In our continuing look at how diamonds are being used to add some bling to everyday household items, we have seen a long list of high-end products that have been made more beautiful, and valuable, using diamonds. Just about anything, even board games, headphones, and children's toys, can be made to incorporate diamonds as a show of wealth and sophistication. Let's look at another 10 items.
In a massive and resource-rich country like Canada, diamonds are a relatively small component of overall natural resource exports. Canada is a major exporter of gold, nickel, uranium, forestry products, and perhaps surprisingly, possesses the world's second largest reserves of oil in the western part of the country. In 2015, Canada exported $231 billion in natural resources. Diamond exports were $2.4 billion, just one percent of resource exports. However, diamonds have been located in some of the most northern and often inhospitable locations in this vast country. So while the impact of diamonds on the economy as a whole has been relatively small, they have been critical to the sustainable development of many northern settlements. These small towns and villages suffer from harsh weather and a lack of employment opportunities, so diamonds have been instrumental in their success in the last 15 years.
Jewelry, it would seem, is no longer limited to the traditional pieces that we think of, like rings, earrings and necklaces. Just about anything can be made more dazzling with the presence of diamonds. Due to popular demand here is another list showing some of the most interesting ways designers are incorporating diamonds into their product lines. (read here part 1 , part 2 , Part 3, Part 4 , Part 5 and Part 6)
Namibia is a Southern African nation with rich diamond reserves. Their production comes mostly from marine sources: diamonds that have been deposited on the ocean floor as a result of river movements and ancient tidal basin flows. There are also a few small, land-based mining operations. Marine mining is a difficult, costly, and highly mechanized process. De Beers is the main producer of diamonds in Namibia, having invested heavily in marine mining equipment and exploration vessels over the years. The limited artisanal mining in the country means the government has strong controls over production levels.
On September 20, 1966, Botswana declared its independence from Great Britain. At the time, the country had a GDP per capita of less than $84, and was one of the poorest and least developed countries on the planet. Just seven months later, in April 1967, geologists discovered the Orapa diamond mine within a cluster of kimberlites in the North-Central part of the country. The discovery set off a diamond rush that eventually led to the discovery of many more viable diamond mines, and elevated the country into one of the most important diamond producing nations in the world. Since that time, Botswana transformed itself into a thriving African nation, with diamonds central to its development.