Diamond mineral
Diamonds are known to be a rare mineral, and they are made up of carbon, where the carbon atom is surrounded by four other carbon atoms connected by strong covalent bonds, and diamonds are considered one of the hardest natural materials known, in addition to being chemically resistant, and an excellent thermal conductor, and has special optical properties such as high refractive index And, high dispersion, and high luster, these unique properties made this mineral one of the most popular gem stones in the world, and in this article, this mineral and its source are extensively discussed.
Diamond mineral sources
Many people think that the source of diamonds is coal, but this information is wrong. There is no role for coal in the formation of diamonds, as most of the diamonds that have been dated are older than the first land plants on the surface of the earth, which are considered sources of coal. As for the real sources of natural diamonds, there are four that can be summarized as follows:
Deep volcanic eruptions
Geologists believe that diamonds are formed in the mantle layer under very high temperatures and pressures, and they are transported to the surface of the earth through deep volcanic eruptions that leave behind tubes called kimberlites and lamproites, which diamond prospectors are looking for, and in these eruptions the molten magma travels rapidly from the depths of the mantle layer passing through In the diamond settlement area, where diamonds and pieces of stones are pulled with it very quickly to the surface, these stones are called xenoliths and may be loaded with diamonds.
Ocean sediments
Small diamonds were found in rocks that were thrown to the mantle layer and formed what is called a subduction zone due to the movements of tectonic plates, where one of the converging plates slides from each other, forcing it to the mantle layer, and because it descends to the bottom, it will be subjected to an increase in pressure and temperature, and this type of rock Very rare, and if found, it is not suitable for commercial use.
Asteroids collision
Diamonds are found in and around craters and craters resulting from asteroids colliding with the Earth’s surface, so that they produce tremendous force, pressure and very high temperatures upon collision. These conditions are sufficient to form diamonds, especially if the target rocks contain carbon. For example, diamonds were found in The Popigai Crater in Northern Siberia, Russia, as well as a small diamond was found in the Metur Crater in Arizona.
Meteorites
NASA researchers have found large numbers of nanodiamonds in some meteorites, so that 3 percent of the carbon in these meteorites is converted to these diamonds, and it is believed that these diamonds may have formed in space during high-speed collisions and other strong events, These diamonds are very small and used as gemstones or industrial abrasives. For example, Smithsonian researchers found large numbers of tiny diamonds when they cut a sample from the Allen Hills meteorite.
Countries that produce diamonds
There are seven countries that have led the world to produce diamonds for more than a decade over time, they produce nearly more than a million carats annually, and they depend on the amount of production: Russia, Botswana, Canada, Angola, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Namibia, and there A group of other countries produce less than a million carats annually and have less market control than the previous group, and they are according to the amount of production: Australia, Ghana, Guinea, Guyana, Lesotho, Sierra Leone, Togo and Zimbabwe
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