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Image depicting Some diamonds are created from once-living creatures

Some diamonds are created from once-living creatures

 

Recommended for Secondary Grades

Natural diamonds are naturally formed deep inside the earth. They form when high pressure and heat is applied to a form of carbon.

How many types of natural diamonds exist?

There are three main types of natural diamonds – lithospheric, oceanic and super-deep continental.

The first is called lithospheric diamonds. They form in the lithospheric layer around 150 to 250 km below the surface of Earth. They are the most common type. The other two types are rarer. They are called oceanic and super-deep continental diamonds.

We find oceanic ones in oceanic rocks deep inside the ocean. On the other hand, deep continental diamonds are formed much deeper inside the earth. A new study has found that these two types (oceanic and super-deep continental) form from once-living organisms.

Earlier studies had already suggested that oceanic diamonds originally formed from organic carbon that was once within living beings. But now, it seems even super-deep continental ones form in the same way.

What the study says

A new study found that the cores of super-deep continental diamonds have a similar δ13C composition as oceanic ones. However, scientists aren’t sure why these deep, rare diamonds are using this recycled organic carbon (from once-living organisms). So, they will continue to study this finding further.

 

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