As European capitals prepare to implement long-awaited sanctions on Russia's diamond exports, Belgian traders are bracing for new scrutiny of their industry. In Antwerp's renowned diamond district -- which handles an estimated 86 percent of the world's rough diamonds -- polishing "labs" are turning to blockchain technology to prove their gemstones come from legitimate mines in Africa, Australia or Canada, and not Russia. Frederik Degryse, CEO of iTraceiT, a company that specialises in traceability software, says that "potential looming G7 sanctions are pushing a lot of diamond companies to become a lot more transparent" and that as a result, "the majority of diamond players have adopted some form of traceability." IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES