We use Oro Verde(tm) metals in our custom work and in our house collections. Oro Verde is presently going through the certification process so that, in addition to the environmental standards they maintain, they are also certified FairMined. To be certified FairMined the following criteria must be met:

1. Miners will get a better price for their gold, with increased security of the Fairtrade guaranteed minimum price. The Fairtrade minimum price for the pure gold content in unrefined gold is set at 95% of the London Bullion Market Association’s (LBMA) fixing at the FOB export point.

2. Miners will receive a Fairtrade social premium, calculated as 10% of the applicable LBMA fixing. For Ecological Gold, gold that has been extracted without the use of chemicals and with strict ecological restoration requirements, an additional ecological premium, calculated as 5% of the applicable LBMA fixing on top of the Fairtrade premium must be paid.


3. Miners have the opportunity to empower themselves through their organization. They form groups to give themselves better bargaining power with traders, to get a fairer return for their produce, and gain greater control over the jewellery supply chain. Though the price of gold is widely known in gold mining communities, miners often receive less owing to the number of middle-men between the miner and exporter. Once everyone takes their percentage, the miner may receive as little as 70% of the LBMA. Fairtrade and Fairmined certification will provide miners the chance to ask for pre-financing from prospective buyers, and provide miners with a minimum price for their product creating more competition in local markets and so improving trading relations to the benefit of the miner.

4. Certified miners must use safe and responsible practices for management of toxic chemicals in gold recovery, such as mercury and cyanide. Chemicals have to be reduced to a minimum, and where possible eliminated over the years. Miners earn an additional ecological premium when they recover gold through gravity only.

5. The Fairtrade and Fairmined gold will not contribute to conflict or violence. On the contrary, where certified organisations are located in conflict areas, increased economic stability, traceability and transparency from sale of their certified gold may help contribute to peace-building.

--From the FLO-Cert FairMined Certification Release

Fairtrade and Fairmined standards for gold and platinum have been developed through a partnership between Alliance for Responsible Mining and Fair Trade Labelling Organization (FLO). In October 2008 we were given permission to film the last of the FLO-Cert GmBH onsite Fair Trade feasibility audits for the Oro Verde® Program in Colombia. This documentary is about the program & community where several of our gold products originate.