Diamond mining is not healthy for both human life and the environment, but lab-grown versions, which are now just as pure as natural ones and produce just 1/5 the carbon dioxide emissions, could provide a legitimate alternative. Currently, the synthetic varieties account for only 2% of the world’s jewelry market, but it could also mean the end of mining within a decade. Continue reading for a video and more information.
Inhabitat reports: “As for the environmental impact, one Stanford University graduate carried out research that compared the energy intensity of mined diamonds from BHP Billiton’s Ekati mine in Canada, with those created in the Gemesis lab. The lab variety produced less than one-fifth of the carbon dioxide emissions compared to those from the mine. For that one mine alone, that could save the equivalent of roughly 483 million miles’ worth of auto emissions each year.”
