Clean gold certification system fails to verify mines in Colombia, investigation finds

An investigation by El Espectador reveals that gold certified as 'clean' can originate from mines in Colombia where child labor and cartel control are present, indicating systemic flaws in the certification process. The report highlights that certifiers rarely visit mines in such countries, undermining the credibility of ethical gold claims. This matters because it exposes gaps in supply chain due diligence that could affect regulatory compliance and market trust in certified gold.