What does a diamond look like? Diamond stone: properties, description

Diamond is a stone not only popular, but also the most precious of all minerals on Earth. He at all times was considered and continues to be considered a symbol of firmness, the personification of courage and some kind of innocence. Its name comes from the Greek word "adamas", which translates into Russian as "indestructible", "irresistible". On Earth there are about 1000 kinds of different diamonds, including jewelry. What does a diamond look like, what properties does it have, and how do they extract it?

What is the difference between a diamond and a diamond?

Nothing. Many people mistakenly believe that diamonds and diamonds are different precious stones. Moreover, some of them even argue with each other about which of these stones is the most expensive. Note that all disputes between people regarding diamonds and diamonds are empty conversations.

The fact is that the diamond (the photo of the mineral is presented in the article) and the diamond is the same stone. The only difference in them is that the diamond is the primary mineral, and the diamond is the already processed and cut diamond. In general, the word "diamond" is French. Translated into Russian, it means "sparkling".

Appearance of natural diamond

What does a diamond look like in its original form? Without special cut, this mineral will look extremely unattractive, since the surface of precious crystals extracted from the bowels of the Earth is overwhelmingly rough in most cases. In addition, it is covered with a translucent gray crust with various cracks.

Only professional polishing and diamond cutting will turn it into a real diamond, playing with all the colors of the rainbow in the sun. In this case, the diamond itself in most cases remains transparent, like a drop of water. A true diamond, dropped into a container of water, will become absolutely invisible.

Diamond. Description of the mineral

From a scientific point of view, diamonds are minerals representing a cubic allotropic form of carbon. Under normal conditions this mineral can exist for an indefinitely long period. If you place a diamond in an inert gas or vacuum at elevated temperatures, it will eventually turn into graphite. The main distinguishing features of diamonds are:

• Very high (among other minerals) hardness;
• The highest thermal conductivity among all existing solids;
• dispersion;
• High refractive index ;
• Low coefficient of friction for metal in air;
• Properties of a dielectric.

Diamond, the description of which is given in the framework of this article, due to its highest hardness has an exceptional wear resistance to abrasion. Moreover, these minerals have the highest (in comparison with other mineral stones) elasticity and the lowest compression ratio.

It should be noted that one of the most important properties of diamond is its so-called luminescence. In other words, these precious stones start to glow under the influence of ultraviolet, cathode or x-rays and shine in different colors, i.e. To luminesce.

More about color and luminescence of diamond

Diamond is a stone that usually does not have any color shades. But sometimes these minerals still have slightly pronounced brown, yellowish, greenish or pinkish hues. Very rarely in nature there are black diamonds. As for the jewelry options, most of the colored jewelery diamonds have a brown or yellow color.

The shades depend on the concentration of the defect in the structure of these stones. Color can be present in colorless diamonds. Specialists note that often minerals in which it is not possible to fix a structure defect with a spectrophotometer, from time to time shine with various shades, playing them in the sun. This is the effect of luminescence.

Jewelery diamonds

As a rule, the share of mined diamonds in our country is no more than 25%. Naturally, in placer deposits of this mineral, such diamonds are much more common than in indigenous ones. Jewelry diamond is a solid precious stone that does not have any inclusions and cracks.

Specialists say that when cutting diamond jewelry, you can see the greatest brilliance and maximum game of this stone. Their cut completely eliminates all the natural defects, but at the same time lost about half of the original mass of the mineral. When cutting diamonds a special diamond shape is used, as well as cutting with wings, cabochon and stepped.

Diamond. Chemical composition

What does a diamond look like in terms of its chemical properties? This mineral is approximately 99.8% carbon. The remaining 0.2% are impurities of various chemical elements:

• nitrogen;
• aluminum;
• oxygen;
• silicon;
• Boron;
• copper;
• manganese;
• nickel;
• iron;
• zinc;
• Titanium, etc.

Diamond. Physical properties

As already mentioned above, the diamond, the photo of which we have presented to you, can be either colorless (transparent in water) or colored by means of luminescence in various shades of colors. In this case, most often the color is distributed unevenly, zoned or spotted. Let me repeat that it is under the influence of various light rays that the vast majority of diamonds begin to glow with all sorts of color shades.

Scientists have found that these minerals have a unique ability to adhere to some fatty compounds. This allowed us to create and further apply the widely known fat method for extracting diamonds at various concentrating plants.

Diamond. Healing properties

This valuable mineral was used for medicinal purposes even in ancient times. People cured such mental disorders as:

• Phobias;
• Nervous breakdowns;
• Depression;
• Neuroses;
• Unreasonable fears.

Doctors-litotherapists say that, for example, a jewelry diamond is able to correct the nervous system of a person, setting his condition to positive. It is believed that this mineral helps in the fight against smoking, alcoholism, alcoholism, drug addiction.

Behind the scenes, diamonds are excellent antipyretic agents. Traditional healers generally recommend using diamond as an additional tool for the main treatment of the following ailments:

• hepatitis;
• bronchitis;
• pneumonia;
• Inflammation of the prostate;
• Various infections;
• Joint disease.

Diamond. Esoteric and magical properties

So, we know what the diamond looks like from the point of view of its physical and chemical properties. Now we find out how esoteric specialists are talking about him. They are sure that this mineral is not only the most valuable in the whole world, but also the most dangerous for humans. However, this does not mean that it will only harm its owner. Careful and accurate attitude to his stone will awaken in him a positive energy in relation to his master.

From time immemorial people believed and continue to believe that diamonds bring courage, perseverance, firmness of spirit, determination, etc. to their owners. Esotericists agree with this. Jewelry with these minerals, in their opinion, really protects people from alcoholism and drug addiction, protects them from the evil eye, relieves sorrows, and casts certain magical charms.

But not everything is so sweet and smooth, as it may seem at first glance. Esoteric reminds that diamonds since ancient times are considered to be stones of kings, high priests and nobles. Jewelry with diamonds has always served as a faith and truth to high-ranking personalities. Unfortunately, a proud diamond in some cases can be completely indifferent to ordinary people from the middle class.

Diamond and Astrology

Diamond is the stone that is the first in the zodiacal circle. This mineral has an exceptional energy, which in its power can not be compared with the energy of other minerals. From an astrological point of view, diamonds reflect the entire zodiac, being the unspoken leaders among the rest of the minerals.

According to the opinion of astrologers, every person born under the constellation of Aries must have this mineral . The fact is that his magical power can tame the anger, irritability and quick temper of its owner. Of course, diamonds are not contraindicated to other signs of the zodiac.

Amulets and talismans with diamonds

If you want to use jewelry with cut diamonds as mascots and amulets, then it is recommended to wear them in the form of rings on the ring finger of the left hand, in the form of pendants on the neck or in the form of earrings. In this case, the stone must touch your skin. A talisman with a diamond will only act if the intentions of its owner are moral and honest. You can not wear jewelry with diamonds as talismans and amulets for murderers, scammers, thieves, repeat offenders, scams, dishonest people, etc.

How are diamonds mined?

Diamond mining is a serious and labor-intensive business, as this mineral crystallizes one of the first during the cooling of the mantle silicate melt located in the depths of the Earth at a depth of up to 200 km. In this case, the pressure exerted on the crystallization processes is 5000 MPa. Then, under the influence of the explosive processes that accompany the formation of kimberlite pipes (20% of them are contained in diamond), the mineral is carried to the surface of the Earth, from where it is subsequently extracted.

Geologists argue that these stones can also occur in the deep rocks of the Earth, called eclogites. It is curious that small diamonds in their time were found in meteorites in quite a large number. Diamond mining was also carried out in giant meteorite craters, where highly remelted rocks have a significant amount of fine crystalline minerals. In general, industrial deposits of these stones are directly associated with placers and kimberlites. The main diamond mining countries and regions are:

• Congo (Zaire);
• South Africa;
• Namibia;
• Botswana;
• The Urals;
• Yakutia.

Diamonds of Yakutia - national property of Russia

Their second name is Yakut diamonds. At present, Yakutia lapidary factories are in fact the undisputed leaders in the production of these minerals throughout the world. Specialists and jewelers say that it's all about the high quality of diamonds located in the bowels of the Yakut lands. This is hard to believe, but today even South African diamonds have already lost their status of the best diamonds in the world.

Diamonds of Yakutia, unlike their direct and more eminent competitors, boast of the world's rarest purity: the absence on their surfaces of cracks and all kinds of plentiful inclusions allows Yakut diamonds to be fabulously and divinely "playing" in the sun, skilfully refracting the rays of light. Nevertheless, despite their obvious advantages, these stones are not widespread in our country.

Of course, the quality of diamonds mined in Russia should not be questioned. Apparently, the fault of the Soviet world outlook, to which diamonds are of exceptional value only in the defense industry of the country, is to blame. Currently, up to 80% of all diamonds mined in Russia are exported to elite European and Western jewelry stores.