Editor’s Note
This article examines the complex environmental claims surrounding lab-grown and natural diamonds, analyzing impacts on water, waste, chemicals, and emissions. It also explores mine lifecycle management and includes industry perspectives.
On the environment, we delve into the nuances of sustainability claims made by the laboratory-grown diamond industry. Alongside reviewing impacts on water, waste and chemicals, we also look at the emissions footprint of both natural and synthetic diamonds, and the process of responsible opening and closure of mines. We also include further examples on the impact of the natural diamond industry from manufacturers’ perspective.
Publicly available research reveals that the claim that laboratory-grown diamonds always have a low, neutral or even negative carbon footprint is not true. The environmental sustainability of laboratory-grown diamonds depends on the energy, chemical, material, water, and waste management of the factory in which they are produced. It is also not possible to make a simplistic general comparison between natural diamonds and laboratory-grown diamonds. Each category has a range of production processes, geographical locations, power sources, productivity capabilities, and sustainability practices.
Laboratory-grown diamonds are refined in carbon-intensive industrial environments, with significant resources and capital required to meet production targets. Steps such as cutting and polishing, setting in precious metals, marketing, packaging, and distribution all generate CO2 and require significant water, computational power, and capital. Laboratory-grown diamonds will also move between facilities as they are being polished and displayed in jewellery, further increasing the carbon intensity.
The natural diamond world protects the biodiversity of an area that is considerably larger than the land they use. As much as 99% of the waste from diamond recovery is rock and 84% of the water used in diamond recovery is recycled.
Members of the NDC are always working, often in partnership with governments and local communities, to reduce the impact that natural diamond mining can have on the environment. There is often limited data available on the footprint of the ASM sector. These smaller organizations, even when publicly listed, may face fewer requirements for compliance with regulations and reporting standards. There are numerous operational measures being taken by the natural diamond industry to mitigate and reduce the impact on the environment. This includes conservation efforts and rewilding projects as well as waste and water management.
Information surrounding diamond recovery processes provided by NDC members details that no chemicals are used in the process, making it one of the cleanest forms of mining. There are changes to the landscape during the period of mining as it creates waste rock piles. However, these are reclaimed by the landscape as part of mine closure plans which are done under the strict supervision and approval of local communities and governments.
In recent years, there has been an important focus on water reuse and recycling. During the diamond mining process, water reuse and recycling members consume water from a variety of sources including surface water, groundwater, and third-party supply. As diamond recovery is reliant on a mechanical crushing process, water is more suitable for recycling and reuse.
Large-scale mining companies are working to reduce their dependencies, especially in water-scarce regions, by promoting the use of water recycling.
What is the industry doing about the waste from mining?
Over 99% of waste produced by NDC members is rock, which is disposed of on-site and eventually reclaimed as part of the landscape during the mine closure and rehabilitation. De Beers Group separates non-mineral waste at the source across a variety of materials ranging from metals, glass and plastic through to batteries. De Beers Group majority shareholder Anglo American has also developed a Materials Stewardship strategy to encourage waste management focused on the principles of the circular economy.
According to Ryan Fequet, Executive Director for the Wek’èezhìi Land and Water Board:
Based in Ontario, Canada, the Victor Mine halted production in May 2019 and demolition of its operational facilities started in 2020. De Beers Group has worked to rehabilitate the mines’ waste rock repositories and separate recyclable and non-recyclable waste produced throughout the demolition.
De Beers Group has partnered with RESOLVE, a non-profit organization. They have worked together to launch Regeneration, which is a company that will use re-mining and processing of waste from legacy mine sites to support rehabilitation activities and restore natural environments. Rio Tinto has committed to initially invest $2 million into the company.
