Exclusive-Diamond giant De Beers hunts for treasure in Greenland's waters

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PinkDiamond
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Exclusive-Diamond giant De Beers hunts for treasure in Greenland's waters

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I had no idea that the diamonds that make it out to sea were generally better quality than their counterparts found on land, and this will explain why. There's a 3 photo slideshow at the beginning of the article, from which I'm showing you the third pic, so use the link to finish the story and see the other two photos of Greenland. From Yahoo news, check this out. :)

Exclusive-Diamond giant De Beers hunts for treasure in Greenland's waters

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Exclusive-Diamond giant De Beers hunts for treasure in Greenland's waters
FILE PHOTO: Icebergs at the Disko Bay near Ilulissat
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October 5, 2021·3 min read
By Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen and Clara Denina


"COPENAGHEN/LONDON (Reuters) - Mining giant De Beers has commissioned a survey of the ocean floor off Greenland's coast in a first step to determine whether it could hold deposits of highly-prized marine diamonds.

The eight-day survey of around 800 kilometers of seabed off Greenland's west coast, near the town of Maniitsoq, ended on Thursday last week, a spokesperson for the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS), told Reuters.

The GEUS confirmed it had carried out the survey on behalf of De Beers and said it would take months to analyse.

"De Beers Marine (DBM) would like to determine whether the offshore environment is conducive to the formation of secondary diamond deposits," an Environmental Mitigation Assessment prepared by De Beers for Greenland's mineral resource authority and seen by Reuters showed.

De Beers, which together with Russia's Alrosa is one of the world's leading diamond miners, said the survey, carried out at a water depth of between 50 and 200 meters, was preliminary.

"The focus of the small-scale, early stage survey is to understand the topography of the region," De Beers, a unit of diversified mining company Anglo American, said in an emailed statement.

Deposits of diamonds, created under high pressure in volcanoes, are known to be present onshore in west Greenland.

Offshore diamonds are generally of higher quality and command a higher price because any gems with flaws tend not to survive the journey out to sea.

Since the 1990s, marine diamond production has been concentrated in Namibia, where it accounts for around 75% of production volumes.

That percentage could rise as mines on land near the end of their life.

In Namibia, De Beers has a 50/50 joint venture with the government that operates special mining vessels.

The vessels suck up hundreds of square meters of sand and silt each hour from below the seabed, which is sifted on board and then semi-processed diamonds are flown to land by helicopter.

Some scientists and environmentalists have called for a ban on the practice, saying too little is known about its impact.

De Beers says it is scrupulous in protecting the environment.

The survey in Greenland avoided important fishing grounds, the report said. The waters of southwest Greenland represent the most abundant marine life in the country.

Greenland's mineral resources ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

A semi-autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark, Greenland relies on fishing and on annual grants from Denmark.

The vast Arctic island is rich in mineral resources but has only ... "

https://www.yahoo.com/news/exclusive-di ... 29203.html?
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Re: Exclusive-Diamond giant De Beers hunts for treasure in Greenland's waters

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In Namibia, De Beers has a 50/50 joint venture with the government that operates special mining vessels.
The vessels suck up hundreds of square meters of sand and silt each hour from below the seabed, which is sifted on board and then semi-processed diamonds are flown to land by helicopter.
Some scientists and environmentalists have called for a ban on the practice, saying too little is known about its impact.
That pretty much sums up what I think of strip mining canyons placers.
I'll jump over my shadow. https://www.virginvalleyopal.com"
Opals & more at my ESTY store https://swordfishmining.etsy.com"
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