DIAMONDS EXTRACTION AND THE CONSEQUENCES

GEOG 430 Aimira Sharipova 11/8/13

Diamonds Production Globally

Figure 1: Advertisement of worldwide diamond company

Figure 2: Diamond Shape Popularity Source: Jogia Diamonds

Figure 3 Source: Kimberly process rough diamonds statistics

Blood Diamond
Blood Diamond or Conflict Diamond

Diamond that people come to have and sell in violent matters

These abuses include child labor, amputation, murder, and environmental overexploitation

Countries with the Highest Production of Conflict Diamonds

Angola Sierra Leone Democratic Republic of Congo

Statistics C/D production Peak % C/D production, 1990 Annual value of C/D extracted form the Ivory Coast

Data 4% 15% $ 23 Million 15% 3 Million $0.07 75

C/D Conflict Diamond

14%

C/D production in Sierra Leone Total number of deaths attributed to C/D mining Average daily salary for a C/D worker

28%

58%

Number of countries-members of Kimberly Process

Table 1 Source: World Bank

Figure 4 Source: World Bank

United Nations Involvement

Initiated a campaign to stop the trade of conflict diamonds Applied targeted sanctions against UNITA in Angola and the Sierra Leone rebels Not very efficient in the effort to maintain international security and peace Kimberley Process Certification Scheme
May 2000, Kimberley, South Africa

UNITA National Union for the Total Independence of Angola

Kimberley Process (KP)

Participants in the Kimberley Process

Official applicants to the Kimberley Process

Figure 5 Source: Wikipedia

Established in 2003 to prevent conflict diamonds Government certification procedure

Requires each nation to certify that all rough diamond exports are produced through legitimate mining and sales activity
Note: Failure to comply with these procedures may lead to the removal of member country

Impact on the Environment

Soil erosion Toxic water Deforestation

1750 tons of Earth = 1.0 carat rough diamond

Diamond Mining

Re-routed rivers and Dams

20 tons of mined waste = 1 gold ring

Largest Australian diamond mine = area of Japan

Wildlife

Figure 6: Conflict Free Canadian Victor Mine Diamond mine with some regulations Source: The Greener Diamond

Figure 7: Area of Japan Source: vidiani.com

Human Rights Violations

Murder Rape Children exploitation Force labor

Involvement of Global Witness

The first organization to bring the worlds attention to the existing problem

Other NGOs

KP Forced governments and the diamond industry stop C/D distribution from the international market

Major flaws in the system of trading are not addressed KP member governments show little interest in reform

December, 2011, Global Witness announced its departure from the KP

Human Rights Violations (Cont.)

Figure 8: Sierra Leone amputee Source: forcechange.com

Figure 9: A soldier from the Revolutionary United Front patrols the streets of Freetown, Sierra Leone, 1997 Source: The Telegraph

Figure 10: Child-soldier representing rebel movement Source: Les Stone photography

Figure 11: Workers hand-process stream gravel of a placer deposit in search of diamonds Source: How the African diamond trade works?

What To Do?
Raise AWARENESS! The movie Blood Diamond, 2006 Sign petitions to prevent distribution of C/D and decrease the demand @forcechange.com Introduce energy efficient and renewable energy programs Use battery-powered vehicles that do not emit harmful gases such as CO Recycle and re-use waste material

Waste materials may be separated into categories

Perform water treatment Consider recycling and recovery programs to prevent toxic poisoning of water sources Conserve flora by replanting seeds
Figure 12: The movie Blood Diamond Source: Wikipedia

It keeps the native species around the site healthy and unaffected by the mining process
Support wildlife conservation projects Rio Tinto, Peace Parks Foundation

Sources