Diamonds are the hardest, naturally occurring material on the planet. Their formation is possible only at the extreme pressures existent in the earth’s core or at the site of a meteor crash where, in the single moment of impact, the same level of pressure is created. The rarity of naturally occurring diamonds have made them one of the most expensive and sought after luxuries and men go to great lengths to excavate them from the earth. Here are some of the most common ways in which diamonds are mined. 
  Open Pit Mining Also called “strip mining”, open pit mining is probably the most common of the mining techniques used today. It involves digging, via explosives and large machinery, a massive pit in the earth so that people can extract the precious stones hidden in the ground. Open pit mining is used in sites where the ground is structurally unstable and therefore not safe for tunneling mining methods. Because it displaces a large amount of earth, open pit mining has long been a target of environmentalist groups who argue against the ecosystemic damage that can be caused by open pits.