Diamonds have long been a symbol of love, devotion, and purity, and their beauty and durability have made them a popular choice for jewelry. A diamond ring sparkles with brilliance, grabbing the attention of everyone in the room. Simply put, diamonds are truly in a league of their own. However, despite the reverence associated with diamonds, diamond mining lacks much of the decorum that diamonds hold, and for a good reason.

The truth is that diamond mining has links to human rights violations, environmental degradation, and funding for violent conflict worldwide. Despite the negative impacts of diamond mining, shopping for diamond jewelry does not have to weigh on your conscience. This blog post will highlight the importance of ethical diamonds and provide an alternative to mined diamonds.

The Dark Side of Mined Diamonds

Diamonds may be associated with love, but there is no love lost with mined diamonds. The mining practices required to extract rough diamonds from the Earth’s surface exert a heavy toll on local communities and the environment.

Ethical Concerns of Diamond Mining Practices

An ethical concern with diamond mining is worker exploitation. Diamond miners, particularly those in developing countries, often receive low wages and work in unsafe conditions. According to a report by IMPACT, farmers have had their “cropland seized by mining companies” with little to no compensation.

Advocates tout that mining diamonds brings economic relief to these areas. Still, the adverse effects of sourcing them bring into question just how much of a benefit diamond mining is for these communities.

The Environmental Impact of Diamond Mines

Large-scale mining operations cut down thousands of trees, creating problems associated with global warming, such as soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, and desertification. But that’s not all. Acid mine drainage is caused when leftover mining materials react with oxygen in the air. This chemical reaction creates sulfuric acid that contaminates water sources and damages the soil, reducing crop yields.

Repercussions of Buying Conflict Diamonds

Conflict diamonds, or blood diamonds, are mined in conflict zones or sold to finance armed conflict. The sale of blood diamonds only perpetuates human suffering and violent conflict in those regions.

The international community has been condemning the trade of blood diamonds for a long time. As a result, they established the Kimberley Process Certification System in the early 2000s to prevent the trade of conflict diamonds. Even so, conflict diamonds continue to pose problems. More recently, the United States has banned the import of Russian diamonds, which finance the Russian war efforts in Ukraine, and there have been calls in the European Union for it to impose its own sanctions.

What Are Ethical Diamonds?

The diamond industry relies on ethically sourced diamonds to protect human rights, reduce environmental impact, and build consumer trust. An ethically sourced diamond needs to be:

Conflict-Free

Conflict-free diamonds originate from areas without conflict. Moreover, they do not finance armed violence or human rights abuses.

Environmentally Responsible

Diamond producers must employ responsible and sustainable practices when creating diamonds.

Traceable and Certified

Retailers need to provide consumers with certifications when they make a purchase. These should include details of a diamond’s origin and production process.

Lab Grown Diamonds, the Ethical Alternative

Lab grown diamonds are produced in a lab that replicates the forming process of natural diamonds. This creates a diamond that is identical to a natural diamond without the adverse effects of traditional diamond mining.

How Are Lab Grown Diamonds Created?

There are two ways of creating a lab diamond: High Pressure-High Temperature (HPHT) or Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD).

The HPHT process exposes a carbon-covered diamond seed to a heat temperature of roughly 1,500 degrees Celsius with a pressure of approximately 1.5 million pounds per square inch! As the carbon melts around the seed, it produces pure carbon diamonds with qualities identical to natural diamonds.

Conversely, CVD places the diamond seed in a chamber filled with methane gas, exposing it to roughly 800 degrees Celsius. This causes the carbon particles in the gas to stick to the diamond seed, creating another pure carbon diamond whose qualities are also identical to a natural diamond.

Differences Between Lab Grown and Mined Diamonds

Frost & Sullivan, a consulting and analytics company, conducted a study that found that lab grown diamonds require 215.4% less energy than mined diamonds, using only 250 million joules of renewable energy. Additionally, lab grown diamonds only emit 6 pounds of carbon, a mere 4.8% of what mined diamonds produce. In fact, the air emissions from a single mined diamond carat are 1.5 billion times higher than those of a lab grown diamond.

Advocates for mined diamonds often suggest recycled and Canadian diamonds as eco-friendly alternatives. However, recycled diamonds can still trace their origins back to diamond mines that use harmful practices. And while producers of Canadian diamonds must follow strict regulations, their mining operations still have a significant environmental impact.

Are Lab Created Diamonds Real Diamonds?

When it comes to lab grown diamonds, a common question people ask is whether they are “real diamonds” or not. Our response is always the same:

Yes, they are!

Lab created diamonds have identical properties to mined diamonds. In other words, they are just as real as diamonds mined from the Earth.

Clean Origin – A Trusted Provider of Lab Grown Diamond Jewelry

At Clean Origin, we have a team of skilled diamond jewelry experts who are ready to assist you with all your diamond jewelry needs. Our diamond jewelry collections range from engagement rings and bracelets to earrings and necklaces.

When you shop with us, you can have peace of mind knowing that we only use ethical diamonds.

For personalized assistance, schedule a virtual consultation with one of our jewelry experts or visit a showroom in a city near you!

So what are you waiting for? Start exploring our stunning collections today!