DiamondBuzz
Lab grown Lonsdaleite: Chinese scientists create hexagonal diamond harder than natural diamonds
A groundbreaking discovery by Chinese scientists has led to the creation of an artificial diamond that surpasses natural diamonds in strength and heat resistance. Lonsdaleite is an allotrope of carbon that has a hexagonal crystal structure, rather than the cubic lattice of conventional diamond. It was first identified in 1967 from the Canyon Diablo meteorite, in Arizona, USA, regarded as one of the best-preserved meteorite craters on Earth. It was named after crystallographer Professor Dame Kathleen Lonsdale.
This new form, known as hexagonal diamond or lonsdaleite, has long been theorized to be harder than traditional diamonds but has remained difficult to synthesize in the lab. Recent advancements in material science have now made it possible, opening up exciting possibilities for industrial and commercial applications.
Scientists at Jilin University in China have successfully created an artificial diamond that surpasses natural ones in hardness and heat resistance. By heating compressed graphite under precise conditions, they have produced high-quality hexagonal diamonds, a structure known as lonsdaleite. This rare form, typically found in meteorite impact sites, has long been difficult to replicate in laboratories. The newly developed material exhibits remarkable structural integrity, promising advancements in various industries. A team from Jilin University and Sun Yat-sen University say their lab-grown version is at least 40 per cent harder and far more durable than a natural diamond.
“Our findings offer valuable insights regarding the graphite-to-diamond conversion under elevated pressure and temperature, providing opportunities for the fabrication and applications of this unique material,” they say in the journal Nature Materials.Their lab grown Lonsdaleite is likely to be used in a new generation of superconductors.
DiamondBuzz
De Beers Sale Could Take 18 Months To Clear Regulatory Hurdles: Duncan Wanblad
The strategic divestment of De Beers highlights the persistent friction between corporate portfolio optimization and multi-jurisdictional regulatory compliance.
The long-awaited sale of De Beers could easily take 18 months to clear regulatory hurdles, says Duncan Wanblad, CEO of parent company Anglo American, once a deal is finally agreed.
Wanblad has, however, insisted that the company is not exclusive with any consortium and that more than one group remains involved in the process.
The strategic divestment of De Beers by Anglo American highlights the persistent friction between corporate portfolio optimization and multi-jurisdictional regulatory compliance.
Initiated in May 2024 as part of a sweeping restructuring, Anglo’s decision to offload its loss-making diamond unit was designed to sharpen capital allocation around core, high-margin assets like copper and iron ore.
However, CEO Duncan Wanblad’s candid assessment underscores a critical transactional reality: securing a signed agreement is merely the precursor to a prolonged regulatory clearance phase.
While Anglo American maintains a target to agree on deal terms by the end of 2026, market expectations regarding transaction completion require re-calibration. Antitrust approvals across key diamond consumption and trading hubs—most notably the United States, China, and the European Union—could extend the execution window by up to 18 months post-signing.
Given De Beers’ historical market concentration and influence across global supply chains, international competition authorities will undoubtedly subject any structural change in ownership to intense scrutiny.
 Although the Global Diamond Consortium, spearheaded by former De Beers managing director Gareth Penny, has positioned itself as a primary contender, Anglo American has deliberately avoided granting exclusivity. While maintaining multiple bidding tracks preserves commercial leverage, it delays the precise regulatory preparation required for closing. Formal filings cannot be finalized until the specific jurisdictional footprint and capital background of the acquiring consortium are locked in.
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