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Diamonds ascend to the Earth's surface in rare molten rock, or magma that originates at great depths. Carrying diamonds and other samples from Earth's mantle, this magma rises and erupts in small but violent volcanoes.
Just beneath such volcanoes is a carrot-shaped "pipe" filled with volcanic rock, mantle fragments, and some embedded diamonds. The rock is called kimberlite after the city of Kimberley, South Africa, where the pipes were first discovered in the 1870s.
Another rock that provides diamonds is lamproite.
The extraction process can take place at the mine site, where the excavated material is washed and tumbled. Because diamond is heaviest of all the materials mined, it falls to the bottom and is otherwise sorted from the mined materials.
Diamonds are extracted from Kimberlite by mining operations that involve crushing the rock to release the diamonds. This can be done through open-pit or underground mining. Once the Kimberlite is crushed, the diamonds are separated using a combination of gravity separation, magnetic separation, and X-ray fluorescence sorting techniques.
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Are most most diamonds formed inside kimberlite?
Most diamonds are formed deep within the Earth's mantle, not necessarily inside kimberlite. Kimberlite is a type of volcanic rock that can transport diamonds to the Earth's surface rapidly, which is why it is commonly associated with diamond deposits. However, diamonds can also be formed in other types of rock formations and brought to the surface through different geological processes.
What is Kimberlite Magma?
Kimberlite magma is a rare type of volcanic rock that is known for containing diamonds. It is derived from the Earth's mantle and is typically generated during deep-source volcanic eruptions. Kimberlite deposits are important for diamond mining, as they carry diamonds to the surface from deep within the Earth.
Are most diamonds mined directly from Kimberlite?
Yes, most diamonds are indeed mined directly from kimberlite pipes, which are vertical columns of diamond-bearing rock that have risen from the Earth's mantle. These kimberlite pipes are key sources of primary diamond deposits and are typically found in cratons, the oldest and most stable parts of the Earth's continental crust.
What rocks have diamonds inside of them?
Diamonds are found in kimberlite and lamproite rocks, which are formed deep within the Earth's mantle and brought to the surface through volcanic activity. These rocks can sometimes contain diamonds as inclusions or as separate crystals.
Where is kimberlite found?
Kimberlite is typically found in regions with ancient volcanic activity, such as cratons and continental lithosphere. Some common locations include southern Africa, Canada, Australia, and Russia. These regions have preserved the deep mantle source rocks that give rise to kimberlite.
How is diamond extracted from the ground?
Raw diamonds are mined from the earth around kimberlite pipes that erupt this material to the earth's surface.
African diamonds are contained in what?
All diamonds are erupted to the earth surface together with indicator minerals, including kimberlite. Other minerals are present in fertile kimberlite -- containing diamonds -- and absent in sterile kimberlite.
Why are diamonds found in kimberlite rock?
Diamonds are found in kimberlite rock because kimberlite is a volcanic rock that originates deep within the Earth's mantle, carrying diamonds to the surface during volcanic eruptions. The high pressure and heat in the mantle are what create diamonds, and the kimberlite acts as a conduit to bring them to the Earth's surface.
Are most most diamonds formed inside kimberlite?
Most diamonds are formed deep within the Earth's mantle, not necessarily inside kimberlite. Kimberlite is a type of volcanic rock that can transport diamonds to the Earth's surface rapidly, which is why it is commonly associated with diamond deposits. However, diamonds can also be formed in other types of rock formations and brought to the surface through different geological processes.
When diamonds are in the ground what is the rock around it?
Some diamonds may be included in kimberlite.
What is at least one thing in nature that contains diamonds?
Kimberlite can contain diamonds.
Why kimberlite might be found in diamonds?
Kimberlite is a volcanic rock that is commonly associated with the formation of diamonds. It is formed deep within the Earth's mantle and is brought to the surface through volcanic activity. Kimberlite magma is rich in carbon, which is necessary for diamond formation. As the magma rises to the surface, it cools and solidifies, capturing and preserving the diamonds that formed within it.
What is the name for igneous rock that contains diamonds?
kimberlite
Are kimberlite rocks used for human purpose?
Kimberlite is the main ore of diamonds, but otherwise has little use to humans.
What mineral do diamonds come from?
Diamonds are made from carbon, which is an element. They are made within "kimberlite" rock - I do not know if kimberlite is a mineral, or not. Sometimes, diamonds are washed out of kimberlite by the weather, and can be found in placer (PLASS-uhr) deposits, that is, at or near the surface of the ground. There are also diamonds found in meteorites that fell to Earth perhaps 3.5 billion years ago.
Why haven't there been reports of diamonds in kimberlite pipe rocks?
Diamonds are found as loose stones, or can be embedded in other materials, including kimberlite. See the linked photo, below.
How do kimberlite carry diamonds?
Kimberlite magma originates in the Earth's mantle and can transport diamonds to the surface during explosive volcanic eruptions. These eruptions are fast and violent, creating an environment where diamonds can retain their structure and resist degradation during their journey to the surface within the kimberlite magma.
