Home / Environment / Jewelry Firms Revive Abandoned Mines to Fund Ecosystem Restoration
Jewelry Firms Revive Abandoned Mines to Fund Ecosystem Restoration
16 Oct
Summary
- Jewelry companies partner to extract metals from old mine sites and fund restoration
- Leaves provide habitat for insects, but can also smother lawns if not managed properly
- Mulching leaves instead of raking can be a sustainable solution
In October 2025, a Washington-based public benefit company called Regeneration is making waves by cleaning up legacy mine sites in the Yukon, British Columbia, and Alaska, and turning a profit in the process. The company has partnered with major brands like Apple, Tiffany and Co., and Canadian jewelry company Mejuri to extract valuable metals from waste material at old mine locations and use the proceeds to fund restoration efforts.
The project, which began more than a decade ago, focuses on areas where decades of placer mining have left behind heaps of sediment and waste rock in and along streams and rivers. Regeneration's goal is to not only extract the remaining gold from this waste but also to re-form the streams and replant vegetation, making the waters hospitable again for species like salmon and grayling.
Meanwhile, the age-old debate over raking leaves continues. While leaves provide important habitat and shelter for insects, butterflies, and even some birds, they can also smother lawns if not managed properly. Experts suggest mulching leaves instead of raking as a sustainable solution, as the decomposing leaves can provide valuable nutrients for the soil.
