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| Image credit: Ultima_Bruce on Flickr |
Humans have been wearing jewelry since ancient times. While the first jewelry was thought to be more of a functional piece for helping clothes latch together, over time jewelry came to be a decorative element. As far back as the ancient Egyptians, precious gems and metals have been used to create jewelry. Many of these gems and metals are still prized today for not only their beauty, but also their rarity and useful characteristics. One gem you will most likely be very familiar with from a jewelry store such as laurenbjewelry.com is the diamond.
Diamond Production
Diamond can be obtained in several ways, whether naturally or synthetically. But whether they are natural or synthetic, all diamonds are made from carbon. Most natural diamonds are created miles beneath the surface of the earth, in the mantle layer. This layer of the earth’s crust contains molten rock and metals, including carbon. When the temperature is just right (about 2000 degrees Fahrenheit) and enough pressure is applied, the carbon within the mantle will become diamond. If the diamonds formed are created from organic carbons, the diamonds will be called eclogitic, whereas inorganic carbons form harzburgitic diamonds. When other elements, such as sulfur or nitrogen form within the structure of the diamond, colored diamonds may result, like pink, blue, green, or brown, although these colors are rare.
Diamond Mining
Diamonds are mined from the earth’s surface, but not from the deep within mantel. Instead, the diamond is mined from areas where volcanic activity has caused the diamond to rise closer to the surface. Currently most diamonds are mined from South Africa, but have also been mined from India, Brazil, Australia, Siberia, and Canada. Other types of natural diamonds may be obtained from glaciers or meteorites, but these are not as common. Diamond is not only valuable for its beauty, but is also one of the hardest known minerals on Earth. As a result, it is also used for a number of industrial purposes, such as for drill bits, saws, microelectronics, engraving, microbearings, and more. Natural diamonds also take millions of years to form, which is why diamonds used for industrial purposes are usually synthetically made.
Diamond Quality
Besides the rarer, fancier colors of diamond, usually higher grades of diamond are the clearest gems. Diamonds generally range from colorless to light yellow, and will come in a variety of weights called carats. You will also find that a jeweler such as laurenbjewelry.com will offer a wide variety of different cuts for diamonds.
Diamond Production
Diamond can be obtained in several ways, whether naturally or synthetically. But whether they are natural or synthetic, all diamonds are made from carbon. Most natural diamonds are created miles beneath the surface of the earth, in the mantle layer. This layer of the earth’s crust contains molten rock and metals, including carbon. When the temperature is just right (about 2000 degrees Fahrenheit) and enough pressure is applied, the carbon within the mantle will become diamond. If the diamonds formed are created from organic carbons, the diamonds will be called eclogitic, whereas inorganic carbons form harzburgitic diamonds. When other elements, such as sulfur or nitrogen form within the structure of the diamond, colored diamonds may result, like pink, blue, green, or brown, although these colors are rare.
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| Diamond mining in South Kalimantan, Indonesia (Image credit: palx on Flickr) |
Diamonds are mined from the earth’s surface, but not from the deep within mantel. Instead, the diamond is mined from areas where volcanic activity has caused the diamond to rise closer to the surface. Currently most diamonds are mined from South Africa, but have also been mined from India, Brazil, Australia, Siberia, and Canada. Other types of natural diamonds may be obtained from glaciers or meteorites, but these are not as common. Diamond is not only valuable for its beauty, but is also one of the hardest known minerals on Earth. As a result, it is also used for a number of industrial purposes, such as for drill bits, saws, microelectronics, engraving, microbearings, and more. Natural diamonds also take millions of years to form, which is why diamonds used for industrial purposes are usually synthetically made.
Diamond Quality
Besides the rarer, fancier colors of diamond, usually higher grades of diamond are the clearest gems. Diamonds generally range from colorless to light yellow, and will come in a variety of weights called carats. You will also find that a jeweler such as laurenbjewelry.com will offer a wide variety of different cuts for diamonds.
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