Urban Mining – Recycling Gold

What would jewelry be without the special beauty of gold and silver? It is really hard to imagine. At the same time, it is worth taking a closer look at where this valuable precious metal comes from and what impact its extraction can have.

Because gold mining is associated with interventions in landscapes and ecosystems and can—depending on the mining method and region—have significant effects on people, soils, bodies of water, and the environment. [1][2]

One way to reuse existing gold is recycled gold. That is exactly what urban mining is about: valuable raw materials that already exist are recovered, processed, and returned to the material cycle.

At Maren Jewellery, we take an in-depth look at where our gold comes from, how it is processed, and what impacts are associated with the different sources. We document our materials and supply chains in our sustainability report.

When it comes to gold in particular, there is no simple answer. On the one hand, this precious metal is a durable material that can be reprocessed again and again. On the other hand, extracting it from the earth involves ecological and social challenges.

That is why we do not want to work with blanket promises, but instead aim to show as specifically as possible which materials we use, where they come from, and what data our decisions are based on.

In many deposits, gold occurs in rock only in very low concentrations. To extract comparatively small amounts of gold, large quantities of rock therefore have to be mined, moved, and processed. This is precisely where a significant part of the environmental impacts associated with newly mined gold can begin.

How important the choice of precious metal can be for a piece of jewelry is also shown by a life cycle study on the production of a ring: for the silver ring examined, around 94% of the identified greenhouse gas emissions were attributable to raw material sourcing. [6] The study relates to silver and cannot be directly transferred to gold, but it highlights why, when it comes to jewelry, we look particularly closely at the precious metal used and its origin.

In gold mining itself, the impacts arise long before the material becomes a piece of jewelry. Rock has to be mined, crushed, and processed in order to extract the gold it contains. Depending on the deposit and the mining method, different technical processes are used.

In industrial mining, for example, cyanide may be used to extract gold. In artisanal and small-scale gold mining, mercury is still used in some regions. If these substances are not used and handled properly, they can pose significant risks to people, soils, and bodies of water. [1][2]

That is why, at Maren Jewellery, we do not only look at the finished piece of jewelry, but already at the material and its origin.

Extracting gold from primary sources impacts natural landscapes. Land is developed for mines, rock is moved, and then processed. Depending on the location and method, this can affect soils, waterways, and ecosystems. [1]

The use of cyanide and mercury also plays a role in gold extraction. While cyanide is used, among other things, in industrial gold mining, mercury is found particularly in artisanal and small-scale mining in various regions of the world. If these substances are not handled properly, they can pose risks to people and the environment. [1][2]

However, the actual impacts of gold mining vary greatly — depending, among other things, on the mine, region, ore grade, technology used, energy supply, and environmental standards. For this reason, we do not want to apply individual metrics across the board to all newly mined gold.

Certified gold from small-scale mining takes a different approach than recycled gold. New gold continues to be extracted, but the mining is carried out according to defined requirements for social and environmental conditions.

Such certification systems can include requirements for working conditions, traceability, and the handling of chemicals, among other things. At the same time, even certified mined gold remains linked to the extraction of new raw materials and the corresponding impact on the environment.

At Maren Jewellery, we therefore view recycled gold and certified mined gold as different approaches. Which gold we use depends on the particular piece of jewelry and its supply chain. You can find the specific material information on the relevant product page.

Gold has a special property: it can be recovered, refined, and reprocessed. Existing gold can therefore be used again as a raw material for new pieces of jewelry. [3]

Recycled gold can come, for example, from previously processed jewelry, production scraps, or other gold-containing secondary materials. In a refinery, the precious metals contained are recovered and refined so that the gold can be processed again. [3]

For our jewelry pieces, we use recycled gold from the C Hafner refinery in Pforzheim.

Processing recycled gold also requires energy, chemicals, and other resources. Recycled gold is therefore not free from environmental impacts. However, in terms of greenhouse gas potential, the life cycle assessment by C.HAFNER that we use shows a clear difference between the recycled process examined and the extraction of primary gold. [4]

For our comparison, we use the life cycle analysis by C.HAFNER, which was prepared together with the Institute for Industrial Ecology at Pforzheim University and subjected to a critical review by treeze Ltd. [4]

For the recycling gold processing examined at C.HAFNER, the analysis reports a value of 36 kg CO₂e per kilogram of recycling gold.

For primary gold, the same study uses a value of 10.988 kg CO₂e per kilogram of gold based on the ecoinvent mining dataset used. [4]

Comparing these two values, the reported CO₂e value of the recycling gold examined is around 300 times lower than the comparison value used for primary gold.

36 kg CO₂e/kg recycling gold from C.HAFNER vs. 10.988 kg CO₂e/kg primary gold ≈ 300 × lower CO₂e value in the comparison considered [4]

Important for context: The figures refer to the processes examined in the C.HAFNER life cycle analysis and the datasets used there. They are not universally applicable values for every recycled or mined gold. Actual emissions may vary depending on the mine, origin, ore grade, energy supply, as well as the recycling and refining methods, among other factors. [4]

This is exactly where the idea of urban mining comes in. Valuable raw materials are not sought in natural deposits, but in existing products and materials.

In the case of gold, for example, old jewelry, production residues, or other gold-containing secondary materials can be collected, processed, and refined. The recovered gold can then be reused. [3]

We, too, return suitable precious metal residues from our production back into the material cycle. You can find out more about this approach in our journal on the circular economy,

Urban mining does not mean that recycling works without any impact on the environment. However, this approach makes it possible to use existing gold again instead of relying on newly mined gold for the corresponding amount of material.

Both the WWF and theSave the Rainforest association provide information about the effects of gold mining and the importance of reusing existing gold reserves. [1][5]

And because the long lifespan of a piece of jewelry also plays an important role for us, we have put together tips in our journal on cleaning gold jewelry to help you care for your gold jewelry.

Recycled gold alone does not solve the challenges of global gold mining. Even when existing gold is reused, mining remains an important livelihood for many people around the world.

That is precisely why we do not want to ignore the social issues surrounding gold mining.

Maren Jewellery supports the Earthbeat Foundation  with 3% of our profits. Among other things, the organisation works in regions where people depend on small-scale mining and supports projects there that create alternative income opportunities and new prospects.

For us, these two perspectives belong together: keeping existing resources in circulation for as long as possible while also not losing sight of the people whose livelihoods are connected to gold mining.

That’s why our approach to gold is not a simple either-or decision. We assess which material to use for each piece of jewelry, document our supply chains, and aim to communicate transparently and clearly the basis on which we make our decisions.

Recycled gold is an important part of our material approach: existing gold is recovered and processed again. For the recycling process at C.HAFNER that we examined, the current life cycle analysis shows a significantly lower CO₂e value than for the primary gold dataset used for comparison. [4]

For us, that is a good reason to view gold not only as a valuable material, but also to keep questioning its origin and journey time and again.

[1] WWF Germany: “Gold – anything but shining for the environment”.
Available online at: https://www.wwf.de/themen-projekte/waelder/mining/gold-mining

[2] International Labour Organization (ILO): “Artisanal and small-scale gold
mining baseline report: Camarines Norte and South Cotabato”, 2020.

[3] C.HAFNER GmbH + Co. KG: “Statement on the recycling of gold, platinum, and
silver”, 2025. Available online at: https://www.c-hafner.de/fileadmin/user_upload/pdf/Herkunftserklaerung_D.pdf Accessed: 27.08.2026.

[4] C.HAFNER GmbH + Co. KG / Institute for Industrial Ecology (INEC), Pforzheim
University: “Life Cycle Assessment and Carbon Footprint of Precious Metal
Recycling by C.HAFNER – Summary of the Company LCA”, 2022. Critical review
by treeze Ltd. Available online at: https://www.c-hafner.de/fileadmin/user_upload/pdf/Life_Cycle_Assessment_and_Carbon_Footprint_of_
precious_metal_recycling_by_C.HANFER_-_Summary_INEC___treeze_en.pdf
Accessed: 27.08.2026.

[5] Save the Rainforest e.V.: Information on gold extraction and its
effects. Available online at:
https://www.regenwald.org/themen/gold

[6] Usapein, P.; Tongcumpou, C. (2016): “Greenhouse Gas Emission in Jewelry
Industry: A Case Study of Silver Flat Ring”. Applied Environmental Research,
Vol. 38(1), pp. 11–18. DOI: 10.35762/AER.2016.38.1.2. Available online at: https://ph01.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/aer/article/view/40881

[7] Thammaraksa, C.; Wattanawan, A.; Prapaspongsa, T. (2017): “Corporate
environmental assessment of a large jewelry company: From a life cycle
assessment to green industry”. Journal of Cleaner Production, Vol. 164, pp.
485–494. Available online at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652617313896