A diamond is famous for its shape, attractive look, and hardness. The majority of them are colourless. However, there are a very few varieties which possess some colour. There are several processes involved in the formation of this natural masterpiece. Perhaps nobody can guess how much hardship a diamond faces before coming up to the surface of earth.
Life of a diamond
First of all, it is better to discuss some of the history of this brilliant stone. According to an estimate, the formation of this stone began around 3.5 billion years ago. All diamonds which we see on earth have been developed in the extreme depth, and came out through a volcanic eruption or other natural process. It is estimated that these gems are formed around 150 kilometers deep inside the earth.
Carbon can have several shapes. The most well-known form of carbon is diamond. Beneath the earth, carbon is intermingled with magma under high pressure and temperature. It is estimated that most of the diamonds have been developed at a temperature of 1000 degrees centigrade and under a pressure of more than 50,000 atmospheres.
Where do they end up?
A volcanic eruption is one route through which these stones come to the earthâ€™s surface. However, they can also be obtained by means of mines. An interesting feature associated with these stones is that they are not found where they are formed. Rather they keep on moving along with magma, and are found thousands of miles away from their birth place. The whole process, from the formation of the diamond, to the emergence of the diamond on the earthâ€™s surface, takes around 3 billion years. Diamonds can be found in rivers, sea beds, volcanic mountains and mines.
What about synthetic diamonds?
Besides natural varieties, there are several man-made and synthetic varieties which have been developed in the lab by means of chemicals and physical methods. These varieties are produced after great manual and mechanical work. These diamonds are also popular, but they cannot substitute the natural varieties.
So to recap, this stone is formed after many processes beneath the earthâ€™s surface under extremely high temperature and pressure. It comes to the surface via volcanic eruptions and via mines. People like them for their beauty but they are also an extremely useful mineral.