DIAMOND, INDUSTRIAL—2001 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.

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 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 the nearest competitors (Ravi, 1994,

p. 537). Because it is the hardest substance known, diamond

has been used for centuries as an abrasive in grinding, drilling,

cutting, and polishing, and industrial-grade diamond continues

to be used as an abrasive for many applications. Diamond that

does not meet gem-quality standards for clarity, color, shape, or

size is used as industrial-grade diamond. 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 its rival 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 corrosion-resistant coatings, special

lenses, heat sinks in electrical circuits, wire drawing, and

advanced technologies. 

Both synthetic and natural diamonds have industrial uses, but

synthetic industrial diamond is superior to its natural diamond

counterpart because it can be produced in large quantities. In

many cases, its properties can be tailored to specific

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

manufactured diamond accounts for more than 90% of the

industrial diamond used in the United States and the world.

Legislation and Government Programs

Congress has authorized the sale of all the diamonds in the

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

U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). The NDS 2001 annual

plan allowed for the sale of a portion of the stockpiled diamond

stones. During 2001, the Defense National Stockpile Center

(DNSC) sold 500,954 carats of diamond stone valued at $8.07

million. At yearend 2001, the DNSC reported an NDS

remaining inventory of 1.007 million carats of industrial

diamond stone (Tom Meeker, Market Analyst, Defense

National Stockpile Center, oral commun., 2002). The DOD

plans to conduct additional future sales until all NDS diamond

stone stocks are exhausted. 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. Although most of these companies responded to the

2001 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 308 million carats in 2001. Only two U.S. companies

produced synthetic industrial diamond during the year—

Mypodiamond, Inc., Gibbstown, NJ, 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 2001, 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. Synthetic Corp., Orem,

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

It is estimated that more than 10 million carats of used

industrial diamond was recycled in the United States during

2001. Most of this material was recovered by recycling firms

from used diamond drill bits, diamond tools, and other

diamond-containing wastes. Additional diamond was recovered

during the year from residues generated in the manufacture of

PCD; most of this material was recovered for PCD 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 2001—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 2001. Based on production estimates,

trade data, and adjustments for Government stockpile sales, the

apparent U.S. consumption of industrial diamond during the

year increased to an estimated 504 million carats, which was a

record high. The major consuming industries of industrial

diamond in the United States during 2001 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 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,
23.2 U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MINERALS YEARBOOK—2001

and polishing silicon wafers and disk drives in the computer

industry (Bailey and Bex, 1995).

Diamond tools have a myriad 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 cutting, machining, boring, and

finishing applications; beveling glass for automobile windows

is another application. Cutting dimension stone and

cutting/grooving concrete in highway reconditioning are the

major 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 high-speed 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 employed primarily 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 loose

abrasive compounds for polishing. Diamond grinding wheels

can be as much as 1 meter (m) in diameter.

Loose powders and compounds made of synthetic diamond

for polishing are used primarily to finish optical surfaces, jewel

bearings, gemstones, wiredrawing dies, cutting tools, and

silicon wafers for computer chips. Hundreds of other products

made from metals, ceramics, plastics, and glass also are

finished with diamond powders and compounds.

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 wiredrawing 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 range of

prices 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

$0.30 per carat to $1 per carat. Strong and blocky material for

sawing and drilling sells for $1.50 to $4.75 per carat. Large

synthetic crystals with excellent structure for specific

applications sell for several hundred dollars per carat (LawWest, 2002, p. 23.8).

In 2001, the DNSC awarded bids that ranged from $4.00 to

$91.58 per carat for NDS diamond stone sold, with the average

awarded bid being $16.10 per carat (Tom Meeker, Market

Analyst, Defense National Stockpile Center, oral commun.,

2002). 

Foreign Trade

The United States continued to lead the world in industrial

diamond trade during 2001; imports came from 44 countries,

exports went to 61 countries, and reexports went to 32 countries

(tables 1-4). Although the United States has been a major

producer of synthetic diamond for decades, its 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 domestic production of

natural diamond was unable to meet demand.

During 2001, U.S. imports of industrial-quality diamond

stones (natural and synthetic) decreased by 2.5% from 2000

imports to 2.46 million carats valued at $8.69 million (table 1). 

Imports of diamond powder, dust, and grit (natural and

synthetic) decreased by 3.3% from 2000 imports to 281 million

carats valued at $85 million (table 2).

During 2001, U.S. exports of industrial diamond stone

decreased by approximately 31% from 2000 exports to 1.08

million carats valued at $9.53 million (table 3). U.S. reexports

of industrial diamond stone decreased by approximately 39%

from 2000 reexports to 1.26 million carats valued at $11.2

million (table 3). U.S. exports of industrial diamond powder,

dust, and grit decreased by 10% from 2000 exports to 87.7

million carats valued at $63.8 million, and reexports of

industrial diamond powder, dust, and grit increased by 268%

from 2000 reexports to 7.36 million carats valued at $3.60

million (table 4). 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.

World Review

Total 2001 industrial diamond output worldwide during the

year was estimated to be in excess of 800 million carats; various

reports estimated that global output was at least 600 million

carats valued between $600 million and $1 billion (Norman

Rohr, Warren Diamond Powder Co., Inc., oral commun., 1999;

Wilson Born, National Research Co., oral commun., 2001). 

World demand for industrial diamond in the 1990s had been

growing at rates of more than 10% per year (Boucher, 1997, p.

26.6). 

Industrial diamond was produced in 26 countries during 2001

(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
DIAMOND, INDUSTRIAL—2001 23.3

confirmed (Norman Rohr, Warren Diamond Powder Co., Inc.,

oral commun., 1999). China may have produced much more

than the output listed in the table (Owers, 2000; Wilson Born,

National Research Co., oral commun., 2001).

In 2001, almost 70% of the total global natural and synthetic

industrial diamond output was produced in Ireland, Russia, and

the United States. The dominance of synthetic diamond was

even more pronounced, accounting for more than 92% of

global production and consumption.

The Ekati Diamond Mine, Canada’s first and only operating

commercial diamond mine, completed its third full year of

production. In 2001, Ekati produced 3.7 million carats of

diamonds from 3.3 million metric tons (Mt) of ore mined

(Darren R. Dyck, senior project geoscientist, BHP Billiton

Diamonds Inc., written commun., 2002). The mine, located in

the Northwest Territories, was a joint venture between BHP

Diamonds Inc. (BHP) and Dia Met Minerals Ltd. In June,

BHP’s parent company, BHP Ltd., merged with Billiton plc

creating BHP Billiton Ltd., the world’s largest mining company

(BHP Billiton Ltd., 2001a; Diamond Registry Bulletin, 2001a). 

In July, BHP Billiton announced that it had agreed to purchase

Dia Met Minerals Ltd. (BHP Billiton Ltd., 2001b). Buying out

Dia Met gave BHP Billiton an 80% controlling ownership of

the Ekati mine. Ekati has estimated reserves of 60.3 Mt of ore

in kimberlite pipes, containing 54.3 million carats of diamonds,

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

capacity, Ekati production is expected to range from 3.5 to 4.5

million carats per year. Ekati diamonds are sold by the BHP

Billiton Diamonds Inc. sales office in Antwerp (65%) and by

Diamond Trading Co. (35%) (Rombouts, 2001§1

). Near the

end of 2001, BHP Billiton Diamonds started producing from

the Misery kimberlite pipe (BHP Billiton Ltd., 2001c). The

Ekati mine already accounts for 4% of the world market by

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

Billiton will begin using underground mining techniques to

recover diamonds from deeper portions of two of the Ekati

kimberlite pipes— Koala and Panda—which were first open pit

mined (Diamond Registry Bulletin, 2002). Approximately onethird of the Ekati diamond production is industrial-grade

material (Darren Dyck, senior project geologist, BHP

Diamonds, Inc., oral commun., May 27, 2001).

There are two other Canadian commercial diamond projects

located in the Northwest Territories. They are the Diavik

diamonds project and the Snap Lake diamond project. 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 is expected to commence

diamond production in the first half of 2003 and will produce

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

per year worth about $63 per carat (Diavik Diamond Mines

Inc., 2000, p. 10-12). De Beers Canada Mining Inc. acquired a

68% interest in the Snap Lake diamond project from Winspear

Diamonds Inc. in 2000, and in early 2001 De Beers acquired

the remaining 32% interest in the project from Aber Diamond

Corp. Snap Lake will be De Beers’ first mine outside of

southern Africa and the first underground diamond mine in

Canada. In August 2001, De Beers Canada announced that

Snap Lake would begin production in 2006 (Law-West, 2002). 

Snap Lake has estimated reserves of 22.8 Mt of ore in a

kimberlite dike, containing 38.8 million carats of diamonds, and

the mine life is projected to be 20 years or more (De Beers

Canada Mining Inc., 2000§).

Another Canadian commercial diamond project is the Jericho

diamond project located in Nunavut. In 2000, Tahera Corp.

completed a feasibility study that indicated that Jericho will

produce 3 million carats over an 8-year mine life. Tahera has

discovered five kimberlite pipes, of which three are land based. 

Geological models indicate a resource of approximately 17 Mt

to a depth of 300 m, with grades ranging from 0.3 carats per

metric ton to 1.0 carats per metric ton for the kimberlite pipes. 

In early 2001, Tahera filed a formal project proposal and a draft

environmental impact statement for the Jericho project. These

filings marked the beginning of the environmental assessment

and regulatory approval process for the proposed Jericho

diamond mine (Law-West, 2002; Tahera Corp., 2002§).

Diamond exploration is continuing in Canada, and many new

deposits are being found. There have been additional

discoveries in both the core and buffer zones of the Ekati lease

as well as additional discoveries in the Northwest Territories

and Nunavut. Many diamond-bearing deposits also have been

discovered in Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, and Saskatchewan

(Rombouts, 2001§). When the Diavik, Snap Lake, and Jericho

mines begin production, Canada will be producing 15% to 20%

of the total world diamond production. This means that Canada

probably will eclipse South Africa’s diamond production within

a decade and will be a significant producer of natural industrial

diamond as well as gem-quality diamond. 

In May, De Beers Consolidated Mines Ltd. completed its

privatization and was delisted from the Johannesburg Stock

Exchange. The company was purchased by a consortium that

included the Oppenheimer family, Anglo American plc, and

Debswana Diamond Co. (Pty) Ltd. The company is now the

world’s largest private diamond mining company. The

privatization left De Beers heavily in debt, made the company

much less transparent, and had no effect on the company’s

antitrust issues (Diamond Registry Bulletin, 2001b). 

Towards the end of 2001, De Beers quietly settled private

civil class actions related to the industrial diamonds case in

Ohio against De Beers Industrial Diamonds Division (Pty) Ltd.

and General Electric Co. The settlement establishes a $20

million cash fund plus interest and also provides 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

an 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 current

policy of De Beers to conform with local laws of each

jurisdiction in which the company conducts business (Tacy

Diamond Intelligence, 2002§).

Outlook

It is difficult to determine from the mixed indicators whether

or not the 2002 U.S. economy is in recovery, but 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 will 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

1

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

References Cited section.
23.4 U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY MINERALS YEARBOOK—2001

the life cycle cost effectiveness of diamond 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

unattended 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 occur 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 to fulfill goals mandated by the act for

the repair and replacement of roads, bridges, and other

components in the transportation infrastructure of the country

(Wilson Born, National Research Co., oral commun., 2001).

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. The

stone cannot be manufactured commercially. 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., 2001a, BHP Billiton merger complete: Melbourne,

Australia, BHP Billiton Ltd. news release, June 29, 4 p.

BHP Billiton Ltd., 2001b, BHP Billiton offer for Dia Met expires: Melbourne,

Australia, BHP Billiton Ltd. news release, June 29, 1 p.

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

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

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

Minerals ’96, Toronto, 1996, Proceedings: Toronto, Blendon Information

Services, [unpaginated].

Boucher, Michel, 1997, Diamonds: Ottawa, Canadian Minerals Yearbook

1996, p. 26.1-26.19.

Diamond Registry Bulletin, 2001a, BHP’s merger, acquisition becomes official: 

Diamond Registry Bulletin, v. 33, no. 6, June 30, p. 6.

Diamond Registry Bulletin, 2001b, De Beers’ privatization—What is the

effect?: Diamond Registry Bulletin, v. 33, no. 5, May 31, p. 1.

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, Canada, Diavik Diamond Mines Inc., 74 p.

Law-West, Don, 2002, Diamonds: Ottawa, 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.

Owers, Chris, 2000, Industrial diamond—Applications, economics and a view to

the future: Industrial Diamond Review, v. 60, no. 586, p. 176-181.

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, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., p. 533-580.

Internet References Cited

De Beers Canada Mining Inc., 2000, Snap Lake diamond project fact sheet,

accessed June 13, 2001, at http://www.debeerscanada.com/files_new/

snap/infrastruct.html.

Rombouts, Luc, 2001 (May 2), Diamond annual review—2000, accessed June

19, 2001, at URL http://www.terraconsult.be/overview.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.

Tahera Corp., 2002, The Jericho project, accessed July 19, 2002, at URL

http://www.tahera.com/jericho.html.

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.
TABLE 1

U.S. IMPORTS FOR CONSUMPTION OF INDUSTRIAL DIAMOND STONES, BY COUNTRY 1/

(Thousand carats and thousand dollars)

Natural industrial diamond stones 2/ Miners' diamond, natural and synthetic 3/

2000 2001 2000 2001

Country Quantity Value 4/ Quantity Value 4/ Quantity Value 4/ Quantity Value 4/

Australia 9 105 6 72 15 18 1 22

Belgium 111 334 53 345 41 567 41 526

China 2 7 22 76 9 10 -- --

France -- -- -- -- 66 91 80 99

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

India 33 46 3 18 (5/) 5 (5/) 4

Ireland 322 757 322 871 31 94 36 81

Namibia 21 126 28 142 9 55 3 18

Netherlands 1 4 -- -- 4 124 53 916

Russia -- -- 261 290 -- -- 587 485

Switzerland 5 76 17 100 691 940 787 1,100

United Kingdom 489 330 43 196 338 8,390 46 1,190

Other 162 r/ 602 r/ 37 533 163 r/ 678 r/ 7 333

 Total 1,150 2,390 794 2,660 1,370 11,000 1,660 6,030

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.

3/ HTS codes 7102.21.1010 and 7102.21.1020.

4/ Customs value.

5/ Less than 1/2 unit.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau.

TABLE 2

U.S. IMPORTS FOR CONSUMPTION OF DIAMOND POWDER, DUST AND GRIT, BY COUNTRY 1/

(Thousand carats and thousand dollars)

Synthetic 2/ Natural 2/

2000 2001 2000 2001

Country Quantity Value 3/ Quantity Value 3/ Quantity Value 3/ Quantity Value 3/

Belgium 1,890 946 1,750 666 6,400 4,440 6,090 3,580

China 37,700 5,220 55,100 6,250 3,140 281 8,330 521

Germany 2,390 3,320 1,660 2,000 144 69 -- --

Hong Kong 1,550 161 616 163 -- -- -- --

India 2,240 585 2,660 588 1,150 394 2,080 906

Ireland 140,000 69,900 98,100 44,100 2,070 984 2,030 1,220

Italy 1,520 789 3,250 1,330 45 34 57 25

Japan 6,540 3,040 6,860 2,880 913 1,640 195 320

Korea, Republic of 11,000 6,640 12,800 5,700 -- -- 2 4

Russia 6,230 1,330 16,400 2,520 62 16 2,240 484

Switzerland 3,300 1,780 6,050 3,640 1,840 1,250 460 699

Ukraine 52,700 4,900 47,500 4,460 -- -- -- --

United Kingdom 4,150 1,140 3,190 1,140 815 293 705 268

Other 2,770 r/ 1,790 r/ 2,670 1,470 414 r/ 486 r/ 301 389

 Total 274,000 102,000 259,000 76,900 17,000 9,890 22,500 8,420

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 7105.10.0045.

3/ Customs value.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
TABLE 3

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

BY COUNTRY 1/

(Thousand carats and thousand dollars)

Industrial unworked diamonds 2/

2000 2001

Country Quantity Value 3/ Quantity Value 3/

Exports:

 Australia 23 77 5 51

 Belgium 320 3,940 167 1,590

 Bulgaria 73 72 37 48

 Canada 237 845 113 411

 Germany 52 366 35 249

 Hong Kong 50 504 83 825

 Israel 42 419 13 133

 Japan 446 4,220 360 3,600

 Korea, Republic of 64 649 69 705

 Malaysia 2 23 44 428

 Netherlands 1 14 1 6

 Poland 17 160 14 140

 Other 233 r/ 2,010 r/ 138 1,350

 Total 1,560 13,300 1,080 9,530

Reexports:

 Belgium 1,180 13,100 790 7,250

 Canada 66 214 90 308

 Germany 89 504 52 386

 Hong Kong 10 48 (4/) 3

 Ireland 33 237 36 237

 Israel 190 2,020 83 971

 Japan 124 1,270 80 833

 Korea, Republic of 75 787 57 622

 Netherlands 2 23 13 131

 South Africa 11 113 -- --

 Switzerland 256 2,700 19 112

 United Kingdom 12 119 20 225

 Other 15 r/ 128 r/ 14 147

 Total 2,060 21,300 1,260 11,200

 Grand total 3,620 34,600 2,330 20,800

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.

3/ Customs value.

4/ Less than 1/2 unit.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
TABLE 4

U.S. EXPORTS AND REEXPORTS OF INDUSTRIAL DIAMOND POWDER, DUST AND GRIT, BY COUNTRY 1/

(Thousand carats and thousand dollars)

Synthetic 2/ Natural 2/

2000 2001 2000 2001

Country Quantity Value 3/ Quantity Value 3/ Quantity Value 3/ Quantity Value 3/

Exports:

 Austria 2,150 1,420 2,760 2,200 426 315 59 61

 Belgium 1,690 841 1,510 669 273 284 275 399

 Brazil 2,050 1,070 1,370 651 -- -- 13 15

 Canada 1,470 1,950 1,590 2,180 163 248 263 227

 France 586 135 338 115 183 57 73 175

 Germany 4,460 2,720 3,280 2,070 384 144 263 698

 Greece 148 149 132 141 9 10 -- --

 Hong Kong 882 540 300 339 102 125 227 195

 India 1,400 564 1,320 661 11 3 7 16

 Ireland 28,700 26,300 26,000 19,300 68 52 153 144

 Israel 819 318 364 204 157 52 150 40

 Italy 1,450 546 1,920 934 200 219 44 25

 Japan 23,300 13,200 17,400 10,200 905 1,990 1,010 2,140

 Korea, Republic of 13,100 6,630 12,400 5,520 262 165 424 178

 Luxembourg 20 7 -- -- 117 92 93 38

 Malaysia 653 481 529 501 2 6 13 9

 Mexico 429 218 208 149 133 78 170 102

 Netherlands 11 3 329 350 276 280 1,830 2,710

 Philippines 39 82 225 317 7 18 33 4

 Singapore 124 70 84 50 5 9 15 37

 Spain 397 117 336 99 121 38 24 10

 Switzerland 1,490 1,260 1,260 872 2,820 3,590 4,740 5,940

 Taiwan 1,700 1,540 1,590 1,050 94 193 76 145

 Thailand 133 96 373 356 2 4 3 7

 United Kingdom 2,870 1,040 665 550 496 284 526 269

 Other 464 r/ 546 r/ 781 583 152 r/ 112 r/ 147 125

 Total 90,600 61,800 77,100 50,100 7,370 8,370 10,600 13,700

Reexports:

 Australia -- -- 60 11 -- -- -- --

 Austria 156 29 489 100 55 11 123 28

 Belgium 9 13 135 61 9 25 40 18

 Brazil -- -- 120 25 -- -- -- --

 Canada 539 755 640 638 41 50 90 69

 France -- -- 203 64 7 5 266 42

 Germany 31 20 421 208 1 3 55 66

 Hong Kong 130 49 -- -- 35 14 40 60

 India 34 6 11 3 89 223 132 158

 Ireland 125 99 18 32 44 32 26 38

 Israel 10 3 -- -- -- -- 33 6

 Italy 19 5 956 397 -- -- 66 51

 Japan 130 53 113 48 16 40 60 42

 Korea, Republic of 248 r/ 70 1,430 465 -- -- 245 114

 Malaysia 38 9 9 3 -- -- 46 11

 Mexico 35 17 20 6 24 13 11 7

 South Africa -- -- 39 7 -- -- -- --

 Spain -- -- 22 6 -- -- 31 32

 Switzerland -- -- 404 153 -- -- 132 45

 Taiwan 19 14 141 116 7 5 93 69

 Thailand 37 20 15 10 -- -- 7 4

 United Kingdom 21 27 237 84 71 18 179 117

 Other 4 r/ 3 r/ 142 161 17 r/ 21 r/ 55 25

 Total 1,590 1,190 5,620 2,600 416 459 1,730 1,000

 Grand total 92,200 63,000 82,700 52,700 7,790 8,830 12,400 14,700

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 State codes: synthetic, 7105.10.0025; natural, 7105.10.0010.

3/ Customs value.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
TABLE 5

ESTIMATED WORLD PRODUCTION OF NATURAL DIAMOND, BY TYPE AND COUNTRY 1/ 2/ 3/

(Thousand carats)

Country 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

Gemstones: 4/

 Angola 1,110 2,400 3,360 r/ 3,914 r/ 5/ 4,653 5/

 Australia 18,100 18,400 13,403 5/ 11,992 r/ 5/ 10,700

 Botswana 15,111 5/ 14,772 5/ 16,000 19,368 r/ 5/ 20,100

 Brazil 100 r/ 100 r/ 900 r/ 1,000 r/ 1,000

 Canada -- 203 r/ 5/ 2,429 r/ 5/ 2,558 r/ 5/ 2,600

 Central African Republic 400 330 311 r/ 346 r/ 360

 China 230 230 230 230 235

 Congo (Kinshasa) 3,300 5,080 4,120 3,500 9,100

 Cote d' Ivoire 207 210 270 r/ 210 r/ 210

 Ghana 664 649 282 r/ 178 700

 Guinea 165 294 r/ 410 278 r/ 270

 Liberia 80 150 120 100 r/ 100

 Namibia 1,350 1,390 1,550 1,520 1,490

 Russia 11,200 11,500 11,500 11,600 11,600

 Sierra Leone 300 200 450 450 450

 South Africa 4,500 4,300 4,000 4,300 4,470

 Tanzania 82 83 200 301 302

 Venezuela -- r/ 5/ 80 5/ 59 5/ 80 r/ 5/ 85

 Zimbabwe 321 10 15 7 5

 Other 33 r/ 32 r/ 29 r/ 44 r/ 70

 Total 57,200 r/ 60,400 r/ 59,600 r/ 62,000 r/ 68,500

Industrial: 

 Angola 124 364 373 r/ 435 r/ 517

 Australia 22,100 22,500 16,381 5/ 14,700 r/ 13,100

 Botswana 5,000 5,000 5,350 5,850 r/ 5,060

 Brazil -- r/ -- r/ -- r/ -- r/ --

 Central African Republic 100 200 120 r/ 115 r/ 120

 China 900 900 920 920 950

 Congo (Kinshasa) 18,677 5/ 21,000 16,000 14,200 9,100

 Cote d' Ivoire 100 100 128 r/ 110 r/ 110

 Ghana 166 160 101 r/ 712 170

 Guinea 40 98 r/ 140 91 r/ 90

 Liberia 120 150 80 70 r/ 70

 Namibia 71 73 89 80 --

 Russia 11,200 11,600 11,500 11,600 11,600

 Sierra Leone 100 50 150 150 150

 South Africa 5,540 6,460 6,020 6,480 6,700

 Tanzania 35 15 35 55 53

 Venezuela 85 r/ 5/ 17 5/ 36 5/ 29 r/ 5/ 40

 Zimbabwe 100 19 30 13 10

 Other 79 r/ 80 r/ 87 r/ 126 r/ 200

 Total 64,500 r/ 68,700 r/ 57,500 r/ 55,700 r/ 48,000

 Grand total 122,000 r/ 129,000 r/ 117,000 118,000 117,000

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, 2002. 

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

4/ Includes near- and cheap-gem qualities.

5/ Reported figure.
TABLE 6

ESTIMATED WORLD PRODUCTION OF SYNTHETIC DIAMOND, BY COUNTRY 1/ 2/ 3/

(Thousand carats)

Country 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001

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

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

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

France 3,000 r/ 3,000 3,000 3,000 3,000

Greece 750 750 750 750 --

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

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

Poland 260 210 200 -- --

Romania 5,000 3,000 3,000 -- --

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

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

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

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

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

United States 125,000 140,000 208,000 248,000 308,000

 Total 450,000 r/ 463,000 467,000 495,000 614,000

r/ Revised. -- Zero. 

1/ World totals, U.S. data, and estimated data are rounded to three significant digits; may not add to

totals shown.

2/ Table includes data available through May 27, 2002.

3/ In addition to the countries listed, the Republic of Korea also produces significant amounts of

synthetic diamond, but output is not officially reported, and available information is inadequate to

formulate reliable estimates of output levels.