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Russia reveals shiny state secret: It's awash in diamonds
Christian Science Monitor ^ | September 17, 2012 | Fred Weir

Posted on 09/18/2012 3:45:07 PM PDT by Vince Ferrer

Russia has just declassified news that will shake world gem markets to their core: the discovery of a vast new diamond field containing "trillions of carats," enough to supply global markets for another 3,000 years.

The Soviets discovered the bonanza back in the 1970s beneath a 35-million-year-old, 62-mile diameter asteroid crater in eastern Siberia known as Popigai Astroblem.

(Excerpt) Read more at csmonitor.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; News/Current Events
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I would very much hope that this will bring down theprice of diamonds. The monopoly for diamonds in jewelry holds the price high, but there are many applications diamonds can be used for if the price was lower. I would hope this would also motivate the artificial diamond industry to develop cheaper artificial diamonds.
1 posted on 09/18/2012 3:45:12 PM PDT by Vince Ferrer
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To: Vince Ferrer

There’s no world on what kind of grade quality they ate. For all we know, without more information, they may only be industrial quality. This will not necessarily bring the price down.


2 posted on 09/18/2012 3:51:02 PM PDT by Jonty30 (What Islam and secularism have in common is that they are both death cults.)
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To: Jonty30

” they may only be industrial quality.”

Yep


3 posted on 09/18/2012 3:52:51 PM PDT by stephenjohnbanker (God, family, country, mom, apple pie, the girl next door and a Ford F250 to pull my boat.)
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To: Jonty30

Why didn’t the Soviets exploit their natural resource for the betterment of their people ?


4 posted on 09/18/2012 3:54:13 PM PDT by Thebaddog (Remember, Obama said he's only 60% done with his agenda.)
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To: Vince Ferrer

Big difference is that the Russian diamonds are probably low grade, barely suitable for crude industrial use. Volcanic diamonds, on the other hand, have a good chance to be gem quality, though that is still in the minority.

And artificial diamonds of whatever size are needed, are being made, that are clearly artificial because they have no gem flaws, but are perfect for high end applications.

So all told, the Russian deposit is probably fairly worthless.


5 posted on 09/18/2012 3:54:14 PM PDT by yefragetuwrabrumuy (DIY Bumper Sticker: "THREE TIMES,/ DEMOCRATS/ REJECTED GOD")
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To: Vince Ferrer

“Enough to supply global markets for another 3,000 years”, and enough to pay for Putin’s military buildup and subsequent invasion of free states on its western side.


6 posted on 09/18/2012 3:54:41 PM PDT by Viennacon
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To: Vince Ferrer

It was probably populated by their new cubic zirconia factory...


7 posted on 09/18/2012 3:56:30 PM PDT by 9YearLurker
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To: Thebaddog

Because socialism is not about the betterment of the people, but keeping the resources in the hands of the few.


8 posted on 09/18/2012 4:01:10 PM PDT by Jonty30 (What Islam and secularism have in common is that they are both death cults.)
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To: Vince Ferrer

I can’t imagine that if these were really gem quality diamonds the Russian mafia would have sat on them for forty years.


9 posted on 09/18/2012 4:02:29 PM PDT by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: Vince Ferrer

IIRC Russia - or the old USSR - has the world’s greatest supply of emeralds.


10 posted on 09/18/2012 4:04:46 PM PDT by Churchillspirit (9/11/2001. NEVER FORGET.)
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To: Vince Ferrer
beneath a 35-million-year-old, 62-mile diameter asteroid crater

I'd love to stay and FReep but there's some land in Arizona that I suddenly have the urge to purchase.

Benson, Arizona, blew warm wind through your hair
My body flies the galaxy, my heart longs to be there
Benson, Arizona, the same stars in the sky
But they seemed so much kinder when we watched them, you and I

11 posted on 09/18/2012 4:20:30 PM PDT by NonValueAdded (Taranto: "The whole point of the metaphor is that if you can hear the whistle, you're the dog.")
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To: Thebaddog
Why didn’t the Soviets exploit their natural resource for the betterment of their people ?

Because there are enough diamonds for "3000 years". The Soviets were working on a 5 year plan. ;)

12 posted on 09/18/2012 4:24:37 PM PDT by Tijeras_Slim
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To: Churchillspirit
IIRC Russia - or the old USSR - has the world’s greatest supply of emeralds.

On the other hand, the world's greatest supply of Faberge' eggs -- the most incredible examples of the jeweler's art -- is located in...wait for it...Post, Texas.

Nine of the famous Faberge' eggs located under one roof at the OS Ranch Museum, located on the 2nd floor of the bank building in downtown Post.

Post, near Lubbock, is named for C.W. Post of Post-Toasties fame. His daughter, Marjorie Merriweather Post, was his sole inheritor -- and she ended up with what became General Foods.

Marjorie's third husband was Joseph Davies, a Washington lawyer, whom FDR named his Ambassador to the Soviet Union in 1937-38. While in Russia, Marjorie gained free run of the Soviet Russian archives -- and discovered the trove of Faberge' eggs, which had been crafted exclusively for Czar Nicholas & Alexandra and their children.

Marjorie wrote a substantial personal check to Jozef Stalin and brought home some of the most stunning jewelry you're ever likely to see.

And it's available for viewing in the OS Museum on the second floor of a bank building in the small West Texas town of Post (which is Waylon Jennings' hometown, by the way).

13 posted on 09/18/2012 4:29:44 PM PDT by okie01 (THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA; Ignorance on parade.)
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To: NonValueAdded

Well I was standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona, such a fine sight to see...


14 posted on 09/18/2012 4:31:34 PM PDT by Vince Ferrer
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To: yefragetuwrabrumuy

According to the official news agency, ITAR-Tass, the diamonds at Popigai are “twice as hard” as the usual gemstones, making them ideal for industrial and scientific uses.

Sounds like they are not “gem” quality for personal use but as was speculated more for Industrial and Scientific uses


15 posted on 09/18/2012 4:49:35 PM PDT by 100American (Knowledge is knowing how, Wisdom is knowing when)
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To: okie01

Very interesting....thanks.


16 posted on 09/18/2012 5:36:24 PM PDT by Churchillspirit (9/11/2001. NEVER FORGET.)
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To: Vince Ferrer

It’s a girl, my Lord, in a flatbed Ford slowin’ down to take a look at me!


17 posted on 09/18/2012 5:39:06 PM PDT by Lazamataz (RAGE MONKEY RULEZ!!!)
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To: Vince Ferrer

18 posted on 09/18/2012 5:48:54 PM PDT by Rebelbase (The most transparent administration ever is clear as mud.)
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To: Jonty30

The important revelation here should be a clear understanding of the risk of tying the dollar to any precious commodity. A new discovery could dramatically diminish the wealth of nations and individuals.


19 posted on 09/18/2012 6:03:18 PM PDT by wizwor
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To: wizwor
The important revelation here should be a clear understanding of the risk of tying the dollar to any precious commodity. A new discovery could dramatically diminish the wealth of nations and individuals.

Such were the effects of the discovery of the new world.

20 posted on 09/18/2012 6:19:58 PM PDT by Vince Ferrer
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