mineral
Diamond (or Cubic Zirconia imitation)
Carbon (C) - Native Element
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
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Physical properties
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.
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.
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