The carbon shape-shifters
Deep earth's pressure cooker
The legendary mines of Golconda
Curing the high pressure itch
007skaty Volcanic kimberlite pipes act as high-speed elevators for deep-Earth diamonds.
007skaty At depths of 150 to 200 kilometers, temperatures between 900°C and 1,300°C bake ancient diamonds for 1 to 3.3 billion years.
007skaty Rare kimberlite rock preserves diamonds during their rapid ascent to the surface.
007skaty Compress carbon under intense heat and pressure to discover how silt transforms into sparkling crystals.
Diamond transit: Kimberlite eruptions are the fastest volcanic events on Earth, shooting magma up from 150 kilometers deep to the surface in just a few hours.
A precious gemstone consisting of a clear, colorless crystalline form of pure carbon. Most natural specimens crystallized in the mantle, roughly 150 kilometers below the surface.
How much pressure is required in the Earth's mantle to force carbon atoms to crystallize into a diamond?
What is the name of the rare, gas-rich volcanic magma that acts as an elevator to bring deep-mantle diamonds to the surface?
What physical characteristic often distinguishes alluvial diamonds from those mined directly from volcanic pipes?
What do scientists study inside subduction diamonds to learn about ancient Earth environments?