Editing Diamond (section)

==== Political issues ====
{{Main|Kimberley Process|Blood diamond|Child labour in the diamond industry}}
{{wikibooks|Development Cooperation Handbook|Stories/Unsustainable Growth|Unsustainable Growth}}
[[File:Unsustainable Growth.webm|thumb|Unsustainable diamond mining in Sierra Leone. Documentary as part of the Vrinda Project for Wikibooks]]

In some of the more politically unstable central African and west African countries, revolutionary groups have taken control of [[List of diamond mines|diamond mines]], using proceeds from diamond sales to finance their operations. Diamonds sold through this process are known as ''conflict diamonds'' or ''blood diamonds''.<ref name=conflict/>

In response to public concerns that their diamond purchases were contributing to war and [[human rights abuses]] in [[central Africa|central]] and [[West Africa|western]] Africa, the [[United Nations]], the diamond industry and diamond-trading nations introduced the [[Kimberley Process]] in 2002.<ref name=kimb>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hWrEcl2ydzEC&pg=PA305|pages=305–313|title=Resource politics in Sub-Saharan Africa|vauthors=Basedau M, Mehler A|year=2005|publisher=GIGA-Hamburg|isbn=978-3-928049-91-7|access-date=November 9, 2020|archive-date=November 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231109173806/https://books.google.com/books?id=hWrEcl2ydzEC&pg=PA305#v=onepage&q&f=false|url-status=live}}</ref> The Kimberley Process aims to ensure that conflict diamonds do not become intermixed with the diamonds not controlled by such rebel groups. This is done by requiring diamond-producing countries to provide proof that the money they make from selling the diamonds is not used to fund criminal or revolutionary activities. Although the Kimberley Process has been moderately successful in limiting the number of conflict diamonds entering the market, some still find their way in. According to the International Diamond Manufacturers Association, conflict diamonds constitute 2–3% of all diamonds traded.<ref>{{cite book|title=World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) and International Diamond Manufacturers Association: Joint Resolution of 19 July 2000|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fnRnyS7I9cYC&pg=PA334|publisher=World Diamond Council|date=July 19, 2000|access-date=November 5, 2006|isbn=978-90-04-13656-4|archive-date=November 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231109173808/https://books.google.com/books?id=fnRnyS7I9cYC&pg=PA334#v=onepage&q&f=false|url-status=live}}</ref> Two major flaws still hinder the effectiveness of the Kimberley Process: (1) the relative ease of smuggling diamonds across African borders, and (2) the violent nature of diamond mining in nations that are not in a technical state of war and whose diamonds are therefore considered "clean".<ref name=kimb/>

The Canadian Government has set up a body known as the Canadian Diamond Code of Conduct<ref>{{cite web |title=Voluntary Code of Conduct For Authenticating Canadian Diamond Claims |url=http://www.canadiandiamondcodeofconduct.ca/images/EN_CDCC_Committee_Procedures.pdf |publisher=Canadian Diamond Code Committee|year=2006|access-date=October 30, 2007|archive-date=February 29, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120229233018/http://www.canadiandiamondcodeofconduct.ca/images/EN_CDCC_Committee_Procedures.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> to help authenticate Canadian diamonds. This is a stringent tracking system of diamonds and helps protect the "conflict free" label of Canadian diamonds.<ref>{{cite journal| vauthors = Kjarsgaard BA, Levinson AA |title=Diamonds in Canada|journal=Gems and Gemology|volume=38|issue=3|pages=208–238|year=2002|doi=10.5741/GEMS.38.3.208|doi-access=free|bibcode=2002GemG...38..208K }}</ref>

Mineral resource exploitation in general causes irreversible environmental damage, which must be weighed against the socio-economic benefits to a country.<ref>A meta-analysis of the environmental impact specific to diamond mining is in {{Cite report | vauthors = Oluleye G | title = Environmental Impacts of Mined Diamonds |publisher=Imperial College London Consultants |url=https://www.imperial-consultants.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Final-report-Environmental-Impacts-of-Mined-Diamonds-updated-8-21.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211203093203/https://www.imperial-consultants.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Final-report-Environmental-Impacts-of-Mined-Diamonds-updated-8-21.pdf |archive-date=December 3, 2021 |url-status=live |access-date=July 1, 2022}} <!-- NOTE ON DATE: They don't put a date on the case study's page. The page copyright is 2019, but the upload is dated 2021/02, and the report itself cites a 2020 study. Case study url: https://www.imperial-consultants.co.uk/casestudies/meta-study-environmental-impact-of-diamond-mining/ --> <!-- OLD VERSION: https://www.imperial-consultants.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Final-report-Environmental-Impacts-of-Mined-Diamonds.pdf --></ref>