Diamonds: Natural, Synthetic & Simulated

[EnolaGaia]

Diamonds can be produced by massive impacts as well as surfacing from deep volcanic pipes. The area surrounding Popigai crater (an asteroidal impact crater in Siberia) represents one of the world's biggest diamond fields.

Popigai: Russia’s Crater of Diamonds – Estimated To Contain “Trillions of Carats”

About 36 million years ago, an asteroid slammed into northern Siberia and created one of the largest craters on Earth. Streaking in at an estimated speed of 20 kilometers (12 miles) per second, the asteroid made an impact that ejected millions of metric tons of material into the air. The asteroid—between 5 and 8 kilometers (3 to 5 miles) wide—created a crater nearly 100 kilometers (60 miles) in diameter.

Popigai crater is the fourth largest verified impact crater on Earth, tying the Manicouagan Reservoir in Canada. The three larger craters are either buried (Chicxulub), deformed (Sudbury), or severely eroded and deformed (Vredefort). Popigai has only been slightly modified by erosion, leaving it as one of the most well-preserved craters in the world. ...

... The impact from the asteroid melted 1,750 cubic kilometers (420 cubic miles) of rocks and instantly transformed the flakes of graphite into diamonds. Diamonds formed in a hemispherical shell about 1.6 kilometers (a mile) thick and about 12 to 13 kilometers away from the impact site. Scientists estimate that diamonds did not form at the impact site because the collision’s heat and pressure were likely too great to survive there.

Popigai crater is the site of one of the largest diamond fields in the world today, estimated to contain “trillions of carats.” Because they were formed instantly, the “impact diamonds” did not have time to develop as large, single gemstones. Most are polycrystalline stones smaller than two millimeters and with low purity, making them better for industrial uses than for jewelry. ...

FULL STORY: https://scitechdaily.com/popigai-ru...nds-estimated-to-contain-trillions-of-carats/

 

[EnolaGaia]

A stone believed to be the 3rd-largest diamond on earth has been discovered in Botswana.

Third-largest diamond on Earth uncovered in Africa, miners say

Miners in Botswana have unearthed a stunning, 1,098-carat diamond that may be the third-largest diamond in the world, according to news reports.

The giant gem was uncovered June 1 in the Jwaneng mine in southern Botswana, which is considered the world's most valuable mine ... A spokesperson for mining company Debswana — a joint venture between the De Beers corporation and the government of Botswana — said that the whopping gemstone is the largest diamond ever discovered in the company's five-decade history.

Botswana is Africa's leading diamond producer... , and is also home to the mine where the world's second-largest diamond — a 1,109-carat stone called the Lesedi La Rona — was unearthed in 2015. ...

FULL STORY (With Photo): https://www.livescience.com/worlds-third-largest-diamond-botswana.html

 

[EnolaGaia]

Newly published research findings indicate some diamonds form deep in the earth from carbon recycled from formerly living organisms.

Some Rare Diamonds Form Out of The Remains of Once-Living Creatures, New Study Finds

Despite humanity's intense fascination with sparkly pieces of carbon, it seems there is still plenty to learn about how diamonds form deep within our planet.

New research has discovered that two different types of rare diamonds share a common origin story – the recycling of once-living organisms over 400 kilometers (250 miles) below the surface. ...

"Bringing new meaning to the old trash to treasure adage, this research discovered that Earth's engine actually turns organic carbon into diamonds many hundreds of kilometers below the surface" ...

"Ballooning rocks from Earth's deeper mantle, called mantle plumes, then carry the diamonds back up to Earth's surface via volcanic eruptions for humans to enjoy as sought-after gemstones." ...

But this new research isn't the end of the story – not by a long shot. The scientists aren't sure why these deep, rare diamonds found deeper than the lithosphere are using this recycled organic carbon. ...

FULL STORY: https://www.sciencealert.com/rare-d...and-formed-hundreds-of-kilometers-underground

PUBLISHED RESEARCH REPORT: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-96286-8

 

[Nosmo King]

Newly published research findings indicate some diamonds form deep in the earth from carbon recycled from formerly living organisms.

FULL STORY: https://www.sciencealert.com/rare-d...and-formed-hundreds-of-kilometers-underground

PUBLISHED RESEARCH REPORT: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-96286-8

I seem to remember there is a company that will turn your loved ones cremated remains into diamonds.

After a brief search there appears to be quite a few companies, this one is UK based.
https://www.lonite.co.uk/?gclid=Cj0...7_KdnVhJNubBtN3UtLn2nz5VpbCop-FUaAhAXEALw_wcB

 

[EnolaGaia]

A California woman visiting the Crater of Diamonds in Arkansas found a 4.38-carat yellow diamond - the largest diamond found there since this time last year.

Crater of Diamonds visitor finds 4.38-carat yellow diamond

A California woman visiting the Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas found a 4.38-carat yellow diamond after less than an hour of searching, officials said.

Arkansas State Parks said Noreen Wredberg ... had been looking for gems in an open field for about 40 minutes when she spotted something shiny on the surface. ...

"I didn't know it was a diamond then, but it was clean and shiny, so I picked it up," Wredberg recalled.

Wredberg's husband, Michael, took her find to the Diamond Discovery Center, where it was identified as a 4.38-carat yellow diamond.

"When I first saw this diamond under the microscope, I thought, 'Wow, what a beautiful shape and color,'" Park Superintendent Caleb Howell said. "Mrs. Wredberg's diamond weighs more than four carats and is about the size of a jellybean, with a pear shape and a lemonade yellow color."

Officials said Wredberg's discovery is the largest diamond found at the park since October 2020. ...

FULL STORY: https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2021/0...Noreen-Wredberg-yellow-diamond/6331633032710/

 

[hunck]

A 555.55-carat black diamond believed to come from space is going on sale​

The rare gem, which Sotheby's has dubbed "The Enigma," is believed to have come from outer space -- either created from a meteoric impact or from a "diamond-bearing" asteroid that collided with Earth.

A natural faceted black diamond of this size is an "extremely rare occurrence," according to Sotheby's, which expects it to sell for as much as £5 million ($6.8 million) when it goes under the hammer in February in London, after being exhibited in Dubai and Los Angeles.

Black diamonds, also known as Carbonado diamonds, can be dated to between 2.6 to 3.8 billion years ago and have trace amounts of nitrogen and hydrogen -- elements found in interstellar space. They also contain osbornite, a mineral present in meteorites.

The shape of the diamond is inspired by the Middle Eastern palm symbol of the Hamsa, a sign of protection, which means five in Arabic. The theme of five runs throughout the stone, according to the auctioneer. In addition to its 555.55 carats, it also contains exactly 55 facets, or faces.

Black diamonds that are faceted have sold in the past at prices surpassing £10,000 ($13,600) per carat, Sotheby's told CNN.

 

[Kondoru]

Now thats a thrilling piece of minerology, but some might say it looks too artificial.

 

[IbisNibs]

A 555.55-carat black diamond believed to come from space is going on sale​

The rare gem, which Sotheby's has dubbed "The Enigma," is believed to have come from outer space -- either created from a meteoric impact or from a "diamond-bearing" asteroid that collided with Earth.

A natural faceted black diamond of this size is an "extremely rare occurrence," according to Sotheby's, which expects it to sell for as much as £5 million ($6.8 million) when it goes under the hammer in February in London, after being exhibited in Dubai and Los Angeles.

More about Carbonado diamonds like this:
https://geology.com/diamond/carbonado/

Many properties of carbonado are determined by its occurrence as a microcrystalline aggregate. As a result it does not show the familiar octahedral, cubic or dodecahedral crystal forms displayed by other varieties of diamond. Crystal forms are hidden within the microcrystalline aggregate.

They are found in only two places in the world, the state of Bahia in eastern Brazil and in the Bangui Region in Central African Republic. There is no consensus on how they form, but one hypothesis is "formation in space, then a delivery to Earth."

"Enigma" seems a good choice of a name for this particular gem.

 

[EnolaGaia]

In case you've wondered how diamond-encrusted a diamond ring can be ...

Update ... The 2021 record has been broken (in India again ... ), where a ring has been certified as containing 24,679 diamonds.

Diamond ring earns Guinness World Record with 24,679 diamonds

An Indian jewelry company earned a Guinness World Record when it set a staggering 24,679 diamonds in a single ring.

Guinness announced SWA Diamonds earned the record for the large ring, which was dubbed "Ami," Sanskrit for "immortality." ...

The design of the ring was based on the pink oyster mushroom. ...

The ring, which weighs in at about 12 ounces, was valued by SWA Diamonds at $95,243.

SOURCE: https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2022/0...Records-most-diamonds-one-ring/8481657915549/

 

[EnolaGaia]

A very large (rare) pink diamond has been discovered in an Angolan mine.

Miners just discovered the largest pink diamond in more than 300 years

Miners in Angola have uncovered a massive pink diamond that may be the biggest gem of its kind found in the past 300 years.

The pink diamond is estimated to weigh 170 carats, making it just a smidge smaller than the 182-carat Daria-i-Noor diamond — the largest pink diamond in the world, which today is part of the Iranian National Jewels.

The new diamond has been nicknamed the "Lulo Rose," after the Lulo mine in northeastern Angola where it was found, according to a statement from the Lucapa Diamond Company, which owns Lulo and one other diamond mine in Angola. Since 2015, the Lulo mining project has uncovered 27 diamonds weighing more than 100 carats, including the largest diamond ever found in Angola: the 404-carat "4th February Stone," which sold for $16 million in 2016. ...

FULL STORY: https://www.livescience.com/lulo-rose-pink-diamond-angola

 

[EnolaGaia]

Visitors to the Crater of Diamonds park in Arkansas continue to find diamonds ...

Minnesota couple finds 1.9 carat diamond at Crater of Diamonds visit

A couple from Minnesota stopped at the Crater of Diamonds State Park while on their 10th-anniversary road trip where they found a nearly 2-carat brown diamond.

Jessica and Seth Erickson from Chatfield, Minn. found the diamond on the morning they visited America's only public diamond mine after an hour of wet sifting, Arkansas State Parks said in a statement ...

"They spent the morning digging dirt and by 11 a.m. were wet sifting at the North Washing Pavilion in the park’s 37.5-acre diamond search area" ...

"Although most diamonds are found after flipping gravel onto a flat surface, Seth first spotted a metallic-looking gem in the bottom of his screen after an hour of wet sifting. He knew right away it was a diamond and excitedly showed Jessica." ...

The Ericksons named their diamond HIMO, the four initials of each of their children. The light brown diamond weighed in at exactly 1.90 carats and "about the size of a pony bead." ...

According to park staff, about three-fourths of all diamonds registered at the Crater of Diamonds are found by wet sifting.

The park said as of Nov. 10, there have been 581 diamonds registered at Crater of Diamonds State Park in 2022. An average of one to two diamonds are found by park visitors each day. ...

SOURCE: https://www.kare11.com/article/life...onds/527-e5a3cd0f-f4be-4655-bd9f-c2608a75cebb