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Author: Admin | 2025-04-28
The movie Blood Diamond helped bring the film’s titular issue, the rise of the conflict diamond, to mainstream attention. While the story itself is fictional, it’s an interesting representation of real-life events in Sierra Leone and other regions.The movie showed viewers that the jewelry they wear has an impact on the world. From its environmental impact to funding violence in Sierra Leone and elsewhere, the purchase of blood diamonds has unintended and unwanted consequences.Beyond Leo’s acclaimed performance, the general public might not know much about blood diamonds. What are they? Why are they called “blood diamonds” in the first place? Are there alternatives?There’s more involved in this than the general buyer may be aware of.What Are Blood Diamonds and Why Are They Called That?Where Are Blood Diamonds Found?Why Are Blood Diamonds Bad?What’s Being Done to Tackle Blood Diamonds?The Kimberley ProcessMaendeleo Diamond StandardsEthical Alternatives to Blood DiamondsThe legitimate diamond industryLab-grown diamondsWhere Do Ethical Diamonds Come FromBrands that sell ethical diamondsHow to Identify Blood DiamondsHow to Avoid Buying Blood Diamonds1. Buy new diamonds2. Ask the jeweler3. Buy lab-grown diamondsWrapping UpWhat Are Blood Diamonds and Why Are They Called That?As defined by the United Nations, these diamonds—also known as “conflict diamonds”—are “diamonds that originate from areas controlled by forces or factions opposed to legitimate and internationally recognized governments, and are used to fund military action in opposition to those governments.”They’re referred to as blood diamonds because aggression and violence—up to and including kidnapping, murder, civil war, and even genocide—are used to control the production and trade of diamonds. As Geology.com notes, threats, torture, and murder are routinely used in this diamond trade. The name refers to the blood spilled to mine, ship, and sell the gems, although it also references the ongoing conflicts the trade finances.Once these conflict diamonds have been mined, cut, and shipped, they appear identical to any other diamond. In essence, they are. The main difference is in how they’re mined and traded.Where Are Blood Diamonds Found?While these diamonds have penetrated the diamond trade around the world, they’re mined and sourced from a handful of specific countries where war and conflict have allowed the practice to persist. Though containment efforts, which I’ll discuss later, have increased, and even succeeded, in recent years, they’re still illegally smuggled to every country on the planet. Many of them come from the African continent. These include diamonds mined in the following African countries:Sierra LeoneThe
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