No, India was not the only place where diamonds were found until the late 20th century - FACTLY
Sai Krishna Muthyanolla
July 13, 2022
A social media post which claims that ‘until 1986, India was the only official place where diamonds were found’, is being widely circulated across platforms. Through this article let’s fact-check the claim made in the post.
Claim: ‘Until 1986, India was the only official place where diamonds were found’.
Fact: India is believed to be the only producer of diamonds till 17 century and dominant producer till the 18 century. However, following the depletion of diamond reserves in India and the discovery of diamonds in Brazil (early 1700s) and African countries (late 1800s), the prominence of India in diamond production decreased. Later, African countries dominated the diamond market from late 19 century. By late 20 century, India lost its prominence in rough diamonds production. Hence the claim made in the post is MISLEADING.
India is believed to be the first country where diamonds were found and traded. Some historians estimate that India was trading in diamonds as early as the 4th century BC. However, neither did India dominate the diamond trade nor is the only place where diamonds were found up until the late 20 century as claimed in the viral post.
It is true that until 17th century, India was thought to be the only producer of diamonds and dominant producer till the 18 century (here & here). However, following the depletion of diamond reserves in India and the discovery of diamonds in Brazil (early 1700s) and African countries (late 1800s), the prominence of India in diamond production decreased. Diamonds were also explored in mid-19 century in Australia.
According to the Gemological Institute of America, India was the main global supplier of diamonds prior to the discovery of diamonds in Brazil in early 1700s. Brazil remained as the main source of diamonds for about next 150 years (here & here).
Later, the story of the modern diamond market began on the African continent, with the 1866 discovery of diamonds in Kimberley, South Africa. At the end of the 1970s, the world’s most important rough diamond producers were South Africa, Zaire (now renamed the Democratic Republic of Congo), and the former Soviet Union. And by 1990, ninety percent of the worlds rough diamonds were produced from South African mines.
As far as India is concerned, according to a report by the Geological survey of India, in 1947, production of diamond was solely from Panna district (M.P.) with just 1,284 carats. This trend continued till 1967. The status of diamond production in India over the years can be viewed here. All these establish that diamonds were discovered in many parts of the world and India is not the only prominent producer of diamonds by the late 20th century.
To sum it up, India was not the only place where diamonds were found until the late 20 century.