Table of Contents
How do I identify my 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.
Where can I find kimberlite rock?
Kimberlite is typically found in pipes – structures with vertical edges that are roughly circular in cross-section. The rock may have been injected into the areas of weakness in the mantle.
What does kimberlite and lamproite look like?
Kimberlites & lamproites are unusual igneous bodies having overall pipe-shaped geometries. Their mode of formation is only moderately understood because they have not been observed forming. Kimberlites & lamproites are known from scattered localities throughout the world – only some are significantly diamondiferous.
What is the value of kimberlite?
Modeled prices ranged between US$129 and US$355 per ct for the diamond populations of the major kimberlite units making up the Star and Orion South kimberlites.
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.
Where can I find kimberlite in the US?
They occur in the western margin of the Appalachians from New York to Tennessee; in the central region of the U.S. including Kentucky, southern Illinois, Missouri, Kansas and Arkansas, and in the Western States of Montana, Colorado, Wyoming and the Colorado Plateau.
What rock are diamonds found in?
igneous rock
Background. The diamond is the hardest natural substance known. It is found in a type of igneous rock known as kimberlite. The diamond itself is essentially a chain of carbon atoms that have crystallized.