Dec 4 2011
Diamonds and where they come From
Diamonds are minerals that the Earth produces. Just like any other precious stone, they require mines to harvest. Diamonds come from a deeper layer of the Earth, unlike most minerals that appear on the Earth’s crust. Diamonds are formed in the Earth’s Mantle; two layers below this planet’s surface. A deep volcanic eruption that stems from the Earth’s mantle brings diamonds up nearer to the surface. This is where diamond mines come in.
How mines are started
Deep excavation for locations geographically likely to have diamond deposits are done before even getting certifications in line for starting a diamond mine. There are about 11 major diamond mines producing viable diamond for investment used for diamond stud earrings. Aside from man-made excavations, there are also alluvial diamond mines. Alluvial diamond mines are bodies of water instead of excavation sites. Water flows to the surface possibly carrying diamonds in an alluvial diamond mine. Most alluvial mines are in Africa.
Biggest diamond mine
In terms of production, the Debswana diamond mines in Botswana, Africa, produce the most studs diamond earrings in the market today. Debswana Diamond Company Ltd., in partnership with De Beers, owns 50% of the company. They are the leading diamond producers in the world diamond market in terms of value. The Debswana diamond mining company controls 4 diamond mines. These four diamond mines are the Orapa Diamond mine, the Letlhakane diamond mine, the Jwaneng diamond mine and the Damtshaa diamond mine. The diamond mines in Botswana have significant bearing to the country’s economy. Independence was granted to Botswana with the help of its diamond mines.
Diamonds in the open
A popular way of mining diamonds is through open-pit mining. As opposed to digging deep into cavernous holes, open-pit mines are giant, man-made holes that resemble a crater crash site. Some open-pit diamond mines are so large that it is generally ill-advised to allow aircraft to pass through it because of the possibility of air sucking the aircraft in. The Argyle diamond mine is a well-known open-pit diamond mine. The Argyle Diamond mine reaches 600 meters deep and 450,000 square meters wide. This diamond mine is controlled by the Rio Tinto Group. The same company also controls the Diavik mine and Murowa mine, which are both open pit mines.
Sparkling waters
Alluvial diamond mining is much simpler than open-pit mining. This type of mining only requires shovels, sieves, and the work of bare hands. Rock formations of Kimberlite erode over time with water breaking them down. Sometimes, the rock formations contain diamonds. Small-scale miners use sieves and shovels to sift out diamonds in the water. Sierra Leone, Liberia, and parts of India are well-known sites for alluvial diamond mining.
Mining for diamonds helps some economies grow. Just as most things of beauty, diamonds have very humble origins. Without these deposits and the hard work that people put into them, diamonds will not grace our trinkets like they do today.
