OUR ETHICAL TRADING STATEMENT
At Rockshop Online, we’re proud to be a second-generation family business with over 50 years of experience in the crystal and mineral world. Throughout our journey, we’ve always believed that the people behind our products matter just as much as the products themselves. That’s why we take great care in choosing who we work with, visiting mines and workshops whenever possible and building long-standing relationships with trusted suppliers, many of whom we’ve come to know personally.
We are mindful of concerns around mining and environmental impact. It’s important to note that the type of mining associated with our products represents less than 0.001% of the global industry and is vastly different from large-scale industrial extraction. Even so, Rockshop Online is committed to respecting the environment and continually working to minimise the impact of our operations.
We are equally committed to the wellbeing of our own team. We provide a safe, supportive, and inclusive working environment with regular health and safety checks, appropriate training, and equal opportunities for all—regardless of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or age. Everyone is treated with dignity, respect, and fairness.
Trust is at the heart of our business. We value honest, straightforward relationships with our customers and protect all confidential information with the utmost care. In the rare event we identify concerns about unethical or exploitative practices within a supply chain, we act immediately—removing affected products and sourcing from partners who meet our standards of transparency, fairness, and responsible practice.
The crystal trade is largely artisanal, meaning many stones are sourced by independent miners and small family-run operations. When you shop with us, you’re supporting individuals and communities whose livelihoods depend on responsible small-scale mining—often in areas where few other income opportunities exist. While larger rough stones like Rose Quartz or Jasper may be excavated mechanically, crystal specimens are nearly always collected by hand, preserving both their integrity and their natural beauty.
As the crystal and mineral industry continues to grow, we believe collaboration is essential—from miners to suppliers to retailers. By encouraging higher standards and greater transparency throughout the supply chain, we can all help build a more trustworthy, responsible industry.
At Rockshop Online, everything we do is driven by passion, curiosity, and respect for the natural world—and for the people who help bring its treasures to you.
Jonathan Burhouse
Managing Director
Rockshop
As a second generation family business which has been trading for the last 50 years we have always taken care to find the best people to work with. We visit the factories and mines that supply our products where possible, and from our experience of meeting suppliers and getting to know them and their families we have never witnessed any unethical or exploitative practises. All of our suppliers have been selected for their reliability and trustworthiness, and we have established a network of companies and individuals who we trust implicitly.
We recently changed our Madagascan supply following ethics concerns and subsequently found Elka. Elka has a well-established crystal cutting and polishing company that employs hundreds of Malagasy people. Elka has committed her life to a business that gives back to the local economy and community in a country where a fragile infrastructure and political instability make running a business extremely difficult. Elka pays her employees double the minimum wage and ensures all her workers are enrolled in health insurance and social security. Read More about Elka's amazing work here.
The crystal trade is generally artisanal which means that by purchasing from an ethical trader you are assured that money is going back to communities, and not big businesses. The vast majority of our products are purchased through uncapitalised individuals who extract crystals as their sole source of income, often in areas where no other sources of income are available. Rough stone for cutting, such as Rose Quartz and Jaspers, may be extracted by excavators, but crystal and mineral specimens are carefully mined by hand, therefore retaining their value.
Regarding the ‘destruction of the land’ debate, most mining is for bulk stone and minerals, where they are pulped in hundreds of thousands of tonnes for commercial use. This type of crystal and mineral extraction is not representative of our business. The mining that produces our products accounts for a maximum of 0.001% of the industry’s total output. Here at Rockshop we have the utmost respect for the environment and the need to protect it, and we take every effort to minimise the impact of our operations on it.
As a company we are committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for all of our employees. There are regular health and safety checks and safety training where appropriate. Employees are treated with dignity and respect with equal opportunities given to all irrespective of their race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or age.
We build long term partnerships with our customers by being honest and straightforward in our dealings at all times. The confidentiality of any information we have in relation to any of our customers is of paramount importance to us.
Unfortunately, mining crystals and minerals, by nature, can be dangerous and impact on the surrounding landscapes and local populations if not properly regulated. As a business we recognise this fact and constantly push the whole of our supply chain to be more transparent by supplying as much information as possible on their products and materials. If we have any doubts about unethical or exploitative practises within a supply chain we will remove the product from our stock and find an alternative supplier with transparent, ethical, and fair practices.
As the crystal and mineral industry grows, we need to go further and collaborate across the board - from the mines, through to retailers. We all need to take responsibility, and the more we push for transparent and ethical practices, the greater our achievements will be in ensuring this is a trustworthy industry.
As a company we are driven by a passion, enthusiasm and mutual respect for everything in the natural world.
Jonathan Burhouse
Managing Director
Rockshop Wholesale Limited
