Diamond is pure carbon as well as graphite, their chemical formula is C, and in terms of hardness they are opposite minerals. That is, diamond is the hardest mineral of all.

How do diamonds appear?

In order for graphite to turn into diamond, exposure to enormous temperatures and pressure is necessary. This is more than 1100 degrees and over 35 kilobars. Such extreme conditions are created only deep in the bowels of the planet during volcanic eruptions. The eruption is accompanied by the formation of kimberlite pipes, it is through them that it carries diamond crystals to the surface or closer to the upper layers of the earth's crust, where people find or mine them. Therefore, geologists first look for a kimberlite pipe, only then they suggest the presence of placers or internal occurrence of precious stones in this area.

Diamond application

On Earth, diamond is considered the hardest natural crystal, this is due to the strength and density of its crystal lattice. This property has served as a special demand for diamonds; they are used in jewelry and industrial production, especially when creating high-tech tools and instruments. Diamonds obtained by the method of cutting are the most valuable jewels, large stones are given names, their owners own a fortune that is not subject to devaluation.

Among the most famous stones are Cullian (3 thousand carats), Excelsior (995.2 carats), Sierra Leone Star (969.8 carats).But these are African and Australian stones; no such giants were mined on European territory. Recently in Astrakhan region the largest diamond in Europe was found - 181, 86 carats.

The difficulty of mining diamonds

Diamond crystals are in kimberlite rock, they are very few in it, in order to extract from 1 to 5-6 carats it is necessary to process the tone of stone conglomerates. But this is not the only difficulty in the extraction of a precious mineral, it is not easy to find and it is difficult to develop a deposit. In addition, placers and mines are running out quickly, so the infrastructure must be arranged in new places.

Diamond mining

The most common way to mine diamonds is quarry. They are dug up, pits are drilled, explosives are laid in them and blown up, exposing kimberlite pipes. The breed is brought for processing to enrichment plants. The depth of quarries can be considerable, up to half a kilometer or more, there are even one and a half kilometer mining developments, but diamonds are already found in such deep quarries, so they close.

With deep occurrence of kimberlites, mining is carried out in mines. It is more difficult, more dangerous and more expensive to mine diamonds in them. But this business is profitable, therefore the mine method is used in all diamond-mining countries.

Mine of diamonds

Since the most ancient times, diamond mining has been called mines, from the word dig. This is the name of both open and closed development. The richest modern diamond mines are located in South Africa, Botswana, Congo, Australia, Russia (Yakutia).

How are diamonds extracted from ore?

From antiquity to the present day, the technology for separating precious stones from rocks has been improved from primitive methods to high-tech processes.

Using fat systems

The breed enters the table, treated with a fat layer, with a stream of water. The crystals adhere to the fat base, and the water stream carries away the waste rock.

X-ray installations

The crystals glow in the x-rays, having detected them, carry out the extraction by mechanical means.

Magnets

This is the easiest way to extract carbon crystals from ore. This is done using magnetic fields formed by permanent magnets.

Using high density suspensions

Ore debris is treated with a similar fluid, the rock sinks, and lighter diamonds float.

Artificial diamonds

Artificial diamonds have been created at present; these crystals are not inferior to natural ones in terms of properties; therefore, they are increasingly used for technical needs.

Instruments and equipment based on this material are cheaper. But the value and value of natural stones does not decrease from this.