Conflict-Free Diamonds Don’t Exist. Learn The Truth Now


Our View On The Social And Environmental Cost Of Diamonds


The concept of a conflict free diamond put forth by jewelers is an attempt to put a positive spin on onerous diamond issues. We use the term only for search engine ranking. Since all diamonds, like other natural resources, have social and environmental costs, the critical issue for those who are interested in ethical sourcing is, how can I purchase a diamond to create a better world?

(Every diamond has a social and environmental cost)
When someone claims to sell a conflict free diamond, it means Kimberlery Process Certified (KPC). Industry insiders now widely question its effectiveness. Though much of the diamond supply chain certified by KPC is ethically acceptable, KPC diamonds can be mined under terrible labor and environmental conditions, by diamantairs who collaborate with corrupt governments. Indeed, even polishers have been shot and killed for refusing to produce "conflict free" diamonds which are products of humiliation and misery.

No one in the diamond sector has ever been held accountable for hiring the paramilitary groups, which resulted in the deaths of approximately four million Africans during the blood diamond funded wars. Some of the same people who are responsible, directly or indirectly, for the blood diamond tragedy, also had a strong voice in framing the Kimberley Process.

We knew that KPC, as a treaty, was ineffective. Recently, many of our conclusions were confirmed when one of the most well respected figures on international diamond and human rights issues, publicly discredited Kimberley.

If you want an ethical diamond, the critical issue is mine to market transparency, which allows you to know who benefits, besides your retailer, from the purchase of your diamond.

If you would like to understand more about conflict free diamond issues, read our fairjewelry.org article on the Kimberley Certification Process, which borrows its title from the classic Leonard Cohen song, "Everybody Knows The Deal Is Rotten".

Diamonds from Namibia and Canada

Diamonds from Namibia

(Namdeb Mine, Namibia)
Namibia is a country about half the size of Alaska, in Southern Africa, bordering the South Atlantic Ocean. It is mostly desert and its population just over two million depend upon its extractive industries, particularly because it has very little farmland.

In the past, all diamonds taken from Namibia were cut in other parts of the world. Now, it is possible to purchase a diamond mined and cut in this economically and politically stable African country with an organized diamond polishing industry.

This ground breaking initiative allows more money and jobs to stay in the local economy, which desperately needs it and well paying jobs. The polishing facility where we source our diamonds supports over 100 local workers. It represents a functional example of skill transfer, job creation and economic empowerment. In general, workers in the diamond industry earn twice the national salary average which is profound in a country with a relatively small population.

In the past, diamond companies have been reluctant to create these types of projects because they require huge new investments in training and infrastructure. The initiative has been developed by a company which purchases unpolished diamonds from a mine owned by DeBeers for the Namibia project. The environmental responsibility of the mine is third party verified by SGS whose verification is further reviewed by URS.

Beneficiation in the diamond sector represents a best practice. The people involved in this project are very forward thinking and dedicated to creating a better situation in Africa. They deserve and need market support.

Diamonds From Canada

(Diavik Mine, NWT)
Canada's four large diamond mines are among the most regulated in the world and there is generally little difference between them.

Almost all diamonds are gathered in central polishing locations where they are mixed up regardless of their sourcing. Canadian diamonds have a tiny "Canada Mark", that gives you assurance that the gems were actually mined in Canada. Cutting takes place in third party certified facilities. The companies that run the mines know that their brand image depends upon the assurance of a seamless mine to market pipeline.

What those who push Canadian diamonds as the perfect choice do not talk about is the infrastructure required to transport millions of gallons of petrol to run the machinery and generators in the arctic tundra, creating disruption to the environment. Those who consider themselves environmentalists need to understand that the diamond mining in Canada is part of a larger trend that is drastically impacting North America's last Serengeti.

Another conflict associated with these mines occurred within First Nation communities, who had rights to the land where the diamond mines were located. The pro-development Natives had conflict with those people who had more traditional values. The mines were a wedge issue, massively impacting small villages. Both these types of conflict are generally entirely glossed over by those who see Canadian diamonds as the ethical choice. You can learn more from our blog, fairjewelry.org.

Other Options: Created Diamonds and Gemstones

(A Typical Gem Quality Kiln)
If you feel that the talismanic quality of converting coal to diamond under the earth is not important, consider industrially grown diamonds, marketed as "created diamonds". Like all industrial processes, created diamonds impact the environment to some degree, but they represent a good option for some people. You can contact us if you are interested in this option.

Diamonds are a commodity and our work is to use our purchasing power to benefit producer communities while minimizing environmental impact. In the quest for an ethical diamond, perfection should not be the enemy of the good. Canada's careful mining practices and the efforts in Namibia, represent some of the best of what the diamond sector has to offer.

Consider buying a diamond with the acknowledgement that everything in life has a cost. If you believe that our very living means we incur a debt to existence, perhaps what the diamond represents is a dedication to giving something back — a strong courageous love to our marriage that blossoms outward, giving us strength to be in service to the great mystery that connects us all.


(Courtesy, Columbia Gemhouse)
But if diamonds are not your preference, we also offer a wide variety of other ethically sourced gemstone options, including sapphires, aquamarines, emeralds and rubies that we can trace from mine to cutting factory to market.

 
 
 

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