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Diamond Fingerprinting Study
By B. Earth | February 13, 2009
In spite of greater worldwide attention to diamond sourcing, smuggling is still a serious problem. In Southern African countries, in particular, many stones are still being illegally mined, smuggled, and sold to fund conflicts and corrupt government practices. In an effort to help reduce illegal mining and smuggling, South Africa’s national mineral research organization, Mintek, has joined up with the South Africa Diamond and Precious Metals Regulator (SADPMR) to study diamond “fingerprinting” or source-determination based on trace mineral content.
While the new joint laboratory will study diamonds from different types of sources all over the world, their research will focus on alluvial diamonds, which are particularly difficult to regulate and trace. Ultimately, Mintek hopes to establish a comprehensive database of southern African alluvial diamond fingerprints with which stones can be identified for tracking and regulating purposes.
At Brilliant Earth, we carry solely ethically sourced conflict free diamonds, and are encouraged by this South African initiative to offer transparency into the mine of origin.
Topics: Conflict Diamond Issues, In the News, Mining Issues |