Here, you will find some interesting diamond facts including diamond properties, its uses, as well as its chemical structure. You will also learn about everything from blood diamonds to the technology behind synthetic diamonds, which we know also is found in abundance in the world.
-
- Diamond is an allotrope (different form) of carbon. It is made of this single element and is nearly 100% carbon. Under the immense heat and pressure far below the earth’s surface, the carbon atoms bond in a unique way that results in diamonds’ beautiful and rare crystalline structure. Its melting point is at 3820K (3547′ C/ 6420′ F), its boiling point, on the other hand is at 5100K (4827′ C/ 8720′ F).
- The term diamond comes from the Greek word “adamas,” which means unbreakable or indestructible. It is considered the hardest natural substance found on earth, is often used for industrial cutting and polishing tools.
- The carbon atoms that bond diamonds are organized to create a strong, tetrahedral structure. This gemstone has a hardness of 10 on Mohs scale of mineral hardness, with 1 being the softest (talc) and 10 being the hardest.
- Diamond is the best recognized thermal conductor (heat transfer) within naturally occurring substances.
- Under the typical pressures as well as temperatures experienced on the Earth’s surface, diamonds have been observed to be actually thermodynamically unstable. As result, diamonds slowly transform into graphite. But as the process takes a long time to complete, it goes unnoticeable to the naked eyes.
- Most of the Earth’s natural diamond deposits are found in Africa. However, reports reveal that they were first discovered in India, then in Brazil, Angola, Botswana, Namibia and Congo. Today, however, diamonds also come from Guinea, Lesotho, Siera Leone, China, Tanzania, Ivory Coast, Guyana, Central African Republic, Canada, as well as from Australia. Studies show that the top three diamond mines in the world are located in Botswana (24 million carats), Russia (17.8 million carats), and in Canada (10.9 million carats).
- Diamonds are valued according to their cut, color, carat as well as clarity. These gems are cut with great precision to enhance the lustre as well as the gems’ attention gathering shine.
- This rare stone is considered the world’s most popular and sought-after gemstone, and are usually worn as an element for a piece of jewelry such as rings and necklaces. About 26,000 kilograms (57,000 lb) of diamonds are mined from the different mines around the world each year. These diamonds are worth billions of dollars to the industries that control their production.
- Because of its rarity and considerable value (1 carat (0.2 grams) = anywhere between $3,000 to even $30,000 based on quality), diamonds have often been a source of conflict and controversy. For instance, did you know that the term blood diamond that refers to a diamond mined in an unstable area are sold to finance armed conflicts?
- Perhaps because of the reasons aforementioned, many has thought of an alternative for natural diamonds. Thus, synthetic diamonds were introduced to the market. The technology for this kind of diamonds was studied in the 1940’s. However, it took a decade before the first synthetically created diamond was made available to the public.
- A number of techniques to produce synthetic diamonds have been introduced, including high-pressure high-temperature synthesis, chemical vapor deposition as well as detonation synthesis, which is done by literally blowing up carbon with explosives to create extremely small diamond grains.
There are definitely more that goes with such a small piece of stone that not everyone is aware of. Indeed, there is always truth in the saying that the best things comes in small packages, and diamonds, in whatever form they come, are one of these.