As energetic reserves, crystals do not want to be obtained without care and consideration. I believe it is my responsibility to be kind to the environment that created these gifts and to the people who are unearthing them. I only use stones from sources I know to be ethically transparent and of the highest quality. I go about this in a few different ways: 

1 — RESEARCH

I will never buy stones without having full knowledge of where they come from and how they are being acquired.

2 — ETHICAL WHOLESALE VENDORS / MINE DIRECT

Small family-owned mines are who I strive to use first. These are usually the most low impact and considerate operations run by people who come from generations of mining. They can personally confirm what methods were used to extract the stones and by whom. They take great pride in the work they do and really treat the land and crystals with great care. 

If I am unable to work directly with the mine itself, I will use wholesale vendors that do have these connections. I only support ones that have upfront ethical policies and have a clear commitment to getting inventory from mines that adhere to environmental and worker regulations.

3 — Hand collected / rockhounding

Many individually owned mines open their grounds and charge a digging fee so people who are interested can collect their own specimens. I wish I could run around the country doing this but since I cannot I try to support others who make a living by selling what they find. In terms of modern day sourcing, this is as ethical as it gets. These pieces are extracted by hand with basic tools and are very small operations with little impact. People who do this refer to themselves as individual miners or commercial rockhounds. They love what they do and adhere to their own code of ethics, which you can read here. It is legal for them to sell what they gather because they have permission from the property owners or the required permits.

For those that rockhound recreationally because they enjoy the hobby, there are legal restrictions that prevent them from selling what they take from federal lands. Commercial rockhounds and similar business models, however, can seek to negotiate permits or contracts with the applicable federal agency that would allow them to sell or trade specimens. This is an excellent resource for more information on the topic.

4 — CONSIDERATION OF GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION

Different geographic locations are known particularly for certain stones, for instance Arkansas Quartz, Colorado Amazonite, and South Dakota Rose Quartz. I seek out ethically reputable sellers that specialize in what is available in that area. Not only does this ensure that the stones are of the finest quality, but I can rest assured knowing they have not been mined by child labor or at great harm to the environment. I always try to find a source in the United States first so that chances of middlemen are reduced and the supply chain is short. I will not buy stones from places that have horrible records in any capacity. 

I avoid sourcing from countries that have notoriously egregious reputations, for instance Myanmar. Unless I have a direct source that I can trust implicitly I rather not take the chance of supporting something morally reprehensible.  

5 — VINTAGE / OLD STOCK

I am constantly replenishing my inventory with pieces that come from estate sales and mineral collections. Many of these specimens come from highly prized locations that are no longer open to mining. As someone who already prefers most things vintage, this is my favorite way of getting super special pieces. This is also the most ethical option for getting varieties of minerals that come from places I try to avoid. Malachite and other copper based minerals are stones that need to be sourced with great consideration because they are often linked to the worst modern day mining practices. 

6 — QUALITY NOT QUANTITY

I only select stones that meet my ethical, energetic, and aesthetic standards. If I cannot ethically obtain a certain variety of stone I will not offer it.