As news of the rebel forces taking over mines in Tanzania reach our ears first hand,  I am soberly reminded in real life what "conflict free" means.

Here are two articles that highlight what illicit tanzanite looks like at the mine level.

http://www.hrw.org/news/2013/08/28/tanzania-hazardous-life-child-gold-miners

http://mg.co.za/multimedia/2013-08-29-child-miners-i-do-it-to-afford-schoolbooks-and-uniforms

To us it means:

Tanzanite sourced without war & conflict

Tanzanite sourced with care for the workers safety & welfare

Tanzanite sourced with government approval

Tanzanite sourced with taxation being paid to the government

Tanzanite sourced with beneficiation to the local people through the Tanzanite Foundation

Tanzanite polished through ethical & responsible factories endorsed by Tanzanite One

If you are at all unsure where your tanzanite is from, look for the "Mark of rarity" Tag. The reassurance that your tanzanite has reached you be ethical means.

To see the great work that the tanzanite foundation is doing, please visit their website

http://tanzanitefoundation.org/

#tanzanitefoundation

“Richland Resources Ltd, the parent company of which Tanzanite One is a subsidiary, today

announces that it has entered into a long-term supply agreement with

Chinese retail jewellery giant to supply ethically produced and polished tanzanite to be marketed

through 2,200+ jewellery stores in Peoples Republic of China”

Bernard Olivier

Chief Executive Officer

This is an important step for the whole of the Tanzanite market, as the international expansion of ethically sourced Tanzanite becomes clearly valued and appreciated above Tanzanite without strong “mine to market” traceability.