JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – A natural diamond is made from carbon and is the hardest natural known substance on earth. Natural diamonds are created over a period of one- to three-billion years, many kilometres below the earth's mantle under natural conditions of very high pressure and high temperature.

But unlike champagne, the use of the word diamond was never specifically claimed by those doing the difficult and costly job of mining them, which resulted in the producers of human-made synthetic lookalikes seizing upon the hallowed nomenclature.

Now, the organisation formerly known as the Diamond Producers Association has relaunched under the name of the Natural Diamond Council.

The new council is made up of seven mining and marketing members. These are Alrosa, De Beers Group, Dominion Diamond Mines, Lucara Diamond, Petra Diamonds, RZM Murowa and Rio Tinto, which make up 75% of the world’s rough diamond production.

With 35 operations in eight countries across four continents, members impact the lives and environments of millions of people, the Natural Diamond Council says on its website, where the word ‘transparency’ also appears.

“The current economic climate creates unprecedented challenges for the luxury industry. But, as the climate improves, natural diamonds will connect stronger than ever before,” stated Natural Diamond Council CEO David Kellie in a release to Mining Weekly.

“Consumers will have a greater respect for all things natural and seek brands that have an honest mission to be truly sustainable. They’ll be purchasing luxury goods with a greater meaning, particularly those celebrating connections between friends and loved ones,” Kellie added.

He expressed the need to address the younger in a different way and spoke of a new world of natural diamonds being created.

New digital platforms are designed to inspire and inform consumers globally about the values and heritage of natural diamonds, as well as promoting the significant innovation happening throughout the world of diamond jewellery.

The council has a presence in China and India in addition to the US and Europe.