Is there a way around the sale of ‘blood gold’?

ReutersEDITION:U.louis vuitton outlet online ReutersEDITION:U.[url=http://www.tustininformationcenter.com title=louis vuitton outlet online]louis vuitton outlet online[/url]S.S. SIGN INREGISTER HOME BUSINESS MARKETS WORLD POLITICS TECH OPINION BREAKINGVIEWS MONEY LIFE PICTURES VIDEO » Analysis & Opinion Home Opinion The Great Debate Follow The Great Debate View The Great Debate RSS feed Is there a way around the sale of ‘blood gold’? By Matthew Hart DECEMBER 13, 2013 Email Print inShare CONFLICT | GOLD | MINING Looking for the perfect holiday gift for that special person in your life? You can pick up an 18-karat gold designer bracelet at a swanky Fifth Avenue jeweler that is sure to do the trick. SIGN INREGISTER HOME BUSINESS MARKETS WORLD POLITICS TECH OPINION BREAKINGVIEWS MONEY LIFE PICTURES VIDEO » Analysis & Opinion Home Opinion The Great Debate Follow The Great Debate View The Great Debate RSS feed Is there a way around the sale of ‘blood gold’? By Matthew Hart DECEMBER 13, 2013 Email Print inShare CONFLICT | GOLD | MINING Looking for the perfect holiday gift for that special person in your life? You can pick up an 18-karat gold designer bracelet at a swanky Fifth Avenue jeweler that is sure to do the trick. Yours for $995. Yours for $995. These days, even if gold prices are down a bit from recent highs, it’s hard to find a trinket that doesn’t swallow the paycheck.louis vuitton outlet online These days, even if gold prices are down a bit from recent highs, it’s hard to find a trinket that doesn’t swallow the paycheck. Now there’s something else you have to consider: it could be dripping in blood. Now there’s something else you have to consider: it could be dripping in blood. As 2013 draws to a close, gold is at the end of a 13-year price party that has powered a burst of exploration and gold mine development on every continent except Antarctica. As 2013 draws to a close, gold is at the end of a 13-year price party that has powered a burst of exploration and gold mine development on every continent except Antarctica.[url=http://www.tustininformationcenter.com title=louis vuitton neverfull gm]louis vuitton neverfull gm[/url] It has also driven some of the world’s most brutal mining practices, as armed militias enslave whole populations, driving them to mine at the point of a gun. It has also driven some of the world’s most brutal mining practices, as armed militias enslave whole populations, driving them to mine at the point of a gun. In the circles that monitor such activity, a phrase has emerged that should send fear into the hearts of miners and bullion dealers: blood gold.louis vuitton tote In the circles that monitor such activity, a phrase has emerged that should send fear into the hearts of miners and bullion dealers: blood gold. According to the Washington, D. According to the Washington, D.C.C.-based Enough Project, the infamous M23 rebel group is still mining conflict gold in the Democratic Republic of Congo, despite the surrender of its leader, Bosco Ntaganda, to war crimes investigators in The Hague this year.-based Enough Project, the infamous M23 rebel group is still mining conflict gold in the Democratic Republic of Congo, despite the surrender of its leader, Bosco Ntaganda, to war crimes investigators in The Hague this year. The M23 and other armed groups in the Congo’s goldfields smuggle gold to Uganda and Burundi, where they sell it to international buyers.louis vuitton outlet online The M23 and other armed groups in the Congo’s goldfields smuggle gold to Uganda and Burundi, where they sell it to international buyers.[url=http://www.tustininformationcenter.com title=louis vuitton outlet online]louis vuitton outlet online[/url] The gold flow out of Congo is about $500 million a year. The gold flow out of Congo is about $500 million a year. This illicit gold joins another $2 billion worth from South Africa, where criminal syndicates employ miners in unsafe, often hellish conditions, paying them a pittance to loot the country’s gold mines. This illicit gold joins another $2 billion worth from South Africa, where criminal syndicates employ miners in unsafe, often hellish conditions, paying them a pittance to loot the country’s gold mines. Some of the miners are forced to live underground in the furnace-like labyrinth of the deep mines for such long periods that, deprived of sunlight, their skin turns gray. Some of the miners are forced to live underground in the furnace-like labyrinth of the deep mines for such long periods that, deprived of sunlight, their skin turns gray. In South Africa they call them “ghost miners.louis vuitton tote In South Africa they call them “ghost miners.” The torrent of bloody gold is indistinguishable from innocent gold because of the way that gold refiners take gold from multiple sources.” The torrent of bloody gold is indistinguishable from innocent gold because of the way that gold refiners take gold from multiple sources. A refiner’s concern is not origin, but purity. A refiner’s concern is not origin, but purity.[url=http://www.tustininformationcenter.com title=louis vuitton tote]louis vuitton tote[/url] In London, the world’s biggest bullion market, the standard known as “London Good Delivery” stipulates bars refined to a gold purity of 995 parts per thousand. In London, the world’s biggest bullion market, the standard known as “London Good Delivery” stipulates bars refined to a gold purity of 995 parts per thousand. Refiners typically buy gold from many mines, and also from scrap dealers — the “gold for cash” trade.louis vuitton usa Refiners typically buy gold from many mines, and also from scrap dealers — the “gold for cash” trade. In Russia and the Persian Gulf, they also buy large amounts of gold mined by brutalized Congolese and the impoverished and victimized illegal miners of South Africa. In Russia and the Persian Gulf, they also buy large amounts of gold mined by brutalized Congolese and the impoverished and victimized illegal miners of South Africa. Few laws are in place to control the flow of stolen gold. Few laws are in place to control the flow of stolen gold. In the United States, the Dodd-Frank Act makes companies account for the origin of minerals they buy that might come from the war zones of central Africa. In the United States, the Dodd-Frank Act makes companies account for the origin of minerals they buy that might come from the war zones of central Africa. This makes it harder for militias to sell such minerals as tin or tungsten.louis vuitton outlet online This makes it harder for militias to sell such minerals as tin or tungsten.[url=http://www.tustininformationcenter.com title=louis vuitton neverfull gm]louis vuitton neverfull gm[/url] But gold is so portable — you can stuff $30,000 of it in a pants pocket and $700,000 in a briefcase — that smugglers move it easily to countries that are not scrupulous about where it comes from. But gold is so portable — you can stuff $30,000 of it in a pants pocket and $700,000 in a briefcase — that smugglers move it easily to countries that are not scrupulous about where it comes from. This raises the question: is a stream of “clean” gold possible, so a purchaser could know that her ring or bracelet was made of gold mined only from knowable sources? The answer is yes. This raises the question: is a stream of “clean” gold possible, so a purchaser could know that her ring or bracelet was made of gold mined only from knowable sources? The answer is yes. The diamond industry’s history suggests how it might work. The diamond industry’s history suggests how it might work. When the campaign against blood diamonds was at its height, Canadian diamond miners and polishers created a rigorously monitored separate stream of “ice diamonds” — gemstones mined in the Arctic and certified free of taint from the murderous diamond fields of then-war-torn countries such as Angola and Sierra Leone.louis vuitton neverfull gm When the campaign against blood diamonds was at its height, Canadian diamond miners and polishers created a rigorously monitored separate stream of “ice diamonds” — gemstones mined in the Arctic and certified free of taint from the murderous diamond fields of then-war-torn countries such as Angola and Sierra Leone. What’s more, they sold them at a premium. What’s more, they sold them at a premium. But how would clean gold work? First, the refinery would have to stop its cycle, clean the plant, and introduce the gold from the mine that wanted to keep its production stream discreet from other gold. But how would clean gold work? First, the refinery would have to stop its cycle, clean the plant, and introduce the gold from the mine that wanted to keep its production stream discreet from other gold.[url=http://www.tustininformationcenter.com title=louis vuitton usa]louis vuitton usa[/url] Is this likely? “We just couldn’t do that,” a spokesman for Johnson Matthey, a respected firm of gold refiners, told me. Is this likely? “We just couldn’t do that,” a spokesman for Johnson Matthey, a respected firm of gold refiners, told me. “We couldn’t run our business that way; it would cost too much.louis vuitton outlet online “We couldn’t run our business that way; it would cost too much.” Others disagree.” Others disagree. “It would be expensive,” said Marguerite Nadeau, a vice president of the Royal Canadian Mint, which operates a gold refinery as part of its business, “but we have done it. “It would be expensive,” said Marguerite Nadeau, a vice president of the Royal Canadian Mint, which operates a gold refinery as part of its business, “but we have done it.” When the Canadian government started selling gold coins in 1979, the enabling legislation stipulated that the coins be struck from Canadian gold.” When the Canadian government started selling gold coins in 1979, the enabling legislation stipulated that the coins be struck from Canadian gold. But demand outstripped the supply of purely Canadian gold, and they dropped the practice.louis vuitton usa But demand outstripped the supply of purely Canadian gold, and they dropped the practice.[url=http://www.tustininformationcenter.com title=louis vuitton tote]louis vuitton tote[/url] Nevertheless, they showed it could be done. Nevertheless, they showed it could be done. A separate clean-gold stream is possible if demand appears either from jewelry manufacturers looking for a way to add value to their products, or from bullion dealers whose clients, such as bullion funds, were threatened with disinvestment because of bad press about blood gold. A separate clean-gold stream is possible if demand appears either from jewelry manufacturers looking for a way to add value to their products, or from bullion dealers whose clients, such as bullion funds, were threatened with disinvestment because of bad press about blood gold. That press could be just around the corner. That press could be just around the corner. A U.louis vuitton tote A U.N.N. expert panel studying conflict gold has just delivered its report to the Security Council, which is expected to publish it in January. expert panel studying conflict gold has just delivered its report to the Security Council, which is expected to publish it in January.[url=http://www.tustininformationcenter.com title=louis vuitton neverfull gm]louis vuitton neverfull gm[/url] PHOTO: Boys pan for gold on a riverside at Iga Barriere, 25 km (15 miles) from Bunia, in the resource-rich Ituri region of eastern Congo February 16, 2009. PHOTO: Boys pan for gold on a riverside at Iga Barriere, 25 km (15 miles) from Bunia, in the resource-rich Ituri region of eastern Congo February 16, 2009. REUTERS/Finbarr O’Reilly/Files « PREVIOUS POST More From Reuters \'Cannibal sandwiches\' sicken residents in Midwest Obama and Castro shake hands, Zuma humiliated at Mandela memorial Actor Walker died from multiple injuries in crash, \'Fast 7\' filming… Michelle Obama’s unscripted moment Mormon church explains its defunct ban on blacks in the priesthood From Around the Web Best 5 Graduate Degrees You Should Just Do Online (Education Portal) Lindsay Lohan Arrested on Stage During \'Saturday Night Live\' Monologue (Yahoo! Screen) 10 Insanely Overpaid Public Employees (The Fiscal Times) Rent vs Buy: The Analysis Will Surprise You (SmartAsset) Obama Changes Direction Of US Military Command, Fires 9th General In… (Downtrend) [?] COMMENTS ONE COMMENT SO FAR | RSS COMMENTS RSS DEC 13, 2013 2:36 AM UTC Demand for gold will continue to drop so long as central banks don’t re-ignite speculation about their own capacity to manage the value of the currencies they are responsible for.louis vuitton usa REUTERS/Finbarr O’Reilly/Files « PREVIOUS POST More From Reuters \'Cannibal sandwiches\' sicken residents in Midwest Obama and Castro shake hands, Zuma humiliated at Mandela memorial Actor Walker died from multiple injuries in crash, \'Fast 7\' filming… Michelle Obama’s unscripted moment Mormon church explains its defunct ban on blacks in the priesthood From Around the Web Best 5 Graduate Degrees You Should Just Do Online (Education Portal) Lindsay Lohan Arrested on Stage During \'Saturday Night Live\' Monologue (Yahoo! Screen) 10 Insanely Overpaid Public Employees (The Fiscal Times) Rent vs Buy: The Analysis Will Surprise You (SmartAsset) Obama Changes Direction Of US Military Command, Fires 9th General In… (Downtrend) [?] COMMENTS ONE COMMENT SO FAR | RSS COMMENTS RSS DEC 13, 2013 2:36 AM UTC Demand for gold will continue to drop so long as central banks don’t re-ignite speculation about their own capacity to manage the value of the currencies they are responsible for. Why on earth would anyone do something like that? Well, if everyone else is going in one direction there is always some profit to be made from being the only one going the opposite way. Why on earth would anyone do something like that? Well, if everyone else is going in one direction there is always some profit to be made from being the only one going the opposite way. Posted by Colmery | Report as abusive POST YOUR COMMENT Submit Comment We welcome comments that advance the story through relevant opinion, anecdotes, links and data. Posted by Colmery | Report as abusive POST YOUR COMMENT Submit Comment We welcome comments that advance the story through relevant opinion, anecdotes, links and data. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters.louis vuitton tote Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters.[url=http://www.tustininformationcenter.com title=louis vuitton tote]louis vuitton tote[/url] For more information on our comment policy, see http://blogs. For more information on our comment policy, see http://blogs.reuters.reuters.com/fulldisclosure/2010/09/27/toward-a-more-thoughtful-conversation-on-stories/ ANY OPINIONS EXPRESSED HERE ARE THE AUTHOR’S OWN.com/fulldisclosure/2010/09/27/toward-a-more-thoughtful-conversation-on-stories/ ANY OPINIONS EXPRESSED HERE ARE THE AUTHOR’S OWN. Matthew Hart Matthew Hart is a veteran writer about gold and diamonds.louis vuitton outlet online Matthew Hart Matthew Hart is a veteran writer about gold and diamonds. His book \"Gold: the Race for the World\'s Most Seductive Metal\" has just been published in the U. His book \"Gold: the Race for the World\'s Most Seductive Metal\" has just been published in the U.S.S.[url=http://www.tustininformationcenter.com title=louis vuitton neverfull gm]louis vuitton neverfull gm[/url] and UK by Simon & Schuster, and in Canada by Allen Lane. and UK by Simon & Schuster, and in Canada by Allen Lane. 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