Now Reading: Lab-grown diamonds are a sustainable alternative to mined stones
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Lab-grown diamonds are a sustainable alternative to mined stones
Lab-grown diamonds are a sustainable alternative to mined stones
Lab-grown diamonds, chemically identical to natural ones, are emerging as a sustainable alternative to mined stones, which are linked to forced labour, civil conflict, pollution, and finite reserves. The Hindu reports that…
The Story in Brief
Lab-grown diamonds, chemically identical to natural ones, are emerging as a sustainable alternative to mined stones, which are linked to forced labour, civil conflict, pollution, and finite reserves. The Hindu reports that natural diamond mines like Argyle and Diavik are depleting, and the diamond industry faces challenges from blood diamonds despite the Kimberley Process.
India is pushing domestic production of lab-grown diamonds. In Budget 2023-24, the government announced support for research, and in 2023 IIT Madras received a Rs 243 crore grant to establish the India Centre for Lab-Grown Diamond (InCent-LGD). The centre aims to develop expertise in seeds, machinery, and manufacturing.
The Indian Opinion
The narrative that lab-grown diamonds are universally green overlooks a key fact: their carbon footprint varies wildly, from renewable to coal-heavy energy. Similarly, not all mined diamonds are blood diamonds, a blanket condemnation ignores ethical producers and the Kimberley Process. The real question is whether consumers will push for transparent carbon labelling across both categories. Can India's labs lead by using clean energy, setting a benchmark for the industry?
Source: thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
