Diamonds aren’t just a girls best friend, they are also one of the hardest minerals created on earth. Created naturally at extremely high temperatures between 900 and 1,300 degrees Celsius and pressures of 4.5 to 6 kilaPascals, so high that these can only be met deep within the earth’s mantle that change Carbon-containing minerals into diamonds over billions of years. The obsession of diamonds and the will to posses and pay for them in society is great. The only way that diamonds can reach the surface of the earth and be put to human use is with powerful volcanic eruptions or deep-earth mining. Volcanic eruptions are rather rare, because most of the pipes in the rock that go to the surface, releasing volcanic material don’t contain enough diamonds to be valuable, and some don’t contain any diamonds within them at all. However, diamonds can also be produced synthetically in a chamber that simulates the pressure and temperature found in the earth’s mantle. Here, they can create the same diamonds with a hardness equal to that nature can provide, and so close molecularly that only a gemologist with specific equipment can differentiate. In these synthetic labs, the diamonds created are usually a yellow color because nitrogen, a key element in the creation, has impurities that are emitted through the color. Therefore, many other colors may be emitted in the synthetics, depending on which elements were used in the creation. Diamonds are world renowned for their amazing physical toughness, beauty and lustrous, originating from their strong bonding. They are used in the industrial world as the as cutting tools because of this superior toughness, and no other earthly mineral has been found to exceed the diamond’s durability. Fuelin...
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...nts because of the amount of money they can earn by supporting one of these “blood diamond” groups. Angola has estimated around 10 million land mines. Another source of crime diamonds cause is theft. Since diamonds are so expensive and desirable, occasionally armed robbers attempt to steal millions of dollars in valuable diamonds, escaping with the minerals and hoping to live off the proceeds the act provides. Overall, diamonds are a source of great power, with an unparalleled durability that is unmatched by any other earthly mineral, created deep within the earth at extremely high temperatures and pressures, worth very much money to either create synthetically, discover, or mine, can be found with many colors based upon the elements used to create it, as well as a source of crime and corruption from those that wish to share in the extravagance these diamonds create.
Deep within African mines, elusive diamonds lay enveloped in the Earth’s crust. Possessing much influence, beauty, and tension, nature’s hardest known substance causes parallel occurrences of unity and destruction on opposite sides of the globe. Diamonds, derived from the Greek word "adamas", meaning invincible, are formed deep within the mantle, and are composed entirely from carbon. Moreover, only under tremendous amounts of heat and pressure can diamonds form into their preliminary crystal state. In fact, diamonds are formed approximately 150km- 200km below the surface and at radical temperatures ranging from 900-1300 C°. When these extremes meet, carbon atoms are forced together creating diamond crystals. Yet how do these gems, ranking a ten on Moh’s hardness scale, impact the individual lives of millions of people besides coaxing a squeal out of brides-to-be? These colorless, yellow, brown, green, blue, reddish, pink, grey and black minerals are gorgeous in their cut state, but how are these otherwise dull gems recognized and harvested? Furthermore, how and why is bloodshed and violence caused over diamonds in Africa, the supplier of approximately 65% of the world’s diamonds? (Bertoni) The environmental, social, and economic impact of harvesting, transporting, and processing diamonds is crucial because contrary to popular belief, much blood has been spilled over first-world “bling”.
...sumption, creates emission of greenhouse gases and other harmful chemical materials. Once released into the air, it can cause environmental problems, which in turn threatens not only the environment, but also the health of the people who live in it. In order to reduce the use of energy to help protect our planet and our health, the diamond mining industry has implemented renewable energy programs to monitor energy and carbon emission. Since its beginning, mining company PHP Billiton program has saved an equivalent of one million liters of diesel fuel per year at their Ekati Diamond Mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories. The health of the environment and the health of humanity are as one. Whatever we do to our planet, we do to ourselves. Reducing energy consumption of diamond mining not only helps protect our planet, but also helps protect the health of our people.
Should diamonds be seen as such highly sought-after, luxury goods, and marketed and sold at such extravagant amounts? While some individuals might be of the impression that diamonds are lavishly priced, because of limited supply, it is of my opinion that a very shrewdly-created cartel disguises the very reason for these “rare” gems seemingly being worth your “pretty penny”.
...t that their sons were child soldiers holding guns and striking down innocent civilians. The horrors and violence that occurred during this ten-year period are unthinkable. Many families are still rebuilding more than ten years later. For a resource that was supposed to bring Sierra Leone out of poverty to leave it in even worse conditions is sad to think about. Though diamonds from conflict areas are banned, some still find their way into the markets. It is up to the buyers of these products to really trace the history of each and every diamond for a stop in this conflict to happen. Consumers can also help by asking for the history of their diamond before buying one. If the world can do this, profit made from diamonds will be going to the right people and the responsibility of violence in conflict areas will no longer be on the diamond industry or the world.
In “ “Blood Diamonds” and Africa’s Armed Conflicts in the Post – Cold War Era, “ Orogun (2004) said that diamonds are referring as “clean stones”. This article explains about the black market is really happening in African. I am using this article to support how the black market of diamond trades is still not regulated, and they defined it as “licit” trade.
About status within your peer group. Even people on low monthly salaries would buy a high quality diamond: it was a family driven purchase.
A beautiful precious diamond can last forever, but what most people do not know is that a majority of our diamonds come from Africa. The civil wars in Africa over diamonds began around 1961 and ended in 2003. Conflict diamonds were rampant and it would be difficult to say if any jewelry sold prior to 2003 was conflict free. Conflict diamonds are diamonds that have been mined and were controlled by African rebels. The rebels would use the profits from selling conflict diamonds to fund illegal activity and to purchase more weapons for their armies. While rebels had control of the diamond mines they killed approximately 4 million people and countless families were displaced.
It’s hard to imagine that a mineral could be fueling wars and funding corrupt governments. This mineral can be smuggled undetected across countries in a coat pocket, then be sold for vast amounts of money. This mineral is used in power tools, parts of x-ray machines, and microchips but mostly jewelry. Once considered the ultimate symbol of love, the diamond has a darker story. "Blood" diamonds or "conflict" diamonds are those mined, polished, or traded in areas of the world where the rule of law does not exist. They often originate in war-torn countries like Liberia, Sierra Leone, Angola, and Côte d'Ivoire were rebels use these gems to fund genocide or other questionable objectives. Even with a system known as the Kimberly process which tracks diamonds to prevent trade of these illicit gems, infractions continue as the process is seriously flawed. The continuation of the blood diamond trade is inhuman, and unethical, and in order to cease this illicit trade further action to redefine a conflict diamond, as well as reform to the diamond certification prosess is nessasary.
People are now starting to take small steps in an effort to eliminate conflict diamonds. Recently, the entire diamond industry made clear to the international community of its intolerance towards blood diamonds. An example of this is their introduction of the Kimberley Process, a certification system for tracking the diamond’s origin. The United States is currently working on legislation for the Clean Diamond Act, in order to ban any diamonds from an unidentified origin. Both of these policies are attempts to create a paper trail for the diamonds and to eliminate conflict diamonds from the ma...
To some, the myths and curses of the world hold little power, but to others it formats their entire culture or religion. Over thousands of years people have formulated stories surrounding not only diamonds, but other gemstones as well. It is practiced in religious and symbolic ceremonies that we still believe in today. From offering a diamond ring as a symbol of love and unity to a diamond gift of appreciation for a sixty year anniversary we show that in some form we believe that a diamond can bring unity, love, and longevity. Although the majority of claims happened many years ago, and can be proven false today, they have helped mold the history of the diamond. Diamonds are forever; not only because they are invincible, but because they have a lasting connection to our history.
Diamonds have been identified as being precious but expensive gems for many decades. Diamonds were extremely rare, only found in India and Brazil until the late nineteenth century (Vogelsang, 2005: 5). After the discovery of diamonds in South Africa, the diamond industry began to flourish. Diamonds then became very abundant and cheap to produce. In order for the value of diamonds to remain as high as they were during the phase in which they were still rare, a diamond cartel was introduced. A cartel is defined as a group of firms that gets together to make output and price decisions (Cartel Theory of Oligopoly, n.d.). Hence, the diamond cartel aimed to maintain high prices to maximise the profits of the suppliers by restricting the supply. This essay will analyse the history of the diamond cartel, including diagrams that illustrate what the price of diamonds would be with or without the use of a cartel. The notion that diamonds are the only suitable stone that can be used in engagement rings will also be commented on. Furthermore, specific attention will be placed on the role of the diamond cartel in determining the price of diamonds.
I have chosen to talk about precious gemstones and crystals. There are many people now and days rediscovering the many uses of gemstones and crystals. To my knowledge each, have many different uses. They can be used as adornments, for health, for healing and for spiritual practices. You have probably never even heard of stones or crystals in this fashion before. I am going to take this opportunity to tell you what I know about this fascinating world that I have grown very accustomed to. I am not a gemstone/crystal specialist but, I do know enough about this topic to give you a slight overview about this topic.
The diamond is a carbon allotrope made up of carbons tetrahedrally bonded in a structure called a diamond lattice. The very rigid diamond lattice combined with strong covalent bonding leads to the diamond as having the greatest hardness of any naturally occurring material and the highest thermal conductivity of any bulk material. This quality makes diamonds valuable for its most common use, industrially. Although diamonds are best known for their use in jewelry, 80% of diamonds mined are used industrially. Diamonds are naturally produced in extremely high temperatures deep inside the earth’s mantle over extremely long periods of time. To keep up with demand, diamonds can also be formed synthetically at high pressure temperatures that simulate the Earth’s mantle. Industrially, diamonds intense strength can be used for cutting and grinding tools. Diamonds are used to cut and polish almost any material including other diamonds. Diamonds are commonly used for diamond tipped drill bits, saw...
One morning, a well-known gentleman went into a bank in London, and was received immediately by Mr. Alexander Holder, head of the bank. He asked for a loan of fifty thousand Pounds. Mr. Holder asked him to present collateral to cover that large sum of money; the man showed him a crown that belongs to the country. Knowing the risk, Mr. Holder agreed to lend the gentleman that large sum of money if he pays it back in a few days. After the gentleman left Mr. Holder decided to keep the crown all the time near by him, so he took the crown to his home in Streatham. There he lived with his only son Arthur and his niece Mary who was an orphan. He told them about his story with the crown of diamonds. When the father was going to sleep, Arthur asked for two hundred pounds. He refused to give him thinking his son was spoiled by his rich friends who had nothing to do except watch horses. Before going to sleep, he went to check that all windows and doors were locked. He saw Mary at a side window at the hall. She closed it quickly, and Holder noticed that she looked anxious. After he went to sleep, he heard some noise that woke him up; he waited until he heard it again coming from his sitting room. He jumped out of his bed and saw his son holding the crown broken from the side and three diamonds were missing. In grief, he accused Arthur of being a thief and a liar. Meanwhile Mary came in and seeing the crown fainted. Arthur asked if he could leave for five minutes but Holder refused and called the police to take his only beloved son to jail. The police searched the house but could not find anything and advised Holder to get the help of Mr. Holmes the famous detective.
Mining is the process or industry of obtaining minerals from the earth. Topics in this paper I’ll be specifically discussing are pros and cons of mining, structures of a mine, mining in general, California gold rush, diamonds in Africa, and comparison of diamond and gold mines.