Lab grown diamonds are a more sustainable alternative to mined diamonds, with significant differences in areas like carbon emissions, water usage, and environmental disruption.
But what does this mean in real terms?
1. Carbon Emissions #
- Mined Diamonds: The mining process is energy-intensive and involves significant fossil fuel consumption. On average, mining a single carat of diamond can produce approximately 160 kg of CO₂ emissions, depending on the location and mining technique.
- Lab Grown Diamonds: Production methods vary, but most use electricity to create the high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) conditions or chemical vapour deposition (CVD) processes necessary to grow diamonds. If powered by renewable energy, emissions can be as low as 6 kg of CO₂ per carat. Coal-powered production, common in countries like China, can emit up to 40 kg of CO₂ per carat, still making the process much more environmentally friendly over mind diamonds.
2. Water Usage #
- Mined Diamonds: Mining is water-intensive. For every carat of diamond, approximately 480 litres of water are used, which can strain local water supplies in arid regions and lead to significant ecological impacts.
- Lab Grown Diamonds: The water footprint of lab-grown diamonds is significantly smaller, averaging about 70 litres per carat.
3. Environmental Disruption #
- Mined Diamonds: Mining causes extensive land disruption, deforestation, and habitat destruction. Open-pit mining, in particular, leaves large scars on the Earth, and the removal of topsoil can lead to long-term soil erosion and degradation.
- Lab Grown Diamonds: The production occurs in controlled industrial facilities, which drastically reduces land disruption. There is no need for large-scale land excavation, and there is minimal impact on biodiversity.
4. Human and Ethical Concerns #
- Mined Diamonds: Despite efforts like the Kimberley Process, some diamond mining still involves exploitative labour practices, child labour, and funding of conflict (so-called “blood diamonds”).
- Lab Grown Diamonds: These are free from such ethical concerns as they are produced in controlled environments, eliminating issues related to conflict or poor labour conditions.
5. Energy Sources #
The sustainability of lab-grown diamonds largely hinges on the energy source:
- Renewables: Facilities powered by solar, wind, or hydro energy have a significantly smaller carbon footprint.
- Fossil Fuels: If coal or gas powers production, the environmental benefits of lab-grown diamonds diminish significantly.
6. Waste Generation
- Mined Diamonds: Mining generates large amounts of waste rock—up to 1,000 tonnes of waste per carat mined.
- Lab Grown Diamonds: The waste footprint is much smaller and is mainly limited to industrial waste, which is more manageable.
Lab grown diamonds have the potential to be far more sustainable than mined diamonds, especially when the production facility uses renewable energy, water recycling systems are employed, and the diamonds are grown in locations with strict environmental regulations.