Runci: "Prepare" Yourself for 60 Minutes Piece on Gold
Rob Bates, Senior Editor -- JCK Online, 11/3/2009 10:55:36 AM
The industry should be "prepared" for an upcoming 60 Minutes segment that will likely spotlight how gold fuels conflict in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, said Jewelers of America chairman Matthew A. Runci.
The show's air date is unknown at press time.
Runci said that when he was interviewed by the program, he "came away absolutely convinced [the program] would be focused on gold and the Eastern DRC."
He noted that 60 Minutes Australia recently did a piece that focused on gold and the Congo.
He noted JA has put together materials for its members to address these issues, some of which are excerpted here.
"We don't want to scare people, but we also felt we had a responsibility to have people understand what the issues are and what it could mean if consumers come into a jewelry shop with questions," he said.
He noted that, while most of the publicity on "conflict minerals" in the Congo has focused on non-jewelry items like coltan and tin, this report will likely raise the profile of the gold issue in Congo.
He added the report will likely feature horrific tales of rape and violence.
"I don't want to ring the alarm bells," he said, "but our industry has been on a path like this before. We have all have seemed what was a momentary excursion turned into a rather long journey - one which changed the way many of us think about our businesses."
He noted his organization has learned from past issues, and his organization "will work with all the appropriate stakeholders to help support credible measures that can apply to the gold supply chain. There is no place in the jewelry supply for gold that is linked to violence against women or against anyone else."
Runci said he knows of one large retailer who was contacted by 60 Minutes with a request to name their gold suppliers. "They declined, saying it's proprietary information," he said.
JCK was also approached by a research assistant, asking for the names of the largest jewelry suppliers in America, although this person said the show would be on the "gold rush" and didn't mention any conflict-related issues.
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In Response to the 'clean gold' question :
nodirtygold.org is a wonderful resource for 'refined' and 'recycled' gold that is obviously more eco-friendly than freshly-mined gold, no matter the source land.
Monique - 2009-7-11 13:32:26 EST -
Instead of warning the industry of a story that we'll have to talk around, why is there no movement to produce human-rights and eco friendly materials? Then, we could all feel good about the work we do.
NJjeweler - 2009-4-11 10:01:20 EST -
The gold producers need to take note: despite their assertions, gold IS traceable - the ore supplied to refineries can be traced, and the refineries can segregate "clean" mined gold. It's all about cost, and with gold over $1,000/oz it's about time the gold miners (who own most of the major refineries anyway)folow the lead of the diamond industry and start to act in a more responsible way.
Gold marketer - 2009-4-11 06:57:37 EST
Dirty, Dirty Gold
01/31/2010JA Warns Industry About 60 Minutes Segment
11/02/2009Gold, the Congo and 60 Minutes
02/09/2010
