Scio's CEO provides insight to the science behind Scio Diamond Technology Corporation

GREER, SC, Oct. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ - (OTCBB: SCIO) SCIO DIAMOND TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION is pleased to release a statement from Mr. Joseph Lancia, CEO of Scio Diamond Technology Corporation, as he provides insight to the science behind the company.

Introduction
SCIO Diamond cultivates laboratory diamonds. SCIO Diamonds are an important component of the diamond jewelry market.  In the technology area, we anticipate that diamonds will become the optimal operating system platform for future technology applications and as an industrial material will become the wear resistant material of choice.  The diamond jewel market is already at $70B with demand growing dramatically over the next five years, without the natural resources to support it.  We hold 13 patents and have over 40 pending regarding our technology. Our diamond has been rated by renowned gemologist as having all the characteristics inherent to a natural diamond.  Therefore, it is diamond.

The SCIO Diamond Difference
The uniqueness of the Scio Diamond lies in our superior technology for growing the highest quality diamond, in mass quantities, at lower production costs and with lower capital intensity.  Scio Diamond stones share identical optical, chemical, and physical properties of natural diamonds. They have the same brilliance, luster, hardness, and toughness. Diamond testing confirms these are real diamonds. A full grading certificate is available for stones. This certificate is issued by an authoritative, independent Gemological Lab, GSI (Gemological Science International New York). The certificate confirms the weight, cut, clarity, color, symmetry as well as the polish quality of the diamond. These attributes will allow the long awaited use of diamond in critical industrial uses, such as semiconductor, water purification, medical devices and laser technology to name a few.  Our focused R&D efforts in these fields, coupled with strategic partnerships, within these industries, government and higher education will, in a reasonably short time period, allow these usages to become a reality at acceptable commercial and quality levels.

Albeit, there is a tremendous opportunity in the gem side of the business and Scio Diamond will capitalize through shear economies of scale, our mission is to be the "leader" in driving the admission of diamond technology into the industrial sector.

The SCIO Process
We employ a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process to produce high quality single crystal diamond in a controlled environment.  SCIO Diamond has industrialized this process.  Our Diamond Technology production process is scalable to the quality and quantity based on demand.  It allows for concurrent production of multiple diamond crystals.  Most importantly, unlike the linear technology production augmentation processes that increase capital and operational costs, our processes decrease costs with increased production.

Industrial Applications

The Company believes a number of previously identified "critical market needs" will translate into $1 billion-plus market opportunities for our materials. In addition to the existing opportunity for our cultivated diamond gemstones, development of various prototype technology devices has already begun and it is expected that high volume introduction in technology applications will occur during the next two to five years.

Following are examples of current development projects utilizing the Company's diamond materials:

• Lasers
  
• Quantum Communication and Computing
  
• High-Voltage Power Switching
  
• Water Treatment and Purification

With one of our partners we have created a diamond laser scalpel.  The cutting edge is made of diamond giving the scalpel an ability to transfer laser technology to the point of incision, creating an immediate cauterization.  Previously we used a .5 carat diamond to give you an idea of production rates for the next couple of years and beyond.  In that example we used a 20 day average growing period for 8-24 diamonds.  In the case of the laser scalpel, the grow time for the required diamond size and quality is reduced to 4 days allowing 70 plus reactor turns per year.  Therefore the yield from one machine is 1500-2000 useable scalpel diamonds.

About Scio Diamond Corporation is based in Greer, South Carolina. Scio Diamond employs a chemical deposition process to produce high-quality, single-crystal diamonds. Our diamond materials are grown in a controlled laboratory setting. As such, we refer to our laboratory grown diamonds as "lab-grown" diamonds.

Scio lab-grown diamonds have the identical chemical, physical and optical properties as any diamond found in the earth. Through our highly controlled manufacturing process we are able to produce very high-quality, high-purity, single-crystal colorless, near colorless and fancy colored diamond.  Our technology will permit us to produce lab-grown diamond in size, color, and quality combinations that are rare, if at all present in nature. Our diamonds are now being offered in limited quantities as jewelry and in the technology arena as the material operating system of the future.

Forward-Looking Statements You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements in this press release. This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Words such as "will," "anticipates," "believes," "plans," "goal," "expects," "future," "intends," and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements for many reasons, including the risks we face as described in this press release.

SOURCE Scio Diamond