What are lab-grown diamonds?

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About Lab-Grown Diamonds(LGDs)-

• Lab-grown diamonds are diamonds that are produced using specific technology which mimics the geological processes that grow natural diamonds. 
• They are not the same as “diamond simulants” – LGDs are chemically, physically and optically diamond and thus are difficult to identify as “lab-grown.”
• While materials such as Moissanite, Cubic Zirconia (CZ), White Sapphire, YAG, etc. are “diamond simulants” that simply attempt to “look” like a diamond, they lack the sparkle and durability of a diamond and are thus easily identifiable. 
• However, differentiating between an LGD and an Earth Mined Diamond is hard, with advanced equipment required for the purpose.
• There are multiple ways in which LGDs can be produced. The most common (and cheapest) is the “High pressure, high temperature” (HPHT) method. 
• As the name suggests, this method requires extremely heavy presses that can produce up to 730,000 psi of pressure under extremely high temperatures (at least 1500 celsius). 
• Usually graphite is used as the “diamond seed” and when subjected to these extreme conditions, the relatively inexpensive form of carbon turns into one of the most expensive carbon forms.
• Other processes include “Chemical Vapor Deposition” (CVD) and explosive formation that creates what are known as “detonation nanodiamonds”.

Uses of LGDs-

• LGDs have basic properties similar to natural diamonds, including their optical dispersion, which provide them the signature diamond sheen. 
• However, since they are created in controlled environments, many of their properties can be enhanced for various purposes.
• For instance, LGDs are most often used for industrial purposes, in machines and tools. Their hardness and extra strength make them ideal for use as cutters. 
• Furthermore, pure synthetic diamonds have high thermal conductivity, but negligible electrical conductivity. This combination is invaluable for electronics where such diamonds can be used as a heat spreader for high-power laser diodes, laser arrays and high-power transistors.
• Lastly, as the Earth’s reserves of natural diamonds are depleted, LGDs are slowly replacing the prized gemstone in the jewelry industry. 
• Crucially, like natural diamonds, LGDs undergo similar processes of polishing and cutting that are required to provide diamonds their characteristic lustre.
• Thus, growth in the production of LGDs is unlikely to affect India’s established diamond industry which undertakes these tasks.

New announcements-

• Finance Minister  has announced that customs duty on the seeds used in lab-grown diamond manufacturing will be reduced.
• She also announced a grant to IITs to facilitate the growth of LGDs in India.

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