Issue link: https://bluemagazine.uberflip.com/i/25245
ARE DIAMONDS BLOODY FOREVER? GOODNESS. WHAT BEAUTIFUL DIAMONDS! GOODNESS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH II -MAE WEST. NIGHT AFTER NIGHT. 1932 THE BIRTH OF A GEM CONCEPTION Diamonds are created deep below the earth's surface in molten rock under intense pressure- 800,000 pounds per square inch (imagine the Eiffel Tower squashing a penny). Geologists believe the gems formed millions of years ago when lava that cooled in the earth solidified into kimberlite, a blue rock containing the min- erai known to minders as blue ground. Subsequent lava flows brought the kimberlite to the surface. NATURAL BIRTH Some diamonds (called alluvial diamonds) emerge naturally on the earth's surface due to erosion by wind and water that exposes shafts of diamond deposits. They are often found in scatterings in river channels, on present-day or ancient coastlines, or in the ocean. Alluvial dia- mond mining is a basic operation, often involv- ing nothing more than a shovel and pan, and is the method commonly used in Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sierra Leone. CESAREAN Since around 1870, diamonds have also been mined in large excavation sites. Today there are large mines in many southern African countries such as Botswana, Namibia and South Africa. The most famous mine was the Big Hole at Kimberley, South Africa_ The subject of diamonds is a complicated one involving complex geopolitical issues. The mining of the mineral causes environmental. humanitarian and health problems. Profits from the unregulated diamond trade are used to obtain weapons and fund armed conflicts-as a result. tens of thousands of civilians have been killed. raped and mutilated. But with proper regulation, diamonds could potentially bring revenue to mineral-rich, yet underdeveloped nations such as Congo, Angola and Sierra Leone. The statistics are as striking as a diamond's face is sparkling. BLUE examines the many facets of this mysterious earthly gem. DIAMONDS + THEIR TRAVELS: top 5 diamond consuming nations Source, World Bank. 2001 SCRATCHING THE EARTH: SOUTH AfRICA'S BIG HOLE Biggest mine in the world: Big Hole, Kimberley, South Africa Depth of Big Hole: 240 meters Depth of mines at Big Hole: 820 meters Total area of Big Hole: 15 hectares Year Big Hole closed: 1914 Number of diamond carats produced: 14.5 million Earth displaced by 1914: 22.6 million tons DIAMONDS 101 WHAT ARE THEY MADE OF? Composed entirely of carbon [C]. a chemical element that is fundamental to aU life, diamonds are the hardest material in nature. rating a lOon the Mohs hardness scale of 1 to 10.