Natural diamonds are one of the most beautiful and brilliant elements ever produced. It is in the creation of the diamond that makes it so rare and valuable. Diamonds can be created within a lab setting, but to achieve the “Fire and Brilliance” present in a natural diamond; it takes time, intense pressure, significant heat and carbon.
The unique beauty found in the natural diamond is achieved in the process of its creation, which takes place 75-120 miles below the surface of the earth where temperatures can range from 900ºC to 1300ºC and pressure is 50,000 times that of atmospheric pressure. Diamonds are the only gems known to man that are made of a single element: carbon.
To form a diamond, carbon escapes from the melting of pre-existing rocks in the Earth’s upper mantle. An overabundance of carbon atoms exist in the mantle and temperature changes in the upper mantle will force the atoms deeper and new rocks are formed when the temperature decreases. When the proper pressure and chemistry are in place, the atoms will combine their cubic molecular form to ultimately create diamond crystals.
Diamonds are created along with cratons, deep keel-like roots of old stable continental crust. Cratons are formed near the bottom of plates at the same time and location as the formation of the diamond. Diamonds will remain among the cratons unless they are brought closer to the earth’s surface through natural processes.
This process takes place deep below the surface of the earth and without some form of intense pressure to bring the diamonds closer to the surface; they would remain out of reach. Volcanic eruptions provide the necessary force to dislodge the diamond crystals, which will then make their way to the surface through pipes and channels that contain the magma from the volcano.
Diamond deposits that make it to the surface of the earth are called Kimberlite Pipes or Blue Ground. Overtime, erosion can move diamond deposits to riverbeds, which are known as Alluvial Deposits. It is said that every 100 tons of mud produces one carat of a diamond, which will literally be a diamond in the rough.
Geologists estimate that it takes anywhere from 1 billion to 3.3 billion years to complete the entire process of creating a single natural diamond. This timing is estimated to represent 25-75 percent of the life of the earth, indicating that diamonds have been in at least the formation process for nearly as long as the earth has been in existence. This fact alone lends to the unique characteristics of the stones.
The beauty of the natural diamond is certainly something that is created by nature and the brilliance achieved depends completely on the circumstances of the stone’s creation billions of years ago. When that natural diamond is placed in an appropriate setting, the bearer of the stone is truly wearing a timeless work of art.
Sam Kritsotakis – Your Private Jeweller
Eskae Jewellery
0 Response to “Diamonds – How Are They Formed?”