How can you tell if a rock is kimberlite?
Kimberlites are very diverse, but generally have distinct trace mineralogy. The only way to absolutely identify one is by thin section and chemistry. And finding a kimberlite that contains diamonds is even rarer – most do not.
How do I know if my kimberlite has diamonds?
Finding large concentrations of G10 garnet can be a good indication of a diamondiferous kimberlite. On the Mohs hardness scale, garnet has a hardness of 8, compared with diamonds, which have a hardness of 10.
How do you find kimberlite?
Kimberlites – named after the South African town of Kimberley where they were first diamond was discovered – are generally only found in very old parts of the Earth's crust. They are the sites of small but violent volcanic eruptions that brought material – including diamonds – spewing to the surface.
Is kimberlite rock magnetic?
Usually Kimberlites contain magnetite as an accessory mineral. Unweathered Kimberlites usually produce conspicuous magnetic anomalies. But the weathered kimberlite is different. It loses its magnetic property considerably and becomes practically nonmagnetic, depending on the degree of weathering.
What does a diamond look like when it is first found?
In other words, they have not been altered or tampered with after they were discovered. Raw diamonds look like transparent stones with yellowish or brownish tints. There are some that are colorless but these are rare.
How can you tell if a rock is a diamond?
The only hardness test that will identify a diamond is scratching corundum. Corundum, which includes all rubys and sapphires, is 9 on the hardiness scale. If your suspected diamond crystal can scratch corundum, then there is a good chance that you found a diamond. But NO OTHER HARDNESS TEST will identify a diamond.
What do raw diamonds look like when found?
In other words, they have not been altered or tampered with after they were discovered. Raw diamonds look like transparent stones with yellowish or brownish tints. There are some that are colorless but these are rare.
How much is a kimberlite rock worth?
Kimberlite has over 150 minerals and is very rare fetching prices of 50$ per gram.
What is kimberlite worth?
Kimberlite has over 150 minerals and is very rare fetching prices of 50$ per gram.
How do you break a kimberlite?
Instead of crushing the kimberlite rock, the kimberlite can simply be soaked in water (with appropriate added salts), using the internal forces within the kimberlite to break it apart.
Are kimberlites valuable?
Economic importance of Kimberlite Kimberlites are the most important source of diamonds in the world. About 6,400 kimberlite pipes have been discovered in the world, of those about 900 have been classified as diamondiferous, and of those just over 30 have been economic enough to diamond mine.
How can you tell if a diamond is in the dirt?
Here are some tips to help you spot a real diamond:
- They do not look like the ads. Diamonds sold in stores are already cut and polished. …
- Check for their natural shine. Diamonds are literally brilliant. …
- Diamonds are rounded not edged. …
- Check for translucency. …
- Check for toughness.
How diamonds look when they are found?
0:542:46What Diamonds Look Like before they are Cut – YouTubeYouTube
How do you extract diamonds from kimberlite?
The kimberlite is extracted in enormous quantities using huge trucks and giant steam shovels; the pipe is mined from the surface as an open pit. When it gets too deep, underground mining may begin. Because of the huge quantities of rock involved, the mining is highly mechanized.
How do you break up a kimberlite?
Instead of crushing the kimberlite rock, the kimberlite can simply be soaked in water (with appropriate added salts), using the internal forces within the kimberlite to break it apart.
How do you know if a diamond is in soil?
Here are some tips to help you spot a real diamond:
- They do not look like the ads. Diamonds sold in stores are already cut and polished. …
- Check for their natural shine. Diamonds are literally brilliant. …
- Diamonds are rounded not edged. …
- Check for translucency. …
- Check for toughness.
How do you tell if a rock is a diamond?
The only hardness test that will identify a diamond is scratching corundum. Corundum, which includes all rubys and sapphires, is 9 on the hardiness scale. If your suspected diamond crystal can scratch corundum, then there is a good chance that you found a diamond. But NO OTHER HARDNESS TEST will identify a diamond.
What kimberlite looks like?
kimberlite, also called blue ground, a dark-coloured, heavy, often altered and brecciated (fragmented), intrusive igneous rock that contains diamonds in its rock matrix. It has a porphyritic texture, with large, often rounded crystals (phenocrysts) surrounded by a fine-grained matrix (groundmass).