Diamond is the hardest breed on Earth and in the whole universe. But here is a paradox, a diamond of carbon is the most soft breed, on the Moos scale (there is such a table in geologists for measuring the strength consisting of 10 minerals, starting with the most soft and ending with the most solid - diamond).
If we consider the diamond at the atom level, we will see that it consists of carbon atoms, very tightly packaged. A sharp and not strong blow is capable of a diamond crystal to turn into a bunch of fragments. He is very fragile. Fitted diamond - the most expensive diamond.
How to produce diamonds, as formed
Diamonds were formed in the depths (dozens, and maybe hundreds of kilometers) of our Earth, in those days, when our land was born, about 2 billion years ago.
The breed in which diamonds were formed - kimberlite. For the first time, this breed was found near the town of Kimberly, that in South Africa, and called in his honor.
With a large depth, under pressure, the breed was erupted outward, gas bubbles in a ultrabasic breed were bursting, so formed large tubes of the explosion, a diameter of 1 km and more, filled with a dark breccated rock with a bluish tinge - a kimberlite, in which diamonds are found. This is a fundamental view of the field.
For many years, under the action of air and water, kimberlite tubes are destroyed, crushed stone and pebbles from the rock, along with diamonds, to be demolished from the slopes of the rain and streams. So the second type of diamond fields is formed - placer.
From large meteorites that have fallen on Earth during rabid speed, millions of years ago, in the place of contact, diamonds are also formed. An example of this field in northern Siberia, a diameter of near 100 km.
Where diamonds are mined
On an industrial scale, diamonds are mined:
- Botswana.
- Russia - Yakutia, Arkhangelsk region.
- Western Australia.
- Canada.
- South Africa.
- Angola.
- Congo.
What color are diamonds
Diamonds that are used in domestic purposes of milk, gray and dark gray flowers.
The most common colors of diamonds used in the jewelry industry:
- transparent yellowish different shades;
- brownish smoky;
- brown shades.
Rare shades for diamonds are considered: transparent bluish, pinkish and greenish.
Almost rare are diamonds without some shade, absolutely colorless.
The most valuable diamonds painted in bright saturated tones with smooth faces:
- pink;
- cherry;
- red-ruby;
- blue;
- purple;
- green;
- golden;
- yellow;
- black.
How diamonds are mined
- Kimberlite tubes are located mainly to the depths of close 1.5 km. This is a solid breed. Up to 600 m, the field is developed with an open-in-friendly explosive - a quarry.
- Deeper - underground, with the help of mines.
- Build a mine is very difficult, as it often places in the conditions of permafrost, and at the depth you have to constantly pump out powerful underground waters. The whole breed of a career, and then from the mine, larger cars are brought to the factory, where it is first crushed, and then washed with water.
- Under the influence of water, heavy particles of rocks are settled, and the lungs are carried by water.
- Then the heavy residue comes to a huge, constantly vibrating sieve, where the large part is sieved, and the dust remains.
- And the last stage is the separation of diamonds from empty ore. This is due to X-ray. And then hand-selected diamonds come to the cutter.
- Diamonds from placers are mined by washing the rocks on large sieves, mainly manually.
It should be noted that all the mined diamonds are used: one, transparent and large - on the cut, from which diamonds, other, small and opaque - for use in domestic purposes.
Even diamond dust is used to produce diamond crowns, without which when drilling wells, do not drown solid rocks.
Here is a small excursion to the world where diamonds are produced, it is very heavy, but also an exciting job.
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