Editor’s Note
This article highlights the dominant role of India and China in the global lab-grown diamond market, which now accounts for over 70% of production. The data underscores the sector’s rapid expansion, with current output far exceeding capacity levels from just a few years ago.
India and China collectively produce 72 per cent of the world’s lab-grown diamonds. According to the Natural Diamonds Council, China accounts for 46 per cent of global production, while India produces 26 per cent. Edahn Golan Diamond Research and Data indicates the market has reached 15-20 million carats, a significant increase from the industry’s capacity of around 6-7 million carats in 2020, highlighting steady growth in production capacity.
However, reliance on coal-generated electricity results in a high carbon footprint for these diamonds. In India, 74 per cent of lab-grown diamonds are produced using grid electricity from coal, while in China, the figure is 62 per cent. Consequently, Indian lab-grown diamonds have the highest carbon footprint.
The production of lab-grown diamonds is highly energy-intensive, making the energy mix used crucial for assessing their sustainability. There are two primary methods: High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) and Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD). China predominantly uses the HPHT process, while India follows the CVD method.
This energy intensity translates into high emissions. India produces an average of 612 kg CO2e emissions per polished carat, higher than China’s 523 kg CO2e and the European Union’s 260 kg CO2e. The Natural Diamonds Council finds that using 100 per cent renewable energy for production could drastically reduce emissions.