Ethically sourced gemstones.
 

Do you guys have any sources for ethically sourced gemstones?

Stones mined in an eco friendly manner, and without thr use of slavery, child labor, or other worker abuses?

Am I better off only purchasing stones that are used or mined in first world countries?

Though difficult to attain genuinely ethically sourced minerals; your intent is magnanimous and to be commended. Unfortunately, the world market for minerals is business and profit geared, buy as cheap as possible (nearly always 3rd world) and sell as high as possible (1st world). I spent some 15 yrs in this field and I know the sources of much of the world market - South America, Africa, Madagascar and India provide the largest supply. The only true way to know you are have ethically sourced minerals is to either find / collect them yourself or go to the places in the world where they are sourced and see for yourself. I would not trust any retailer that says all of their stock is ethically sourced; because the wholesalers and importers, before them exporters and before them the mine owners are all business minded.

Hello

It is near impossible to know the true source of a crystal that you buy from a shop. They can say they are pure but honestly nothing we take from the Earth is done in a pure way is it ?

More I like to get mine second hand from thrift shops and from yard sales ext. In this I can cleanse them from what energy they hold and truly make them pure with my energies.

I have one on today that I found at a discount store and its amazing. I put the pure energy of Light into it when I put it on so that no matter where its source was the person that mined it is touched on some levels in LOVe and Light.

Lynn

I see what you mean. One seller on Amazon told me that going through Brazil's customs they went throuh extensive checks and followed all the permit laws perfectly. What do you think about that? (I had asked only about environmentally friendly, not labor related stuff. I think I read that Brazil set up labor laws but they're being broken)

Yeah second hand would be my ideal. The only issue is I want cleansing stones and am going through some atuff, and don't think I want to take chances on that. I am part of a rock club, and they have some silverstreak obsidian for sale. I'm not aure if they harvested it themselves or not but I can check. So that may be an option.

If by pure you mean withot treading on people or the earth in an unsustainable way, I can't say I'm sure. Certainly there are better methods than others. But I think restoration measures have to be taken at any mine for it to truly be eco friendly.

It seema though that self mining and second hand would be best then.

It is all the more special to find your own crystals and minerals. I used to regularly find Calcite clusters and large points in South Wales, the biggest was perhaps 30kgs, also Clear quartz, Gypsum crystals and others. I've found natural Smoky Quartz (var Cairngorm) up here in Scotland - really lovely pieces which are the real thing because I know where I found them - (unlike the masses of 'irradiated Quartz' sold as Smoky Quartz in many crystal retailers).
There are a lot of minerals that are 'changed' by man with different processes; radiation, heat treatment and chemical treatment to make them a more saleable product. Virtually every crystal shop has these for sale but their clientele will often never realise it. Citrine for instance - the greater majority is simply heat treated, poor grade Amethyst..

Fair enough. Yeah, the rock club I'm a part of does field trips so I can go on those and see what is available.

I'm happy to see this subject has been brought up on here :)

I also prefer to buy secondhand stones or locally sourced. I also started to do some rockhounding in my area or when I'm on trips and I love it! I can't always identify the minerals but to get them yourself makes it so special!

Now I'd love to be able to go beachcombing this summer and find some sea glass ♡

Ethically Sourced Gemstones
 

I have purchased stones off of eBay 3-4 Times from a seller who goes by the name of juliemoonrisecrystals. She deals in medium to large tumbled crystals and claims they are all ethically sourced. They are not cheap, but they are all very nice crystals and I am a repeat customer.