Friday, October 7, 2011

Not Just Plain Diamonds Anymore: the Modern Eternity Bands

By Dahlia Owen


The diamond is well known as the hardest natural substance on earth, but if placed in an oven at 1405 degrees Fahrenheit (763 degrees Celsius), it will vanish. Only a small amount of carbon dioxide will have been released.

Diamonds are formed over a period of a billion or more years deep within the earth's crust - about 90 miles (150km) below the surface - and are pushed to the surface by volcanoes. Most diamonds are found in volcanic rock, called Kimberlite, or in the sea, having been carried away by rivers after they were pushed to the surface. A diamond is 58 times harder than the next hardest mineral on earth, corundum, from which rubies and sapphires are formed.

It was only during the 15th century when it was discovered that the only way to cut diamonds was with other diamonds. Still, diamonds are brittle; if hit hard with a hammer, they will shatter.

Fashion Jewelry Genuine black diamonds are not used in fashion jewelry. However, names of certain stones may confuse the purchaser. The Alaska Black Diamond is actually hematite; The Nevada Black Diamond is merely obsidian; and a Radium Black Diamond is really smoky quartz.

Mines found in the countries of central and southern Africa are the modern source for the majority of diamonds. However there are other regions where diamonds are still mined including Brazil, Australia, Canada, and Siberia. In fact, Siberia enjoys the reputation of having the world's largest diamond mine.




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