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Engagement
Ring Guru > Additional Articles - Series 2
Where Diamonds Come From
What many people don’t know about diamonds is that they were formed under
immense heat and pressure hundreds of miles below sea level. After 100
million years of formation, volcanic explosions forced them upward,
exposing
their natural beauty to the world. Diamonds were formed more than 70
million years ago when diamond-bearing ore was brought to the surface
through volcanic eruption. After the magma cooled, it solidified into blue
ground, or kimberlite, where the precious rough is still found today.
Rated 10 on the Mohs scale of hardness, diamonds are the hardest
substances on earth, but their appeal goes far beyond durability.
Adding to the mystery and aura of what make diamonds so sought-after,
approximately 250 tons of ore must be mined and processed in order to
produce a single, one-carat, polished, gem-quality diamond.
It was over 4,000 years ago that the first diamonds were mined in India.
Modern mining as we know it today began in South Africa in the late 19th
century. Today, the top seven diamond-producing countries, accounting for
80 percent of the world’s rough diamond supply, are Botswana, Russia,
South Africa, Angola, Namibia, Australia and Zaire. |
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