The global environmental crisis has increased social consciousness among consumers and businesses alike. Today’s consumer is a conscious buyer looking for eco-friendly and green alternatives for things they want, from household items to luxury products like diamonds. They support sustainable products and consider ethics equally important as product aesthetics.
Hence, businesses across industries are also actively adopting environmentally sustainable and appropriate ethical practices to meet the demands of conscious buyers while growing their sales and customer base. And the diamond industry is no exception.
Diamond buyers are now consciously shopping for lab-grown diamonds. The world has become aware of the amazing benefits of lab diamonds, leading to the emergence of these diamonds as the new symbol of commitment and love.
Lab-grown diamonds have the same carbon crystallisation as mined diamonds. Hence they are real and identical. Besides this, the popularity of lab-grown diamonds is also closely tied to the fact that they are environmental-friendly. As they are artificial, the formation of these diamonds is not dependent on nature. Moreover, their capital cost is also low, and they can be grown in abundance, making them far lower in price than mined diamonds.
All these factors have led many diamond buyers to choose lab diamonds over mined ones, as they can easily have a real diamond for a lower price. It further means they can save their hard-earned money and the planet while getting their hands on something they love to wear and own. It is a win-win all the way.
Let’s dig deeper to find out more about what makes lab-grown diamonds more eco-friendly:
Lab Diamonds Don’t Cause Environmental Destruction
Lab diamonds are not mined or dug out from the Earth. They are grown in the laboratory through technological processes while following ethical practices with no indirect or direct impact on our planet.
Unfortunately, the damage caused by mined diamonds is irreversible. Did you know nearly 1750 tons of Earth has to be dug out to mine a 1.0ct diamond? Though some diamond companies follow strict environmental rehab codes to fill back the excavated area, refilling it to its original state is impossible.
Also, sometimes mining for diamonds causes excessive sand, soil, and rock waste, resulting in destruction and imbalance of land. Hence, compared to mined diamonds, lab-grown diamonds are formed in a safe environment inside a lab that conforms to environmental regulations. Diamonds produced in a lab have far less damaging effects on the Earth and the ecosystem, human population, natural resources, and wildlife.
Lab Diamonds Don’t Cause Water or Air Pollution
That’s right, diamonds created in the lab don’t cause water or air pollution. They are formed in small-sized diamond-growing chambers located inside laboratories. Therefore, they produce a negligent amount of waste which is later disposed of or recycled through green methods.
According to a study by Frost & Sullivan, lab-grown diamonds require seven times less water than mined diamonds. The study also suggests that carbon emitted from lab-grown diamonds is only 0.028g/ carat, while mined diamonds produce 57,000g/carat. When hydrocarbon and electrical energy are used for mining diamonds, they release chemical substances and greenhouse gases into the air. These gases are known for hurting the environment through climate changes and numerous other environmental challenges.
Besides this, lab-grown diamonds are also considered more sustainable because they produce no gaseous emissions that pollute the air. According to Frost & Sullivan, mined diamonds generate over 30 pounds of Sulphur oxide. On the other hand, in CVD, one of the two processes for producing lab diamonds, there is either no or very little emission of sulphur oxide. Furthermore, the process is 100 percent composed of carbon while being nitrogen-free.
The gaseous emissions on a single carat of Earth-mined diamond are practically 1.5 billion times more than a diamond grown in the laboratory.
They Consume Less Energy Compared to Mined Diamonds
Though mined and lab-grown diamonds are identical, the formation processes are different. Lab diamonds are grown by placing tiny diamond seeds in carbon-filled chambers. These diamonds are created atom by atom using pressure and heat over a given period. As the entire process is human-controlled, it is led in an environmentally friendly manner. However, lab-grown diamonds only require a modest amount of electricity. This energy is needed to recreate the temperature and underground pressure conditions.
Previously lab-grown diamond procedures like HPHT and CVD used non-renewable energy or fossil fuels. However, the shift is marked by using renewable energy to reduce emissions and environmental impact. For example, some companies use solar power to produce lab diamonds.
Diamonds Grown in the Lab Are Not Disruptive
Another reason for the increasing consumer interest in lab-grown diamonds is the fact that the formation process of these diamonds is not disruptive. In other words, unlike its counterpart, no animals or plants are harmed when growing diamonds in the lab.
The mining of diamonds often impacts the natural habitat and ecology. It directly and negatively impacts the fauna and flora. Moreover, the animals and native plant life are disturbed.
Not many people know that offshore marine diamond mining has caused serious disruption. Diamond companies have built huge parcels that suck the seabeds up in search of the diamonds washed in the Atlantic Ocean millions of years ago. And the worst part is that the extra sediments were dumped back into the ocean.
Indeed, during marine diamond mining, heavy machinery removes seabed parts. Furthermore, habitat recovery due to marine diamond mining takes decades and sometimes even more.
Due to all these reasons, lab-grown diamonds are now being preferred more. Diamonds created in the lab don’t harm the natural habitat or biodiversity. Heavy extraction’s need and cost are eliminated as they are grown inside the labs, making them the ideal and sustainable choice for consumers. So, the consumers get their hands on real diamonds for a lower price and play their role in preserving and protecting the environment.
To sum it up, 1 carat of a lab-grown diamond can save nearly:
- 109 water gallons
- 1.5 billion x emission of carbon per carat
- 250 tons of the land
- At least 40 to 50 per cent of your purchase cost
And unfortunately, approximately 150 million carats of diamonds are mined yearly. It causes a lot of destruction. Here is a rough estimate of water and land destruction caused by diamond mining activities.
- 1.63 billion water gallons are lost
- Approximately 37.5 billion tons of land excavated
Buyers today are conscious of their environmental footprints. They are buying lab-grown diamonds more to go green and eco-friendly. Though lab diamonds are not extracted from the Earth, their brilliance, lustre, and shine are unmatched. They look as stunning and jaw-dropping as mined diamonds.
So, what are you waiting for? If you wish to buy a diamond ring for your beloved and propose to them or purchase a diamond pendant for yourself, shop with us. At Australian Diamond Brokers, we offer the widest range of lab-grown diamonds. Get your hands on a GIA-certified diamond grown in the lab while playing a crucial role in saving the planet and ensuring environmental sustainability. Browse through our collection of diamonds of the highest quality to find the piece that you love the most.
by Australian Diamond Brokers : March 30th 2023 Come visit our store or browse our website to find out more.