Diamonds are incredible precious stones that are found deep within the core of the Earth. They are formed over millions and years and can be used in everything from jewellery throughto medical equipment. They can be cleaned effectively by using a Large Ultrasonic Cleaner like the ones available from www.hilsonic.co.uk/. These cleaners are perfect for cleaning items that are oddly shaped or that are intricate in design.
Here are some interesting facts about diamonds that you might not be aware of.
- Among all the natural substances on earth, diamonds have the highest degree of hardness. It has been said that a diamond cannot be scratched except by another diamond! Diamonds are made up of only one element. This element is Carbon.
- A diamond is formed approximately 100 miles below the surface of the earth and is brought to the surface by volcanic activity in what is known as Kimberlite Pipes.
- In addition to the colours of the rainbow, diamonds are found in every shape and size. Blue, green, orange, and red are the most rare colours of natural diamonds.
- It is from the Greek word “Adamas” that the word diamond is derived. This word means indestructible or invincible.
- Diamonds were regarded as sacred objects by many ancient cultures. The wearing of diamonds was believed by some to provide their wearers with courage and strength during battle. It used to be believed that diamonds had healing properties during the Middle Ages.
- The world’s largest rough diamond was found in 1905, making it the largest diamond in history. This diamond was called the Cullinan diamond and weighed 3,106 carats. In a later stage, the stone was cut into many diamonds, nine large diamonds and 100 smaller diamonds.
- In the past, most of the diamonds found in the world were found in India, dating back to the 18th century.There have been several changes in the primary source of diamonds in the world over the years. In the present day, diamonds are found in many countries all over the world.
Where coloured diamonds are found
Diamonds form in the mantle, the layer between the Earth’s crust and its core, where carbon atoms bond into crystals under intense pressure. Their colour is influenced by how elements such as nitrogen are spread through the stone, and different parts of the world are known for different shades.
The Argyle mine in remote north west Australia became famous as the source of around 90 per cent of the world’s pink diamonds, although pinks were only a tiny share of its output, and it also produced champagne brown stones. Africa supplies most of the world’s orange diamonds, with the Congo a particular hot spot. South Africa, home of the renowned Cullinan mine, is known for blue and yellow diamonds, and black diamonds often come from Central Africa.
Siberia produces purple diamonds. India gave the world the Hope and Wittelsbach-Graff diamonds, and the Golconda region is known for blue stones. Natural green diamonds are extremely rare but have been found in South America, and Brazil has produced blue, brown, pink, red and yellow diamonds.
Why some diamonds are coloured
Most people picture diamonds as clear, white stones, but they also occur in a range of rare colours. Coloured diamonds form in the same way as white ones, with one difference. During crystallisation, other elements or structural defects become part of the stone, and these determine its colour.
Red and pink diamonds are the rarest. Red stones have only been found in a few places, including Australia, Brazil and Africa. Pink colour comes from intense heat and pressure distorting the crystal as it forms, which changes how it absorbs light. Blue diamonds owe their colour to boron, and some grey diamonds contain boron too, while others have a hydrogen defect that absorbs light evenly across the spectrum.
Violet diamonds are less rare than red ones and have been found in Western Australia. Their colour is thought to be linked to hydrogen in the crystal or to distortion. Black diamonds are full of dark inclusions such as graphite, which stop them reflecting light. Each colour makes these stones especially prized in jewellery.
How diamonds reach the surface
A popular belief is that diamonds are made from compressed coal, but that is not true. Coal forms from plant material in horizontal layers of sedimentary rock, while diamonds are far older and are found in vertical columns of igneous rock.
Diamonds form deep in the Earth’s mantle, in a region known as the diamond stability zone, roughly 90 miles below the surface. Only there are the heat and pressure intense enough to turn carbon into diamond. At that depth they would normally stay out of reach for ever.
They reach us thanks to rare, powerful volcanic eruptions that originate deep in the mantle. These tear diamond bearing rock away from the stability zone and carry it rapidly upwards into the crust, where it can eventually be mined. Many of the diamonds found today were brought up this way millions of years ago. A much rarer route involves asteroid impacts, which can briefly create the extreme pressure and heat needed to form diamonds at the point of collision.