All of the metals used are recycled and smelted in the USA. This prevents additional mining, which can be quite dangerous for the planet. While many companies have pledged to use clean mines, there are still many ‘dirty mining’ processes. For example cyanide used to extract the gold leaches in to the ground water, and can kill living things down stream. I use the most reputable dealers possible, which can be more costly, but is better in the long run and for peace of mind. If you are interested in learning more about gold mining, here is an article from the Smithsonian Magazine: The Environmental Disaster That is the  Gold Industry