Diamonds are the most valuable minerals on Earth. They are quite inconspicuous but at the same time they are the hardest minerals. On the Mohs scale, their hardness is rated at 10 on a ten-point scale. I think everyone wondered where you can find diamonds. Diamonds are used to make stones, which are called brilliant in jewelery. Brilliants are even more expensive than raw diamonds.
The price of diamonds is not just because they are beautiful. Diamonds are only found in a few places in the world are India, Russia, South Africa and Angola. Angolan diamonds are considered to be of the highest quality.
From a chemical point of view, diamond is actually pure carbon. Diamonds are formed in amazing conditions, i.e. at a depth of 150 - 200 in the ground. Only at such a depth, the pressure of the rocks and the temperature reaching 1000 degrees Celsius are high enough for the crystal structure of the diamond to be formed. The uniqueness of diamonds is emphasized by the fact that the diamonds found are aged from 3 to 1 billion years. It is worth noting here that the age of our planet Earth is estimated at 4.5 billion years.
Diamonds are used not only for the production of high-quality jewelery. Diamonds are also used, among others:
In the production of abrasives and glass knives (their durability is extremely high)
As elements in various scientific and medical machines, as elements for the production of hardness testers, elements of phonographic needles, as a factor in the production of thermally conductive pastes, as detectors of elementary particles or dosimeters.
The largest diamonds found have their names. One of them is the legendary Koh-i-noor. It weighs 105 carats (21.6 g). Currently, it is in the British crown and decorates the front of the cross above the rim of this insignia. I highly recommend those interested to read the amazing story of this stone.
