Diamond mining brings benefits to communities

Remote areas in Botswana among those to receive investment thanks to practices of industry

Business insiders say that more female Chinese consumers are buying natural diamond jewelry for themselves instead of waiting for a ring from a man. This has led to a booming market of diamond jewelry in recent years.

"It represents that people's understanding of natural diamonds has become more diverse and complex. The application scenarios have gradually expanded from weddings to all aspects of people's lives," said Mabel Wong McCormick, managing director of the Natural Diamond Council Greater China Region.

The NDC is an independent nonprofit international organization. With a commitment to promote the development of the natural diamond industry, it provides transparent and in-depth information on ethics, sustainable development and industrial innovation on its official website onlynaturaldiamonds.com.cn.

The NDC is constituted by six world-leading diamond companies, such as De Beers Group and Lucara Diamond Corp. The members' businesses span four continents and more than 10 countries, including Canada, South Africa and Botswana.

According to data in 2017, China's younger generations like millennials (born in the 1980s and 1990s) contributed nearly 80 percent to China's diamond jewelry consumption.

The natural formation process of diamonds endows each one with a unique aesthetic feeling beyond human touch, which is consistent with customers' diversified taste in clothes and accessories, she said.

With the control of the COVID-19 pandemic globally, sales of natural diamonds rose significantly, according to the NDC. In 2021, rough natural diamond sales reported 137 million carats, up 26.9 percent year-on-year.

Due to increases in Chinese people's incomes and the expansion of the domestic market, the total imports of finished diamonds in China reached $2.98 billion in 2021.This represents a rise of 61.2 percent compared with 2019, surpassing the high of $2.74 billion in 2018.

Often, mines are located in remote areas and the local communities are short of basic services. Building and operating a diamond mine in a remote area needs about a decade of cultivation, which requires trained and skillful employees.

Those efforts need long-term commitment and cooperation from the NDC and its member enterprises with the local government, community, and employees.

Such cooperation involves local employment and training; procurement of local products and services; support for local enterprises; health and education programs; and a number of environmentally friendly projects.

NDC members work with communities to understand what social development plans there are and provide financial support to develop new public welfare projects.

The vast majority of the workers are from the regions where the mines operate. This is the reason that NDC members tend to cooperate with local communities and governments: to improve the education of the local population and invest resources in apprenticeship programs to help employees develop diverse skills.

In October, the NDC's newly appointed global ambassador actress Lily James visited the country of Botswana. She met with students and teachers at the Livingstone House Primary School, one of four schools in the community that are run by Debswana — a diamond mining company owned by De Beers and the government of Botswana.

This was followed by a visit to Lucara Diamond's Karowe Diamond Mine, as well as the De Beers Global Sightholder Sales in Gaborone, capital of Botswana.

Her last stop was the KGK Diamonds cutting and polishing facility in Gaborone. There she met some employees, a majority of whom are natives, whose livelihoods are supported by the natural diamond industry.

"It's been incredible to experience Botswana for the first time with our ambassador, Lily James. I'd heard so much about the positive effect of the natural diamond industry in this country, but nothing can prepare you for the real experience," said David Kellie, CEO of the NDC.

"The natural diamond industry is an example to others as to how collaborations between governments and businesses can transform the lives of so many people and the communities in which they live."

According to NDC data, it has supported the livelihoods of more than 10 million people worldwide and nowhere have the positive effects been felt more than in Botswana.