Diamonds are one of the most valuable minerals in nature. The main reason they are so valuable is their scarcity.
Another characteristic of diamonds is that they are the hardest mineral. So much so that diamonds can be used to cut glass and marble, drill through walls, and even break up very large rocks!
Diamonds are composed of carbon atoms. These atoms are tightly bonded together, as shown in this photograph, and have a highly regular structure. The reason diamonds are the hardest mineral in nature is precisely this unique structure.
The spheres in this diagram showing the molecular structure of diamond represent carbon atoms. In a real diamond, carbon atoms are also tightly bound to each other with strong bonds, just like here.
Approximately one-fourth of diamonds mined are used in jewelry, while the rest are used in industry. Diamonds used in jewelry are valued based on characteristics such as color, cut, and brilliance. Additionally, a unit of measurement called “carat” is used to measure the mass of diamonds.
1 carat is approximately 205 milligrams. Used since ancient times, the carat is a unit of measurement based on the mass of a single carob seed. The reason carob seeds were used as a basis for measurement is that in ancient times, these seeds were used to measure the mass of diamonds and other precious stones.
This photo shows a diamond embedded in a rock called kimberlite that was brought to the surface during volcanic eruptions.
Diamonds form deep within the Earth’s crust over billions of years under extremely high temperatures and pressures. These diamonds are then transported to areas near the Earth’s surface by volcanic eruptions
Most of the world’s diamond mines are located in Africa. The photo shows the Great Pit diamond mine in Kimberley, South Africa. Approximately 50,000 miners extracted about 3 tons of diamonds from this famous mine, which is about 240 meters deep, between 1866 and 1914. Moreover, the miners used only pickaxes and shovels. This mine, which is no longer in operation, is thought to be the largest pit ever dug by human power.
Diamonds used in jewelry making must be cut with great care. This is because it is the cut that gives a diamond its sparkle. Today, diamond cutting is also performed with the help of computer software. The photo shows a screen image obtained on a computer. The drawing in the middle shows a rough diamond and the appropriate cut shape for it. Once the cut shape of the diamond has been determined, the cutting process is carried out using special machines. The diamond is then polished.
Diamonds are used in industry for drilling, cutting, carving, and breaking materials such as glass, marble, and ceramics. The tools used for these tasks are either coated with diamond dust or have diamonds embedded in the relevant part of the tool. Thanks to diamonds, even stone, concrete, and iron can be cut and drilled! The tool you see here is used for cutting glass. The part of this tool that cuts glass contains diamond.
Diamonds are usually colorless or light yellow in color. However, there are also blue, green, red, brown, gray, and even black diamonds.
The different colors of diamonds are caused by the elements found in their structure. For example, the boron atoms in its structure give the blue diamond its color. Similarly, the yellow diamond gets its color from the nitrogen atoms in its structure.
In the photo on the right, you see the largest known blue diamond. This diamond, weighing 9.1 grams, is called the Hope Diamond. This diamond has changed hands many times throughout history. Rumors spread that the diamond was unlucky during the period when it belonged to the European Hope family.
The diamond takes its name from the word “Hope,” which is the name of this family. The Hope Diamond is currently on display at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History in the United States.
Diamonds are a rare mineral found in nature. Moreover, they are becoming increasingly scarce. Despite this, the industrial applications of diamonds are growing day by day. For this reason, since the 1950s, many countries have been conducting research on the production of synthetic diamonds. Today, there are various methods used in artificial diamond production. The most well-known and widely used method involves applying high pressure and high temperature. In addition to this, artificial diamonds can also be produced using methods such as solidifying certain gases, subjecting very small diamond particles to rapid reactions, and using sound waves called ultrasound.
