Top jewelers unite against mine near Alaskan salmon stream

ANCHORAGE — Five of the nation's leading jewelers have sworn off gold that could someday come from the Pebble Mine, a huge deposit near the world's most productive wild sockeye-salmon stream.

The jewelers, including Tiffany, Helzberg Diamonds and Seattle-based Ben Bridge Jeweler, pledged Tuesday not to knowingly sell jewelry made from gold that might be extracted from the proposed mine near the Bristol Bay watershed in southwest Alaska.

"We are committed to sourcing our gold and other materials in ways that ensure the protection of natural resources such as the Bristol Bay watershed," the pledge says.

The other two companies making the pledge are Fortunoff and Leber Jewelers. The five together sold about $2.2 billion in jewelry in 2006.

Northern Dynasty Mines, a U.S. subsidiary of Canadian company Northern Dynasty Minerals, is developing the prospect with Anglo American, a London company.

A Northern Dynasty spokesman said none of the companies contacted the company before signing the pledge.