Element Six Opens World’s Largest Synthetic Diamond R&D Facility

(IDEX Online News) – Synthetic diamond company Element Six, part of the De Beers Group of Companies, yesterday opened what it called the world's largest and most sophisticated synthetic diamond research and development facility. The $32m Global Innovation Center (GIC) located at Harwell, near Oxford in the UK, was opened by Science Minister David Willetts MP and Philippe Mellier, chairman of Element Six and CEO of De Beers.

The 500-square meter facility, which employs more than 100 scientists and technologists, consolidates Element Six's global innovation teams into one integrated center.

Element Six said the center will develop a pipeline of innovative synthetic diamond and related supermaterial products for customers, in industries from oil and gas drilling to precision machining and electronics. It said that the new GIC will allow for the rapid development of customized material within abrasive and technology applications, which will enable extreme leaps in end-application performance and productivity.

Facilities at the GIC include modeling and design, materials preparation, a High Pressure High Temperature synthesis press hall, Chemical Vapour Deposition reactor synthesis labs,  post-synthesis processing (e.g. polishing, cutting, shaping),  materials analysis/characterization and end application testing.

"Our new state-of-the-art Global Innovation Center will consolidate and strengthen our innovation capability,” said Walter Huehn, Element Six CEO. “For the first time in the global synthetic diamond industry, we can partner with customers to rapidly design, manufacture and test market-ready solutions all under 'one roof.' Quite simply the GIC puts Element Six at the forefront of diamond technology."

While Element Six supplies lab-made diamonds for industrial use, there are some concerns in the industry that it is using its expertise to supply the gem-quality sector as well.