What does a diamond look like in nature and how is a gemstone mined?

Diamond is a unique stone that has always aroused human interest. It is called the king of all minerals, the hardest, the most expensive, etc. However, it did not immediately receive recognition; because of its extraordinary hardness, diamond cutting began only at the beginning of the 15th century. It seems colorless at first glance, but if you look closely it plays with thousands of shades. This mineral is the personification of strength and power; many legends and interesting facts are associated with it. Before you buy a diamond stone, you need to study its amazing properties.

Diamond history

The first mention of diamonds dates back to the 3rd millennium BC. Hindus were convinced that the mineral united earth, water, air and energy. They mined different types of diamonds at a time when the Greeks had just learned to extract iron from ore. The uncut stone did not look particularly attractive, so it was not particularly popular.

In the Middle East, they learned about the diamond thanks to Alexander the Great. The great conqueror brought many such stones after his campaign against India.

Only after a millennium and a half did the diamond turn into a diamond. It was first processed in the Flemish region (Belgium). It was Flemish jewelers who developed the round cut, consisting of 57 facets, which is still used today.

In Europe, jewelry with diamonds became popular in the 15th century, and in Russia - after another 2 centuries. It was during this period that the level of technological development made it possible to process the stone so that it showed all its beauty.

Since diamond is the hardest stone on earth, all its names were associated with this property. The Greeks called it “adamas”, “adamantus”, the Romans - “diamant”, the Turks - “al mas”. The familiar name “diamond” comes from the Turkic. The above names are translated as “solid”, indestructible, eternal.

This is interesting! There are many historically famous nuggets. The Indian Kohinoor diamond, weighing 800 carats, was in the possession of the Persian rulers, the Indian king, and then it was presented to Queen Victoria. The famous Orlov crystal has come a long way from India to Russia. Then Count G. Orlov presented it to Catherine II. Now it adorns the golden scepter in the Diamond Fund of Russia. “Cullinian” is a giant gem weighing 3106 carats, which, after unsuccessful processing attempts, was divided into 105 small crystals. The “Little Star of Africa” (317 carats) now adorns the crown of Great Britain.

general description

A diamond that has already been processed is called a diamond. If we talk about what a rough diamond looks like, it is mostly transparent, but can also have subtle pink, yellow, green, gray, and sometimes even black shades. Jewelers count about 1000 varieties of diamonds.

By weight, this type of gems is divided into large, medium and small. Well, in terms of their scope of application, they can be industrial and jewelry.

In order for a diamond to radiate enormous noble power, it must be obtained freely without “the use of violence.” The best option is to receive it through inheritance: from mother to daughter or from father to son. If the mineral was purchased, its effect will not be immediate. The mineral needs to be “tamed.” But it is also possible that he will not act at all. This happens if a person is sinful or unrestrained.

Diamond is considered a symbol of courage, masculinity and innocence. Its properties include giving sharpness to hearing, protection from witchcraft, sadness and evil spirits. If someone tries to cast a spell on a person who is carrying a diamond, then all the troubles and negativity will be transferred to the organizer himself. The stone is very useful for sleepwalkers. It protects against such non-standard behavior. It is believed that even wild animals do not attack a person who carries the mineral with him.

Gems that have a greenish tint have a beneficial effect on a woman. They promote pregnancy, its normal course and ease of childbirth.

Diamond is believed to be connected to the energy field of the Sun. That is why it is used as a heart tonic. In ancient times, there was an opinion that the mineral had rejuvenating properties and also stimulated human spiritual development. You can feel the energy of a diamond when you wear it in a ring on your ring finger. But it is not recommended to wear other people’s rings with these gems.

Precious mineral deposit

In ancient times, diamonds were mined by hand from the ground or river sediments.

According to legend, birds were used to extract gems from deep crevices. To do this, they threw pieces of meat into the gorges, which the eagles hunted for. The stones stuck to the pieces, then people took them from the birds or looked for them in the droppings. In this way they managed to find even large nuggets .

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In the mid-19th century, kimberlite pipes were discovered - these are pipe-shaped channels in the earth's crust that were formed during the breakthrough of magma. They are part of ancient volcanoes, the ground part of which has been destroyed. This depression is filled with igneous rock containing diamonds. According to experts, about 90% of all reserves of gems in nature contain kimberlite pipes. They got their name from the village of Kimberley (South Africa), where they first found such a crevice and crystals in it.

The main diamond mining centers are located in the Russian Federation (Sakha Republic), South Africa (Namibia, Botswana, Angola), Brazil (Minas Gerais, Bahia). You can also find gems in Australia, the USA, Canada, and Kazakhstan. Indian diamond mines are almost exhausted.

The world diamond market is led by the three largest in South Africa, ALROSA in the Russian Federation, and Rio Tinto Group in Brazil.

A little about mining

Diamonds are mined in Russia, Congo, South Africa, and Namibia. There are small deposits in Canada, Australia, Angola, and Botswana. Diamond mining is an expensive and labor-intensive process. Until the middle of the last century, the place to search for gems was mainly secondary deposits, the formation of which occurred as a result of the destruction of rocks. The process looked like gold mining: sand from the river was placed in a sieve using shovels and sifted, and then washed.

The largest reserves of future diamonds lie in primary rocks called “kimberlite pipes.”

Preparation for production is carried out in two stages:

1. Formation of a 600-meter deepening using explosives.
2. Laying mines.

Ore mined from the depths of the earth is delivered to factories for grinding and washing. To obtain one carat of crystals, sometimes it is necessary to process up to hundreds of tons of rock. Then culling takes place to select a certain type of diamond using water and X-rays, after which the stones are handed over to the cutters.

Properties and scope of application

The exact origin of the diamonds is still unknown. But most scientists agree that the gem appeared after the viscous mantle of the earth’s crust, which consists of silicates and oxides, cooled. At a depth of 120 - 200 km underground, carbon atoms under a pressure of approximately 50,000 atmospheres and at a temperature of 1000 - 1300 ° form a cubic lattice. Diamonds in rocks appear on earth as a result of powerful underground explosions.

This is interesting! There are also diamonds of cosmic origin. They are formed as a result of falling meteorites.

Diamond is crystalline carbon containing small amounts of calcium, magnesium, silicon, iron, etc.

The stone has the following physical and chemical properties:

• formula – C (carbon);
• color palette - transparent, yellowish, in rare cases red, orange, green, blue, black;
• Mohs hardness degree – 10;
• density – 3.52 g/cm³;
• surface shape – conchoidal;
• refractive index – 2.417;
• degree of cleavage – perfect, octahedral;

• crystal shape – flat-edged, curved;
• degree of transparency – from transparent to opaque.

As mentioned, a diamond is a crystal lattice of carbon atoms that are connected by covalent bonds. There are 4 additional atoms placed inside the figure, which make it stronger. It is thanks to this arrangement of atoms that diamond is the strongest mineral. However, despite the fact that it is very hard, the gem is quite fragile. It may crack after a strong hammer blow.

In addition, it has another important property - luminescence. When exposed to the sun, ultraviolet or x-ray radiation, the stone begins to glow in different colors.

The gemstone is used to create luxury jewelry. But first the nugget is processed. The cutting is done on a special cast iron disk, grinding eliminates various irregularities on the surface, then the crystal is polished to obtain a mirror shine. Untreated gems looked inconspicuous, so they were not framed. White or yellow gold, as well as platinum, perfectly complement the sparkle of diamonds.

Diamond stone.
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There are many diamond cutting techniques, but the classic one, with 57 facets, makes the stone shine the brightest. However, this technique cannot be applied to all crystals; for example, for small crystals, a cut in the form of a rose, oval or pear is used. The type of cut is selected taking into account the shape and size of each specimen.

There are jewelry and technical stones. The first are transparent diamonds or specimens with a slight tint of medium and large sizes, and the second are small dark crystals. Jewelry varieties are less common than technical varieties.

About 80% of all diamonds that are mined are used in the electronics and instrument-making industries, medicine, telecommunications, and mining. They are used in fast particle counters, scalpels, laser machines for cauterizing cuts, glass cutters, etc. Industrial diamonds are needed during space research and studying the structure of the Earth.

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Shining diamonds are used to create jewelry. They are more valuable than gold. This is due to the fact that such stones are rare.

This is interesting! On average, 5 kg of diamonds are extracted from 100,000 tons of rock.

How does a mining and processing plant work?

In order to process the rock and find diamonds in it, mining dump trucks transport thousands of tons of ore per day to special plants. There, the ore passes through various crushing and grinding systems. Often they differ from each other, but the whole point is to break the rock into small stones, then sift it by size in a screen (a special screening machine) and subject it to further processing.

Large pieces of rock are washed with water in order to obtain diamonds, and small pieces are exposed to special reagents that literally pull diamonds out of the rock. The spent rock undergoes additional testing - X-ray luminescence separation . The fact is that diamonds glow under X-rays. This property is used to check the quality of rock processing. The slightest flashes are detected automatically and part of the rock is blown off the belt. Then she is sent for additional testing.

The mining and processing plant is a huge structure with a bunch of specialized equipment.

When diamonds are collected, there are still impurities among them, and this is where manual labor begins. They are sorted by hand, removing even the slightest extra stones. After this, the diamonds are checked and sorted according to a huge number of parameters in order to be sent to special exchanges, where jewelers will buy them for further processing and use in jewelry.

Kinds

The most famous is the classification of diamonds by color:

• yellow - approximately 0.05% of nitrogen atoms replace carbon elements in the lattice. Dark yellow crystals are especially valuable. Shades range from light yellow to dark brown;

• blue – contains an admixture of boron;

• blue - also contains a small amount of boron atoms. These are very rare and expensive specimens;

• green – the presence of sulfide impurities in the composition;

• red – contains chromium atoms. This is the rarest type of diamond;

• pink – there are no foreign atoms in the crystal lattice. The reasons for the appearance of this shade are unknown;

• white – contains only carbon atoms. A pure white diamond is rare.

Pure black diamonds are extremely rare, contain few inclusions, are translucent and are expensive. Their color is explained by the presence of graphite, magnetite and hematite.

In addition, there are the following types of diamonds:

1. A diamond is a gem obtained after processing, which has 57 facets, its brilliance is dazzling.
2. A bead is a granular formation of irregular shape.
3. Ballas is a spherical crystal that has a radial-radiant structure.
4. Carbonado is a fine-grained, porous aggregate of a gray, greenish or black hue.

There are also dark-colored diamonds called “Yakutite”, which contain many inclusions and are extremely hard.

Would you like to find a diamond nugget?

Not really

Color spectrum

Diamonds, like many other gems, come in several shades. The standard and most expensive stones are the color “clear water”, that is, completely colorless. Such stones are extremely rare.

Next in value are three shades: white, steel and transparent. Moreover, almost always such stones will have some color tint: from yellow to cognac. An accurate assessment of the color gamut is made under a microscope in comparison with a recognized standard.

You can also find diamonds in pink, brown, red, yellow, green and even black on the jewelry market. Such diamonds are extremely rare, and their prices are prohibitive.

Photos of a diamond stone with various shades can be found on the Internet.

Medicinal properties

As a rock of igneous origin, diamond has powerful energy. The stone heals the body, normalizes its functioning, and accelerates recovery from illnesses.

Healing effect of diamond stone:

1. Helps the body fight inflammatory diseases.
2. Improves skin condition (especially with dermatitis).
3. Normalizes the functioning of the bronchi, stomach, bladder, and is used to prevent diseases of these organs.
4. Improves the functionality of the nervous system, relieves insomnia, stress, and nervous disorders.
5. Normalizes blood pressure.
6. Helps with heart diseases.

It is believed that the diamond creates imperceptible vibrations that have a beneficial effect on the female reproductive system. And green or blue crystals are necessary for pregnant women. Such stones alleviate the condition of the expectant mother and increase the chances of an easy birth.

Diamond (adamas, king of stones, diamond) can easily be considered the best precious stone.
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Film industry

Probably everyone has watched the movie “Titanic”. Those who watched this masterpiece of the film industry remember very well the famous Rose pendant in the shape of a heart. In the middle of the pendant there is a blue diamond of just under 14 carats. It was sold at auction for an incredible amount.

Thanks to the popular song performed by Marilyn Monroe in the movie “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,” the expression “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend” appeared. The stone that adorned Marilyn's neck was sold at auction in 1990 for almost 300 thousand dollars.

As is clear, diamonds have been and remain the most popular and precious stones. Battles began for their possession, and there are legends and tales about them. Adamant (the old name for diamond) is capable of bringing both happiness and misfortune to its owner. Therefore, the choice of any jewelry, especially antique, should be approached responsibly, and it is better to know the history of the stone in advance. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a blue diamond or something else.

Magic properties

Diamond has outstanding magical abilities. Jewelry with stones cleanses the aura and gives vitality. This mineral loves generous, bright, worthy people. It enhances the good qualities of the owner and punishes him for the bad ones. Therefore, the stone is suitable for people who have a pure soul. Diamond products help build a personal life, as well as a brilliant career.

Since ancient times, diamonds have been used as an amulet, because they protect against magical influence. The Egyptians believed that the gem could protect the owner from the effects of toxic substances.

Modern people wear a diamond ring or bracelet on their left hand to attract true love. Yellow colored stones are used for various rituals. The white crystal is a strong amulet against black magic. For your business to flourish, you need to wear jewelry with a diamond in a gold setting.

Who suits the name

Diamond Graff Pink

Like most gems, diamonds have their favorites among bearers of certain names.

Inna , a strong-willed nature with a masculine, irreconcilable character, can count on the special protection of the stone The diamond will make Inna brave and decisive, give her the desire to improve herself and help her achieve any heights.

Among the “lucky” men there are more:

• Ilya , whom the “royal gem” will save from bad thoughts, protect from ill-wishers, and also help him become a strong-willed person.
• Ivan . The stone will add self-confidence, strength and endurance to him to overcome any challenges (even the most painful ones). He will show Ivan where to go in order to realize himself professionally, forget about problems with finances and health, and also what needs to be done or not done in order to “live happily ever after.”
• Leo, for whom the diamond will help to reveal his creative potential and realize his abilities in such a way as to get the maximum benefit from them. The gem will help Leos feel truly happy.
• Vsevolod . His stone will make him a man with a capital M, that is, strong, fearless, wise, sensible, decisive, assertive and reliable. Almaz will teach the Vsevolods to win and achieve, provide for themselves and their families, not give up when they fail, and always move forward.

Price

The price of a diamond depends on its weight, quality of cut, shade, and degree of purity.

The weight of stones is measured in carats. A gram is equal to 5 carats. Crystals weighing more than 15 g are rare, while crystals weighing more than 100 carats are unique specimens.

Interesting! The most popular are 0.1 carat gems, which cost about $200. Diamonds larger than 1 carat cost $5,000 or more per unit of weight.

Pure transparent diamond is the most expensive. Also very valuable are stones of rich red, green, blue, orange, and pink shades.

What can it be easily confused with?

The colorless transparency of most diamonds makes them visually indistinguishable from glass and other stones:

• rock crystal;
• colorless topaz;
• white zirconium;
• leucosapphire;
• quartz.

Synthetic materials such as moissanite, cubic zirconia, and rutic do not create problems - they are distinguished from diamond gems by their cut and brilliance.

Artificial diamond has other qualities (for example, low transparency). Used in technology and industry.

How to distinguish a fake and purchase a natural stone

Diamonds have more copies than other precious stones. You can distinguish a diamond from cubic zirconia or a simple piece of glass in the following ways:

1. Look through the crystal at the sun. Through natural stone you can only see a bright point, but imitation transmits light completely.
2. Place a diamond in water: a real diamond will sparkle, but a glass fake will not.
3. Moisten the crystal in water, and then run an aluminum stick over its surface. There will be a silver stripe on the counterfeit, which will be difficult to get rid of, but there will be no traces left on the original.

It is very difficult to distinguish a natural diamond from a synthetic one, since the technologies for creating artificial stones are constantly being improved. The first thing that should alert the buyer is the low price.

Only a gemologist (a professional gemstone appraiser) can give a 100% guarantee of the authenticity of a diamond. Using the tips described above, you can only identify low-quality imitation.

Main conclusions

The history of the diamond begins in India, where it was considered the personification of indestructibility and royal power. At first, the stone was not popular, because due to the lack of technology, people did not know how to process it. The first diamond cut was made in the Flemish region. The leaders in the extraction of the hardest and most shining crystals are Africa, Russia, and Brazil.

In nature, diamonds are found in yellow, red, blue, pink, green, blue and black. The most expensive gems are pure white, red and black. Stones help to improve the health of the body, protect against black magic, and promise success in all endeavors. Jewelry with diamonds is most suitable for representatives of the fire elements; it is contraindicated for water signs. The cost of a diamond depends on weight, quality of cut, color and clarity.

Solid but fragile

So, as we found out, diamonds in their original form were not previously of particular value to jewelers. The only thing that struck me about him was his unprecedented hardness. The Mohs scale of mineral hardness states that diamond is the hardest gem in the world. For example, it is 1.5 thousand times harder than quartz! But here’s a paradox: despite its quality, diamond is quite fragile. That is, if you throw it to the ground with all your might, it... will break.

Many centuries ago, out of ignorance, the subjects of Louis the 11th crushed into crumbs a huge collection of diamonds that belonged to Duke Charles the Bold. The misunderstanding arose from a desire to check whether the diamonds were real or fake.

Therefore, if someone whispered to you that the authenticity of a stone can be determined by hitting it with a hammer, do not try to repeat this “deadly number”!