this post was submitted on 01 Jun 2025
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Futurology

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Diamond prices are down 60% since a 2011 high, and they are still falling. It's not all down to lab-grown diamonds, demand is down too, especially in China.

No one can lab-grow gold yet, so its rarity and scarcity protect its value, but that will end too. It's just a question of when. China launched an asteroid touch-down mission this week, which will make it the 4th country/region to do so, after Europe, the US & Japan.

How soon will it be feasible to mine asteroids? Who knows, but a breakthrough in space propulsion might mean the prospect happens quickly when it does. It's possible gold has twenty years or less of being high value left.

The $80 Billion Diamond Market Crash Leaves De Beers Reeling

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 4 days ago (2 children)

So easy, why hasn't anyone done it already????

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

I mean, most space travel ideas haven't been done, even ones that are many decades old. Shit's expensive and risky, both as an investment and an activity.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)

For the same reason most other things involving space haven't been done yet. We as a species suck at prioritising stuff and allocating resources