mineral

Diamond (or Cubic Zirconia imitation)

Carbon (C) - Native Element

AI-generated identification · may be incorrect

Hardness: 10 Mohs (hardest known natural substance). Color: Usually colorless but can be yellow, brown, blue, or pink. Luster: Adamantine. Crystal Structure: Isometric-Hexoctahedral. Cleavage: Perfect in four directions. Specific Gravity: 3.52.

Hardness: 10 Mohs (hardest known natural substance)
Color: Usually colorless but can be yellow, brown, blue, or pink
Luster: Adamantine

Identified March 11, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed deep within the Earth's mantle (150-200km deep) under extreme heat and pressure over billions of years. They are brought to the surface through deep-source volcanic eruptions called kimberlite or lamproite pipes.

Uses & applications

Dominantly used in jewelry as gemstones. In industry, used for cutting, drilling, and grinding tools due to extreme hardness. Also used in heat sinks for high-power electronics.

Geological facts

Diamonds are older than some stars; most natural diamonds are between 1 billion and 3.5 billion years old. Famous specimens include the Hope Diamond and the Cullinan Diamond.

Field identification & locations

Field identification is difficult for faceted stones without lab equipment. Natural diamonds can be identified by their ability to scratch any other material and their high thermal conductivity. It is frequently confused with Cubic Zirconia (CZ) or Moissanite in images.