RESOLVE is a nonprofit organization tackling some of the planet’s most critical challenges through innovative, unexpected partnerships. Their proposal: Combine re-mining with restoration to improve the streams and open them back up for salmon, grayling and other fish species to return.

Since RESOLVE first introduced the Salmon Gold partnership in 2017, the organization is connecting local placer miners, environmentalists and government agencies in order to course correct the damage done from historic mining in the region. Apple — who uses small amounts of gold in electronic components throughout its products — and global luxury jeweler Tiffany & Co. will source gold from these miners who have committed to restore and improve the land they’re operating on when they’re done.

After securing Salmon Gold’s first restoration agreement in the historic mining town of Chicken, Alaska, Stephen D’Esposito, CEO of RESOLVE, enlisted Allen Edzerza, a Tahltan Nation elder and advisor to the British Columbia First Nations Energy and Mining Council, to be Salmon Gold’s scout on the ground in the Yukon and British Columbia, building key relationships with placer miners and the local government, as well as First Nations leaders in the area. 

Paula Pyers, Apple’s head of Supplier Responsibility: "As we continue to increase our use of recycled materials, we’re seeking out innovative ways to source gold responsibly. Partnering with Tiffany, a pioneer in sustainable sourcing, as well as RESOLVE ensures Salmon Gold can be an example of how the industry can evolve.

Stephen D’Esposito, CEO of RESOLVE: "There’s a lot of tension between mining and salmon. Salmon Gold is like a peace treaty between mining and salmon habitat. It’s a place where the three sectors can work together: the restoration community, First Nations and the mining industry."

For more on this, read Apple's full press release here.

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