Russian diamond producer Alrosa Ltd accounts for about 25% of the world market. 85% of those is produced in a small northern town Udachny in the Sakha republic. Population of Udachny is 14000 people, the nearest residential area is 600 kilometers away, and air ticket costs more than average citizen earns in a month. Arctic circle is 20 kilometers from here and the town stands on frozen ground. On October, 2nd, 1974 the underground nuclear bomb "Crystal" was exploded 2,5 kilometers away from the diamond mine. The explosion was made in order to create a dam for hydropower plant. Scientists were mistaken in estimations and radioactive gases reached the surface. There were 60 meter funnel and 5,5 hectares of dead wood in the explosion place. The protective sarcophagus was erected 18 years later, but ground water got highly contaminated at that time. Radioactive water has reached diamondiferous layers. Consequences of the nuclear explosion were studied by the special governmental commissions in the 1990th. Tests of ground were analyzed in laboratory NPO "Radium institute of V.G.Hlopina" in 1990, identifying lots of caesium-137, strontium-90 and plutonium-239,240. Radiation in the epicenter exceeded the background level in 35000 times. Later, in 1993 State committee on Emergency situations of Sakha Republic (Yakutia) organized a radiological expedition "Marha-93, involving scientists from the "Radium institute of V.G.Hlopina", confirming radioactive contamination exceeding backround level in 211-21600 times. Radioactive contamination of the diamond mine "Udachny" was confirmed by Russian Ministry of Health and Institute of dynamics of geospheres of the Russian Academy of Sciences. "Udachny" kimberlite pipe is developed by open-pit mining. Miners work in the extremely difficult conditions, permafrost, poor ventilation system, highly mineralized ground waters affecting skin like acid or alkali. Workers were not warned about radioactive danger. Despite of absolutely intolerable working environment wage of workers was minimal. For example the salary of the driver of a mine truck was 14 thousand roubles, or 590 dollars as at June, 2008. The workers organized independent labor union "Profsvoboda" with electrician Valentin Urusov as the leader. Members of the union demanded enhancement of working environment and went on hunger strike. Alrosa executives claimed to organize discussion on the matter, but in a few days, on September 3rd 2008 a group of unknown persons kidnapped union leader Valentin Urusov. These persons turned to be policemans from the nearby town Mirny, 600 kilometers away from Udachny. On the way to Mirny Valentin Urusov was beaten and threatened. Policemans demanded him to confess in possession and distribution of drugs. They have planted the drugs on him, arresting witnesses were deputy director of the Alrosa plant G.Pustovetov and his driver. Urusov was sentenced to 6 years in prison. This situation demonstrates that in Russia money could break any civil resistance and make the witnesses to keep silence. Please spread this information in order to stop people harm themselves wearing radioactive jewelry, and to stop Russian government to prosecute innocent people. https://sites.google.com/site/alrosaandurusov/home
Just don't buy all jewelry, period, unless you have studied it. Diamonds are one thing that should never be trusted because in the stores, its most likely a fake to begin with.
Yeah diamonds should be avoided period. No matter where the diamonds come from, you can pretty much be assured that a lot of people and natural resources were exploited in the process.
Is there a diamond mine? http://republicans.energycommerce.house.gov/Media/file/Hearings/Energy/021011_Middle_East/Mar.pdf
so they earn a lot more than workers for western countries who get between $ 1 and 3 a day like in African countries.
there plenty up north...mostly run by De beers if i remember right in Canada our love shines like a diamond mine [ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6lNVWM_3ko
It's funny that they burn diamonds to keep the prices up... Yet there are people making diamonds at the same time... It is such a shame that we don't use diamonds in a useful fashion, instead we use them in a useless fashion: fashion. This was just a long winded bump.
de'beers controls the other 75% and i wouldn't do business with them either. who the hell need diamonds anyway?
the point is not who earns more, but what you can afford for the money you earn. Not saying that people in Africa live better, but go and try to spend a winter in Russia with that money and you might as well choose to live in Africa
