Humanium

A spinning top made of Humanium Metal

Humanium Metal is a type of metal made by melting down illegal firearms seized in conflict zones. The creation and distribution of this metal is done through a marketing campaign called "The Humanium Metal Initiative", started in 2016 by Swedish nonprofit organization Individuell Människohjälp Swedish Development Partner. The stated objective of the campaign is draw attention to issues of gun violence and contribute toward the ending of illegal firearms trade. Humanium Metal is used for the creation of some small ornamental objects, such as wristwatches, buttons, and spinning tops, with proceeds returning to charitable causes in the areas from which the firearms were seized.

## Contents

* 1 History
* 2 Production
* 3 Awards
* 4 References
* 5 External links

## History

The Humanium Metal Initiative was conceived of by Swedish nonprofit organization Individuell Människohjälp Swedish Development Partner.[1] According to its website, the objective of the project is "to spread awareness of the devastating impact of illegal firearms and armed violence, as well as generate funds urgently needed to empower people living in conflict-torn societies."[2] The campaign is implemented in conjunction with Swedish advertising agencies Great Works and Akestam Holst.[3]

Humanium Metal was first produced in November 2016 in El Salvador, where firearms seized by the Salvadoran government were converted into one ton of metal.[1][4] The project has since expanded to Guatemala, and, as of 2018, it plans to expand to Honduras and Colombia.[3]

The program has received endorsements from the Dalai Lama, former director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency Hans Blix, and Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu. The program has also partnered with the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs.[3]

As of mid-2018, the program had used about 5,000 weapons to make three tons of Humanium Metal, with the organization saying that total orders for the metal amounted to US$3 million. Proceeds from the sale of Humanium Metal is sent back to local charitable organizations in the conflict zones that supplied the firearms.[3]

## Production

Humanium Metal is made when governments seize illegal firearms and melt down their metal, turning it into ingots, wire, or pellets.[1] The metal is 95% iron, and ingots are then sent to Sweden, where they are reduced to powder that can be used in the production of metal objects. As of 2018, Humanium Metal was priced at about $6.60 per ounce.[5][better source needed]

Non-Violence sculpture of which miniatures are being made from Humanium Metal

In 2018, Stockholm-based watchmaker TRIWA began to market wristwatches 3D-printed with Humanium Metal.[4][6] In 2019, the Humanium Metal Initiative partnered with The Non-Violence Project Foundation to produce small-scale replicas of Swedish artist Carl Fredrik Reuterswärd's 1985 sculpture Non-Violence. Other companies have begun to produce spinning tops, buttons, and bracelets made from Humanium Metal.[7]

## Awards

In 2017, the Humanium Metal Initiative won the Grand Prix for Innovation at the Cannes Lions Festival for Creativity.[8] In 2018, the program won the advertising category of Fast Company's 2018 World Changing Ideas Awards.[3]

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Barraza, David (2016-12-09). "Program seeks to use seized guns for good in El Salvador". https://apnews.com/1d1737b49661461fb930290362b9afa4.
2. ↑ "Humanium Metal". http://humanium-metal.com/.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Paynter, Ben (2018-04-09). "Humanium Is A Metal Made From Guns, To Help Stop Gun Violence" (in en-US). https://www.fastcompany.com/40554087/2018-world-changing-ideas-awards-winners-advertising-humanium-metal-initiative.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Pangburn, D. J. (2019-01-03). "How watches made of seized guns can help rebuild El Salvador’s economy" (in en-US). https://www.fastcompany.com/90287417/how-watches-made-of-seized-guns-will-help-rebuild-el-salvadors-economy.
5. ↑ MacBride, Elizabeth (2018-07-16). "Swedish Entrepreneurs Are Melting 10,000 Crime Guns From El Salvador To Make Watches" (in en). https://www.forbes.com/sites/elizabethmacbride/2018/07/16/from-sweden-with-style-entrepreneurs-produce-humanium-watches-from-illegal-guns/.
6. ↑ Kaplan, Michael (2018-06-19). "Illegal guns are being melted down into fancy watches" (in en). https://nypost.com/2018/06/19/illegal-guns-are-being-melted-down-into-fancy-watches/.
7. ↑ Paynter, Ben (2019-01-10). "They’re recreating this classic anti-gun-violence sculpture with metal from melted-down guns" (in en-US). https://www.fastcompany.com/90290436/theyre-recreating-this-classic-anti-gun-violence-sculpture-with-metal-from-melted-down-guns.
8. ↑ Stein, Lindsay (2017-06-20). "Humanium Metal Initiative Takes Innovation Grand Prix" (in en). https://adage.com/article/agency-news/humanium-metal-initiative-takes-innovation-grand-prix/309492.

## External links

* Humanium Metal website
* Interview with Hans Blix about humanium

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