The Betts Group has supplied the first batch of Single Mine Origin SMO fine gold grain from the Bellevue Mine in Western Australia to Titcombe Bespoke Jewellery in Bristol. The delivery marks the first shipment of gold from a net-zero-emissions gold mine to the UK market.
Birmingham Jewellery Quarter-based The Betts Group is the exclusive UK supplier of SMO Gold. Titcombe Bespoke Jewellery is the first independent retailer in the UK to receive grain from the Bellevue Mine, which will be used in bespoke commissions.
Introduction of Bellevue Gold to the UK
The Bellevue Mine, located in the Goldfields region of Western Australia, was first discovered in 2017. It achieved net-zero emissions for Scope 1 and Scope 2 in 2025, a year ahead of schedule, through a combination of on-site renewable energy generation, emissions reduction measures, and certified carbon offsets.
Earlier this year, Bellevue became an SMO Gold Member Mine in recognition of its environmental, social, and governance credentials and its commitment to traceable production. The SMO model enables gold to be tracked back to an individual mine of origin.
As the exclusive UK supplier, The Betts Group distributes the material to the domestic market as bullion products, including grain, sheet, and wire for jewellery manufacturing.
Retailer Adoption
In early 2026, Titcombe Bespoke Jewellery received the first consignment of fine gold grain from the mine.
Mark Smith, chief executive of Titcombe Bespoke Jewellery, said: “We are thrilled to be the inaugural recipients of SMO Gold grain from the Bellevue Mine in the UK market. Our clients are committed to making conscious choices about the materials used in their fine jewellery, especially regarding sustainability. By choosing The Betts Group and SMO Gold, specifically from the Bellevue Mine, we can reassure our clients that their gold is fully traceable and responsibly sourced from a net-zero emission mine. The Betts Group makes it possible to offer our customers something they really want – peace of mind, guarantees, and assurances that go far beyond the norm.”
The supply arrangement enables the retailer to reference a specific mine of origin in client communications and to provide information on traceability and emissions data linked to extraction.
Net-Zero Mining and Energy Infrastructure
More than 95 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions associated with gold are generated during the mining stage, according to the companies involved. Bellevue achieved net-zero status through measures including the development of an off-grid hybrid wind and solar power station. The site has operated on 100 per cent renewable energy for periods exceeding 100 hours, which is reportedly a record for an Australian mine.
Charlie Betts, managing director of The Betts Group, said: “As the UK’s supplier of SMO Gold, we are in a privileged position to bring fully traceable and responsibly sourced gold to market. Bellevue is a testament to what can be achieved through an ambitious, committed approach to reducing the carbon emissions associated with gold mining. Now, as an SMO Gold Member Mine, we can facilitate the introduction of gold from this innovative source into the UK market, starting with forward-thinking retailers like Titcombe Bespoke Jewellery. This is only the start of great things to come.”
He added: “To date, the jewellery industry has largely relied on promoting recycled gold as the lowest emission option for precious metal. However, this is fraught with misconceptions, and often such carbon reduction claims cannot be substantiated. Thanks to the combined efforts of Bellevue, SMO Gold, and The Betts Group, we can now offer gold with stringent ESG credentials from a guaranteed net-zero emission mine, thus contributing towards a more positive future for gold mining.”
Position Within the UK Supply Chain
The Betts Group supplies responsibly sourced precious metals to the UK trade, including SMO Gold and AgAIN Silver, which is refined from medical X-ray waste. The company operates segregated refining processes and is the UK’s only certified refinery for Fairtrade and Fairmined metals. It is also a certified member of the Responsible Jewellery Council.
In November, the group announced a strategic investment in German company Fairever, which has supplied Fairtrade Gold, Fairmined Gold, and Fairmined Silver to the jewellery trade since 2015. The investment expands the group’s involvement in traceable, third-party-verified sourcing.
Implications for Professional Jewellers
The arrival of net-zero mined gold in grain form adds to the range of sourcing options available to UK manufacturers and retailers, alongside recycled, Fairtrade, and Fairmined material.
For jewellers responding to client enquiries around carbon emissions and provenance, the ability to reference a single, named mine with defined Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions data provides an additional data point for supply chain disclosure.
As regulatory and consumer scrutiny of environmental claims increases, documented mine origin and defined emissions parameters form part of ongoing supplier discussions. The introduction of Bellevue gold into the UK market reflects current activity in the gold supply chain, including traceability systems and decarbonisation targets.
