In response to the campaign, De Beers Managing Director Gary Ralf announced on October 5 that the company would end diamond-buying operations in Angola. However, De Beers will continue to buy diamonds through a joint venture with the Angolan government, raising questions about De Beers' complicity in the fighting. Diamond revenue can bring enormous benefit to a country's economy if transparently controlled, such as in Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. GoldBusters Life, land, clean water and clean air are more precious than gold. Gold mining damages landscapes, habitats, biodiversity, and human health.
Mining pumps vast amounts of water from aquifers, depleting local water supplies.
Gold mines contaminate surface waters with cyanide, acid mine drainage, heavy metals and mercury. Most governments represent the interests of mining corporations. Because it is the consumption of gold jewelry that drives the gold mining industry, the Goldbusters Coalition is asking people around the world to stop buying gold. Goldbusters has called for a moratorium on gold exploration and a ban on new mines. Goldbusters is asking that global financial institutions and governments stop funding gold mines.