DIAMOND, INDUSTRIAL—2002 23.1

DIAMOND, INDUSTRIAL

By Donald W. Olson

Domestic survey data and tables were prepared by Christine K. Pisut, statistical assistant, and the world production tables 

were prepared by Glenn J. Wallace, international data coordinator.

Although most of these companies responded to the 2002 

survey, a few significant firms withheld certain data that they 

deemed confidential. Thus, only estimates of U.S. primary and 

secondary output are provided in this review.

As one of the world’s leading producers of synthetic industrial 

diamond, the United States accounted for an estimated output of 

219 million carats in 2002. Only two U.S. companies produced 

synthetic industrial diamond during the year—Mypodiamond, 

Inc., Smithfield, PA, and GE Superabrasives, Worthington, 

OH. General Electric Co., Fairfield, CT, which owns GE 

Superabrasives and other diamond manufacturing plants abroad, 

is one of the world’s largest producers of industrial diamond.

In 2002, nine firms also manufactured polycrystalline 

diamond (PCD) from synthetic diamond grit and powder. 

These companies were Dennis Tool Co., Houston, TX; GE 

Superabrasives, Worthington, OH; Novatek Inc., Provo, UT; 

Phoenix Crystal Corp., Ann Arbor, MI; Precorp Inc., Provo, 

UT; SII Megadiamond Industries Inc., Provo, UT; Tempo 

Technology Corp., Somerset, NJ; U.S. Synthetics Corp., Orem, 

UT; and Western Diamond Products, Salt Lake City, UT.

It is estimated that more than 5.7 million carats of used 

industrial diamond was recycled in the United States during 

2002. Most of this material was recovered by recycling firms 

from used diamond drill bits, diamond tools, and other diamondcontaining wastes. Additional diamond was recovered during 

the year from residues generated in the manufacture of PCD; 

most of this material was recovered from within the production 

operations of the PCD-producing companies.

The recovery and sale of industrial diamond was the principal 

business of four U.S. companies in 2002—Industrial Diamond 

Laboratory Inc., Bronx, NY; Industrial Diamond Powders Co., 

Pittsburgh, PA; International Diamond Services Inc., Houston, 

TX; and National Research Co., Fraser, MI. In addition to these 

companies, other domestic firms may have recovered industrial 

diamond in smaller secondary operations.

Consumption

The United States remained the world’s largest market for 

industrial diamond in 2002. Based on production estimates, 

trade data, and adjustments for Government stockpile sales, the 

apparent U.S. consumption of industrial diamond during the 

year decreased to an estimated 328 million carats. The major 

consuming industries of industrial diamond in the United States 

during 2002 were construction, machinery manufacturing, mining 

services (drilling), stone cutting/polishing, and transportation 

systems (infrastructure and vehicles). Within these sectors, 

stone cutting and highway building/repair together made up the 

largest demand for industrial diamond. The manufacture of every 

automobile made in the United States consumes 1.5 carats of 

Diamond is best known for its gem qualities, but some of its 

unique properties make it ideal for many industrial and research 

applications as well. Current information on gem-grade diamond 

can be found in the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Minerals 

Yearbook chapter on gemstones. Diamond that does not meet 

gem-quality standards for clarity, color, shape, or size is used 

as industrial-grade diamond. Diamond is the hardest known 

material and has the highest thermal conductivity of any material 

at room temperature (May, 1995). Diamond is more than twice 

as hard as cubic boron nitride or silicon nitride, which are its 

nearest competitors (Ravi, 1994, p. 537). Because it is the 

hardest substance known, diamond has been used for centuries 

as an abrasive in cutting, drilling, grinding, and polishing. 

Industrial-grade diamond continues to be used as an abrasive for 

many applications. Even though it has higher unit cost, diamond 

has proven to be more cost-effective in many industrial processes 

because it cuts faster and lasts longer than alternative abrasive 

materials (Boucher, 1997, p. 26.6). Diamond also has chemical, 

electrical, optical, and thermal characteristics that make it the 

best material available to industry for wear- and corrosionresistant coatings, special lenses, heat sinks in electrical circuits, 

wire drawing, and advanced technologies (like computing).

Both synthetic and natural diamond have industrial uses. 

Synthetic industrial diamond is superior to its natural diamond 

counterpart because its properties can be tailored to specific 

applications, and it can be produced in large quantities 

(Boucher, 1996). It is for these reasons that manufactured 

diamond accounts for more than 80% of the industrial diamond 

used in the United States and the world.

Legislation and Government Programs

Congress has authorized the sale of all diamond in the 

National Defense Stockpile (NDS), which is managed by the 

U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). A portion of the stockpiled 

diamond stones was scheduled for sale in the NDS 2002 annual 

plan. During 2002, the Defense National Stockpile Center 

(DNSC) sold 412 thousand carats of diamond stone valued 

at about $6 million. At yearend 2002, the DNSC reported a 

NDS remaining inventory of 797 thousand carats of industrial 

diamond stone (David Warlick, Market Analyst, Defense 

National Stockpile Center, written commun., 2003). The DOD 

plans to conduct additional future sales until all NDS diamond 

stone stocks are sold. Further NDS information is available in 

the “Prices” section of this report.

Production

The USGS conducts an annual survey of domestic industrial 

diamond producers and U.S. firms that recover diamond wastes. 
23.2 U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MINERALS YEARBOOK—2002

industrial diamond. Research and high-technology uses included 

close-tolerance machining of ceramic parts for the aerospace 

industry, heat sinks in electronic circuits, lenses for laser radiation 

equipment, and polishing silicon wafers and disks drives in the 

computer industry (Bailey and Bex, 1995).

Diamond tools have numerous industrial functions. Diamond 

drilling bits and reaming shells are used principally for gas, 

mineral, and oil exploration. Other applications of diamond bits 

and reaming shells include foundation testing, masonry drilling, 

and inspecting concrete in various structures. The primary uses of 

point diamond tools are for dressing and truing grinding wheels 

and for boring, cutting, finishing, and machining applications. 

Beveling glass for automobile windows is another application. 

Cutting dimension stone and cutting/grooving concrete in 

highway reconditioning are the main uses of diamond saws; other 

applications include cutting composites and forming refractory 

shapes for furnace linings. Very fine diamond saws are used to 

slice brittle metals and crystals into thin wafers for electronic 

and electrical devices. Diamond wire dies are essential for highspeed drawing of fine wire, especially from hard, high-strength 

metals and alloys. The primary uses of diamond grinding wheels 

include edging plate glass, grinding dies, grinding parts for optical 

instruments, and sharpening and shaping carbide machine tool tips.

Two types of natural diamond are used by industry—diamond 

stone (generally larger than 60 mesh/250 microns) and diamond 

bort (smaller, fragmented material). Diamond stone is utilized 

mainly in drilling bits and reaming shells used by mining 

companies; it also is incorporated in single- or multiple-point 

diamond tools, diamond saws, diamond wheels, and diamond 

wire dies. Diamond bort is used for drilling bits and as a loose 

grain abrasive for polishing. Other tools that incorporate natural 

diamond include engraving points, glass cutters, bearings, and 

surgical instruments.

Synthetic diamond grit and powder are used in diamond 

grinding wheels, saws, impregnated bits and tools, and as a 

loose abrasive for polishing. Diamond grinding wheels can 

be as much as 1 meter in diameter. Loose powders made with 

synthetic diamond for polishing are used primarily to finish 

cutting tools, gemstones, jewel bearings, optical surfaces, silicon 

wafers, and wiredrawing dies for computer chips. Hundreds of 

other products made from ceramics, glass, metals, and plastics 

also are finished with diamond powders.

The use of polycrystalline diamond shapes (PDSs) and 

polycrystalline diamond compacts (PDCs) continues to increase 

for many of the applications cited above, including some of 

those that employ natural diamond. The use of PDSs, PDCs, and 

matrix-set synthetic diamond grit for drilling bits and reaming 

shells has increased in recent years. PDSs and PDCs are used in 

the manufacture of single- and multiple-point tools, and PDCs 

are used in a majority of the diamond wire-drawing dies.

Prices

Natural and synthetic industrial diamonds differ significantly 

in price (Boucher, 1997, p. 26.6). Natural industrial diamond 

normally has a more limited range of values. Its price varies 

from about $0.30 per carat for bort-size material to about $7 to 

$10 per carat for most stone, with some larger stones selling for 

up to $200 per carat.

Synthetic industrial diamond has a much larger price range 

than natural diamond. Prices of synthetic diamond vary 

according to particle strength, size, shape, crystallinity, and the 

absence or presence of metal coatings. In general, synthetic 

diamond prices for grinding and polishing range from as low 

as $0.40 per carat to $1 per carat. Strong and blocky material 

for sawing and drilling sells for $1.50 to $3.50 per carat. 

Large synthetic crystals with excellent structure for specific 

applications sell for many hundreds of dollars per carat (LawWest, 2002, p. 23.8).

In 2002, the DNSC awarded bids that ranged from $2.91 to 

$45.51 per carat for NDS diamond stone sold, with the average 

awarded bid being $14.50 per carat (Mory, 2002). 

Foreign Trade

The United States continued to lead the world in industrial 

diamond trade in 2002; imports were received from 42 

countries, exports were sent to 48 countries, and reexports were 

sent to 38 countries (tables 1-4). Although the United States 

has been a major producer of synthetic diamond for decades, 

growing domestic markets have become more reliant on foreign 

sources of industrial diamond in recent years. U.S. markets 

for natural industrial diamond always have been dependent on 

imports and secondary recovery operations because there has 

been no domestic production of natural diamond.

During 2002, U.S. imports of industrial-quality diamond 

stones (natural and synthetic) decreased by about 16.5% from 

2001 to more than 2.0 million carats valued at more than $12.5 

million (table 1). Imports of diamond powder, dust, and grit 

(natural and synthetic) decreased by 34% from 2001 to 185 

million carats valued at about $62 million (table 2).

Reexports can account for a significant portion of total 

exports/reexports; therefore, exports and reexports are listed 

separately in tables 3 and 4 so that U.S. trade and consumption 

can be calculated more accurately. During 2002, U.S. exports 

of industrial diamond stone increased by approximately 6% 

from 2001 to 1.14 million carats valued at $8.65 million (table 

3). U.S. reexports of industrial diamond stone increased by 

approximately 3% from 2001 to 1.29 million carats valued at 

$11.1 million (table 3). U.S. exports of industrial diamond 

powder, dust, and grit (natural and synthetic) decreased by 7% 

from 2001 to 81.9 million carats valued at $54.7 million, and 

reexports of industrial diamond powder, dust, and grit (natural 

and synthetic) increased by 6% from 2001 to 7.78 million carats 

valued at $4.17 million (table 4).

World Review

Total 2002 industrial diamond output worldwide during the 

year was estimated by USGS to be in excess of 800 million 

carats valued between $600 million and $1 billion. World 

demand for industrial diamond in the 1990s had been growing at 

rates of more than 10% per year (Boucher, 1997, p. 26.6). 

In 2002, industrial diamond was produced in 32 countries 

(tables 5, 6). In addition to the countries listed in table 6, 

Germany and the Republic of Korea produced synthetic diamond, 

but specific data on their output could not be confirmed. China 

may have produced more than the output listed in the table 
DIAMOND, INDUSTRIAL—2002 23.3

(Wilson Born, National Research Co., oral commun., 2002).

In 2002, almost 70% of the total global natural and synthetic 

industrial diamond output was produced in Australia, Ireland, 

Russia, South Africa, and the United States. The dominance 

of synthetic diamond over natural diamond was even more 

pronounced, as synthetic diamond accounted for more than 80% 

of global production and consumption.

The Ekati Diamond Mine, Canada’s first operating commercial 

diamond mine, completed its fourth full year of production. In 

2002, Ekati produced about 4.98 million carats of diamond 

(BHP Billiton Ltd., 2003). BHP Billiton has an 80% controlling 

ownership of the Ekati Mine in the Northwest Territories, Canada. 

Ekati has estimated reserves of 60.3 million metric tons (Mt) of 

ore in kimberlite pipes, containing 54.3 million carats of diamond, 

and the mine life is projected to be 25 years. Operating at full 

capacity, Ekati production is expected to range from 3.5 million 

to 4.5 million carats per year (BHP Billiton Ltd., 2001). Ekati 

diamonds are sold by the BHP Billiton Diamonds Inc. sales office 

in Antwerp, Belgium (65%), and by Diamond Trading Company 

(35%), but since the end of 2002, all Ekati diamonds are sold 

only by the BHP Billiton Diamonds Inc. Antwerp sales office 

(Jewelers’ Circular Keystone, 2002). Ekati is now producing 

from the Koala, Panda, and Misery kimberlite pipes (BHP 

Billiton Ltd., 2001). The mine already accounts for 4% of the 

world market by weight and 6% by value (Law-West, 2002). In 

2002, BHP Billiton began using underground mining techniques 

to recover diamond from deeper portions of two of the Ekati 

kimberlite pipes—Koala and Panda—which were first opened 

pit mined (Diamond Registry Bulletin, 2002). Approximately 

one-third of the Ekati diamond production is industrial-grade 

material (Darren Dyck, Senior Project Geologist, BHP Diamonds, 

Inc., oral commun., May 27, 2001). De Beers’ hold on the 

world diamond market was further reduced at the end of 2002 

when the agreement between Ekati and De Beers to sell 35% of 

Ekati production to De Beers expired and was not renewed. The 

agreement helped Ekati enter the world diamond market and 

ended on good terms (Jewelers’ Circular Keystone, 2002).

The Diavik Diamond Mine is also in the Northwest Territories. 

Diavik has estimated reserves of 25.6 Mt of ore in kimberlite 

pipes, containing 102 million carats of diamonds, and the mine 

life is projected to be 20 years (Diavik Diamond Mines Inc., 2000, 

p. 10-12). Diavik received the required permits and regulatory 

approval in 2000 and began site infrastructure development and 

project construction. Diavik is an unincorporated joint venture 

between Diavik Diamond Mines Inc. (60%) and Aber Diamond 

Mines Ltd. (40%). The Diavik Mine began diamond production 

in December 2002, and by February 2003, it was expected to 

reach full production 60 days ahead of the projected opening date 

(Professional Jeweler, 2002§1). The mine is expected to produce 

about 102 million carats of diamond at a rate of 6 million carats 

per year worth an average of $63 per carat (Diavik Diamond 

Mines Inc., 2000, p. 10-12).

A third commercial Canadian diamond project in the 

Northwest Territories is the Snap Lake diamond project. De 

Beers Canada Mining Inc. has projected that Snap Lake would 

begin production in 2006 or 2007 (Law-West, 2002). The Snap 

Lake diamond project has estimated reserves of 22.8 Mt of ore 

in a kimberlite dike that contains 38.8 million carats of diamond. 

The mine life is projected to be 20 years or more (Jack T. 

Haynes, Assistant Site Manager, De Beers Canada Mining Inc., 

oral commun., 2001). 

Diamond exploration is continuing in Canada, and many new 

deposits have been found. There are several other commercial 

diamond projects and additional discoveries in Alberta, British 

Columbia, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Ontario, and 

Quebec. When the Snap Lake Mine begins production, Canada 

could account for 15% to 20% of the total world diamond 

production. If Canadian production continues to increase at 

about the same rate, Canada will probably eclipse South Africa’s 

diamond production within a decade.

Towards the end of 2001, De Beers quietly settled private civil 

class actions related to the industrial diamond case in Ohio against 

De Beers Industrial Diamonds Division (Pty) Ltd. and General 

Electric Co. The settlement established a $20 million cash fund 

plus interest and also provided for payment of an in-kind rebate 

of industrial diamonds that “class members” purchase from the 

plaintiffs during the period from January 1, 2002, to December 

31, 2003. Such a settlement does not legally constitute a formal 

admission of guilt. The settlement covered alleged illegal price 

fixing that took place during a period from November 1, 1987, 

through May 23, 1994. The timing of the settlement should be 

viewed in the context of the policy of De Beers to conform with 

local laws of each jurisdiction in which the company conducts 

business (Tacy Diamond Intelligence, 2002§).

Outlook

The United States will most likely continue to be the world’s 

largest market for industrial diamond well into the next decade. 

The United States also should remain a significant producer and 

exporter of industrial diamond. The strength of U.S. demand 

will depend on the vitality of the Nation’s industrial base and 

on how well the diamond life cycle cost-effectiveness compares 

with competing materials that initially are less expensive. The 

many advantages that diamond offers for precision machining 

and longer tool life, which compensate for increases in other 

production line costs, seem certain to spur demand for diamond 

tools. In fact, even the use of wear-resistant diamond coatings to 

increase the life of materials that compete with diamond promises 

to be a rapidly growing application (May, 1995). Increased 

tool life not only leads to lower costs per unit of output but also 

means fewer tool changes and longer production runs (Advanced 

Materials & Processes, 1998). In view of the many advantages 

that come from increased tool life and reports that diamond film 

surfaces can increase durability by a factor of 50, much wider use 

of diamond as an engineering material is expected.

The most dramatic increase in U.S. demand for industrial 

diamond is likely to be in the construction sector as the 

Nation builds and repairs the U.S. highway system in its 

implementation of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st 

Century (Public Law 105-178, enacted June 9, 1998). The Act 

provides funding for the building and repair of the Nation’s 

highway system through 2003. Demand for saw-grade diamond 

alone is expected to increase by more than $1 billion during 

the coming year if goals mandated by the Act for the repair and 

1

References that include a section mark (§) are found in the Internet 

References Cited section.
23.4 U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MINERALS YEARBOOK—2002

replacement of roads, bridges, and other components in the 

transportation infrastructure of the country are fulfilled (Wilson 

Born, National Research Co., oral commun., 2001). The Safe, 

Accountable, Flexible, and Efficient Transportation Equity Act 

of 2003 (S. 1072, H.R. 2088), which is expected to be enacted in 

early 2004, will continue this funding for the building and repair 

of the Nation’s highway system (U.S. Senate, 2003§).

One U.S. company, Apollo Diamond, Inc., developed 

and patented a method for growing gem-quality diamond 

by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The CVD technique 

transforms carbon into plasma, which then is precipitated onto 

a substrate as diamond. CVD has been used for more that 

a decade to cover large surfaces with microscopic diamond 

crystals, but until now, no one had discovered the combination 

of temperature, gas composition, and pressure that results in 

the growth of a single diamond crystal. CVD diamond can be 

grown for about $5 per carat. The promise of CVD is that it 

produces extremely pure crystal. CVD diamond precipitates 

as nearly 100%-pure diamond and therefore may not be 

discernible from natural diamond. But the greatest potential 

for CVD diamond is in computer technology. For diamond to 

be a practical material for use as a semiconductor, it must be 

affordably grown in large wafers. CVD growth is limited only 

by the size of the seed placed in the Apollo machine. Starting 

with a square, wafer-like fragment, the Apollo Diamond 

process will grow the diamond into a prismatic shape, with 

the top slightly wider than the base. For the past 7 years, 

Apollo Diamond has been growing increasingly larger seeds 

by chopping off the top layer of growth and using that as the 

starting point for the next batch. At the moment, the company is 

producing 10-millimeter wafers but predicts it will reach about 

10 times that in 5 years (Davis, 2003). Scientists have said that 

diamond computer chips are more durable because they can 

work at a temperature of up to 1,000° C, while silicon computer 

chips stop working at about 150° C. This means that diamond 

computer chips can work at a much higher frequency or faster 

speed and can be placed in a high-temperature environment 

(Diamond Registry Bulletin, 2003§).

According to industry sources, PCD for abrasive tools and 

wear parts will continue to replace competing materials in many 

industrial applications by providing closer tolerances as well as 

extending tool life. For example, PDCs and PDSs will continue 

to displace natural diamond stone and tungsten carbide products 

used in the drilling and tooling industries (Wilson Born, 

National Research Co., written commun., 1998).

Truing and dressing applications will remain a major domestic 

end use for natural industrial diamond stone. Stones for these 

applications have not yet been manufactured economically. 

No shortage of the stone is anticipated, however, because new 

mines and more producers selling in the rough diamond market 

will maintain ample supplies. More competition introduced by 

the additional sources also may temper price increases.

World demand for industrial diamond will continue to 

increase during the next few years. Constant-dollar prices 

of synthetic diamond products, including chemical-vapordeposition diamond films, will decline as production 

technologies become more cost effective and as competition 

increases from low-cost producers in China and Russia.

References Cited

Advanced Materials & Processes, 1998, Diamond coating increases carbide tool 

life by 50X: Advanced Materials & Processes, v. 154, no. 2, August, p. 20.

Bailey, M.W., and Bex, P.A., 1995, Industrial diamond—A brief history, a long 

future: Finer Points, v. 7, no. 4, p. 35-39.

BHP Billiton Ltd., 2001, Ekati diamond mine starts Misery pipe production: 

Melbourne, Australia, BHP Billiton Ltd. news release, December 21, 1 p.

BHP Billiton Ltd., 2003, BHP Billiton production report for the quarter ended 

31 December 2002: Melbourne, Australia, BHP Billiton Ltd. news release, 

January 29, 4 p.

Boucher, Michel, 1996, Overview of the diamond industry, in Industrial 

Minerals ’96, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 1996, Proceedings: Toronto, 

Ontario, Canada, Blendon Information Services, [unpaginated].

Boucher, Michel, 1997, Diamonds: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Canadian 

Minerals Yearbook 1996, p. 26.1-26.19.

Davis, Joshua, 2003, The new diamond age: Wired, v. 11, no. 09, September, 

 p. 96-105, 145-146.

Diamond Registry Bulletin, 2002, BHP attempts underground mining: Diamond 

Registry Bulletin, v. 34, no. 3, March 31, p. 3.

Diavik Diamond Mines Inc., 2000, Diavik annual social and environmental 

report—2000: Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada, Diavik Diamond 

Mines Inc., 74 p.

Jewelers’ Circular Keystone, 2002, Ekati mine and De Beers part ways: 

Jewelers’ Circular Keystone, v. 173, no. 12, December, p. 76.

Law-West, Don, 2002, Diamonds: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Canadian Minerals 

Yearbook 2001, p. 23.1-23.12.

May, P.W., 1995, CVD diamond—A new technology for the future: Endeavour 

Magazine, v. 19, no. 3, p. 101-106.

Mory, Peter, 2002, Stockpile accepts diamond stone bids: Fort Belvoir, VA, 

Defense National Stockpile Center, June 17, 4 p.

Ravi, K.V., 1994, Technological applications of CVD diamond, in Spear, K.E., 

and Dismuks, J.P., eds., Synthetic diamond—Emerging CVD science and 

technology: New York, NY, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., p. 533-580.

Internet References Cited

Diamond Registry Bulletin, 2003 (March), Diamond chips may replace silicon 

in semi-conductors, accessed September 5, 2003, at URL 

 http://www.diamondregistry.com/News/2003/silicon.htm.

Professional Jeweler, 2002 (December 3), Diavik going online early, accessed 

May 5, 2003, via URL http://www.professionaljeweler.com/archives/news/

2002/120302story.htm.

Tacy Diamond Intelligence, 2002 (February 28), De Beers pays US$20 million 

to settle case, accessed July 25, 2002, via URL 

 http://www.diamondintelligence.com.

U.S. Senate, 2003 (November 12), S. 1072—Bill summary and status info, 

accessed December 18, 2003, via URL http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/

z?d108:SN01072:@@@L&summ2=m&.

GENERAL SOURCES OF INFORMATION

U.S. Geological Survey Publications

Abrasives. Ch. in United States Mineral Resources, 

Professional Paper 820, 1973.

Diamond (Industrial). Ch. in Mineral Commodity Summaries, 

annual.

Gemstones. Ch. in Minerals Yearbook, annual.

Other

De Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd. annual reports, 1998-2001.

Diamond, Industrial. Ch. in Mineral Facts and Problems, U.S. 

Bureau of Mines Bulletin 675, 1985.

Finer Points, quarterly.

Industrial Diamond Review, quarterly.

World Diamond Industry Directory & Yearbook 1998-99.
DIAMOND, INDUSTRIAL—2002 23.5

Country Quantity Quantity Value4 Quantity Quantity Value4

Australia 6 72 4 29 1 22 1 33

Belgium 53 345 103 372 41 526 65 453

Botswana (5) 186 (5) 12 -- -- 80 471

China 22 76 4 7 -- -- -- --

France -- -- (5) 3 80 99 (5) 5

Ghana 1 15 75 177 (5) 26 163 450

Guyana 3 18 -- -- 22 1,250 56 3,170

India 3 18 131 29 (5) 4 4 40

Ireland 322 871 205 2,910 36 81 259 253

Namibia 28 142 41 148 3 18 -- --

Netherlands -- -- 5 21 53 916 33 645

Russia 261 290 7 78 587 485 170 387

Switzerland 17 100 2 68 787 1,100 383 429

United Kingdom 43 196 47 140 46 1,190 103 152

Other 36 r 332 r 69 645 7 307 r 38 1,410

Total 794 2,660 692 4,640 1,660 6,030 1,360 7,900

Source: U.S. Census Bureau.

Value4 Value4

3

HTS codes 7102.21.1010 and 7102.21.1020.

4

Customs value.

5

Less than 1/2 unit.

r

Revised. -- Zero.

1

Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown. 2

Includes glazers' and engravers' diamond unset, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS) codes

7102.21.3000 and 7102.21.4000.

Natural industrial diamond stones2 Miners' diamond, natural and synthetic3

2001 2002 2001 2002

TABLE 1

U.S. IMPORTS FOR CONSUMPTION OF INDUSTRIAL DIAMOND STONES, BY COUNTRY1

(Thousand carats and thousand dollars)

Country Quantity Quantity Value3 Quantity Quantity Value3

Belgium 1,750 666 3,210 1,010 6,090 3,580 5,030 2,970

China 55,100 6,250 39,800 5,620 8,330 521 2,030 208

Czech Republic 335 84 8,170 1,590 -- -- 363 204

Germany 1,660 2,000 144 42 -- -- 2 3

India 2,660 588 572 177 2,080 906 195 60

Ireland 98,100 44,100 63,500 31,700 2,030 1,220 2,090 1,060

Italy 3,250 1,330 1,630 730 57 25 50 13

Japan 6,860 2,880 4,530 3,460 195 320 312 347

Korea, Republic of 12,800 5,700 9,360 5,000 2 4 18 8

Macau 426 72 742 130 -- -- -- --

Romania 608 123 407 89 -- -- 5 21

Russia 16,400 2,520 10,800 1,370 2,240 484 2,310 515

Switzerland 6,050 3,640 871 493 460 699 2,380 1,120

Ukraine 47,500 4,460 22,100 1,770 -- -- -- --

United Kingdom 3,190 1,140 2,940 857 705 268 820 334

Other 1,920 r 1,360 r 738 697 301 389 r 499 321

Total 259,000 76,900 169,000 54,700 22,500 8,420 16,100 7,180

3

Customs value.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau.

Value3 Value3

r

Revised. -- Zero.

1

Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown. 2

Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States codes: synthetic, 7105.10.0020, 7105.10.0030, and 7105.10.0050;

natural, 7105.10.0011 and 7105.10.0015.

Synthetic2 Natural2

2001 2002 2001 2002

TABLE 2

U.S. IMPORTS FOR CONSUMPTION OF DIAMOND POWDER, DUST AND GRIT, BY COUNTRY1

(Thousand carats and thousand dollars)
23.6 U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MINERALS YEARBOOK—2002

Country Quantity Quantity Value3

Exports:

Australia 5 51 2 27

Belgium 167 1,590 15 146

Bulgaria 37 48 38 56

Canada 113 411 103 341

Germany 35 249 15 114

Hong Kong 83 825 233 2,050

Israel 13 133 -- --

Japan 360 3,600 294 2,540

Korea, Republic of 69 705 96 990

Malaysia 44 428 31 124

Mexico 15 148 84 418

Poland 14 140 2 18

Thailand 25 248 58 585

Other 99 r 961 r 169 1,240

Total 1,080 9,530 1,140 8,650

Reexports:

Belgium 790 7,250 611 6,220

Canada 90 308 191 584

Germany 52 386 53 460

Hong Kong (4) 3 7 75

Ireland 36 237 24 162

Israel 83 971 34 262

Japan 80 833 111 1,110

Korea, Republic of 57 622 47 481

Mexico 4 63 4 35

Netherlands 13 131 44 438

Switzerland 19 112 (4) 5

United Arab Emirates -- -- 80 454

United Kingdom 20 225 64 608

Other 10 r 83 r 22 217

Total 1,260 11,200 1,290 11,100

Grand total 2,330 20,800 2,430 19,800

Value3

TABLE 3

U.S. EXPORTS AND REEXPORTS OF INDUSTRIAL DIAMOND STONES,

BY COUNTRY1

(Thousand carats and thousand dollars)

Industrial unworked diamonds2

2001 2002

3

Customs value.

4

Less than 1/2 unit.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau.

r

Revised. -- Zero.

1

Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals

shown.

2

Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States code 7102.21.0000.
DIAMOND, INDUSTRIAL—2002 23.7

Country Quantity Quantity Value3 Quantity Quantity Value3

Exports:

Austria 2,760 2,200 1,170 685 59 61 53 9

Belgium 1,510 669 757 473 275 399 118 282

Brazil 1,370 651 2,350 863 13 15 38 12

Canada 1,590 2,180 2,390 2,100 263 227 166 121

France 338 115 68 42 73 175 41 42

Germany 3,280 2,070 1,020 526 263 698 640 844

Greece 132 141 317 180 -- -- -- --

Hong Kong 300 339 537 658 227 195 314 255

India 1,320 661 1,680 715 7 16 64 79

Ireland 26,000 19,300 27,600 20,400 153 144 20 37

Israel 364 204 374 183 150 40 45 27

Italy 1,920 934 1,150 481 44 25 248 104

Japan 17,400 10,200 14,700 9,530 1,010 2,140 738 1,480

Korea, Republic of 12,400 5,520 12,100 5,300 424 178 397 131

Macau 162 29 746 167 -- -- -- --

Malaysia 529 501 243 273 13 9 27 28

Mexico 208 149 407 210 170 102 73 56

Netherlands 329 350 159 222 1,830 2,710 387 600

Philippines 225 317 45 56 33 4 -- --

Singapore 84 50 94 113 15 37 11 8

Spain 336 99 252 92 24 10 113 47

Switzerland 1,260 872 631 489 4,740 5,940 4,150 3,980

Taiwan 1,590 1,050 2,210 1,310 76 145 1,060 144

Thailand 373 356 678 367 3 7 64 54

United Kingdom 665 550 138 61 526 269 159 152

Other 619 r 554 r 572 481 240 r 163 r 524 219

Total 77,100 50,100 72,400 46,000 10,600 13,700 9,450 8,700

Reexports:

Australia 60 11 34 10 -- -- -- --

Austria 489 100 492 158 123 28 73 57

Belgium 135 61 199 53 40 18 -- --

Brazil 120 25 8 10 -- -- 8 5

Canada 640 638 1,120 993 90 69 19 25

France 203 64 26 4 266 42 33 9

Germany 421 208 619 292 55 66 117 91

Hong Kong -- -- 38 49 40 60 20 20

India 11 3 30 17 132 158 22 38

Ireland 18 32 244 174 26 38 2 3

Israel -- -- -- -- 33 6 35 11

Italy 956 397 771 282 66 51 11 5

Japan 113 48 32 21 60 42 20 38

Korea, Republic of 1,430 465 1,770 646 245 114 345 230

Macau 62 77 413 83 -- -- -- --

Malaysia 9 3 87 25 46 11 20 4

Mexico 20 6 (4) 3 11 7 7 13

South Africa 39 7 18 3 -- -- 2 6

Spain 22 6 55 24 31 32 13 15

Switzerland 404 153 123 67 132 45 -- --

Taiwan 141 116 229 215 93 69 24 40

United Kingdom 237 84 397 183 179 117 59 76

Other 95 r 94 r 226 156 62 r 29 r 24 16

Total 5,620 2,600 6,930 3,470 1,730 1,000 854 701

Grand total 82,700 52,700 79,400 49,500 12,400 14,700 10,300 9,410

Source: U.S. Census Bureau.

Value3 Value3

r

Revised. -- Zero.

1

Data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown. 2

Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States codes: synthetic, 7105.10.0025; natural, 7105.10.0010. 3

Customs value.

Synthetic2 Natural2

2001 2002 2001 2002

TABLE 4

U.S. EXPORTS AND REEXPORTS OF INDUSTRIAL DIAMOND POWDER, DUST AND GRIT, BY COUNTRY1

(Thousand carats and thousand dollars)
23.8 U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MINERALS YEARBOOK—2002

Type and country

4 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

Gemstones:

Angola 2,400 3,360 3,914 5 4,653 5 5,400

Australia 18,400 13,400 r 12,000 r 10,700 15,100

Botswana 14,800 r 17,200 r 18,500 r 19,800 r 21,300

Brazil 100 5 900 5 1,000 5 1,000 5 700

Canada 203 5 2,429 5 2,435 r, 5 3,685 r, 5 4,984 5

Central African Republic 330 311 346 360 375

China 230 230 230 235 235

Congo (Kinshasa) 5,080 4,120 3,500 9,100 9,100

Cote d' Ivoire 210 270 210 210 160

Ghana 658 r 546 r 792 r 936 r 770

Guinea 294 287 r 278 270 270

Guyana 50 r, 5 45 r, 5 82 r, 5 179 r, 5 100

Liberia 150 120 100 100 120

Namibia 1,350 r 1,630 r 1,450 r 1,487 r, 5 1,350

Russia 11,500 11,500 11,600 11,600 11,500

Sierra Leone 200 450 450 450 450

South Africa 4,280 r 4,010 r 4,320 r 4,470 4,350

Tanzania 83 200 301 216 r 182

Venezuela 80 59 29 r 14 r 15

Zimbabwe 10 15 8 r -- r --

Other 19 r 20 r 24 r 25 r 25

Total, gemstones 60,400 61,100 r 61,600 r 69,500 r 76,500

Industrial:

Angola 364 373 435 517 600

Australia 22,500 16,381 5 14,700 13,100 18,500

Botswana 5,000 5,730 r 6,160 r 6,600 r 7,100

Central African Republic 200 120 115 120 125

China 900 920 920 950 955

Congo (Kinshasa) 21,000 16,000 14,200 9,100 9,100

Cote d' Ivoire 100 128 110 110 90

Ghana 165 r 136 r 198 r 234 r 193

Guinea 98 96 r 91 100 r 100

Liberia 150 80 70 70 80

Namibia 71 r -- r 106 r -- --

Russia 11,600 11,500 11,600 11,600 11,500

Sierra Leone 50 150 150 150 150

South Africa 6,420 r 6,010 r 6,470 r 6,700 6,530

Tanzania 15 35 53 r 38 r 33

Venezuela 17 36 80 r 38 r 40

Zimbabwe 19 30 15 r -- r --

Other 44 r 52 r 64 r 66 r 68

Total, industrial 68,700 57,800 r 55,500 r 49,500 r 55,200

Grand total 129,000 119,000 r 117,000 r 119,000 r 132,000

3

In addition to the countries listed, natural diamond is produced in Nigeria, but information is inadequate to estimate output. 4

Includes near-gem and cheap-gem qualities.

5

Reported figure.

r

Revised. -- Zero.

1

World totals and estimated data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown. 2

Table includes data available through May 27, 2003.

TABLE 5

NATURAL DIAMOND: ESTIMATED WORLD PRODUCTION, BY TYPE AND COUNTRY1, 2, 3

(Thousand carats)
DIAMOND, INDUSTRIAL—2002 23.9

Country 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

Belarus 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000 25,000

China 16,500 16,500 16,800 17,000 17,000

Czech Republic 5,000 3,000 -- -- --

France 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000

Greece 750 750 750 -- --

Ireland 60,000 60,000 60,000 60,000 60,000

Japan 32,000 32,000 33,000 33,000 34,000

Poland 210 200 -- -- --

Romania 3,000 3,000 -- -- --

Russia 80,000 80,000 80,000 80,000 80,000

Slovakia 5,000 3,000 -- -- --

South Africa 60,000 -- -- 60,000 60,000

Sweden 25,000 25,000 20,000 20,000 20,000

Ukraine 8,000 8,000 8,000 8,000 8,000

United States 140,000 161,000 r 182,000 r 202,000 r 222,000

Total 463,000 420,000 r 429,000 r 508,000 r 529,000

3

In addition to the countries listed, Germany and the Republic of Korea also produce significant amounts of synthetic diamond,

but output is not officially reported, and available information is inadequate to formulate reliable estimates of output levels.

r

Revised. -- Zero.

1

World totals, U.S. data, and estimated data are rounded to no more than three significant digits; may not add to totals shown. 2

Table includes data available through May 27, 2003.

TABLE 6

SYNTHETIC DIAMOND: ESTIMATED WORLD PRODUCTION, BY COUNTRY1, 2, 3

(Thousand carats)