Pope Francis ‘blesses’ lab-created diamond

Heeding the Pope’s stand on the damaging and harmful effects of traditional mining practices, US-based Diamond Foundry presented a lab-created stone during the blessing rites, claiming it “represents a fundamental shift in how this mineral can be produced.”

“We are greatly honoured to showcase a sustainably created diamond that entirely avoids the environmental and human toll of mining -- hopefully a brilliant example of the kind of paradigm shift possible for at least some mineral resources.”

Martin Roscheisen, Diamond Foundry

“His Holiness Pope Francis is one of the preeminent moral authorities of our times,” Martin Roscheisen, CEO, Diamond Foundry said.

“We are greatly honoured to showcase a sustainably created diamond that entirely avoids the environmental and human toll of mining -- hopefully a brilliant example of the kind of paradigm shift possible for at least some mineral resources.”

The Pope, during a Vatican meeting early this year, has been openly critical in his stand on denouncing traditional mining practices that do more harm than good as “the earth’s resources are being plundered because of short-sighted approaches.”

» Background reading: Truth behind lab-created diamonds starts to be exposed

He noted that such practices should be discontinued as “the earth’s resources are being plundered because of short-sighted approaches” and industry stakeholders need to “ensure that mining activities lead to the integral human development of each and every person and of the entire community.”

"The earth’s resources are being plundered because of short-sighted approaches. [Mining activities result in an] extraction of wealth from land that paradoxically does not produce wealth for the local populations who remain poor."

Pope Francis

The Diamond Foundry claims it produces lab-created diamonds from a zero-emission hydropowered facility in Washington, USA using a proprietary plasma reactor technology that “coverts greenhouse gases into pristine diamonds.”

However, some industry experts have questioned some of the ‘eco-friendly’ claims of the lab-created diamond manufacturers.

Diamond Foundry completed its $US200 million ($AU283 million) Series C equity financing by international financial investor Fidelity with an estimated value of $US1.8 billion ($AU2.55 billion).

It also recently opened a €740 million ($AU1.18 billion) 100 per cent solar-powered facility in Spain to supply diamond traders and the semiconductor industry with its lab-created diamonds.

VRAI's Solitaire Cross diamond of 4.7-carats (22mm x 14mm), cut from a single 30-carat rough grown by Diamond Foundry in San Francisco and polished in VRAI's Xi'an workshop. Each stone is set into 18-carat yellow gold or platinum with a half or full bezel as chosen by the auction winner.

Back view of VRAI's Solitaire Cross diamond as a pendant.

Martin Roscheisen, CEO Diamond Foundry stands alongside colleague and Pope Francis with the diamond cross. Image: Vrai.com

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