Diamond (gemstone)
This article is about diamonds themselves. For politics surrounding the gemstone trade, see Gemstones (politics).
Diamond, a type of precious gemstone, is the hardest naturally occurring substance found on Earth. They are regarded for their brilliance and their hardness in terms of both appearance and utility. Diamonds are naturally formed from amounts of highly compressed carbon found below the Earth's mantle layer (roughly 100 miles below the surface), but synthetic diamonds can be formed in a high-temperature, high-pressure chamber that replicates the geologic conditions which produces them.[1] One of the determining factors in their value is the color: "clear" (or white), yellow, brown, green, pink, blue and very rarely, red. "Raw" diamonds only slightly resemble a finished diamond: there may be a hint of color or a small section that is crystallized.
Diamonds have been found in South Africa, India, Indonesia, China, Russia, Australia, Brazil, California, Colorado, and Canada.
References
- ↑ Davis, Joshua (2003-09-01). The New Diamond Age - How to Make a Diamond: The Gemesis Way. Wired Magazine. Retrieved on 2007-12-28.