Two European smartphone companies have kicked off a Black Friday campaign highlighting the importance of ethical gold mining. They will donate €40 from each device they sell to an environmentally-conscious mine project in Colombia.
Specifically, funding will be provided from sales of Murena and Fairphone’s two smartphone models they collaborated on. That is, the Murena Fairphone 4 and 5.
The Iquira Mine, described as an “agro-mining cooperative in Colombia’s ecologically diverse yet threatened Huila region,” is a project being developed by the South American nation’s Alliance for Responsible Mining (ARM).
At the Iquira mine in Huila, Colombia. Photo credit: ARM
Iquira has been operating for 20 years
The small-scale operation has eliminated the usage of mercury, conducted multiple safety training initiatives, prioritized water conservation and collaborated in health campaigns with community organizations.
“By buying a Murena Fairphone during the Black Friday period, they purchase a long-lasting smartphone with open source software and ethically sourced materials,” Fairphone’s Chief Impact Officer, Monique Lempers, said, “and as an extra, they will directly donate to a responsible gold mine in Colombia.”
Murena and Fairphone’s smartphones use a privacy-oriented operating system called /e/OS. It is designed to provide an Android-like experience while minimizing user data tracking.
Gold extracted from the mine site is known to have been used in crafting the Nobel Peace Prize in 2015 and 2016. Also, the Olympic Laurel trophy. This campaign started on Nov. 25 and will be ongoing until Dec. 2.
Happy to see the Murena Fairphone 5 in the @dailystar Top Tech of the week!@MurenaCom @Fairphone pic.twitter.com/bIpDSOhRAz
— ＧΛËＬ ＤＵＶΛＬ 💻📱🐧 @gael@mastodon.social (@gael_duval) November 20, 2024
Read more: Calibre Mining finds high grade gold mineralization outside of its Valentine Mine resource
Read more: High grades in Nicaragua expected to raise Calibre Mining’s mineral resource
Environmental damage in Latin America inspires activism
Illegal gold mining, particularly in the Amazon rainforest, has been catastrophic in recent years.
It has caused vast mercury contamination, deforestation, armed conflict and has had a terrible impact on local wildlife.
Thankfully, organizations like the ARM, Amazon Watch, PlanetGOLD and the National Federation of Colombian Miners have been working diligently to help remedy the situation.
Certain gold mining companies operating in Latin America have been prioritizing the environment too.
Notably, Calibre Mining Corp (TSE: CXB) (OTCMKTS: CXBMF). Through a partnership with the Centre for Understanding Nature, an environmental organization, Calibre has helped plant over one million trees in Nicaragua. This collaboration has helped protect millions of local bees too.
The mid-tier producer has been prioritizing biodiversity and local communities since it entered the country. In 2022, Calibre made a short documentary to highlight some of its sustainability initiatives in Central America.
Also worth noting is Yamana Gold — a subsidiary of Pan American Silver Corp (TSE: PAAS) (NYSE: PAAS). This company is known to focus on minimizing the environmental impact of its mining operations in Brazil. Yamana has planted about 300,000 trees in the surrounding area of the nation’s Jacobina Mine.
Water management is a key focus for Yamana.
Calibre Mining is a sponsor of Mugglehead news coverage
rowan@mugglehead.com
