Summary
Highlights
Despite its illegal origin, mica can obtain legal certification through local traders in Kodarma. Factories process raw mica into powder for international export, with workers enduring hazardous conditions and risks of respiratory diseases. Brands face challenges in tracing mica sources, prompting calls for stricter regulations and increased accountability in global supply chains. Blockchain technology is proposed as a solution for traceability, but requires widespread adoption and acceptance of increased costs by consumers and industries.
Social media influencers are raising awareness, encouraging consumers to question brands about ethical sourcing. In Jharkhand, community rallies demand action, and legislative assemblymen like Sudhir Kumar advocate for the legalization of mica mining. Under India's constitution, indigenous people are entitled to utilize forest produce, and a restoration of mica's status as such could provide a pathway to fair and regulated mining, addressing the dire need for survival in these communities.
Mica, a vital mineral, is responsible for the shimmer in eyeshadows, lip glosses, and highlighters. The global cosmetics industry, valued at over 500 billion US dollars, heavily relies on mica to create popular radiant and sparkly looks. However, the pursuit of this ingredient comes at a significant human cost.
India, specifically the remote and impoverished state of Jharkhand, possesses some of the world's largest and finest mica deposits. For many villagers in this region, mica mining is the only source of income, despite its illegality. Families, including children, are forced into dangerous and unregulated mines, often to earn just a few dollars a day.
Basanti Mossamat, a 40-year-old from a mica mining community, lost her husband and relies on mining scrap mica with her family, including her father-in-law Nanku and five children. With Jharkhand's poor soil unsuitable for farming and limited education, communities are forced to turn to mica mining for survival, making only about 10 US cents per kilo of scrap mica.
Extreme poverty drives miners into unstable caves and abandoned shafts, where safety measures are non-existent. Mukesh Bula has been mining since childhood, navigating these dangerous terrains without proper lighting or gear. Mine collapses are frequent, with an estimated 10 to 20 deaths annually, often going unreported to avoid official intervention due to the illegality of the mining.
In 1980, India's Forest Conservation Act classified mica as a forest produce, making its mining and removal illegal in Jharkhand. This legislative change forced a once-thriving industry underground. Despite the ban, indigenous communities continue to mine, with at least 70% of India's mica output being illegally extracted due to a lack of other economic opportunities.
Mica's controversial reputation stems from investigations into child labor in the mid-2000s. Jharkhand is one of the worst states for child labor, where children like 14-year-old Karishma, Basanti's daughter, work in mines from a young age due to lack of childcare and schooling. International organizations have raised concerns, highlighting the ethical dilemma for brands sourcing mica.
Global coalitions like the Responsible Mica Initiative (RMI) aim to eradicate child mining, but progress is slow. The problem is systemic, requiring holistic solutions addressing health, employment, education, and agriculture. The marginalized indigenous communities lack government support, facing a cycle of debt and bonded labor from unlicensed lenders charging exorbitant interest rates.