Unearthing Ocean Gems: Diamond Mining Under the Atlantic

Few industries are as shrouded in myth and allure as the diamond trade. For over a century, diamond mines have been some of the most valuable territories in the world, with relatively narrow strips of land in South Africa producing diamonds worth billions of dollars. However, these land-based mines are depleting, with experts predicting that some of the most productive mines will close by 2050.

So where will the next generation of women’s jewelry diamonds come from? Don’t worry. A new trend has emerged in recent years: mining the sea for diamonds. Last year alone, mining companies in Namibia — a country whose economy is heavily reliant on diamond exports — extracted diamonds worth $600 million along the Namibian coast.

The mining vessels don’t look much different from oil rigs. These are massive ships, 100 meters long, complete with helicopter pads. The mining they conduct is likely the most complex in the world.

Diamonds are formed when coal is subjected to high temperatures and pressure deep in the earth. Those that reach the earth’s surface layers usually do so following volcanic eruptions. Some years ago, geologists realized that since diamonds could be found in the Orange River in Namibia, there was a good chance they could also be found in the sea. Indeed, it quickly became evident that not only are there diamonds in the ocean, but they also boast a quality superior to most land-based diamonds. Following this discovery, De Beers, which dominates the global diamond industry, purchased mining rights to over 3,000 square kilometers of Namibia’s territorial seafloor. To date, only about three percent of this area has been explored.

Interestingly, diamonds are rarely found in the water itself. De Beers’ drilling ships excavate to a depth of about two meters on the ocean floor, gathering material to sift through in hopes of finding diamonds.

Sea diamond mining occurs elsewhere around the world too — in South Africa, for instance. The ‘Washington Post,’ in an article about these underwater deposits, reports that gold will soon start being mined from the sea in Papua New Guinea. But don’t envy countries with sparkling treasures off their shores: Namibia may have the richest coastal deposits discovered thus far, but it remains the third most economically unequal country in the world. For millions of Namibians struggling with hunger, the sea diamonds of their nation offer little relief.