mineral
Diamond
Carbon (C)
Hardness: 10 on the Mohs scale, Color: typically colorless, yellow, or brown (can be fancy colors), Luster: adamantine, Crystal structure: isometric (cubic), Cleavage: perfect octahedral cleavage, Specific gravity: 3.50-3.53
Identified More mineral →
Explore Diamond in the encyclopedia →Identify your own rocks.
Get a report just like this from any photo, free.
Physical properties
Hardness: 10 on the Mohs scale, Color: typically colorless, yellow, or brown (can be fancy colors), Luster: adamantine, Crystal structure: isometric (cubic), Cleavage: perfect octahedral cleavage, Specific gravity: 3.50-3.53
Formation & geological history
Formed under high-pressure and high-temperature conditions in the Earth's mantle, typically at depths of 150 to 250 kilometers, and brought to the surface by deep-source volcanic eruptions (kimberlites and lamproites) over hundreds of millions to billions of years.
Uses & applications
Widely used in high-end jewelry as gemstones and in industrial applications for cutting, drilling, grinding, and polishing due to its extreme hardness.
Geological facts
Diamond is the hardest naturally occurring substance on Earth, yet it is made entirely of carbon, the same element that forms soft graphite.
Field identification & locations
Identified by its supreme hardness, high refractive index, and adamantine luster. Commonly found in alluvial deposits and kimberlite pipes in countries like Russia, Botswana, Canada, and South Africa.
More like this
Other mineral specimens
Sandstone (with potential mineral staining/concretions)
Arenite (SiO2 based)
sedimentary
Soil with Mineral Detritus and Quartz Fragments
Regolith / Silicate Mineral Aggregate
sedimentary
Limonite / Goethite (Iron Ore Mineral nodule)
FeO(OH)·nH2O / FeO(OH)
mineral
Schist
Schist
Metamorphic
Septarian Pebble
Septarian nodule / Concretion
sedimentary
Potassium Feldspar (Orthoclase)
Orthoclase (KAlSi3O8)
mineral