Posted on 08/10/2015 6:00:05 PM PDT by markomalley
A recent diamond discovery and technological advancements in outer space have exposed potential new metal and gemstone sources for the jewellery industry.
Geologists have reportedly discovered another type of diamond within the lava of the Tolbachik volcano, located on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia.
According to multiple media reports, the Russian Ministry of Science released a statement that read: “The solidified lava of the Tolbachik eruption [which occurred in 2012–13] carries within it a new and never-before-seen type of diamond ... According to the Russian geologists, these unique diamonds are not formed in the magmatic melt, but are created by volcanic gases under pressure and as a result of crystallisation under the influence of electrical discharges of lightning.”
The new stones, dubbed Tolbachik diamonds, were said to look almost identical to synthetic diamonds, ranging from 250–700 microns in size.
Several hundred diamonds were reportedly discovered from a small sample of solidified lava from the Tolbachik volcano, and were subsequently analysed and identified using electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction.
Meanwhile, astronomers from the US-based Slooh Community Observatory have recorded the passing of an asteroid, approximately one kilometre in diameter, that is believed to contain up to US$5.4 trillion (AU$7.3 t) in metals and minerals.
Reports have speculated that the 2011 UW158 asteroid may contain a core of platinum, the same material used in jewellery manufacturing.
The asteroid passed about 2.4 million kilometres away from Earth last month. This was only days after Planetary Resources, a US-based company established with the aim of developing asteroid mining technology, drew one step closer to achieving its goal with the successful deployment of a spacecraft.
It was said that during its 90-day mission, Arkyd 3 Reflight (A3R) would validate several core technologies that Planetary Resources planned to incorporate into future spacecraft, which could one day be used to identify and mine near-Earth asteroids.
“The successful deployment of the A3R is a significant milestone for Planetary Resources as we forge a path toward prospecting resource-rich asteroids,” company co-founder and co-chairman Dr Peter Diamandis said. “Our team is developing the technology that will enable humanity to create an off-planet economy that will fundamentally change the way we live on Earth.”
Planetary Resources has another demonstration spacecraft, the Arkyd-6, lined up for launch later this year to continue testing the company’s asteroid-mining technologies.
There is only one diamond. There is stichovite and perovskite, and probably other various polymorphs, but there is only one diamond.
quote “The new stones, dubbed Tolbachik diamonds, were said to look almost identical to synthetic diamonds, ranging from 250–700 microns in size”
who do these idiots think they are fooling?
I had a professor for vacuum that successfully made diamonds under vacuum with various gases. Only problem at the time was it was too expensive and inconsistent in its results.
Jack I am sure is smiling down from heaven upon reading this
Also out of Russia:
Terminally Ill Man Set to Undergo World’s First Head Transplant, Doctor Called Crazy
Soviet Scientists Made This Two-Headed Dog
Never trust the Russians. They are probably synthesized and will be marketed as a “new” discovery.
I dissolved the end of a drill bit in nitric acid to get the diamonds. (in a frisbee)
They are synthetic diamonds. Under normal illumination they appear usually as beer-bottle green dodecahedrons with a peculiar waxy appearance. And they easily scratch hardened steel.
And in related news, DeBeers has announced the purchase of the entire Tolbachik volcano.
obama voters?
LOL!!!
In a related question, why is Dr. Diamandis involved in asteroid mining when he should have been involved in the finding of new Diamonds re the article above? They could have been named after him.
Just asking.
Please don’t tell me wife that an new type of diamond exists. Her birthday is coming up this month and I’m broke.
QVC is already pursuing exclusive rights for US domestic sales.
As for an asteroid .. A potential 5.4 trillion dollar payload..
Just flying thru our neighborhood..
Paging Elon Musk and Richard Brandon..
You want a space venture?
Talk about the Mother Lode.
One more thing about which America’s women can bug its men.
meanwhile at scribner creek
Deal! I won’t tell yours, Max, if you don’t tell mine.
I prefer Carbonados, black diamonds.
Theory says they all were born in the center of a supernova and brought to Earth in a single asteroid one kilometer in diameter which hit the Earth about 2 billion years ago, none have been mined with any regular diamonds.
Black diamonds are very slightly harder than regular diamonds and slightly lighter. Up until about ten years or so ago, almost all black diamonds were about the size of a pea or smaller and were found strewn along the ground and in stream beds in Central Africa and central South America, right between where they think the asteroid struck. These are the ones you see in jewelry store in pavé settings about the size of grains of sand.
There were only three that were larger. One, which is in the Scepter of the Russian Czars, is about 667 carats, then there's a smaller black diamond called the Black Orlov at 67.5 carats after cutting (from 193 carats), mounted in a halo diamond pendant surrounded by two carat white diamonds, and the third one around 32 carats which was mounted in a ring by Tiffany.
However, about ten or twelve years ago, someone dug into a lode of black diamonds in Central Africa which is not controlled by the De Beers Diamond cartel. They are being cut in India and they are not price controlled, and large black diamonds are available very reasonably. I have quite a few of them. They are still considered the rarest of the fancy colored diamonds.
In addition to the 15 1/2 carat in my ring, I also have a much larger black diamond I'm trying to think of a use for. It's ~92 carats in a round cut about 1 1/8 inches in diameter. I'm thinking gear shift knob or cane topper. . . LOL! Several years ago I was really tempted by a 227 carat black diamond, but if I can't figure out what to do with the 92 carat one what would I do with one a quarter inch larger? They're both too large to make pendants or bracelets out of. . .
Very fascinating reply about Black Diamonds but if my wife sees this post, I’m toast.
Geology bump
Maybe she’d like some Helenite?
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