The document summarizes how diamonds are formed deep within the earth, how they are mined, and how the diamond industry has influenced demand. It discusses how diamonds can fund conflicts when mined in unstable regions, leading to human rights abuses. Solutions like the Kimberley Process aim to prevent "conflict diamonds" by certifying their origin, though challenges remain with smuggling and mixing illegal diamonds with legal ones. The ethical dilemma is whether consumers are willing to pay more to ensure their diamonds are conflict-free.

1. CONFLICT
DIAMONDS

2. 1. How are diamonds formed?
■ Roughly 100 miles below the Earth’s
surface, extreme heat and pressure cause
carbon atoms to crystallize, forming
diamonds within specific rock types
(kimberlites and lamproites).
– Temperatures at that depth can reach
over 1800º F
■ The rocks that contain diamonds are then
brought to the Earth’s surface through
volcanic eruptions.
■ Those rock types are then mined to find
the diamonds within them.

3. Kimberlite Rock
Kimberlite Rock with Diamond
Deposit
Raw Uncut Diamonds
Individual Raw Diamond

4. 2. Where in the world are diamonds found?

5. Alluvial mining in Sierra Leone
3. How are diamonds found?
■ Alluvial Mining
– Searching for diamonds that have
been deposited on river beds by the
erosion of rock
– Pros: Only requires a shovel, pan
and physical labor
– Cons: Smaller rate of success; low
return on investment

6. 3. How are diamonds found?
■ Industrial Mining
– Uses massive machinery to
excavate the stone and separate
the diamonds within
– Pros: Progress is much quicker;
larger diamond yield
– Cons: Machinery is expensive
and locations may not have
required infrastructure (roads,
electricity, gasoline, water
source) Diamond mining plant. Some more advanced
plants are fully automated, even using X-rays to
identify diamonds within the rock.

7. 4. How did diamonds become so popular?
■ Prior to 1947, diamond engagement rings were not common
■ In 1947, the diamond company De Beers debuted its new ad campaign “A
Diamond is Forever”
– At the time, De Beers, a South African company, controlled 90% of the
world’s diamond supply
– They hoped to increase sales by convincing customers they needed to
purchase diamonds
■ The goals of their ad campaign:
– To convince people diamonds are rare (valuable)
– Diamonds are the only way to express true, undying love
– Men should be expected to spend 1-2 months’ salary on an engagement
ring
■ Today, the average engagement ring in the U.S. costs $4000

8. 5. How else did diamond companies drive up
interest in their product?
Human Advertising
■ In conjunction with their 1947 ad
campaign, De Beers began the process
of loaning diamond jewelry to
celebrities in hopes it would persuade
the average woman she needed
diamonds too. This process continues
today at many major functions and
awards shows.
The Illusion of Scarcity
■ Diamond companies want people to think
diamonds are rarer than they are.
■ People are willing to pay more for
something they think is rare or hard to find
■ The diamond industry withholds many of
the diamonds they have in order to limit the
supply available to customers.
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
Pre-1870s 1870s Formation of
De Beers
Total # of Diamonds Price Per Diamond

9. 6. How can diamonds lead to conflict?
■ Diamonds are extremely valuable
– Raw diamond sales earned $22 billion in 2015, diamond jewelry sales
earned $74.2 billion
■ Groups are willing to fight for control of valuable resources
■ In areas already involved in conflicts, groups with access to diamond
mines have a huge advantage
■ Money from diamond sales can be used for:
– Buying more weapons
– Supplies
– Recruiting additional soldiers
■ Diamonds that are used to fund conflicts are known as conflict
diamonds or blood diamonds

10. 7. How do conflict diamonds lead to human
rights abuses?
■ Diamond-fueled conflicts lead
to a greater occurrence of
child soldiers and refugees
■ The hunt for diamonds has
resulted in thousands of
civilians being forced to work
against their will
■ Consequences of refusing to
work or stealing include
amputation and even death.

11. 8. What can be done about conflict diamonds?
■ Drawbacks of the Kimberley
Process
– It is voluntary
– Because they are small,
odorless and easy to
transport, diamonds are easily
smuggled
– Illegal diamonds easily mix
with legal diamonds
■ One solution is the Kimberley
Process
– Introduced in 2003, the
Kimberley Process requires
governments to complete
paperwork detailing where
diamonds came from and
assuring that they were not
taken from an area engaged in
conflict

12. 9. What is the ethical dilemma related to
conflict diamonds?
■ Some would argue that the group who can do the most to stop the
spread of conflict diamonds are consumers
■ Americans account for nearly 40% of all diamond purchases in the
world (nearly $30 billion in 2015)
■ Are most Americans willing to investigate where their diamonds
come from?
■ Think back to our discussion of sweatshops…
– If you were buying jewelry, would you care where a diamond came
from?
– Would you pay more for a diamond that came from a conflict free
area?

13. Citations
■ https://www.brilliantearth.com/kimberley-process/
■ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2135369/Charles-Taylor-trial-Found-guilty-
arming-Sierra-Leone-rebels-exchange-blood-diamonds.html
■ https://cleanleansharp.wordpress.com/2011/08/31/theres-no-such-thing-as-a-conflict-
free-diamond/
■ https://forcechange.com/9997/boycott-the-trade-of-blood-diamonds/
■ https://www.americangemsociety.org/en/the-history-of-the-diamond-as-an-
engagement-ring
■ http://www.thediamondauthority.org/celebrities-and-yellow-diamonds/
■ https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/02/how-an-ad-campaign-
invented-the-diamond-engagement-ring/385376/
■ http://www.nationaljeweler.com/independents/retail-surveys/4951-the-2016-global-
diamond-report-is-out