Debeers ruining our oceans for diamonds

[xxxxxx]

"On the west coast of Africa, the De Beers Group is using a fleet of specialized ships to drag machinery across the seabed in search of diamonds. In 2018, those ships extracted 1.4 million carats from the coastal waters of Namibia; in 2019, De Beers commissioned a new ship that will scrape the bottom twice as quickly as any other vessel."

History’s Largest Mining Operation Is About to Begin

It’s underwater—and the consequences are unimaginable.

www.theatlantic.com

This is so very sad and tragic.

 

[TODiamonds]

Really unfortunate. Hard to believe this is legal.

 

[xxxxxx]

Yes and for me personally another reason to really see the benefit in lab diamonds. Obviously it takes alot of energy to produce them. But at least there are options to generate enery in a somewhat cleaner way. Mining will ALWAYS be hurting our Earth.

 

[Johnbt]

" Obviously it takes alot of energy to produce them "

And the metal to build the machines to produce the energy and make the diamonds has to be mined. Copper tor wires, steel and aluminum for buildings, lithium for batteries, fuel for nuclear reactors, pretty much anything we use that isn't grown in dirt has to be mined. Or drilled for in the case of oil and natural gas.

 

[Maggiemeans]

this is very disturbing... where to start the fight? Possible?

 

[TODiamonds]

Unfortunately ocean doesn't get nearly the attention it deserves as an environmental cause despite its all-encompassing impact on our daily lives.

Out of sight out of mind sadly... until it's too late.

 

[John P]

The article is correct, but it's primarily about deep seabed access out in international waters.

DeBeers' gets mentioned as established oceanic miners, which they are. But the ensuing descriptions of deep-sea damage which could shatter hot-springs, deplete species' and poison ecosystems - especially metal-mining - don't relate to the goals or practices of offshore diamond recovery.

One of the courses I instruct is an overview of different diamond mining operations. Debmarine Namibia is owned in equal shares by the Government of Namibia and DeBeers. The operations are coastal, seeking diamonds washed down the Vaal and Orange Rivers from inland volcanic pipes in water around 400 feet deep. DBMN operations are ISO environmentally compliant (not to be confused with ISA mentioned in the article). There are no major fish spawning grounds and no commercial fishing in the mining area. Dredging equipment was designed so any stray marine life sucked into the pipe is returned to the sea alive. Shallow mining returns tailings to their original beds. Monitoring is performed to facilitate rehabilitation of mined areas, including benthic sampling in cooperation with the country's Marine Ministry. This can be compared to forestry industry rehabilitation, but it takes only 3-10 years for mined marine areas to rehab - according to DBMN. The mining-lease covers a total of 2,316 sq miles off the Namibian coast. A total of 50 sq miles has been mined since 1991.

My point is not to say it's harmless. No mining operation is. There is so much environmental abuse in our world...don't get me started on plastics-pollution, chemicals or metal-mining. And the article linked in the OP forecasts very real threats if our world governments don't wake up and do something to regulate deep-sea mining.

My point is to add context: Debmarine Namibia was designed to benefit a poor country by recovering rich resources located offshore. The joint ownership has resulted in tremendous infrastructure improvement and development for Namibia. The population is better educated, healthier, and wealthier due to it. The operation is shallow, not deep-sea. It maintains ISO environmental compliance and facilitates rehabilitation of mined areas.

I understand no mining operation is harmless. But this one is better than most.

 

[yssie]

The article is correct, but it's primarily about deep seabed access out in international waters.

DeBeers' gets mentioned as established oceanic miners, which they are. But the ensuing descriptions of deep-sea damage which could shatter hot-springs, deplete species' and poison ecosystems - especially metal-mining - don't relate to the goals or practices of offshore diamond recovery.

One of the courses I instruct is an overview of different diamond mining operations. Debmarine Namibia is owned in equal shares by the Government of Namibia and DeBeers. The operations are coastal, seeking diamonds washed down the Vaal and Orange Rivers from inland volcanic pipes in water around 400 feet deep. DBMN operations are ISO environmentally compliant (not to be confused with ISA mentioned in the article). There are no major fish spawning grounds and no commercial fishing in the mining area. Dredging equipment was designed so any stray marine life sucked into the pipe is returned to the sea alive. Shallow mining returns tailings to their original beds. Monitoring is performed to facilitate rehabilitation of mined areas, including benthic sampling in cooperation with the country's Marine Ministry. This can be compared to forestry industry rehabilitation, but it takes only 3-10 years for mined marine areas to rehab - according to DBMN. The mining-lease covers a total of 2,316 sq miles off the Namibian coast. A total of 50 sq miles has been mined since 1991.

My point is not to say it's harmless. No mining operation is. There is so much environmental abuse in our world...don't get me started on plastics-pollution, chemicals or metal-mining. And the article linked in the OP forecasts very real threats if our world governments don't wake up and do something to regulate deep-sea mining.

My point is to add context: Debmarine Namibia was designed to benefit a poor country by recovering rich resources located offshore. The joint ownership has resulted in tremendous infrastructure improvement and development for Namibia. The population is better educated, healthier, and wealthier due to it. The operation is shallow, not deep-sea. It maintains ISO environmental compliance and facilitates rehabilitation of mined areas.

I understand no mining operation is harmless. But this one is better than most.

Unfortunately, bellowing about blood diamonds and corporate greed and ubiquitous damning of ethics sells better than objective analyses. #SensationalismFirst

 

[xxxxxx]

The article is correct, but it's primarily about deep seabed access out in international waters.

DeBeers' gets mentioned as established oceanic miners, which they are. But the ensuing descriptions of deep-sea damage which could shatter hot-springs, deplete species' and poison ecosystems - especially metal-mining - don't relate to the goals or practices of offshore diamond recovery.

One of the courses I instruct is an overview of different diamond mining operations. Debmarine Namibia is owned in equal shares by the Government of Namibia and DeBeers. The operations are coastal, seeking diamonds washed down the Vaal and Orange Rivers from inland volcanic pipes in water around 400 feet deep. DBMN operations are ISO environmentally compliant (not to be confused with ISA mentioned in the article). There are no major fish spawning grounds and no commercial fishing in the mining area. Dredging equipment was designed so any stray marine life sucked into the pipe is returned to the sea alive. Shallow mining returns tailings to their original beds. Monitoring is performed to facilitate rehabilitation of mined areas, including benthic sampling in cooperation with the country's Marine Ministry. This can be compared to forestry industry rehabilitation, but it takes only 3-10 years for mined marine areas to rehab - according to DBMN. The mining-lease covers a total of 2,316 sq miles off the Namibian coast. A total of 50 sq miles has been mined since 1991.

My point is not to say it's harmless. No mining operation is. There is so much environmental abuse in our world...don't get me started on plastics-pollution, chemicals or metal-mining. And the article linked in the OP forecasts very real threats if our world governments don't wake up and do something to regulate deep-sea mining.

My point is to add context: Debmarine Namibia was designed to benefit a poor country by recovering rich resources located offshore. The joint ownership has resulted in tremendous infrastructure improvement and development for Namibia. The population is better educated, healthier, and wealthier due to it. The operation is shallow, not deep-sea. It maintains ISO environmental compliance and facilitates rehabilitation of mined areas.

I understand no mining operation is harmless. But this one is better than most.

Thank you so much for elaborating on the details and putting this operation into perspective.
I just hope namibia find more sustainable ways of growing their economy!

 

[John P]

Thank you so much for elaborating on the details and putting this operation into perspective.

You're quite welcome. The author is a good writer but his use of DeBeers' to lead the article seems like a red herring. The reference to Nautilus Minerals was a more valid example, although it's no longer in play. NM was a controversial DSM (deep-sea miner) targeting hydrothermal vents in New Guinea's sensitive territorial waters. Thankfully, there was enough opposition from highly regarded environmentalists that Nautilus went belly up some months ago. It left the PNG government holding the bag for a 15% stake (more than $100M USD). I wish that had been mentioned in the article. PNG's example could persuade other governments to enforce a higher level of demonstrable sustainability before making such deal$.

I just hope namibia find more sustainable ways of growing their economy!

Diamond and uranium mining are the two most vital industries in Namibia by a long stretch. The country produces 10% of the world's uranium. In terms of offshore yield, DBMN supplied around 75% of the country's total in exported diamond last year. But I am 100% with you in hoping for growth and advancement in sustainability measures. In their country, in ours, and everywhere possible.