Transcript Slide 1

ARE YOUR DIAMONDS
CONFLICT – FREE?
NOSIPHIWO MZAMO
MANAGER: Mineralogy
THE DIAMOND FACTS
“ The diamond industry is vital to the Southern African economy.” — Nelson Mandela
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65% of the world’s diamonds come from African countries
• Approximately $8.5 billion worth of diamonds a year come from African
countries
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Approximately 5 million people have access to health care due to
diamond revenues.
• An estimated 10 million people globally are directly or indirectly supported
by the diamond industry.
• Revenues from the diamond industry help provide necessary counseling,
testing, education, treatment programs, clinics and hospices for HIV/AIDS
patients.
• Conflict diamonds have been reduced since the implementation of the
Kimberley Process in 2003.
Source: www.diamondfacts.org
WORLD DIAMOND PRODUCTION AND SALES IN 2009
Source: Kimberley Process Certification Scheme
WORLD DIAMOND 2009 IMPORTS
Source: Kimberley Process Certification Scheme
Where are your diamonds from
and what is their history?
WHAT ARE CONFLICT DIAMONDS?
• Conflict diamonds are diamonds illegally traded to fund conflict in war-torn areas,
particularly in central and western Africa
• The United Nations (UN) defines conflict diamonds as
"...diamonds that originate from areas controlled by forces or factions
opposed to legitimate and internationally recognized governments”
• The diamond industry estimates that conflict diamonds represent 4% of the total
trade in rough diamonds. Others have estimated that conflict diamonds could
amount to as high as 15% of the total trade.
THE KIMBERLEY PROCESS
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Certification scheme to control movement of diamonds across borders
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Runs on consensus only – unique, but fragile too (SA played strong role in
creation)
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Conflict and illicit diamonds not the same - KP mandate is ‘conflict diamonds’
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Several working groups making up the KP core; chaired annually by member
states in rotation (Israel was the KP chair in 2010 and the current chair is the
DRC)
The Working Group of Diamond Experts (WGDE) represented by the South
African Diamond and Precious Metals Regulator, with Mintek participation at
their request
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WGDE often asked to review controversial parcels – current decisions based
on shape / colour / surfaces : risky and qualitative
SADPMR-Mintek Diamond Provenance Laboratory aims to develop a
forensically sound method for KP and SA
MINTEK DIAMOND PROVENANCE PROJECT
• Diamond provenance seeks to identity the origin of a diamond by comparing
diamond characteristics to profiles for different sources
• Mintek and the SA Diamond and Precious Metals Regulator (SADPMR) have
launched a project in 2009 to study the possibilities of determining the origin of
rough diamonds
• The heart of the project is a new laboratory facility in Mintek's Mineralogy
division, funded by the SADPMR, which is using a two pronged approach by
studying the physical as well as chemical characteristics of gem-quality
diamonds
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The lab is equipped with a state-of-the art equipment including a Laser Ablation
Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (LA-ICP-MS) for trace element
measurements
• Diamond provenance will be useful for the purpose of identifying conflict
diamonds
THE SCIENCE BEHIND…………………DIAMOND THEORY
Diamonds are composed chiefly of the element carbon – but can also
contain nitrogen and tiny amounts of “trace elements”
C
N
C
C
C
C
N
C
N
TE
C
Carbon & Nitrogen
C
C
C
Trace elements (TE) that
may occur in diamonds
N
OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT
•Build a SADC database from mainly alluvials, characterising shape,
colour, surface features, breakage, infrared spectra, trace elements
•Develop a forensic method for diamond provenance, and ascertain if
this can be used for discrimination
•Emphasis on real production type samples – gems not coated stones
/ boarts etc.
•Control ABSOLUTELY the provenance of the samples
•Share information with sample providers and the scientific community
•Build local skills and methods with all interested parties
SAPDMR PERSPECTIVE
Strategic Objectives
Diamond Provenance Lab impact
SA resources “exploited and
developed in the best interest
of the people of SA”
Illicit trade immediately removes benefit
of mining and beneficiation to SA fiscus
and people of the land
KP compliance
Greatest weakness, apart from poor
import/export statistics, is inability to
technically interrogate suspect parcel
Best practise operability
Political gain from very public effort to
support transparency / governance of
the KP
Hallmarking and branding
Source profiling validated by scientific
means is an extra buttress to any
hallmark/branded logo
Fair trade
While KP may pivot on conflict diamond,
illicit (unfair) trade is real area of heat
SA as major diamond hub
Technical skills platform to support
commercial skills efforts
WHERE ARE WE NOW?
• A standard procedure for diamond characterization has been developed
• Ten parcels of diamonds from various African localities have been fully
characterized and the results analyzed
• Indications that subtle but distinct variations can be made between
diamond parcels and that homogeneity exists in the diamond parcels
• Extension of the dataset is in progress: only with large numbers of
characterized stones can we determine whether diamond discrimination
can be a viable forensic process
MINTEK GOING FORWARD
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Approach diamond origin in a holistic manner :
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Building a comprehensive database to evaluate the source of
diamonds
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Greater volumes of stones from different sources will be used to
really comprehensively build up the database
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These will be used to further assess diamond discrimination
potential.
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The knowledge gained in this study will be used for application with
other conflict minerals
THE SADPMR-MINTEK PROVENANCE LABORATORY
Thank you