Ellie Goulding has publicly acknowledged an error in judgment after appearing at a London event earlier this month to promote pink diamonds for jewellery brand Boodles. Some of the diamonds featured at the event originated from the Argyle mine in Western Australia, which has drawn environmental concerns and raised issues affecting Indigenous land and communities.
Goulding, who received an MBE for services to biodiversity and climate last year and serves as a UN environment programme goodwill ambassador and WWF ambassador, stated she was not previously aware of the concerns surrounding the Argyle mine. In a statement, she expressed regret over the appearance and committed to not wearing diamonds from the mine in the future, noting that affected Indigenous and local communities “deserve better.”
The Gelganyem Group, representing traditional owners of the mined land, acknowledged Goulding’s apology. The group’s chair, Kia Dowell, stated she hopes the public recognition helps underscore what is at stake regarding the mine site and the standards required for its closure. Traditional owners have raised concerns about land access and unresolved technical issues, including the presence of forever chemicals known as Pfas, which they worry could affect future generations.
Rio Tinto, which operated the Argyle mine for 37 years before mining ceased in 2020, said it is currently undertaking major closure work including rehabilitation and long-term monitoring. The company stated it continues dialogue with the Gelganyem Group regarding closure matters. Boodles acquired the Argyle Pink Diamonds brand and inventory from Rio Tinto approximately a week before the London event, according to reports.
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