Penguins: Now officially fucked!

[Mysturji]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25417441
I give it 5 years tops before mining starts.

[klr]

"However it is up for review in 2041 ..."

That's a long time in global politics.

[mistermack]

"However it is up for review in 2041 ..."

That's a long time in global politics.

It's a long time in technology as well.
At the moment, most industrial diamonds are man-made. But I think it's more expensive to make large gem-quality diamonds, than it is to dig them up.

But by 2041, surely it will be cheaper to make them, than dig them up.
Especially in Antarctic conditions.

Although, I guess there will always be a snob value attached to dug-up diamonds that synthesised ones won't have.

[cronus]

Fuck the penguins, what have they ever done for us?

[klr]

"However it is up for review in 2041 ..."

That's a long time in global politics.

It's a long time in technology as well.
At the moment, most industrial diamonds are man-made. But I think it's more expensive to make large gem-quality diamonds, than it is to dig them up.

But by 2041, surely it will be cheaper to make them, than dig them up.
Especially in Antarctic conditions.

Very true ...

Although, I guess there will always be a snob value attached to dug-up diamonds that synthesised ones won't have.

Also very true, but that will be more than offset by the shame at owning a diamond that was mined by digging up Antarctica.

[mistermack]

Also very true, but that will be more than offset by the shame at owning a diamond that was mined by digging up Antarctica.

Maybe, but the mining companies will offset that shame, by sponsoring the penguins at London Zoo.

So everyone's a winner !!

[klr]

Also very true, but that will be more than offset by the shame at owning a diamond that was mined by digging up Antarctica.

Maybe, but the mining companies will offset that shame, by sponsoring the penguins at London Zoo.

So everyone's a winner !!

There'll still be penguins at London Zoo?

There'll still be a London Zoo?

There'll still be a London?

[mistermack]

Also very true, but that will be more than offset by the shame at owning a diamond that was mined by digging up Antarctica.

Maybe, but the mining companies will offset that shame, by sponsoring the penguins at London Zoo.

So everyone's a winner !!

There'll still be penguins at London Zoo?

There'll still be a London Zoo?

There'll still be a London?

There will, unless global warming REALLY takes off, in which case, London will be under water, and the penguins will escape.

But on the plus side, the Antarctic Ice will have melted, and we can just walk around, and pick up the diamonds, off the ground.

Every cloud . . . .

[klr]

But Smaug will have hoarded them all.

[cronus]

But Smaug will have hoarded them all.

Don't know what's living under the ice?

[FBM]

Fuck the penguins, what have they ever done for us?

[Clinton Huxley]

You have to dig up the ice to get at the ice.

[jaydot]

there's already a glut of diamonds. the cartel keeps them off the market to keep prices high. there's also untapped sources in siberia that are a lot easier to get at before venturing into the antarctic.

[Mysturji]

"Real" diamonds are worth a heap big more than artificial diamonds.
In fact, I think they dig for "real" diamonds using drills tipped with artificial diamonds.
Penguins: At least as doomed as Rationalia.

[Faithfree]

there's already a glut of diamonds. the cartel keeps them off the market to keep prices high. there's also untapped sources in siberia that are a lot easier to get at before venturing into the antarctic.

Geologist hat on: diamonds are way more common than people are lead to believe. It's a totally artificial market.