Ethically-sourced diamonds sustain communities around the globe. Knowing where your diamond comes from means you can be confident that your diamond was mined responsibly and positively impacted its local community. As the world leader in gemological research, GIA leverages over 90 years of scientific and gemological knowledge combined with cutting-edge technology to deliver rough-to-polished matching confirmation, so that you know exactly where your diamond came from. In creating GIA’s Diamond Origin, our goal is to make diamonds a force for positive social change, because greater transparency leads to greater accountability.

Before diamond mining began in Canada, the government and the people made it clear that any work would require special attention to the environment and to the indigenous people in the region. The mining industry has brought billions of dollars in economic activity to the Northwest Territories contributing revenue that has improved the socio-economic well-being of Canadian citizens, and offering new prospects for independent businesses.

Diamond mining in northern Canada specifically benefits Canada’s First Nations, which consist of over 600 communities of more than 50 nations of indigenous people. Before mining began, agreements were signed with five of these First Nations to guarantee that members received jobs, training, scholarships and financial support. These promises are now realities: A significant percentage of the workforce at the mines are First Nations members, and jobs pay about twice the national average wage.

The ice roads built and maintained by the mining companies provide benefit to the people as well, by creating the only land-route to deliver much needed supplies to replenish stocks of food, fuel and building materials for the dozens of tribes who occupy this remote land. Transporting items by air is expensive and out of reach for these villages, making the ice roads a lifeline for these communities.

Strict environmental laws require mining sites be fully restored to their original state. This means all buildings and equipment must be removed. Rock piles must match the original landscape and slopes must be stabilized to protect humans and wildlife. The goal is to result in a neutral effect on the balance of nature in this sensitive environment, ensuring that miners leave the land as close as possible to how they found it.

Canada is a relatively new diamond producer. While alluvial diamonds found in the United States and southern Canada in the late 1800s suggested that glaciers may have transported the crystals from Hudson Bay in northeastern Canada, it wasn’t until the 1990s that the first kimberlite was discovered. In April 1990, after a decade of exploration across 750 miles (1,130 km) in the Northwest Territories, the discovery of chrome diopside (a bright green indicator mineral) suggested a kimberlite pipe nearby, and led to the first major diamond mine, Ekati. This find triggered an exploration rush that thrust the country into the ranks of the world’s top diamond producing nations.

The Northwest Territories cover more than 700,000 square miles (1,813,00 square km) in Canada filled with pristine lakes and unspoiled tundra. It has one of the world’s harshest climates. The region must be accessed by air, except for about three months during the winter, when ice roads, built and maintained by the mining companies, allow vehicles to move through the region. The sub-arctic climate made it difficult to attract other industries, but diamond mining has flourished in the past 20 years, bringing employment and prosperity to the province, which has a population of under 60,000 mainly clustered around the capital, Yellowknife.

After Ekati, two other major diamond mines were discovered and developed in the Northwest Territories: Diavik and Gahcho Kué. Explorations in other parts of Canada led to the development of the Renard mine in Quebec and the Victor mine in Ontario with further, promising searches proceeding in Saskatchewan and elsewhere in the Northwest Territories.

Together, Canada’s diamond mines are responsible for nearly 6,000 jobs, including suppliers and contractors in some of the most remote parts of the country.