Socially responsible diamonds

Diamonds without ethical issues sparkle for Canada

TORONTO (Reuters) - In the Arctic, high above the treeline, Canada's third diamond mine is rumbling toward full production, cementing the country's position as a hotspot for diamonds -- without "the issues" and without the blood.

The Jericho mine, operated by Toronto-based Tahera Diamond Corp. (TAH.TO: Quote, Profile, Research), is the first diamond mine in the vast northern territory of Nunavut, created in 1999 to give Canada's Inuit people a bigger political voice.

It shows how global demand for "a girl's best friend" is growing in a country better known for its trees, oil, and nickel.

"Not only is the quality of our diamonds of a high caliber, but the diamonds in Canada are being mined to the highest environmental standard in the world. There are no issues: no child labor, no war, no environmental problems," said Pierre Leblanc, principal with privately owned Canadian Diamond Consultants Inc.

They should call them peace diamonds