London, England -- A diamond researcher has some convincing reasons why diamonds aren't a girl's best friend.

Janine Roberts' new book "Glitter & Greed: The Secret World of the Diamond Cartel" (The Disinformation Company) exposes the unromantic side of diamonds due to the "cartel" that keeps prices high and the human rights violations of diamond diggers.

Roberts claims diamonds are more common than stones like sapphires, but diamond supplier De Beers keeps the volume low to keep the price high.

Other nuggets of info...

-- Roberts has seen scientists "grow diamonds" using methane and oxygen which she says means diamonds are nothing more than "crystallized farts."

-- Diamonds are mined in Africa where workers earn $10 per carat. Then they're cut in India for the ridiculously low wage of 25 cents per diamond.

-- Finally, a mine in the state of Arkansas, deemed as good as any in Africa, was sabotaged in the 1910s by the cartel before it ever opened in order to keep America's diamond supply low.

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