(Edit: In a rush to get to the bottom-line? Click here to jump to the more positive next part in this series!)
On an Ontario radio station an announcer once spoke about millennials hating diamonds. But as a younger millennial, now that many of my peers are at an age where they are buying engagement rings, I can't say I've noticed particularly strong hatred for the mineral itself. What could definitely be said though is that there is increased interest in the ethics of the way diamond products are produced.
The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS) is one method that diamond retailers like Tiffany & Co. have used to dramatically cut the trade of conflict diamonds (aka blood diamonds) used to fund wars. The process includes satisfying minimum requirements, promoting national legislation, increased transparency in practices, internal trade, and a certification process for shipments. The results? The Kimberly Process official website boasts that "participants actively prevent 99.8% of the worldwide trade [of conflict diamonds.]"
In spite of gaps still left in the pursuit of ethical diamond mining, this is an accomplishment worth celebrating. This is especially significant for an industry that has been a source of income even in impoverished areas. But while the Kimberly Process mitigates some social consequences, it doesn't take into account environmental impacts of mined diamonds.
This short series will hopefully serve as a collection of info for anyone looking at making an informed decision about purchasing diamonds or their alternatives. The goal also isn't to make anyone feel guilty for any jewelry they might own, but help increase awareness of the impacts of one of many mined commodities from an environmental perspective.
Environmental Impacts of Diamond Mining
Land and Habitat Disruption
Beginning with the most visible impact, all systematic mining practices involve habitat disruption. Forested areas are cleared so miners can have better access to areas rich in the desired resource, and lakes are drained to reach diamonds below. It is estimated that for every carat of diamond mined, over 250 tons of earth must be moved (Constable, 2022; Oluleye).
The excavation and blasting through kimberlite (the rock that surrounds diamonds) required for underground mining also comes with obvious land disturbance.
Even artisanal alluvial mining which results in comparatively less carbon emissions, left unregulated, leaves the door open for unrestricted land and water disruption (Levin Sources, Chupezi et al). That said, because it happens on a smaller scale the direct impacts are also smaller.
While mine rehabilitation and mine closure practices do exist, this does not leave land disturbance a moot point. In an Imperial College London report on the environmental impacts of diamond mining, the writers quote Professor Saleem Ali, distinguished Professor of Energy and the Environment. Professor Saleem Ali says, “The most significant impact of mined diamonds in environmental terms is likely to be land disturbance and the overall magnitude of this is dependent on the ecosystem in which the mining is occurring."
About Alluvial Mining
The word "Alluvial" comes from Latin alluvius, which means "washed against" (USGS, 2016). Alluvial mining is a method of retrieving minerals that relies on the natural eroding forces of wind and water to transport them from kimberlite rock (igneous rock surrounding the diamond). After erosion, a diamond may be naturally deposited into the sediments at the bottom of a river where a diver can search for them.
Because most alluvial diamond deposits are hard to pinpoint, this type of mining often happens on an artisan basis, informally and unregulated, instead of industrially. It is estimated that 10% of the world’s rough diamonds are sourced via industrial alluvial mining, while a slightly larger 14% are through artisanal or small-scale alluvial diamond mining (diamondfacts.org, n.d.-a).
Alluvial mining is labour-intensive and uses much more rudimentary materials than other forms. While digging for information on the subject, I came across the artfully-drawn story of artisanal diamond-digger's job in Sierra Leone shared on vimeo here:
Credit: The Divers of Sewa (2020) by Laurent Cartier on Vimeo https://vimeo.com/444162165
Via: https://www.aureusboutique.com/abx/what-is-alluvial-mining
One expression from an artisan diver that particularly stands out is, "There are diamonds. You can work, you can fail, you can work you can fail. But the day you find, you'll prosper.... Sometimes, you can be unlucky for one or two months, but one day when you find a diamond you'll forget all that time you failed."
This quote from a tenacious worker leaves no question that diamonds themselves are both a source of income, and something that should continue to be kept in perspective as a luxury item.
Air Pollution
Air pollution from diamond mining includes particulate matter that is transported by wind, nitrous oxide emissions, sulphur oxide emissions, as well as greenhouse gas emissions from fuel consumption (Oluleye).
Professor Saleem Ali went on to say, "there can be additional water use and biodiversity impacts dependent on where the mining is occurring. The carbon emissions of mining are highly dependent on location. Cold climates such as Siberia or Northern Canada have larger carbon emission impacts. Artisanal alluvial diamond mining has less carbon emission impacts.”
Damage to Aquatic Ecosystems
Whether from sedimentation or disrupting particles at the bottom of water bodies, mercury pollution, or changing water ways, the mining of diamonds disrupts aquatic ecosystems.
Since diamond extraction relies mainly on water rather than toxic chemicals, fortunately toxic pollutants are less of an issue. Meanwhile, water recycling and reduced water consumption is a larger focus (diamondfacts.org, n.d.-b).
Myth or Fact: Are natural salt-and-pepper diamonds more environmentally friendly?
From what I could gather, this is a myth.
From a social perspective artisan alluvially mined impure diamonds could be sold for more if there is increased demand for them in jewelry, so more money could go to artisan workers.
But from an environmental perspective, mined impure diamonds are no less damaging than purely clear ones. They are less in demand for jewelry but they would still be used for industrial purposes and require the same environmental costs to mine. (That said if you particularly like the salt-and-pepper look but are concerned about environmental impacts, see the box on impure lab-grown gemstones in part 2 of this series).
That's a lot to process. I'm looking to buy a diamond product, what do I do with this information?
It is up to each person to decide for themselves what is an acceptable buy. The changes in the status quo mentioned in Part 1 regarding blood diamonds is indeed a step in the right direction, and diamonds are far from the only mined product that we use. The goal of this post is not to guilt people on a single smaller part of a major problem.
However, if you are looking to buy a piece of jewelry ultimately for a good feeling but also with environmental consciousness, the good news is there are options!
Stay tuned for Part 2 on awareness and alternatives.
~~
Sources
Chupezi, T. J., Ingram, V., & Schure, J. (n.d.). Impacts of artisanal gold and diamond mining on livelihoods and ... - CIFOR. CIFOR. https://www.cifor.org/publications/pdf_files/Books/BChupezi0901.pdf
Constable, H. (2022, February 24). How diamonds are going green. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200207-the-sparkling-rise-of-the-lab-grown-diamond
diamondfacts.org. (n.d.-a). Alluvial diamond mining fact sheet. https://www.diamondfacts.org/pdfs/media/media_resources/fact_sheets/Alluvial_Mining_Background.pdf
diamondfacts.org. (n.d.-b). Diamond Mining and the environment fact sheet. https://diamondfacts.org/pdfs/media/media_resources/fact_sheets/Diamond_Mining_Environment_Fact_Sheet.pdf
The Divers of Sewa. (2020). vimeo. Retrieved December 6, 2023, from https://vimeo.com/444162165.
Le Temps. (2018, May 10). Diamond trade still fuels human suffering. Human Rights Watch. https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/05/10/diamond-trade-still-fuels-human-suffering
Levin Sources. (2020, November). How to bring about Forest-smart mining: Strategic Entry Points for ... https://www.levinsources.com/assets/pages/How-to-bring-about-forest-smart-mining-strategic-entry-points-for-institutional-donors.pdf
Oluleye, G. (n.d.). Imperial Consultants. imperial-consultants.co.uk. https://www.imperial-consultants.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Final-report-Environmental-Impacts-of-Mined-Diamonds-updated-8-21.pdf
USGS. (2016, June 20). EarthWord–alluvial fan: U.S. geological survey. USGS. https://www.usgs.gov/news/science-snippet/earthword-alluvial-fan#:~:text=Alluvial%20comes%20from%20the%20Latin,which%20meant%20%E2%80%9Cwashed%20against.%E2%80%9D
Edited 2023-12-08
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