What you need to know

  • Apple is partnering with RESOLVE in an effort to responsibly source gold for its products.
  • RESOLVE is a nonprofit that began a "Salmon Gold" program in 2017.
  • RESOLVE hopes to combine re-mining with restoration to improve the streams for salmon.

Apple on Tuesday announced a partnership with RESOLVE in an effort to responsibly source gold, which is used in small amounts throughout Apple's product portfolio.

In a new feature on Apple's newsroom, the company talks about the impact of placer mining in the Alaska-Yukon region. These encampments sit along creeks and streams, giving miners the opportunity to mine for gold like it's the 1890s.

Unfortunately, these placer mines often sit adjacent to salmon spawning beds. Add in logging, urbanization, wildfires, and landslides, and salmon runs don't stand a chance, Apple's report says.

That's why Apple has partnered with RESOLVE, a nonprofit that connects placer miners, environmentalists, and government agencies through a "Salmon Gold" program. The aim is to minimize the human impact on the region. Apple says it will source gold from these miners who have committed to restoring the land they rely on.

To date, RESOLVE has secured restoration plans with three miners in Alaska and the Yukon, with several more under consideration for next summer. As the mining season comes to a close, the organization projects over 1,000 ounces of the partnership's trademarked Salmon Gold this year, increased from last summer's 25 ounces. This fall, all Salmon Gold entering Apple's supply chain will be traced from the mine to the refiner using blockchain technology.

Over the past few years, Apple has made environmental responsibility a core part of its ethos. In a recent environmental responsibility report, the company touted an increased focus on recycling and material recovery. Apple's partnership with RESOLVE is just the latest in its pursuit to innovate when it comes to environmental responsibility.

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