Article adapted from Eva Wiseman's article: "Are crystals the new blood diamonds?" from The Guardian.
It seems like everyone is obsessed with crystals these days; using them as spiritual powerhouses or for room decor, the uses for them are endless. However, what we sometimes don't consider is how 'powerful' their impact is on the environment is. We often forget, including myself, the numerous steps needed to manufacture, process and transport consumer products in which we all enjoy. But just how environmentally friendly are crystals? What impact does our surge in demand for them have on the Earth?
But while it’s often believed that many crystals possess the power to help people harness the energy of the earth, the more they are mined and extracted, the more that earth is suffering. Here is the uncanny truth about crystals, and we're not just talking about the fact that their healing properties aren’t scientifically proven. From the report by Emily Atkin at The New Republic last year, their origins are undiscovered, undisclosed, and their environmental impact worrying. In almost the same way with jewels and diamonds, the crystal mining industry is also described as an industry buried in conflict.
Firstly, although they come from the ground, we would consider them natural. Natural = eco-friendly right? Well I suppose we could say the same about coal... and oil... and natural gas. There are issues around sustainability as crystals are a non-renewable resource. There are issues around labour: most jobs are low paid, unsafe, and sometimes performed by underage workers. And there is an issue around accountability: the industry is unregulated, allowing exploitation to go unchecked.
“Mining has an environmental impact, whether it’s for ‘healing crystals’, the copper in your phone, or the gold in your ring,” said Payal Sampat of nonprofit organisation Earthworks. "‘Healing crystals’ are mined in places like Myanmar and the Democratic Republic of Congo where mineral extraction is linked to severe human-rights violations and environmental harm.” In the DRC, workers as young as seven years old are underground, in dangerously unregulated mining networks. According to the International NGO Global Witness, they reported that "the Taliban earns up to $20m a year from Afghanistan’s lapis mines, lapis lazuli being, as crystal websites explain, one of the best stones for activating psychic abilities." “As with most minerals,” adds Sampat, “it is impossible to know for sure if your crystal was obtained via an environmental and human rights horror show.”
Image from Dark crystals: the brutal reality behind a booming wellness craze - Photograph: Tess McClure from The Guardian
"Crystals are found on every continent, but it’s difficult to find a crystal seller who will specify the origins of individual stones and even harder to find one willing to talk honestly about the effects of mining. There’s no governing body requiring they do so, no regulator for an industry mired in exploitation and secrecy. Stephen Wells at Kacha Stones is one of a handful of sellers who prides himself on his ethical practices. He emails from India where he’s sourcing moonstone, tourmaline and kyanite despite their rarity and his infected root canal. “If something is cheap and available in huge quantities,” he writes, “the odds are it’s the result of a huge commercial enterprise, often the by-product of mining entirely unrelated to crystals.”" - Eva Wiseman, The Guardian
For Wells, the importance of ethical crystal mining is not solely about the impact on the planet, but also on the crystal itself – he believes the mining of a stone affects its healing properties. “Taking something by force, destructively, has an effect on any living thing. Crystals are archetypal pure frequencies, nature’s perfect geometric tuning forks. Can anyone imagine the shockwaves of explosions having no impact?”
- end of article from Eva Wiseman, The Guardian
Because of this, we at Natur Kosmetikk, craft our skincare tools from Clinical Grade Stainless Steel. By using stainless steel tools vs. crystal tools, its more beneficial for your skin, but also better for the environment too.
WHY STAINLESS STEEL?
NO to Bacteria - Compared to jade and rose quartz, stainless steel is non-porous, this prevents bacterial build-up which can contaminate skin.