Although diamonds were discovered centuries ago, (thank goodness!) scientists are often looking to access diamonds that are bigger and better.
That’s right ladies, massive diamonds do exist but scientists have a really hard time reaching them. Scientists are often working to discover more details about the largest diamonds ever mined on earth to gain information about our earth’s past.
Evan Smith, diamond geologist has been looking to discover the world’s biggest diamonds for the purpose of science. (Save some for us, Evan!)
Although diamonds are valuable from a monetary standpoint, they are also valuable to science.
Big diamonds are especially valuable to science because they are located in a deep part of the earth that scientists have trouble accessing and know little about, but the diamonds located within it could give scientists valuable information.
Scientists must look inside of these diamonds, at small pieces no wider than a human hair, to determine where the diamonds came from and what they might tell us about our planet.
The Gemological Institute of America purchased scraps of those diamonds, after they were cut into jewels of course, in order to discover what they could about where the diamonds came from.
Using grinders, microscopes, and lasers, the diamonds were examined, prodded, and inspected. Scientists found that the diamonds contain silicon which means the diamond was formed under high pressure.
The diamonds contained iron, nickel, and fluid methane which indicates they were likely formed in the convecting mantle of the earth.
Famous diamonds, such as the Cullinan diamond, (the largest gem-quality diamond ever found) weighs over 3,000 carats. Diamonds this size are much too to have developed in the same place as the standard diamonds we see, and often wear, today.
The insides of these diamonds tell scientists that they come from deep points in the earth, as far as 200 to 500 miles below us, which is twice as deep as where most diamonds used for jewelry are found.
It also tells us that the diamonds formed inside patches of liquid metal that contained no oxygen at all.
Although the science behind massive diamonds might not be as exciting as wearing one on our finger, it does show us that so much of our planet is undiscovered and unexplained, and we are lucky to have the diamonds we do.
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