Sapphires are among the most sought-after gemstones, prized for their beauty, durability, and variety of colours. If you're familiar with Wild Fawn, you'll know we have a real soft spot for them! But as with any natural resource, questions about ethical sourcing and sustainability arise. Can sapphires truly be ethical? What does that even mean in the context of the gemstone industry? And which countries are they ethically sourced in?

Today we're exploring where the most responsibly sourced sapphires tend to come from, and how you can make sure that your gemstone aligns with your values.

Can sapphires be ethical?

When you hear the phrase 'ethical sapphires' used, it usually means sapphire gemstones that have been ethically sourced; stones that have been mined sustainably, using responsible mining practices, by people who are treated well, and that every step of the process is traceable.

Like some other coloured gemstones, sapphires are generally more traceable than diamonds. There are many issues within the gemstone industry, but by far the biggest culprit is diamonds (you may have heard of blood diamonds, which are those mined in war zones and sold to fund conflict). Diamonds are harder to trace to their origin, making it difficult to ensure fair conditions during sourcing, transportation, and cutting.

Unlike the diamond trade, it is more common to find sapphires from small independent mines, sometimes family-owned, and in locations that have robust legislation around environmental practices and worker treatment.

However, that is not to say that all sapphires have been ethically sourced. Standards vary around the world, and from mine to mine. There are also other companies and processes involved, such as gemstone cutters and brokers who sell the stones to jewellery makers, and each step along the way should follow ethical practices in order for the individual stone to be ethically sourced.

When we refer to the ethical sourcing of sapphires, what we usually mean is:

• We know where it came from (it is traceable)

• There is visibility over the entire supply chain, not just the country of origin

• The mine follows clear environmental practices that minimise land damage

• The workers involved in each step, from the originating mine to the finished product, are treated well and work in good conditions with fair pay

Where are ethical sapphires sourced?

It's important to note that a sapphire coming from a given country or region does not automatically mean it is ethical. However, many ethical sapphires do come from a number of key spots around the world - here are some of the main ones.

Australia

Australia is home to a huge variety of sapphire colours and is a common source of ethical sapphires.

This is because sapphire mining in Australia is highly regulated and occurs on a small land footprint, with state governments enforcing strict rules for mining operations. For example, at the Anakie deposit in Queensland, one of the world's largest sapphire-bearing areas, there are several things you need to do in order to carry out mining activities. You need to be able to demonstrate your resources and funding to the mining department, apply for a permit, and pay a deposit in case of damages made to the area.

When sapphires are mined in Australia, the land must be restored to its original condition after operations end; this includes things like levelling, and planting seeds and trees. Any post-mining reclamation is thoroughly inspected to ensure proper compliance, with penalties for those who don't meet the requirements.

Like any employer, mining organisations in Australia are also subject to the country's labour laws, which helps to prevent many of the regulatory issues that plague the mining sector in other areas.

Montana

Sapphires in a variety of blue and green shades can be found throughout the landlocked state of Montana, but most originate from one of four main locations.

Montana sapphires have minimal environmental impact due to their sourcing methods. Where most sourcing requires digging into the ground, many Montana sapphires are actually collected from rivers.

This is made possible by something called alluvial deposits; sapphire is exposed to weathering processes over time that break large portions up into smaller pieces. These pieces end up in local water sources, such as lakes, rivers and streams, where they can be collected without the type of mining operations we would usually associate with sapphire sourcing.

The US has strict laws for mining as well as stringent health and safety regulations, so conditions are tightly controlled for those sourcing sapphires in Montana. For example, at Rock Creek, one of the main four sapphire locales, water released from the mining operations must be drinking quality; the set up is therefore built around a circular water economy.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is a very prominent source of ethical sapphires with a well-known commitment to responsible mining - in fact, the practice is one of cultural importance and heritage. Child labour, a common cause for concern in the gemstone mining industry, is prohibited.

The Sri Lankan government has high control over gemstone regulation in the country, and licenses issued by their National Gem and Jewellery Authority are favourable for small operations using traditional methods, rather than mass mining with large scale operations and mechanised machinery.

The result of this for the country and the environment is that there are far fewer large-scale mines, which are notorious for destroying surrounding land, disrupting ecosystems and communities, and even fuelling war in certain parts of the world.

For Sri Lankan mining licences, a cash deposit must be left, which is returned when the mining is complete and the land has been restored, creating a monetary incentive to care for the land. Where deposits are left or are not paid back, they go towards funding rehabilitation of that land.

Tanzania

Similarly, ethical sapphire mining has started to become more prominent in Malawi's neighbour, Tanzania. A band in the Earth's crust called the Mozambique Orogenic Belt is a geological feature that is particularly gemstone-rich, and it runs through much of the country.

Most Tanzanian sapphires are within three main locations, one of which is the Umba River Valley. This is the place that gives Umba sapphires, a famous product of the country, their name. While it would not be accurate to say that Umba sapphires are ethical just because they are from that region, there are good programs in place in this area and in other parts of the country that work with the local communities and small mines to create fairly paid jobs and opportunities for local people to be trained.

This provides economic opportunities that are important in regions where other resources are scarce.

Nigeria

Nigeria is seeing a similar surge of ethical mining programs pop up in recent years. While the country may not have established legislation like Australia, the US, or Sri Lanka, there are some small-scale mines here operating in a way that limits environmental impact and treats people fairly. Often these small mines are family-owned and run, and the teams use low-impact hand tools rather than mechanical instruments.

Remember that just as a sapphire being sourced from these countries doesn't automatically make it ethical, sapphires sourced from other parts of the world can also be ethical; it's all down to the specific sourcing for your particular stone.

What are the most ethical sapphires?

There is not one single country of origin that has 'the most' ethical sapphires, since it is all dependent on the sourcing of each individual stone.

Your own values and ethics may come into play when making a decision about the most ethical option. It would be fair to say, for example, that Australia, Montana and Sri Lanka have high levels of legislation and regulation, with workers' rights written into law and the most 'documentation' around their practices. If this is important to you, you may choose to go with a sapphire from one of these areas. However, others may prefer to support the sapphire trade in locations such as Malawi that provide employment and opportunities that might otherwise be scarce for local people.

Or, you may simply want assurance that your sapphire is ethically sourced while considering other factors in your final choice. If that's the case, you'll just want to look out for traceability and a jeweller that also follows sustainable and ethical practices (it's not all about the stone itself!).

At Wild Fawn we source our sapphires from Australia, Montana, and Sri Lanka. We are in constant communication with our suppliers to ensure that we are always choosing the most ethical options available and that our stones can be traced right back to the very place they were sourced.

The beauty of a sapphire should not come at the cost of people or planet. If you're searching for an ethical engagement ring made with captivating, high quality sapphires and other ethical gemstones, browse our green sapphire engagement rings or engagement rings with blue sapphires. If the idea of a bespoke engagement ring is appealing, we can source your perfect stone, so just get in touch.