OUR APPROACH TO
Responsibly Sourced Stones
To those who work with the energy of stones, they are not merely objects of fascination, but vessels of Spirit, extensions of Will, and allies in the Great Work. For many practitioners, maintaining right relationship with the land and its spirit forces is a primary concern when acquiring tools for their craft.
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Crystals are perhaps most fraught when it comes to questions of provenance, labor, and extraction - issues often obscured by a global industry that prioritizes profit over accountability and aesthetics over integrity. It is a great sadness that not all stones come from a good place. The prevalence of dangerous mining conditions, exploitative trade relations, and environmental destruction all cast a heavy shadow across witchcraft and spiritual communities.
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At Solstice, we were among the first to take these concerns seriously and have spent more than a decade investigating the realities of the crystal trade, establishing a model for responsible sourcing long before it became a trending topic. Our early efforts gained recognition from Green Matters and the Sierra Club, and we're proud to have influenced a growing number of businesses that have since adopted standards and protocols inspired by our own. Change is afoot, and meaningful discussions are now unfolding around the importance of traceability and transparency in the crystal trade.
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Crystals: The Dark Side
Holding a gleaming crystal in your palm can feel pretty far removed from the harsh realities of the mining industry. Difficult truths about crystal extraction and trade are frequently overlooked or omitted by other retailers - whether from lack of awareness or the discomfort such knowledge can bring. For us, there were things we simply could not turn a blind eye to. Embarking on this journey has meant taking a very real and hard look at industry practices, devoting ourselves to years of research and investigation in pursuit of the highest integrity in our offerings.
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It goes without saying that mining, in most forms, carries significant risk. Rock falls, machinery accidents, and the inhalation of rock dust all pose considerable danger to miners around the world - especially to those lacking basic protective gear. Once extracted, bringing a crystal to the global market often involves middlemen who can take advantage of indigenous miners - many of whom are unaware of the stone’s end value. In the case of polished stones, lapidary factory workers face increased risk of silicosis or other injuries when proper safety measures are lacking. Perhaps most notoriously, gems and minerals have also been used to fund conflict and terrorism across politically unstable regions - Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Democratic Republic of the Congo among them. Moreover, large-scale mining operations contribute to erosion and groundwater contamination, threatening both ecosystems and local communities that depend on them.
Being a conscious consumer can feel like an uphill battle, yet it is worth considering that ubiquitous geomaterials - from the rare earth minerals powering our mobile devices to the copper in household pipes and the lithium in rechargeable batteries - often impose a far greater burden on people and the planet. Likewise, it's a difficult paradox that despite the risks and exploitation that can occur, small-scale mining often sustains families in remote regions where other opportuities are scarce. The situation is undeniably complex, and rather than inspiring guilt, this article seeks to share insights gathered throughout our journey and offer a perspective that holds space for nuance. While the term ethically sourced is widely used, at Solstice we speak instead of responsible sourcing: an approach rooted in transparency, accountability, and continual improvement - free from judgement and greenwashing.​​​​​​​​
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Guiding Principles
So, what does it mean for a crystal to be responsibly sourced? In the absence of a formal fair trade body or framework similar to the Kimberley Process (a flawed yet significant United Nations initiative to certify conflict-free diamonds), this question quickly leads into ambiguous territory. The crystal trade is vast, unregulated, and often opaque. Long supply chains obscure potentially devastating realities at the source, undermining any sense of traceability and accountability. Over the years we have forged our own path, daring to lift the veil on an industry entrenched in secrecy in search of the true stories behind the stones. ​
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Our approach is grounded in careful research and discernment. Deep inquiry into the socio-political realities of mining regions - in addition to geological contexts, extraction methods, and concerns around toxicity and health risks - continues to shape our decisions. For us as a business, navigating this challenging terrain with open eyes and an open heart has meant not turning away from uncomfortable truths. It has meant standing apart from the bottom line culture of quality and price to choose stones based on more than their energy or aesthetics. We are committed to uncovering the true rare gems - the small handful of miners and suppliers who conduct their operations with transparency and care. From our perspective, these are the only antidotes to the 'dark side' of the industry.
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At Solstice, our Responsible Sourcing Model combines our own extensive industry experience with protocols adapted from the responsible jewellery movement. We have drawn inspiration from Columbia Gem House and their mine-to-market campaign, as well as discussions with mentors at the Chicago Responsible Jewelry Conference and the Ethical Gem Fair. Resoundingly the importance of traceability, transparency, and a short supply chain is clear - alongside a commitment to reducing ecological harm, upholding fair labour practices, and supporting women's empowerment in the mining sector. Our five Guiding Principles below articulate these aims.​​
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CHAIN
At the most basic level, a short supply chain is critical to achieving transparency and traceability. We choose not to buy from mass wholesalers, where stones can exchange hands dozens of times through complex parallel transactions - obscuring a crystal's true origin and mining circumstance. Purchasing direct from the miners, or from carefully selected partners connected to the mine, allows us to hear the stories of the stones and understand vital information about conditions at the source. A short supply chain, combined with our own additional sourcing criteria, remains our strongest means of safeguarding responsible practices.
ORIGINS
Being able to trace the exact origins of a crystal is another fundamental aspect of ethical sourcing. Many crystal shops do not know where their stones come from, or may only be able to provide the customer with a broad country of origin. At Solstice, each and every piece we carry includes detailed sourcing information, including the precise region and locality where the crystal originates - as well as the name of the mine itself, wherever possible. We prioritise buying from countries with demonstrably strong and improving responsible mining practices, and avoid sourcing from others known to use the sale of gemstones to fund conflict and other abuses.
All mining operations have some degree of negative impact on the environment, however we take the time to consider the size and type of mine we purchase from as well as any potential tailings management issues related to the mineralogy. While environmental regulations vary greatly from country to country, we work with our suppliers to encourage practices such as safely backfilling mines and replanting native species. Vintage specimens from historical mining, which involve no ongoing impact, are likewise included within our responsible framework. We choose not to carry certain crystals known to be hazardous to human health and ecosystems.
While no formal regulatory body yet exists for crystals, we draw upon existing fair trade definitions and work with protocols adapted from the responsible jewellery movement. We support women-owned and small family businesses wherever possible, and invest time with our miners to ascertain real conditions at the source. With our jewellery and lapidary partners, we verify the use of appropriate safety equipment, proper ventilation, and water-fed dust reduction systems. We support progress toward formalised small-scale mining operations and miner's cooperatives, as well as local value-added economic initiatives.
GIVING BACK
We are continually seeking meaningful ways to give back. Through our suppliers, we support a range of community enrichment projects, including a new sustainable development model in Bahia, Brazil. We have contributed to an upcoming jewellery design program for women in Ethiopia, and we donate a portion of our sales to Gem Legacy (gemlegacy.org) - a non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting East African mining communities through gem education, lapidary training, tools, and safety equipment. Occasionally, we also feature special listings in our shop through which all proceeds are directed to a charitable cause.
Our Responsible Sourcing Model
Drawn from our five Guiding Principles, we have developed a means to convey the depth of traceability behind each stone we carry. At the heart of this model lies the importance of a short supply chain - a vital thread that allows us to follow a stone’s journey back to its source. This enables us to understand more about mining conditions and to determine whether it aligns with our expanded sourcing criteria. Regardless of level, every crystal at Solstice can be traced to a specific region and closest town - and, wherever possible, to a specific mine. We hope this approach may serve as a useful standard for others in the industry as well. If you are another business, we welcome you to adopt our Guiding Principles and Responsible Model - and we’d be grateful if you credit Solstice as your source.
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​​​Level 1 - Purchased Direct from Miners, or Personally Collected
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In the absence of firsthand access to most mines, our highest assurance of responsible practice lies in working directly with trusted small-scale mine owners who meet our thorough critera and share our vision. To build relationships with miners and hear the stories of their stones, their land, and their communities is among the deepest honours of our work. Some miners also undertake the shaping and polishing of their stones within family-run cottage industries, sustaining livelihoods through traditional craft. This classification likewise includes stones we have personally found on rockhounding journeys - gathered from the land, with care and reverence.
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Level 2 - Purchased from Direct Mineral Dealers
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We also work with carefully selected partners who travel to the stone’s country of origin to purchase directly from miners at the source. With these crystal dealers, we invest a significant amount of time communicating our values and discussing conditions at the mines before conducting any business - choosing only to partner with those who align with our rigorous sourcing standards and crucially remain no more than one step removed from the mining process itself. Over the years, we have walked away from countless dealers who have been unwilling or unable to satisfy our questions and meet the level of transparency we require.
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Level 3 - Purchased from Lapidary Partners
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Our polished crystals and those shaped for jewellery are crafted in small-scale lapidary workshops. Some of these artisans source rough material directly from mines (meeting our criteria for our Level 2 classification), while others are slightly further removed. This represents our boundary of acceptance for new or recently mined stones. In these circumstances, we assess each piece individually, proceeding only when the mining location can be confidently confirmed and other elements of our guiding principles can be met. We may choose to conduct additional research, or draw upon our familiarity with specific mining regions and extraction methods.
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Level 4 - Recycled, Reclaimed & Vintage
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'Recycled' stones likewise form an integral part of our Responsible Sourcing Model, offering a meaningful alternative to current-mined material. This encompasses reclaimed crystals - discarded as byproducts of large-scale industrial mines for their lack of raw commercial value, and later recovered by local collectors. Also included within this category are vintage or historically-mined specimens from old collections that come into our care, their provenance often well-documented and traced to classic locales or long-closed mines. From time to time, we also release select pieces from our personal collection, mined more than two decades ago.
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Level 5 - Traditional Wholesale Companies
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Though we do not source from large-scale wholesalers ourselves, we include this fifth category to offer context around traceability standards common in the broader marketplace. Level 5 encompasses most traditional wholesalers, who commonly supply metaphysical and mineral shops with bulk quantities of rough and polished stones sourced from across the globe. Their supply chains are typically long and opaque, distancing the stone from the people and places that brought it forth, effectively obscuring its true origin and mining circumstance. At Solstice, our inventory consists exclusively of stones falling within Levels 1 through 4.
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Sacred Relationship
​Though our roots lie in the crystal trade, our approach to responsible sourcing also extends to the broader offerings within our shop. The herbs and resins in our incense are sustainably gathered - some cultivated or wild-foraged by our own hands in observance of season, spirit, and place. The branches used to craft our runes and ogham staves are respectfully harvested from trees on our own land and its surrounding woods, while the beeswax used in our candles and balms is sourced from nearby hives. Even the clay that forms our pottery vessels is traceable to its origin - drawn from the Ravenscrag quarry in White Valley, Saskatchewan, Canada. In all we do, we strive to honour the land and those who dwell within it.​​​ Thank you for honouring the spirit behind our work and continuing to support our endeavours!​​​