How about some Pebble Gold with your Conflict Diamonds?

Via Moldy Chum comes word that a group of major jewelers have annouced that they won't be using gold from Alaska's planned Pebble Mine in their bling bling. With Valentine's day upon us the timing of their press release couldn't have been better.

As shoppers rush to buy last-minute Valentine's gifts, five of the nation's leading jewelry retailers -- Tiffany & Co., Ben Bridge Jeweler, Helzberg Diamonds, Fortunoff, and Leber Jeweler, Inc. -- today pledged their support to permanently protect Alaska's Bristol Bay watershed from large-scale metal mining, including the massive proposed Pebble gold mine. The retailers, who had $2.2 billion in sales in 2006, took this step at the invitation of local Alaskans, who seek to protect wild salmon, clean water, and traditional Alaskan ways of life from the damaging effects of industrial metal mines.