Black Diamonds
What Are Black Diamonds? By Steven Hadley
Black Diamonds have an incredibly rich history. Named carbonados by the Brazilians who first discovered them in 1840, Black Diamonds are found almost exclusively in Brazil and the Central African Republic. Carbonado formed 2.6 to 3.8 billion years ago and is exceedingly rare. Carbonado – is a natural polycrystalline diamond and only about three metric tons have been mined, usually from stream beds. Black Diamonds are dynamic and packed with drama, records of earth’s shifting and folding land masses sculpted and transported them by water and ice. They attest to a time when Africa and South America were a single land mass that was probably struck by a class of “pre-solar” meteorites that fell to earth from outer space through the oxygen-poor atmosphere of the pre-Cambrian period. They are found in alluvial deposits in Brazil and Central African Republic, and the largest carbonado ever found measures 3,167 carats, 60 times larger than the largest clear diamond. Found in Brazil where it was named Sergio, the crystal weighs 1.4 pounds. A carat is a unit of weight, with about 140 equaling an ounce. Black Diamonds are as hard as white diamonds and, like those diamonds, were formed when ordinary carbon was subjected to immense heat and pressure.
Carbonados are believed to be significantly younger than white diamonds — about 3.2 versus 3.5 billion years so their estimated period of origin is out of sync with volcanic evidence. The carbonados of Africa and South America come from the same meteorite or meteorites. The prevailing theory is that carbonados were born as the result of heat from natural radiation produced by the impact of rocky asteroids or exploding stars, resulting in diamond aggregates from black diamond boulders that plummeted to earth, fragmenting in the process. Black Diamonds could have rained down unimpeded and fell to earth before an ancient block of the earth’s crust fractured into South American and Africa. When you look at a world map you will see that the two continents fit together like a puzzle. Diamonds have been a mysterious symbol of power and strength through the ages, but their rare beauty has also made them a symbol of love, romance and fashion. Ancient Greeks were the first to make diamonds a symbol of love and they were thought to be splinters of the stars that fell to earth or the tears from the Gods. While it is generally true that colorless diamonds are more expensive than black diamonds, it is not true that they are better, they are just different. High quality black diamond crystals are very bright, sparkling, attractive and desirable. In this way, a Black Ice Diamonds™ Black Diamond Necklace can be a subtle addition to any elegant attire.
Facts bout Black Diamonds
Black diamonds are also called carbonados diamonds. The Portuguese in Brazil coined the term carbonados in the mid-18th century. It derived from its visual similarity to porous charcoal. Black diamonds are found only in Brazil and the Central African Republic.
Approximately 600 tons of conventional diamonds have been mined, traded, polished since 1900. But not a single black diamond has been discovered in the world’s mining fields. The geological settings where diamonds are found or mined are virtually identical with the one exception, the Black Diamond.
Diamonds are created by very high heat and pressure. The only naturally occurring source of this type of environment on earth is under the earths curst. Conventional diamonds are mined from explosive volcanic rocks (kimberlites) that transport them from depths in excess of 100 kilometers by volcanic action. Where Black Diamonds are found, the geological settings are not compatible with the formation diamonds.
So how are Black Diamonds made? Stephen Haggerty and Jozsef Garai, both of Florida International University, believe that Black Diamonds originate in outer space. Black diamonds have been found to contain trace elements of nitrogen and hydrogen, which they claim are sure indicators of an extraterrestrial origin.
New research supports the claim by Haggerty showing that black diamonds formed in stellar supernovae explosions. Black diamonds were once the size of asteroids, a kilometer or more in diameter when they first landed on Earth.
The study published in 2006 analyzed the hydrogen in black diamond samples using infrared-detection instruments and found that the quantity indicated that the mineral formed in a supernova explosion prior to the formation of the Solar System. These diamonds were formed by carbon-rich cosmic dust in an environment near carbon stars. The diamonds were incorporated into solid bodies that subsequently fell to Earth as meteorites.
Many people around the world consider diamonds great treasures. Some diamonds are found naturally in a range of colors, and the colors can increase the value of the stone because of the rarity of the color. The colors range from pink to black. Black diamonds are some of the rarest diamonds in the world.
Black diamonds are not sparkling like those of other colors, but these jewels can make stunning jewelry. The value of these beautiful stones and their stunning appearance make them popular gifts. Jewelry made with these distinctive jewels have become increasingly popular in the last few years.
The black diamonds have many myths about them especially in India. Some people believe that these diamonds resemble the eyes of a snake so they were dedicated to an Indian god. One huge diamond made a perfect part for a statue of Buddha because of the black color. If you really want a piece of history then purchase a black diamond because it may be as old as the solar system itself.
David Cowley has created numerous articles on Diamonds. He has also created a Web Site dedicated to Diamonds. Visit Diamonds
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/jewelry-articles/facts-about-black-diamonds-439200.html
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