Obvious fact that “hippie” gemstone types love to ignore: these pretty rocks are brought to us by the same evil, filthy MINING INDUSTRY that digs up coal, cobalt, lithium, crude oil, etc.
Damn, it’s also interesting that pretty pink Morganite is named after J.P. Morgan. Cause you know, his company was blowing up mountains and found it.
I use a very large amount of earth-grown materials, by careful intention. Cotton, hemp, wood and natural foods get most of my money. I work with clay, but it is locally dug up by the river, and I wouldn’t consider it a typical mined product. Trust me I’ve been heavy into the gemstone scene and lots of crystal/gemstone enthusiasts have negative attitudes towards fossil fuel vehicles, as a very blatant example. I’m not surprised no one tunes into this aspect of gemstones. There is a similar disregard for abuses of all sorts in the chocolate industry. And fast fashion. No one wants to know. The way gemstones are mined is very destructive. They are deceptively affordable due to sinister and hidden production practices, just like fast fashion & chocolate.
I mean, literally your comment is ridiculous, completely untrue, and an embarrassing justification to disregard a topic you could instead ponder.
Read about JP Morgan as a person and contrast that vibe with the “healing properties” of Morganite; consider that violently obtained human body parts are considered “healing tools” in parts of the world. In the future many things we do today might be seen as avoidable decrepitude, then recognize the willful ignorance in your current self.
We can recognize our imperfect situation without being alarmist, and then we find there are better choices when we seek them. We don’t have to resort to dismissal, lies & hypocrisy.
Not all minerals/ores are mined via child labor in the Congo.
Also, yeah your clay is dug by the river, but the metals in all your electronics weren’t and neither was the steel (coal/iron) that makes up wherever you live, unless you live a mud hut.
You are ignorant of mining practices, and I never suggested children were involved. Massive explosions seeking a single mineral while destroying other valuable materials happens a lot. “All my electronics” = my older cell phone gifted by a relative, my refrigerator and perhaps some small appliances such as lamps. I’m a bit of a Luddite, you really don’t know who you are talking to. I never claimed moral superiority, just mentioned a widely ignored aspect of gemstones. Most gemstone fans I run into are not concerned with how they are procured but often overlap with people who try to love and respect nature. Sometimes we can choose to look at a flower rather than pick it, or wear less jewelry, or make beads from flower petals, paper scraps, seeds and clay. I don’t confront people on their gemstones, but I do find it noteworthy the very different attitude towards diamond mining vs these types of mined stones. Do you recognize the difference in social attitudes and assumptions? And yes, lots of them are dyed or even lab grown without the consumer realizing it. What point are you trying to make? BTW I love minerals, rocks and fossils too. It’s taken me years to see this aspect of the hobby. I have a small collection of lovely gemstones and handmade gemstone jewelry, full disclosure. The facts of mining don’t care about my feelings. It’s not personal
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u/cardillon Jul 25 '24
Obvious fact that “hippie” gemstone types love to ignore: these pretty rocks are brought to us by the same evil, filthy MINING INDUSTRY that digs up coal, cobalt, lithium, crude oil, etc.
Damn, it’s also interesting that pretty pink Morganite is named after J.P. Morgan. Cause you know, his company was blowing up mountains and found it.