Recent reports of human rights violations in the Marange region of Zimbabwe have resulted in an immediate ban of diamond rough from Marange, Zimbabwe Africa by members of the Rapaport Diamond Trading Network of which we are a registered member.  We along with 4100-plus other members of RapNet support the blockade and have voluntarily pledged to not trade in diamond rough sourced from Marange until such time as reports of human rights violations have ceased and conditions of the Kimberley Diamond Act of 2003 are adhered to.

The Marange Mines represent a very small region of Zimbabwe. The Marange Mines are located within the Chiadzwa Diamond Fields in the Mutare West region, approximately 90km southwest of the city of Mutare on the eastern border of Mozambique.  Notice how far Marange is located from the Sierra Leone region of Africa indicated in the middle of the map along the left edge - many of the diamond cutters we work with maintain relations with diamond mining companies operating in the Sierra Leone and the production from these mines is not affected by the conflict in Marange.

There are many diamond mining companies, such as the DeBeers Diamond Trading Company (DTC), BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto Mining Group all maintain diamond mining facilities in Zimbabwe which are reportedly operated in a safe and humane manner conducive to the modern diamond trade.  Conflict Free Diamonds from the major diamond cartels and other legitimate mining operations in Zimbabwe should not be included in the blockade since the  legitimate diamond industry provides many citizens of Zimbabwe with a necessary form of gainful employment, access to clean food, water, and health related services.

According to documents published by the Kimberley Process Working Group of Diamond Experts (WGDE) in December of 2008, approximately 90% of diamond rough from the Marange region of Zimbabwe "consists of coarse very low quality diamonds resembling rounded pebbles with colors ranging from dark green to dark brown and black" which means that it is industrial in nature and use.

"Due to these unique features this group of diamonds cannot be mistaken for diamonds from other deposits and  the presence of these diamonds is an identifying feature."  In other words ninety percent of the diamond rough produced by the Marange region of Zimbabwe is distinctly different than diamond rough from any other part of the world which makes it rather easy for authorities and diamond experts to identify.

The majority of these diamonds are of industrial grade due to their course nature.  Approximately ten percent of diamonds found within the Marange region of Zimbabwe are gem quality or near gem quality.  Of the 10% which are of gem quality or near gem quality, the diamond rough is mostly greenish and brownish colors. Most greens tend to be smaller while browns tend to be larger and more abraded. Both greenish and brownish diamonds show spots with intense coloration.

Consumers being offered diamonds in the G to Z color range displaying a greenish hue should inquire as to the origin of the diamond rough used to produce the polished diamond.  While not all polished diamonds produced from diamond rough from the Marange Mines display a greenish hue and not all diamonds exhibiting a greenish hue are from the Marange Mines, a significant amount of such stones have been reported according to Rapaport Diamond News.

At this point it is not likely that diamonds produced from diamond rough from the Marange Mining region of Zimbabwe during the conflict will be a concern for legitimate diamond dealers who rely on the legitimate path of distribution for diamond rough and who have voluntarily agreed to comply with the boycott.  The diamond cutters who we work with also pledged their support of the Marange Diamond Blockade and the reality is that an ideal cut diamond with a greenish hue wouldn't be something we would be interested in putting our name on.