After an ongoing investigation, including the investigation of several unreported deaths in the Jharkhand region, the Indian government has begun pushing to legalize mica mining again. Meanwhile, the Indian government has been doing what they can to crack down on illegal mines. Along with their efforts to ensure that their companies only use ethically sourced mica, the Initiative is working with the Indian government and local authorities to empower communities in the Jharkhand region in hopes of cutting off the region’s dependence on predatory mica mines. The Responsible Mica Initiative, an alliance formed between cosmetics companies including l’Oreal, Chanel and Estee Lauder, has the goal of eradicating child labor in mica production within the next five years. Other companies are calling for a more ethical supply chain. In January 2018, the company Lush began using synthetic mica, which is produced in a lab. As the world becomes aware of the plight of the Jharkhand miners, this is what many makeup companies are doing. How will the makeup industry and makeup buyers distance themselves from the cruelty and corruption that supplies so much mica? One answer is to stop using mica or to ensure that the mica they use is ethically sourced. Some claim that at least 70 percent of the region’s exported mica is illegally mined. Worst of all, reports on illegal mica mining show that ghost mines aren’t an anomaly in Jharkhand. One child reported that his usual daily pay was about 50 rupees or less than $1. To add insult to injury, miners usually receive a pittance for their work, especially underage miners. Many workers also run a high risk of contracting asthma or black lung disease. In addition, many miners end up breathing in silica dust, which can lead to silicosis, a chronic respiratory condition that leads to breathing difficulties and eventual scarring in the lungs. One mica miner recalled the story of a woman who had fallen into the mines and died, but her death certificate claimed that the cause of death was a fall from a two-story building.Įven without that risk, other dangers include the risk of being stung by scorpions that hide under the rocks and cutting themselves. Many of these deaths are never reported because of the risk they would pose to the mica industry. While the true number can’t be found, some estimates claim that at least two to five children die in the mica mines each month.

The hollowed-out caves often collapse, frequently crushing miners or trapping them underground. These “ghost” mines, as the illegal mines are sometimes called, operate without any sort of safety regulations. Some of these children are as young as five, and the nature of their work leaves them completely unprotected from the danger of the mines. However, it’s hard to say if this is the true number, given that all of these children are working for mines that do not officially exist. While employing miners under the age of eighteen is illegal, it is estimated that around 20,000 children and teenagers in Jharkhand are working for mica mines. The mica mines in the region, many of which are run by cartels, are more than willing to take advantage of this. Having no other options, many families allow their children to find work instead of going to school. Because of this poverty, child labor has become common.

In the rural areas of Jharkhand, the percentage of women who are literate is barely more than 45 percent. Of the 33 million people who live in Jharkhand, 13 million are living below the poverty line. This makes Jharkhand one of the poorest regions in India.Īlmost half of the children there are underweight while nearly half of its children under the age of five suffer from stunted growth. Despite its mineral wealth, the region is plagued by poverty and hunger. Where does Mica come from?Īpproximately 90 percent of the world’s mica comes from India, particularly from region of Jharkhand where the world’s largest mica deposits can be found. According to the Responsible Mica Initiative, there’s a one in four chance that the glitter in that makeup came from an illegal mine that supported child labor. If you’ve ever used glittery lipstick or eyeshadow, there’s a good chance the products used contained mica, a brittle, shiny mineral which creates a glittering effect in everything from makeup to paint to toothpaste.

Gitter hilden