What is Eco-Friendly Recycled Metal in Jewelry and Where Does It Come From?

This is a question I sometimes get asked because I state on my website that I use "eco-friendly recycled" precious metals in my jewelry.  So today, in honor of America Recycles Day, allow me to explain why I use it, what it is, and where it comes from.

As you can tell from many of my jewelry designs, I love nature, which also means that I try to leave behind the smallest carbon footprint everyday, whether it be at work in my studio creating jewelry, or in my home.  The mining process used to extract precious metals is extremely destructive to our planet.  When mining for silver and gold, tons of rock are removed from the earth and processed with poisonous cyanide that causes many environmental hazards.  Miners can be put at risk if this procedure is not done properly, and in some countries, they are subjected to abuse if not enough metal is found and extracted.  

Needless to say, this doesn't sit well with me, so I choose to only work with metal suppliers who use precious metals that have been refined, meaning melted down from pre-existing metal.  This new metal is then purified and formed into usable precious metals which are exactly the same as the metals that are mined, but without the environmental and social consequences.  These metals are sourced from existing jewelry, and leftover scrap metal from jewelers and other industries.  

Here at Kryzia Kreations, I have made a commitment to creating socially and environmentally responsible jewelry.  I save all my scrap metal, and in some cases, melt it down to create my fossilized leaves, or send it off to be refined and used again.  

We are the only ones who can  take care of our planet, and by respecting it and recycling where we can, we are saving it for many generations yet to come.