Diamonds (eBook)

Ian Smillie currently chairs the Board of the Diamond Development Initiative, a non-governmental organization working to improve the condition of Africa's 1.5 million artisanal diamond diggers. He has written extensively on the issue of conflict diamonds and was directly involved in the negotiations leading to the creation of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme.

Abbreviations page vi

Introduction 1

1 The Geology and History of Diamonds 6

2 Supply and Demand - The Business of Diamonds 16

3 Blood Diamonds 43

4 Activism 68

5 Regulation 88

6 Power and Politics 99

7 Development 142

8 Loose Ends 164

Notes 171

Selected readings 180

Index 184

"Fifteen years ago Ian Smillie looked at a diamond and saw blood, and he rallied civil society and the diamond industry to address the blood diamond challenge. In Diamonds he cuts his way into the myriad facets of the diamond story -- from geology, to mythology, to development and more. Diamonds is information-packed and inspirational, as is Smillie."
--Stephen D'Esposito, president of RESOLVE, and former director of Greenpeace International and EARTHWORKS

"Ian Smillie examines the messy diamond trade from the soil upward in this valuable book. He knows far more about diamonds than any dealer, and he cuts through decades of haze to tell you the truth."
--Tom Zoellner, author of The Heartless Stone: A Journey Through the World of Diamonds, Deceit and Desire

"Ian Smillie has produced a remarkably concise yet insightful look into the diamond industry - science, commerce, conflict, activism, Kimberley Process regulation and the ongoing challenge of international development - based on his years of first-hand experience on the front lines."
--Matt Runci, retired CEO of Jewelers of America, and founding board chair of Responsible Jewellery Council

"The author's eloquent and accessible style prevents the material from seeming dry, and his discussions of the potential for socioeconomic benefits in poorer countries and the complex political, social, and economic issues surrounding blood diamonds are particularly insightful. This informative primer will be highly valuable to readers interested in geology and earth sciences, business and economics, and history and sustainability studies."
Library Journal

"Ian Smillie comes across very effectively as a committed and experienced activist with relevant expertise. For those interested in the long arc of Africa's so-called 'blood diamond' issue, this book provides that story, explaining how diamonds became an almost ideal vehicle for money laundering and the archetypal case for how governments and independent militias have used natural resources to finance war and violent repression."
Journal of Agrarian Change

"Fifteen years ago Ian Smillie looked at a diamond and saw blood,
and he rallied civil society and the diamond industry to address
the blood diamond challenge. In Diamonds he cuts his way into the
myriad facets of the diamond story - from geology, to mythology, to
development and more. Smillie's Diamonds is information
packed and inspirational, as is Smillie."

Stephen D'Esposito, President of RESOLVE, and former director of
Greenpeace International and EARTHWORKS

"Look deep enough into the diamond business and you'll see a
civilizational story -- the international hunt for wealth, the
secret heroisms, the grinding warfare, the images of love, the
diplomatic compromises and the clever fabrications that make it all
possible. Ian Smilie examines this messy trade from the soil upward
in this valuable book. He knows far more about diamonds than any
dealer, and he cuts through decades of haze to tell you the
truth."

Tom Zoellner, author of The Heartless Stone: A Journey Through
the World of Diamonds, Deceit and Desire

"Ian Smillie has produced a remarkably concise yet insightful look
into the diamond industry - science, commerce, conflict, activism,
Kimberley Process regulation and the ongoing challenge of
international development - based on his first-hand experience on
the front lines over the last 15 years."

Matt Runci, PhD, retired CEO Jewelers of America and founding
board chair, Responsible Jewellery Council