How are Diamonds Mined?
We seldom think about how the diamonds we wear came to us. Natural
diamonds, as opposed to synthetic diamonds or fake diamonds, are
mined from the earth. There are currently two methods of mining
diamonds: Pipe Mining and Alluvial Mining.
When pipe mining is used, the diamonds are extracted from the earth
through volcanic pipes. These are not man-made pipes. These are
natural pipes in the ground. Shanks are put into the ground next
to the pipes, and tunnels are driven into the deepest parts of the
pipe. The diamonds are not sorted out at the mine. Instead, huge
rocks that are full of diamonds are brought out of the mine and
moved to a screening plant for separation.
The Alluvial mining method is done in riverbeds and on beaches.
Walls are built to hold back the water and the sand on the bank
or beach is moved with a bulldozer until the level of earth that
diamonds can be found in is reached. Again, the diamonds are not
sorted here. Instead, the sand that contains the diamonds is bulldozed
into trucks, and taken to screening plants.
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