The Dark Side Of Gifting Gold This Christmas

What's the international community and gold consumers doing? Very little, really.

Useful link:

https://time.com/7198994/dubai-blood-gold-sudan-uae

Initiatives In Art And Culture 13th Annual Gold + Diamond Conference

July 17-19, 2023. Bohemian National Hall, 321 E 73rd Street, New York, NY, USA. The event focuses on responsible practices in extraction, sourcing and related issues. 

Useful link: 

https://artinitiatives.com/2023-gold-diamond-conference-maintaining-purpose

From The Sahel To Dubai

Behind every gold fortune, there is a crime. The France 24 report is a must watch.

Useful link:

https://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/reporters/20220715-from-the-sahel-to-dubai-on-the-trail-of-dirty-gold

Initiatives In Art And Culture 12th Annual International Gold And Diamond Conference

Bohemian National Hall, New York City. July 18-20 2022.

Useful link: https://artinitiatives.com

Global Gold Transparency Initiative

Be vigilant. Verify your sources. Do the right thing.

Useful links:

https://www.voguebusiness.com/sustainability/fair-mined-and-traceable-the-new-standard-in-gold-sourcing

https://globalgoldtransparency.com

Betts Refining

From mine to jewelry.

Useful link:

https://bettsrefining.com/services/ethical-refining

Ethics Vs. Profit

Insightful viewpoints by Ahmed Bin Sulaymen, CEO at DMCC (Dubai Multi Commodities Centre) on UAE's gold industry. Must read.

Useful links:

https://www.rough-polished.com/en/exclusive/123713

https://www.dmcc.ae

Random Thoughts

Gold has a complex supply chain that includes well-run professional operations, terrible ones, bullshit artists, material that's impossible to trace and might date back thousands of years, and small-scale mines that sustain some of the poorest people on the planet.

Congo's Gold Curse

Moses Sawasawa's photo essay, a photographer based in Goma and co-founder of Collectif Goma Oeil, explains well the sad state of Congo's gold mining.

Useful link: https://congoinconversation.fondationcarmignac.com

Illicit Gold Markets In East And Southern Africa

Insightful report. Must read.

Useful link: https://globalinitiative.net/analysis/illicit-gold-east-southern-africa

Single Mine Origin Gold

The SMO mark is designed to ensure not only that the gold is traceable to a single mine, but that the mine is operated to the best international standards and is socially and environmentally responsible.

Useful link: https://singlemineorigin.com

Ban Hand-carry Of Gold On Flights

It's high time a start gets made. Smuggled gold via Dubai will decrease if the buyer, seller, and courier cooperate for good.

Useful links: https://gulfnews.com I https://www.dmcc.ae I https://www.gold.org

The Gold Standard

The report examines illicit gold mining practices in Colombia and its effects on local mining communities, the environment, and trade. 

Useful link: https://gfintegrity.org

Jewelers, How Good Is Your Gold?

Gold is hard to track. Given that gold is endlessly repurposed and recycled, it's possible that some of the gold currently in circulation was excavated thousands of years ago. There are steps jewelers can take to improve their gold supply chain. Follow the law.

Useful link: https://www.jckonline.com/magazine-article/responsible-gold-sourcing

How Much Gold Is There Left To Mine In The world?

Though new gold mines are still being found, discoveries of large deposits are becoming increasingly rare. Based on rough estimates, there is about 20% still to be mined, but this is a moving target. New technologies may make it possible to extract some known reserves that aren't currently economical to access.

Useful links:

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-54230737

https://www.gold.org

Illicit Gold Trade Thrives In The Democratic Republic Of Congo

 This is Africa (TIA).

Useful link: https://impacttransform.org/en/congo-gold-intermediaries

Top 10 Countries With Largest Gold Reserves

The US still holds the number one spot with over 8000 tonnes of gold in its vaults nearly as much as the next three countries combined.

Useful link:
https://www.mining.com/top-10-countries-with-largest-gold-reserves

Glint

If gold is a form of currency, then why shouldn't there exist something like an e-payment system you can use to pay for your daily groceries with gold as its base currency? Turns out there is such a thing. Glint, a U.K-based fintech company lets you buy physical gold through an app and then spend it with Mastercard. You may want to give it a try.

Useful link:
https://glintpay.com

Gold Is Booming During COVID-19. Smuggling Is Too

In the midst of COVID-19 pandemic, it's perhaps unsuprising that gold smuggling is booming. More surprising is how that gold is getting to the market. The sad truth is the booming illicit trade will never ever stop----not in my lifetime.

Useful links:
https://fortune.com/2020/07/10/gold-is-booming-during-covid-19-smuggling-is-too
https://www.gold.org

Hunting For Particles Of Gold In The Jungles Of Southeast Asia

Paul Salopek was spot on. Sad really. I have seen the misery in Burma. The gold industry may collapse 20 +/- years. After that, it's all recycling.

Useful links:
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/2020/06/hunting-particles-gold-jungles-southeast-asia
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/projects/out-of-eden-walk