mineral

Rough Diamond

Diamond (Native Carbon, C)

Hardness: 10 on Mohs scale (hardest known natural substance). Color: Colorless to pale yellow or light brown. Luster: Adamantine. Crystal system: Isometric/Cubic (octahedral Habit common). Specific gravity: 3.51–3.53.

Hardness: 10 on Mohs scale (hardest known natural substance)
Color: Colorless to pale yellow or light brown
Luster: Adamantine

Identified July 22, 2026More mineral →

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Physical properties

Formation & geological history

Formed under extreme temperatures and high pressure conditions deep in the Earth's mantle (at depths of 150 to 250 kilometers) over billions of years, then brought to the surface via deep-origin volcanic eruptions (kimberlite or lamproite pipes) or secondary alluvial deposits.

Uses & applications

Extensively used in high-end jewelry as cut gemstones, and in industrial applications such as cutting, grinding, drilling tools, and heat sinks due to extreme hardness and high thermal conductivity.

Geological facts

Diamond is composed of pure carbon atoms arranged in a rigid tetrahedral lattice, making it the hardest naturally occurring mineral on Earth. Most natural diamonds are between 1 billion and 3.5 billion years old.

Field identification & locations

Field identification relies on extreme hardness (scratches all other minerals), high thermal conductivity, adamantine lustre, and octahedral/rounded crystal forms. Found in kimberlite pipes and alluvial placer gravels in Russia, Botswana, DRC, Angola, Australia, and Canada.