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Diamond
Current inventory:  0 gems
 

Chemistry:  C  [Carbon]

Discovered in Prehistory;   IMA status: Valid (pre-IMA; Grandfathered).
Diamond is named from the Greek word, adamas, meaning invincible. First known use by Manlius (A.D. 16) and Pliny (A.D. 100).

Classification

Mineral Classification:

Elements

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

1/B.02-40

Nickel-Strunz 10th Ed. ID:

1.CB.10a

1 : ELEMENTS (Metals and intermetallic alloys; metalloids and nonmetals; carbides, silicides, nitrides, phosphides)
C : Metalloids and Nonmetals
B : Carbon-silicon family

Related to:

Native Elements. Carbon Series: Graphite - Lonsdaleite. Carbon - Silicon Family. Carbon Polymorph Group.

Crystal Data

Crystallography:

Isometric - Hexoctahedral

Crystal Habit:

Most commonly octahedral, crystals to 10 cm or more, also dodecahedral, tetrahedral, and cubic. Curved and striated faces common; spherical, with internal radial structure.

Twinning:

Contact twins with {111} as twin plane; typically flattened on {111}; as penetration twins, may be repeated.

Physical Properties

Cleavage:

[111] Perfect, [111] Perfect, [111] Perfect

Fracture:

Conchoidal

Tenacity:

Brittle

Hardness (Mohs):

10.0 (Mohs hardness reference species)

Density:

3.511 - 3.530 (g/cm³)

Luminescence:

Occassionally Fluorescent (Blue) and Phosphorescent; Triboelectric

Radioactivity:

Not Radioactive

Other:

The highest thermal conductivity of any known substance.

Optical Properties

Color:

Colorless, pale Yellow to deep Yellow, Brown, White, Blue-White; less commonly in Oranges, Pinks, Greens, Blues, Reds, Gray to Black

Transparency:

Transparent to Translucent

Luster:

Adamantine to Greasy

Refractive Index:

2.4175 - 2.4178  Isotropic

Birefringence:

0.000  Isotropic

Dispersion:

Strong

Pleochroism:

None

Anisotrophism:

Birefringent where strained

Occurances

Geological Setting:

Primarily formed in pipes, less commonly in dikes, of deep-seated, igneous origin, composed of kimberlite or lamproite, and in alluvial deposits formed by their weathering. In carbonaceous achondrite and iron meteorites; may be formed by impact.

Common Associations:

Diopside, Forsterite, Ilmenite, Phlogopite, Pyrope, (kimberlite pipes); Anatase, Brookite, Garnet, Gold, Hematite, Ilmenite, Magnetite, Rutile, Topaz, Tourmaline, Zircon (placers)

Type Locality:

Unknown; Prehistoric

Year Discovered:

Unknown; Prehistoric

View mineral photos:

Diamond Mineral Photos and Locations

More Information

Mindat.org
Webmineral.com

Diamond is one of the top four in popularity of gems; Diamond, Sapphire, Ruby and Emerald. It is also the hardest natural substance known. It is formed deep in the Earths mantle, and is only brought to the surface via kimberlite pipes, eclogites and other rocks that originate deep within the mantle. It is also found in alluvial deposits, along with Quartz, Corundum, Zircon and other minerals derived from such rocks. Diamond is also found in certain meteorites such as carbonaceous achondrite and iron meteorites. The variety Carbonado forms in stellar supernovae explosions (Garai et al., 2006). Diamond is polymorphous with Chaoite, Graphite and Lonsdaleite.

Diamonds are found in many locations worldwide.
 

  
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