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How diamonds are mined

25 August 2008

How diamonds are minedDiamonds are forever, a girls best friend, and downright expensive. In order to put that diamond ring on your finger, someone has to mine, ship, process, inspect, polish, set, and ultimately sell that diamond. With all of these various steps, it’s no wonder why diamonds are among the world’s most expensive items. Of every diamond mined throughout the world every year, far less than half will be gem quality. What happens to the rest of the diamonds?

They’re put into two other categories: Near-gem quality, and industrial quality. In order to be stamped as gem quality, diamonds must display the highest standard of excellence. Trained eyes painstakingly seek out any flaws. If a diamond isn’t up to par, it never will be. It’s hit or miss in the diamond industry. But before they can be professionally graded, the diamonds must be mined.

Diamonds are mined throughout the world, most notably in Africa where the diamond trade has been the root of many evils. In order to mine the gems, two methods are used: Pipe mining or alluvial mining. The first, pipe mining, refers to the extraction of diamonds from volcanic pipes. This is a lengthy process which covers tremendous ground. On average, 250 tons of ore must be mined before a one-carat gem quality diamond is produced.

In most countries where diamonds are mined, pipe mines are composed of kimberlite, or blue ground. Kimberlite is initially dug from the surface of the pipes in rough opencast mining. Once the surface deposits have been exhausted, shafts are placed into the ground at the edge of the pipes, and tunnels are driven down into the deeper parts of the pipes. When the diamond-bearing rock is brought to the surface, it is hauled off to a screening plant where the diamonds are then separated from the host rock.

Alluvial mining is the other process for extracting diamonds from the earth. In this process, the extraction of diamonds takes place on riverbeds or ocean beaches. When diamond pipes were formed millions of years ago, some diamonds were weathered out of the pipes and subsequently traveled great distances through various rivers and oceans. This type of mining doesn’t involve as much manual labor, but it can be painstakingly difficult to keep up the hunt as it were.

In order for miners to attempt to extract these diamonds from beaches, a structurally-sound wall is built to hold back the surf. Up to 25 meters of sand is bulldozed away in order to reach the diamond-bearing level. Once the level is reached, the earth is removed and transported to screening plants.

There is currently over 35 diamond mines in operation today, each constantly in motion while trying to find the illusive gems. Diamonds will always be in high demand, and the supply will most likely never increase to the point where prices are significantly lowered.

Tags: diamond mine, kimberlite, alluvial mining, pipe mining, diamonds,
Posted In: Other Interests, Luxury Brands,
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