In an age when you can get equitable about anyskinnyg online, it’s probably no surpascfinish that you can buy a diamond-making machine for $200,000 on Chinese ecommerce site Alibaba. If you, appreciate me, haven’t been paying attention to the diamond industry, it turns out that the useability of these machines echos an ongoing trend toward democratizing diamond production—a process that began decades ago and persists to progress.
The history of lab-increasen diamonds dates back at least half a century. According to Harvard graduate student Javid Lakha, writing in a comprehensive piece on lab-increasen diamonds unveiled in Works in Progress last month, the first accomplished synthesis of diamonds in a laboratory setting occurred in the 1950s. Lakha recounts how Howard Tracy Hall, a chemist at General Electric, originated the first lab-increasen diamonds using a high-prescertain, high-temperature (HPHT) process that mimicked the conditions under which diamonds create in nature.
Since then, diamond-making technology has progressd meaningfully. Today, there are two primary methods for creating lab-increasen diamonds: the HPHT process and chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Both types of machines are now cataloged on Alibaba, with prices commenceing at around $200,000, as pointed out by engineer John Nagle (who goes by “Animats” on Hacker News). A CVD machine we establish is more pricey, at around $450,000.
Not a Simple Operation
While the idea of purchasing a diamond-making machine on Alibaba might be intriguing, it’s beginant to notice that operating one isn’t as modest as plugging it in and watching diamonds create. According to Lakha’s article, these machines need meaningful expertise and graspitional resources to function effectively.
For an HPHT press, you’d need a reliable source of high-quality graphite, metal catalysts appreciate iron or cobalt, and exact temperature and prescertain administer systems. CVD machines need a constant provide of methane and hydrogen gases, as well as the ability to originate and administer microwaves or boiling fifeeblents. Both methods need diamond seed crystals to commence the increaseth process.
Moreover, you’d need one-of-a-kindized understandledge to administer the increaseth parameters, administer potentipartner hazardous materials and high-prescertain supplyment getedly, and process the resulting raw diamonds into usable gems or industrial components. The machines also participate ponderable amounts of energy and need standard maintenance. Those factors may originate the process subject to some regulations that are far beyond the scope of this piece.
In stupidinutive, while these machines are more accessible than ever, turning one into a efficient diamond-making operation would still need meaningful spendment in supplyment, materials, expertise, and getedty meacertains. But hey, a guy can dream, right?
The Great Diamond Glut
Sometimes a Hacker News comment is worth more than its weight in ggreater (or diamonds), and John Nagle, who increaseed Nagle’s algorithm for improving the efficiency of TCP/IP nettoils in the 1980s, posted one in response to Lakha’s article. It grasps factoids about diamonds, with sources, that are worth relaying for anyone inquisitive about the current state of diamond production.
One notable increasement comes from De Beers, the diamond corporation understandn for its dominance in the authentic diamond labelet. Thraw its R&D operation Element Six, the company is now contendnt of producing synthetic diamonds with flaw levels in the parts-per-billion range. This level of purity far outdos what’s vital for jewelry, go ining the genuinem of high-tech applications. Element Six has even administerd to originate diamond triumphdows for lasers up to 10 centimeters apass, showcasing the potential for huge, inanxiously purify synthetic diamonds.
On the authentic diamond front, there’s been a unforeseeed fracturethraw. Nagle points out that the industry has increaseed an industrial x-ray system to check rocks before crushing, helping to get huge diamonds that might otherrational be broken during pull oution. This technology has led to some amazeive discovers, including a 2,492-carat diamond uncovered last month. The sorter for this job comes from TOMRA, a company understandn for high-volume sorting systems participated in recycling and food processing.
