Editor’s Note
This article examines the booming online market for “healing” gemstones like rose quartz, which are heavily promoted on social media for wellness and beauty. It questions the lack of transparency around their origins and the ethical implications of their supply chains, urging consumers to look beyond the aesthetic appeal.
How did you become aware of the topic?
“Gemstones with supposed healing effects are heavily promoted on social media like TikTok, Youtube, and Instagram. I felt like I encountered them everywhere at some point: as bedroom decorations, jewelry, or facial rollers against wrinkles and for beautiful skin. But there is hardly any information about where rose quartz actually comes from. On the suppliers’ websites, everything looks beautiful and very natural, but they say nothing about mining and working conditions. There’s nothing about fair work or similar. That kept catching my attention.”
You traveled to Madagascar and were in rose quartz mines there. What did you see?
“Madagascar is a very poor country. The government fails to enforce certain minimum standards and rules. Theoretically, the state should issue licenses for the mining, processing, and sale of rose quartz. But these licenses haven’t existed for a long time – for over ten years. The entire sector is therefore informally organized and unregulated. At the same time, many people in this area are trying to earn money.”
What working conditions did you find in the mines on site?
“I don’t even know where to start: The rock is extremely sharp-edged, but people wear flip-flops, no helmets, no safety glasses. That’s dangerous. Child labor is also a problem. Actually, in Madagascar, young people are only allowed to work in mines from the age of 18, precisely because it’s so dangerous. But we saw 13- and 15-year-olds there. They can’t go to school because their families are too poor. Many families in the mining regions cannot afford school fees. Often, children have to contribute to the household income from a young age. Another problem is the prices: Sometimes the workers receive only about 10 cents equivalent for a kilo of rose quartz. In contrast, facial rollers are sometimes sold here for up to 40 euros.”
You showed the workers a rose quartz roller and told them the price. How did they react?
“The workers to whom my colleague and I showed the roller had never seen such a product. They found the roller itself quite exciting. But they were extremely surprised at how much these products cost in Germany. One worker said that they should actually earn more then. But the power of these people is so low, there is no authority they could turn to. And if they don’t want to do the work for the little money, they might have no income at all.”
Can the Supply Chain Act, which comes into force in January 2023, change anything?
“No, I don’t think so. The original draft law could have helped, but it was significantly weakened in the negotiations, also due to the influence of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and large business associations. The suppliers here only have to look at the conditions of their direct suppliers – which in the case of rose quartz rollers would be the intermediaries in China. They don’t have to look all the way to the miners in Madagascar. And even if companies hear about grievances there, it’s up to them whether they terminate cooperation with the respective suppliers. Therefore, I don’t expect anything to fundamentally change for the people in Madagascar.”
With what feeling did you leave Madagascar?
“It was depressing and strange. There is currently no prospect of change. Not even abstention, meaning that we stop buying the stones, helps the people on site. Because then their income completely disappears. Certain standards and regulations would have to be introduced, something like a Fairtrade seal, so that conditions change and more money reaches the workers. But that’s not something that will happen tomorrow. Hopefully, a critical public that continues to ask questions and doesn’t simply accept grievances can help.”
