Steps for Mine to Mine diamond process

Mining:- Mining process involves the extraction of valuable materials from the earth, usually from an ore body. This is the way how they come to us. Simulated diamonds can be created artificially in a factory but for natural diamonds mining is the only option. Miners are looking for diamond ore, a volume of rock that contains components of diamond materials. Modern technology has improved mining through the use of X-ray fluorescence. This allows miners to find diamonds in the diamond-rich density fraction and sort them by density. Once diamonds are detected, there are different types of mining operation used to extract them depending on the environment in which they are found. The majority of diamonds are extracted on an industrial scale by: a) Open pit mining - Excavation to reach diamonds on the surface of the ground. b) Underground mining- Excavation up to, and in some instances, over 1km below ground. c) Coastal and inland mining- Removal of overburden, such as sand and soil d) Marine mining -Excavation of diamonds from the seabed. Sorting:- Once processed at the mine, rough diamonds are delivered to sorting experts to be sorted and valued into different categories in preparation for sale. There are thousands of different categories into which they can be sorted, dependent on size, shape, quality and color. The majority of diamonds fall within a range of standard colors from colorless to faint yellow or brown tints. Some very rare known as ‘fancies’, are bright colors, such are pink, blue or green. A perfectly transparent diamond with no color or hue is considered to be the purest, but all rough diamonds have some distinguishing marks, known as inclusions, which make each one unique. The best quality in terms of color and clarity are distributed to the gem market with an accompanying Kimberley Process certificate to prove that they are from conflict free sources (refer to Kimberley Process section below for further details on this process). The remainders are used for industrial purposes, such as cutting and drilling. Cutting and polishing :- Gem quality diamonds are usually distributed to one of the main diamond cutting and trading centers in Antwerp, Mumbai, Tel Aviv, New York, China, Thailand or Johannesburg. Once they arrive at the centres, experts (known as ‘diamantaires’) cut and polish the rough diamonds into shapes, such as the round brilliant, the oval, the pear, the heart and the emerald. Polishing follows cutting, before they are again classified by their cut, color, clarity and carat weight – also known as the ‘Four Cs’. These diamonds are typically sold to diamond wholesalers or diamond jewellery manufacturers. Jewellery manufacturing :- Wholesalers or manufacturers buy relatively small amounts of unset, polished diamonds. Wholesalers sell these to jewellery designers, manufacturers or retailers. Manufacturers will produce diamond jewellery designed and commissioned by a retailer or other jewellery designer. They may also create jewellery, designed by in-house teams, and sold direct to retailers. The System of Warranties is used as a declaration on the invoice for each transaction of polished to assure industry purchasers and consumers that their diamonds are from conflict free sources.

Posted in: Business