54 major jewelers have taken a stand on a proposed gold mine in Bristol Bay, Alaska.
They have pledged not to use gold from the proposed Pebble Mine, which is at the headwaters of Bristol Bay in southwest Alaska.
These are big forces at work. The mine would be the largest open-pit mine in America. And environmentalists say it would threaten the world's largest salmon fishery.
And the jewelers represent $5.75 billion in annual sales. They include Zale Corp., Helzberg Diamonds and Boucheron.
The announcement - made by a mining reform group, a Bristol Bay seafood organization and an association of Alaskan villages - said is the first time a large number of jewelers have taken a position on a specific place or mine. Jewelers are an important voice in this issue because jewelry demand accounts for 80 percent of annual mined production of gold, the groups said.
ONLINE
Read the full release: http://earthworksaction.org/PR-OBB-Ad54Jewelers.cfm
Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/02/14/2065943/54-jewelers-nix-gold-from-alaska.html#ixzz1DxLzvUIl
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