IndependentsAug 14, 2026
Smyth Jewelers to Open Fourth LocationThe family-owned jeweler will open a new showroom in Bel Air, Maryland, this fall.
Policies & IssuesJun 24, 2015
Protests surface over another proposed gold mine
Like the hotly contested Pebble mine in Alaska, the KSM project in British Columbia is a huge open-pit gold mine that is drawing opposition from a number of organizations.
Toronto--Junior mining company Seabridge Gold’s plan for a huge gold and copper mine in British Columbia is drawing opposition from indigenous peoples and environmental groups, opposition that might sound familiar to many in the jewelry industry.
The arguments for and against construction of the KSM (Kerr-Sulphurets-Mitchell) mine echo those of the debate over the proposed Pebble mine in Alaska.
Like Pebble, Seabridge Gold’s KSM mine would be the largest open-pit mine in North America, producing gold and copper. It would be located near the northwest border of Alaska and British Columbia and, also like Pebble, would be situated at the headwaters of a key salmon fishery.
In an online fact sheet outlining KSM, Seabridge Gold states that the mine will have a life span of 52 years, provide thousands of jobs for multiple generations, and pump billions into both British Columbia’s and Canada’s economies.
Those in opposition, however, worry about the water quality being impacted and, in turn, the livelihoods of the indigenous peoples in both British Columbia and Alaska who rely on the salmon fishery to make a living.
They also claim that Seabridge plans to use technology that is “risky” and “discredited” to store its mine waste, and they fear another incident similar to what Canada witnessed at the Mount Polley gold and copper mine last August when a tailings pond dam collapsed and wastewater spilled into the adjacent waterways.
“We don’t need any more Mount Polleys,” said Annita McPhee of the Tahltan Nation. “The Mount Polley disaster changes everything.”
The Tahltan Nation is one of the organizations that traveled to the Seabridge Gold’s shareholder meeting in Toronto this week to ask the mining company to publicly support a review by the International Joint Commission, the body that examines projects located in waters that impact both the United States and Canada.
Also attending the meeting were the United Tribal Transboundary Mining Working Group, which represents 13 tribes in southeast Alaska, and non-governmental organizations MiningWatch Canada and Earthworks, the latter of which has been an outspoken opponent of Pebble as well.
The debate over the proposed Pebble mine first surfaced in jewelry industry about seven years ago and industry heavyweights, including Tiffany & Co., have spoken out against its construction, vowing not to use gold from the mine if it is ever built.
The two major mining companies initially involved in Pebble, Anglo American and
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
Rio Tinto, pulled out in 2013 and 2014, respectively.
The only company remaining, Northern Dynasty Minerals, has suffered a series of defeats, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to invoke its rarely used authority under the Clean Water Act (CWA) to take a closer look at the project.
The act allows the EPA to prohibit, restrict or flat-out deny the use of any defined area in U.S. waters as a disposal site if it determines that the discharge of material into those waters would harm fishery areas, which it has found to be the case with Pebble.
Northern Dynasty continues to fight the EPA’s invocation of the CWA in court.
More on Policies & Issues
The Latest
CrimeAug 14, 2026
Wife of Man Convicted in Jeweler’s Murder Sentenced for Conspiracy Amanda Ileana Hernandez is married to Carlos Hernandez, one of two men in prison for the 2024 murder of Michigan jeweler Hussein Murray.
TrendsAug 14, 2026
Paul Morelli’s Latest ‘Wavey Vine’ Earrings Embrace ColorThe reimagined jewel, our Piece of the Week, trades the diamonds in the original 1998 design for blue, pink, yellow, and green sapphires.
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
Supplier BulletinAug 13, 2026
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSponsored by American Gem Trade Association
Weekly QuizAug 13, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
FinancialsAug 13, 2026
Pandora’s ‘Talisman’ Collection Shines, Lab-Grown Diamond Sales FallIn the United States, second-quarter sales were flat amid soft consumer sentiment and lower in-store traffic.
AuctionsAug 13, 2026
This Gold Cadbury ‘Conundrum’ Egg Set a World Auction RecordThe 22-karat gold egg, sold at Batemans Auctioneers in the U.K., was part of a 1980s treasure hunt ad campaign for Cadbury Creme Eggs.
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center StageColored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.
SourcingAug 13, 2026
2,488-Carat Diamond, Largest Found in Botswana, Has a New Owner Lucara Diamond Corp., which recovered the “Motswedi” diamond from the Karowe mine, sold the stone for an undisclosed amount.
CollectionsAug 13, 2026
John Hardy Infuses ‘Icon,’ ‘Heishi’ Collections with ColorThe expanded collections now feature hand-cut gemstones like topaz, tanzanite, chrysoprase, chalcedony, smoky quartz, and fire opal.
Lab-GrownAug 13, 2026
Jean Dousset Opens Third StoreThe lab-grown diamond jewelry brand’s newest boutique is in Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara, California.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Eshed-Gemstar on the Painstaking Process of Cutting ‘The Legacy Emerald’The gemstone supplier and manufacturer acquired the remarkable 104-gram Zambian emerald at Gemfields’ auction in May.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Elderly NYC Woman Targeted in Jewelry Swap SchemeTwo suspects offered to trade the woman a “winning” lottery ticket for her jewelry.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Another Diamond Mine Poised to CloseFinsch has been in business rescue since May, and owner Petra Diamonds said it sees no viable path forward for the mine.
CrimeAug 12, 2026
Jewelry Store Employee Gets 20 Years to Life in Choking Death of BossMichel Patrick DeSalles was sentenced after pleading guilty to the 2017 murder of Omid Gholian, who owned a jewelry store in Manhattan.
MajorsAug 12, 2026
Frederick Goldman Names New SVP of SalesLongtime industry executive Beth Miller has taken on the role.
AuctionsAug 11, 2026
Verdura Unicorn Brooch With Royal Connection Up for Auction The brooch was owned by Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, who served as a lady of the bedchamber to Queen Elizabeth II for nearly 50 years.
MajorsAug 11, 2026
Signet Jewelers Selects Mattel Exec to Lead Zales, BanterJamie Cygielman will take on the role on Aug. 24.
IndependentsAug 11, 2026
Polly’s Fine Jewelry Co-Owner Richard Moore Dies at 69Moore, Polly’s husband, is remembered as a family man with an easygoing spirit and a love for sports and the outdoors.
ColumnistsAug 11, 2026
Creative Connecting: How to Sell Colored Gemstones to Gen ZDuvall O’Steen and Jen Cullen Williams share the best ways to display, present, and explain colored gemstones to younger customers.
Events & AwardsAug 11, 2026
NAJA Announces Lineup For 2026 Fall Virtual ConferenceThe mid-year conference for jewelry and watch appraisers will take place Sept. 5-6 on Zoom.
TechnologyAug 10, 2026
Colorado Jeweler Launches Customization Tool He Built HimselfHonest Hands Ring Co. Founder Benjamin Bosworth shared his thoughts on jewelry technology and why AI can never replace the human element.
MajorsAug 10, 2026
QVC Exits Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Names New Interim CEOQVC Group President and CEO David Rawlinson is temporarily being replaced by a familiar face, former QVC CEO Mike George.
CollectionsAug 10, 2026
State Property Puts a Ripple in the ‘The Voyager’ CollectionThe brand also added two one-of-a-kind brown diamond pieces to the “Sanssouci” series of its “Gardens” collection.
MajorsAug 10, 2026
And IJO’s 2026 Vendor of the Year Is … Ostbye took home top vendor honors at the Independent Jewelers Organization’s show, held last month in Kentucky.
Supplier BulletinAug 07, 2026
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsSponsored by Stratus Estate Buyers
MajorsAug 07, 2026
Retail Veteran Pam Cloud Appointed President of Blue NileCloud, who will officially join Blue Nile on Monday, spent 26 years at Tiffany & Co. and founded jewelry brand Roseate.
