ok i understand wanting the label for resale value, how you protect them is up to you. i don't worry about it as i do not plan on selling them.

but are the mines played out or is it just that they are not economically feasible to re-open? the net result is that what we have is the old stones and various substitutes... whig, phig, and all the other naturals... and then the synthetics someday perhaps as we continue in our throwaway fashion they will even be phased out.