Do Conflict Free Diamonds Even Exist?

In ancient times, diamonds came from India and Brahmans told Vedic tales of the god, Vela, stripped of flesh by demons. Vela's bones were then ground down, and spread out over the earth, where his fragments became diamonds.

This myth suggests that the diamond, the transformation of carbon under great pressure into a most refined, adamantine, sparkling essence, has a divine power that even today, seems to attract the best and worst in humanity.

A diamond set in a ring, presented by a man or woman to his or her beloved, is a physical representation of enduring commitment to fidelity and matrimony.  Yet diamonds also embody a massive split between personal values and the effects of our spending. 

Approximately four million Africans died during wars financed by the diamond trade in the 1990s. The very diamonteirs who  funded the paramilitary groups have never been held accountable for their part in this atrocity. Today, they will happily sell you a  Kimberly Process Certified (KPC) "conflict free diamond."

These KPC "conflict free diamonds" can be mined under terrible labor and environmental conditions, by diamonteirs who collaborate with corrup governments. The US Department of Labor recently reported that (conflict free) diamonds from Sierra Leone are being mined by forced child labor. Indeed, even polishers in India have been shot and killed for refusing to produce "conflict free" diamonds which are too often the products of humiliation and misery.

The claim of a "conflict free diamond" in the marketing of diamonds can be deceptive, and "conflict free" is a meaningless criteria for consumers who are looking for an ethically sourced product.

The Subtle Spin

Even jewelry companies with socially responsible values can spin diamond sourcing issues. You are a green bride and you want to do the right thing. Search "conflict free" online and you will come up with a number of websites that sell Canadian diamonds. It's true that there is no diamond war history in Canada, but the "conflict" of diamond mining typically only refers to the social costs and does not adequately (if at all) address the resulting environmental damage.

The infrastructure required to transport millions of gallons of petrol to run the machinery and generators in the arctic tundra creates massive disruption to the environment. Caribou herds in the North West Territory are in massive decline over the past five years. Diamond mining in Canada is part of a larger trend that is drastically impacting North America's last Serengeti.

The fact is that diamonds, like other natural resources, have social AND environmental costs, and it's important to know all the facts to make a decision. The critical question for a green bride to ask is not, "How can I purchase a conflict-free diamond?" but "How can I purchase, with my eyes wide open, a diamond that can create a better world?"

How To Shop Your Values

If you want an ethical diamond, ignore the notion of "conflict free." The critical issue is mine to market transparency. You need to know where the diamond was sourced and cut. You need to know who benefits, besides your retailer, from the purchase of your diamond. 

Ideally, we would have fair trade diamonds from small scale, artisanal mining communities. For a variety of complex reasons, however, the fair trade diamond does not yet exist. In the quest for an ethical diamond, perfection should not be the enemy of the good. You can still use your purchasing power to benefit producer communities while minimizing environmental impact.

Canada is still a good choice for your diamond. They have extremely careful, highly regulated mining practices. Indigenous communities have been compensated. Companies that source out of Canada also have clean cutting operations, as no one wants to tarnish the Canadian diamond brand. 

Secondarily, you can look for a diamond that's mined and cut in Africa. Over the past few years, cutting facilities have been implemented in Botswana and Namibia. The creation of these types of projects that create downstream economy is called, "beneficiation." The companies buy the diamonds sourced for these projects from DeBeers. 

I know that for some readers, the notion of buying a diamond from a DeBeers mine will not sit well. Over the past five years, however, they have become widely recognized for their well run, environmentally responsible mines, and Africa badly needs economic development. Since polishing in African countries is much more expensive than taking operations to India, companies like DeBeers that are now focused on beneficiation deserve support.

No matter what your choice, buying a diamond should be accompanied by the acknowledgement that everything in life has a cost. Perhaps what your diamond can represent - in addition to its symbolism around love, marriage and commitment - is a dedication to giving something back.

Written By Marc Choyt, Co-Owner of Reflective Images

Marc Choyt co-owns Reflective Images with his wife, Helen Chanter. He publishes www.fairjewelry.org, the top rated site on google for fair trade jewelry consumer and trade issues. Before being the jewelry business, Marc was a high school teacher for Native Americans and was a volunteer director of an orphanage in Haiti. 

Outside of work, Marc loves wilderness backpacking, international travel, slow food, hunting and organic gardening.