A startup is capturing CO2 from the sky and creating diamonds. These precious stones will now help us combat climate change.
A startup is capturing CO2 from the sky and creating diamonds. (Photo: iStock)
When we think of diamonds, certain images come to mind; wealthy individuals wearing them or miners working tirelessly to extract “blood diamonds.” Unfortunately, diamond mining is an industry fraught with human rights concerns, even with the Kimberley Process (an international cooperation framework among multiple countries, organizations, and the diamond industry to certify that diamonds sold in the market are sourced cleanly, free from conflict and bloodshed in African regions).
However, Aether Diamonds, a startup founded in 2018 and based in New York City, has become the first producer to use atmospheric carbon to create sustainable diamonds.
“Standard” Diamonds?
According to Aether, each carat of diamond sold corresponds to 20 tons of CO2 extracted from the atmosphere, utilizing a combination of direct air capture (DAC) methods and other carbon removal techniques involving long-term carbon sequestration. The CO2 extraction for one carat of diamond can offset the average American’s carbon emissions for 1.25 years.
DAC is a process that captures carbon dioxide (CO2) directly from the air and produces a concentrated stream of CO2 for use in carbon-neutral fuel production and other applications.
This production method can help combat climate change by removing carbon from the atmosphere and also aids the industry by preventing human rights violations in diamond mining.
Diamonds made from air also indirectly reduce the issue of “blood diamonds”.
Direct air capture has been part of Aether Diamonds‘ mission from the beginning. Founders Shearman and Wojno established the company after learning about direct air capture technology in 2018. They diligently researched how to create diamonds using carbon sourced from the air.
Last year, Aether Diamonds produced hundreds of carats of diamonds and began delivering the first diamonds to customers in mid-2021. Currently, the company plans to produce thousands of carats of diamonds in 2022.
Aether Diamonds has now achieved certified B Corp status.
To obtain B Corp Certification, a company must demonstrate high social and environmental performance, fulfill legal commitments by altering its corporate governance structure to ensure accountability, and show transparency. However, achieving this certification is not easy. Of the more than 100,000 companies that have applied for certification in the past decade, only about 4,000 have succeeded.
Each carat of diamond sold corresponds to 20 tons of CO2 extracted from the atmosphere.
How are diamonds created from CO2?
Aether Diamonds begins the diamond production process by purchasing carbon dioxide (CO2) from Climeworks, a leading direct air capture company based in Switzerland, and transporting it to the United States. Aether then uses this CO2 in a proprietary process, converting it into high-purity methane (CH4). The methane is then directly injected into diamond reactors, where a chemical vapor deposition method is employed to produce rough diamond material within weeks.
The chemical vapor deposition process heats the gas to very high temperatures in near-vacuum conditions, consuming a significant amount of energy. However, as the company aims to address climate change, Aether’s chemical vapor deposition and other production stages utilize energy from carbon-free sources such as solar and nuclear power.
The finished diamonds are sent to Surat, India, for cutting and polishing, and then returned to the diamond district of New York City for market distribution.
