Clara Denina, Jacob Gronholt Pedersen

COPENAGHEN/LONDON – De Beers is a mining company that has ordered a survey of Greenland’s seafloor to see if there are marine diamond deposits.

According to Reuters, the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland spokesperson, the survey of 800km of seabed along Greenland’s west coast near Maniitsoq was completed over eight days.

De Beers confirmed that the survey was conducted by GEUS, and it said the analysis would be lengthy.

De Beers Marine (DBM), would like to know if the environment offshore is conducive for the formation of second diamond deposits,” an Environmental Mitigation Assessment, prepared by De Beers and reviewed by Reuters.

De Beers said that the preliminary survey at an approximate water depth between 50-200 meters was conducted by Russia’s Alrosa.

De Beers is a unit in diversified mining company. Anglo American An emailed statement from (LON:)

Diamond deposits, which were created in high-pressure volcanoes are found on the shores of west Greenland.

Because of the fact that any flaws in offshore diamonds will not survive their journey to sea, they are more expensive and generally have a better quality.

Namibia is the main producer of marine diamonds since the 1990s. Around 75% are produced there.

As mines nearing the end of life, this percentage could increase.

De Beers Namibia has a joint venture of 50/50 with the government, which operates special mine vessels.

Each hour, the vessels absorb hundreds of meters of silt and sand from beneath the seabed. The sand is then sifted onto board. Semi-processed diamonds can be flown by helicopter to landing.

Scientists and environmentalists call for an end to the practice. They say too much is unknown about their impact.

De Beers claims it protects the environment with great care.

According to the report, Greenland was not a major fishing area. Southwest Greenland has the highest concentration of marine life.

Greenland’s Mineral Resources Ministry did not respond when we asked for comments.

Greenland is a semi-autonomous region of Denmark. It depends on the fishing industry and annual grants from Denmark.

Although the vast Arctic island has many mineral resources, it only has two producing mines. Although Anglo American was granted a few onshore exploration permits in 2018, and 2019, the mining industry of this island is still dominated by small companies.

The demand for cobalt and other minerals is high, as they are essential for the transition towards a low-carbon economy. Although it is recovering from the effects of the pandemic, diamond demand is less certain.