Diamonds are approved to the surface of the earth by magma, or molten rock, which solidifies while it draws closer to the surface. However, the diamonds themselves is much older than the rock that they are found in.
Measuring age
It isn't at all times possible to find out the age of a diamond by examining it directly. A better process is to look at tiny inclusions, which are crystals complete from other minerals that are frequently found within diamonds. These provide out a slight radioactive indication that scientists can measure to discover how old they are.
This resources flawless diamonds, that don't have some inclusions, are very difficult to date.
A garnet inside a diamond
The diamond during the image above contains a violet-red garnet. The crimson gives us a clue to the situation and rock types that the diamond produced in, as scientists know the temperature and pressure is also needed for garnet to turn into its crystal form.
Extra minerals turn into crystals at different temperatures and different pressures.
Finding Exact information
There is some argue about how accurate the evidence from inclusions is. Various inclusions are very old and so the diamonds they are establish might also have formed a very long time ago. However, some scientists imagine diamonds could have formed around the inclusions more recently.
Synthetic diamonds
Advances within technology mean that we can now generate synthetic diamonds and contain increased our understanding of diamonds in the natural world.
Through working out the conditions needed to create synthetic diamonds, we have also learned more regarding how and where real diamonds form, and where else we might hunt for them.
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