Editor’s Note
This article explores the complex reality behind the booming crystal industry, highlighting the environmental and ethical concerns often obscured by their marketed “healing” properties.
Amethyst, quartz, citrine, and other “natural stones (crystals)” are often marketed as healing power stones. However, the mines that produce them can be environmentally destructive and potentially operate under inhumane working conditions.
Martina Goodfriend knew it was difficult to make a living from mining “natural stones (crystals).” Yet, when she visited the mineral-rich Erongo region of Namibia and purchased about 115 kilograms of stones—including smoky quartz, fluorite, and hyalite opal—for just over $10,000 (approximately 1.5 million yen), she was shocked to learn this amount was equivalent to two years’ wages for the mine owner and employees.
Goodfriend, who sells stones through her Etsy shop “Spirit Nectar Gems” based in Alberta, Canada, is an outlier among her peers. Most crystal sellers purchase their stones from wholesalers embedded in complex global supply chains. However, Goodfriend knows that buying directly from small-scale mines means more money is likely to stay within the local economy.
Indeed, the world of natural stones is like the Wild West, with no sustainability guidelines or certifications for ethically sourced products that consumers can reference. Mining methods vary widely, from small-scale “artisanal mining” using simple tools to extract ore, to stones that are byproducts of large-scale mining operations targeting other minerals.
The social impacts of crystal mining are also diverse. It can sometimes boost local economies, but it can also foster labor exploitation and fuel armed conflicts.
However, according to industry insiders, if you care about how your stones were sourced, there are steps crystal enthusiasts can take—from finding a trustworthy seller to digging with their own hands.
Extracting natural stones, popular as power stones, impacts the environment and people, though the effects vary by region and mineral type.
Experts say that generally, crystal mining is not as environmentally destructive as mining for metals like gold or copper. While commercial metal mines can often span tens to hundreds of hectares in area and tens to hundreds of meters in depth, crystal mines tend to be smaller.
James Zigras, CEO of Avant Mining, the largest quartz producer in the United States, states that his company’s largest mine is less than one hectare in area, and the deepest point is “probably around 35 meters.”
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