage
One major issue with Underground Mining is called Fool’s Gold, or Iron Sulphides. It occurs when the rock reacts with oxygen to make what is then called Sulfuric Acid. This acidic process drains from the mine site and can be up to 300 times more concentrated than acid rain! Once this process begins, it is very complicated to stop the spread of contamination in the water.
5. Air Pollution
The electricity produced by burning coal and other fossil fuels in the mining process generates air pollution, smog, and greenhouse gases. As gold mines are typically large-scale operations requiring a sufficient amount of heavy machinery and earth-moving vehicles, airborne pollution is a significant environmental issue.
6. Wildlife
Gold mining destroys local wildlife, habitats and important ecosystems, mostly because of the pollution produced and the vast amount of land each mine required. For instance, the largest mine in the world, the Grasberg Mine, located in Indonesia, operates on 27,400 acres of land and has been a source of ongoing friction and conflict due to its negative environmental impact on the surrounding ecosystems.
Looking to recycle your old gold? Or perhaps you just have a bunch of rings and chains lying around you never wear anymore. Did you know that you can use your old gold as money at Bateman Jewellers? Bring in your items for evaluation and we will happily offer you a trade-in value towards anything in the store. Not looking for anything to buy? That's okay too because if there isn't an item you would like, we will also provide you with a cash-out option as well.
Please bring your items to our downtown Saskatoon location. Please note that depending on the quantity of items, you may have to leave them for evaluation as this process can take some time, especially if there are gems set into the gold. All cash-out items require government picture identification and payment is by cheque within 3-5 business days.
Bateman Jewellers continues to have a strong reputation in Saskatoon, and this is due to their loyal customers who appreciate the friendly, family-orientated store that they have come to expect! As a team, Cam and Jan are committed to ensuring that Bateman Jewellers remains the same for many generations to come.
'Your Jewellery Is A Lifetime Investment... Buy It From A LifeTime Friend'
