I purchased from this source a few times during the earlier years of my business. They sell a variety of polished stones from Peru, including tumbled stones. At first, the owner was never available while I was shopping. I spoke with various workers, but because of the language barrier, I got conflicting information. It was obvious to me that the source was closely linked with a Copper mine, based on the minerals and location. Research online seemed to link this source with a tech company in Hong Kong that makes a mining app for large industrial mines. I decided that I wouldn’t do business with them again unless I met the owner and got clear information.

In 2019, I finally met the owner, and happily, he is bilingual. He shared stories with me about his father who owns a Copper mine. Most Copper mines are large industrial mines owned by multi-national corporations. I was surprised but pleased to hear that this is a family-run business.