Whether supplying the primary rotational force applied to our world or the ladies’ best friends, the top 11 diamond producing countries in the world are the main suppliers of this invaluable, for our way of living, gems. Contrary to popular culture, which somehow manages to dumb people down enough to make them believe diamonds only have any practical use in jewelry, the hardest mineral formation you can find in the world is also used in cutting, grinding, drilling, for light manipulation and numerous other seemingly insignificant applications. Following the trend of shiny things which emerge from the ground, you could also take a look at the 11 biggest gold mining companies in the world.
These gemstones come in an amazing array of sizes and shapes, many of which have been known for thousands of years. It is estimated that the Indian people in ancient times used to mine for diamonds as far as six thousand years back. The name itself comes from ancient Greek and means unbreakable or untamed. While diamonds require immense amounts of pressure under the earth’s crust to form, a certain quantity of diamonds in ancient times might have come from meteorites or formed upon their impact with the planet’s surface. Other than that, diamonds require a very specific type of environment to be formed. Not only does it have to be rich in carbon but the temperature and pressure also have to be right. These conditions are not easy to satisfy and therefore diamonds are extremely rare. Most of their natural formation in the Earth’s mantle occurs at over a hundred and forty kilometers of depth.
Most diamonds we see are brought by volcanic activity which can bring them up to the surface and spread them around a large area, although this rarely occurs due to the fact that most sources of magma are not as deep as the depth of viable diamond formation layers. However, with the development of technology, we can now almost effectively produce diamonds anywhere, using special machinery which can simulate the pressure and temperature of being trapped two hundred kilometers underground. It gets even more complicated, knowing that diamonds are divided in various grades and durability and color ratings, and certain types manifest properties unlike any other diamond (such as electric conductivity). Even so, these eleven countries want them all and want them now, so let’s take a look at the biggest producers of diamonds worldwide.
11. Zimbabwe
Percent of world production: 0.1%
Zimbabwe takes the eleventh place with just about a tenth of a percent of the worldwide production of diamonds.
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10. Brazil
Percent of world production: 0.4%
The temperamental and evergreen tropical country of Brazil is on our tenth spot with about a four tenths of a percent of the worldwide production of diamonds.
9. Ghana
Percent of world production: 0.6%
Ghana has been the center of a lot of controversy around their diamond production, but it still takes the ninth place with just more than a half of a percent of the worldwide production of diamonds.
8. Namibia
Percent of world production: 1.3%
Just like Ghana, Namibia and many other countries on the list have been surrounded in controversy around their diamond production. Namibia takes the eighth with a little above one percent of the worldwide production of diamonds.
7. Angola
Percent of world production: 4.8%
Another entry from the richest in diamonds continent – Africa. Angola takes the seventh spot on our list with as much as close to five percent of the worldwide diamond production industry
6. Canada
Percent of world production: 8.1%
Our sixth contender, Canada, takes its proud spot among the top 11 diamond producing countries in the world with just above eight percent of the worldwide diamond production.
5. South Africa
Percent of world production: 9.1%
Our next notoriously controversial contender, South Africa, takes the fifth place with just above nine percent of the worldwide production of diamonds.
4. Australia
Percent of world production: 13.2%
Australia may not be quite rich in a variety of minerals or even drinking water but their diamond production is the fourth biggest in the world with more than thirteen percent of the global output.
3. Congo
Percent of world production: 18.6%
Congo is a place where drilling for diamonds is a way to get by for everyone, even for warlords. Being in the center of the blood diamond controversy, Congo takes the third place with well over eighteen percent.
2. Botswana
Percent of world production: 19.9%
Quite like Congo, Botswana is also the source of blood diamonds which are sold to fund various condemnable practices. However, the country is so rich in diamonds that it outputs close to twenty percent of the global production.
1. Russia
Percent of world production: 22.4%
Russia takes the winning spot with over twenty-two percent. The number one in the top 11 diamond producing countries in the world is characterized with its high-demand, hard to work mines which produce diamonds in great quantity but little size.
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