Beyond the glittering showrooms lies a dark reality of cyanide pools and deforestation. Is recycled gold the future?
The Cost of Extraction
Gold mining is one of the most environmentally destructive industries on earth. To extract just one ounce of gold, companies must move tons of earth and often use highly toxic chemicals like cyanide and mercury to separate the metal from the ore.
The Problem of Mercury
Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is the largest source of mercury pollution in the world. Miners use mercury to amalgamate gold dust, then burn it off, releasing neurotoxic vapors into the atmosphere and local water supplies.
The Rise of Recycled Gold
Due to these environmental concerns, environmentally conscious consumers are demanding "recycled gold." Because gold never degrades, all the gold ever mined still exists. Recycled gold is melted down from old electronics and jewelry, requiring zero new mining.