DIAMONDS IN AMERICA
Mines
Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, ARK - This park is a fun adventure of searching for diamonds in the ground. The best time to be successful in this gem's search is after it rains. Usually the diamonds are small and very difficult to find, although one or two are still found daily.
Famous Arkansas Diamonds
The Uncle Sam 40.24 carats
Star of Murfreesboro 34.25 carats
Searcy diamond 27.21 carats
State Line Kimberlite District - the Colorado/Wyoming border, the only working mine in the United States
Natural Museum of History states, "some of the more important indicator minerals associated with diamonds are: garnet, chromite, ilmenite, clinopyroxene, olivine, and zircon."
Gemological Institute of America - (GIA) foremost diamond grading agency
Diamond Council of America - (DCA) established in 1944 to educate jewelry professionals
DIAMONDS OF AFRICA
Before anything is said about African diamonds, know that Africa produces half of the world's diamonds: immensely wealthy natural resource. Wow! Where are they?
South Africa
Botswana
Namibia
Angola
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
Offshore/Marine Mining
The discovery of diamonds occurred in 1867 and their industrial development was founded by these entities: Barney Barnato, Cecil John Rhodes, Kimberley, and De Beers. De Beers remains one of the strongest mining companies in the world today. Although numerous, most of the mines are small-scale with few exceptions. Warring factions have limited the fair trade of this precious commodity.
DIAMONDS IN RUSSIA
Russia is responsible for 1/5 of the world's diamond output. It's history is rather a remarkable success story of exploration. Vladimir S. Sobolev saw similarities in the bedrock of Siberia and the Botswana/South Africa region. He drew the conclusion that diamond mining would be prosperous there (1930). In 1947, garnet and ilmenite, mineral indicators, were found and within 10 years diamonds were found despite the harsh winters of Siberia.
Sahka Rebublic Mines
Mirna Mine (closed)
Anabar Mine
Jubilee Mine
Western Russia Mines
in the Ural Mountains
near Arkhangel'sk
DIAMONDS IN CANADA
Diamond mining began in Canada in the 1960s, although the discovery of kimberlite did not occur until the 1980s. Deposits were later found in the 1990s. The mines that have developed since the 1990s are as follows:
Ekati Mine - a little over 100 miles northeast of the city of Yellowknife, one of the largest cities in the Northwest Territories 1998. 3% of the world's diamonds
Diavik Mine - located in the Northwest Territories, started in 2003, 6% of the world's diamonds
Snap Lake Mine - also in the Northwest Territories, owned by De Beers 2007
Victor Open-pit Mine - in Ontario, Canada 2008
There are two types of exploration:
precious metal exploration through diamond indicators
till geochemistry to differentiate between glaciers and kimberlite
Some fields have mineral inicators and some do not. Most of the mines built since 1990 have a 12-20 year life expectancy in diamond output. Since 2003, Canada is third in diamond production next to Botswana and Russia.
DIAMONDS IN INDIA
India's diamonds were discovered in 400 B. C. Instead of kimberlite, these diamonds are mined through alluvial deposits. This means that the kimberlite pipes that contain the diamonds in the mountains are washed down the rivers and panned through several layers of sands in the river beds like gold.
India's diamonds (Golconda)
Hope Diamond
Orlov Diamond
Koh-i-Noor Diamond
Sanc Diamond
Diamonds are a primary part of India's spiritual mysticism of their religions. Today, India imports more jewels than they produce because of their attachment to the precious gems.
India Mines:
Panna - in the north
Mahbobnagar
Kurnool
Anantapur
Cudapah
Guntur
Krishna
When first discovered, these stones were described as having an "unspeakable hardness". After centuries of writers expanded on these descriptions, India's diamonds have become a wonder to the entire world. Most of these gems were originally found while panning in gold mines until eventually, the gold mines turned into diamond mines. The Bible does not refer to the diamond, although other jewels and precious metals are discussed. This seems to indicate the Eastern Kings did not consider this gem a trading item. Diamonds were considered to be a clumsy gem and something of a local treasure. Their secondary use was as a graver and a cutter. Through the ages, information about India's mines was lost and considered unreliable, therefore, the idea of the "lost mines of Golconda" developed.
DIAMONDS IN AUSTRALIA
Pink, white, and champagne. What tantalizing colors! There is a reason why Australia produces 1/3 of the world's diamonds. Another contributor to their success is the Argyle Mine located in Northwestern Australia in the Kimberley region. The Argyle mine had its origin in the early 1970s but the precise location of its pipe did not occur until 1979. The host rock is lamporite rather than the more common kimberlite. This mine is well-known throughout the world for producing pink diamonds. Other characteristics of Argyle diamonds include their hardness and their color (some appear to be blue in ultra-violet light). Black diamonds are also prevalent in Australia.
