Diamonds

“diamond” from the Ancient Greek term

“adamas”, which means indestructible and
unconquerable.
 History
► Diamonds were mined in India around 800 BC

► Diamonds were not mined when they were first found.

They were found along rivers.

► In 1456 Louis de Bergueur discovered how to cut

facets of a diamond.

► Until the 18th century India was the only known

source for diamonds.

► Now diamonds are exported mostly from South Africa

by a company called the De Beers.
Diamond Physical Properties
► Hardness: Hardest gemstone known to man

► Clarity: Diamonds are transparent over a larger range of

wavelengths

► Thermal Conductivity: Diamonds conduct heat better than

anything else

► Melting Point: Diamond has the highest melting point (3820

degrees Kelvin)

► Lattice Density: The atoms of Diamonds in a tighter formation

than any other substance.
 Natural Diamonds

► they are formed deep inside the earth's interior (high

pressure and heat create the diamond crystal lattice)

► through the eruptions they were transported to the

earth's surface.

► the eruptions were so fast and so powerful that the

diamonds were brought straight to the surface.
 Synthetic Diamonds

► they were first produced in 1953 in Sweden

► they have been made by a process called High Pressure

High Temperature synthesis (HPHT)

► at this process graphite is put into a huge hydraulic press at

high temperatures and pressures, and with the addition of a
metallic catalyst, converts to diamond over a period of a few
hours.

► the diamond crystals that are produced by this method are

useful as hard-wearing edges on cutting tools.
 Diamonds
► Structure: carbon
► Constitution: cubic system
► Colour: colourless, yellow, brown, green, blue, black
► Cut: white
► Hardness: 10
► Density: 3,5
► Other characters: the most adamant matter
► Finding place: South Africa, Russia, Brasil
► Availability: jewellery, hard-wearing edges on cutting tools
 Structure of Diamonds

► Diamond is carbon in its most concentrated

form.

► Except for trace impurities like boron and

nitrogen, diamond is composed solely of carbon.
 Carbon

► Classification: non-metallic

► Symbol: C (lat. Carboneum)

► Atomic number: 6

► Group number: 14

► Atomic weight: 12.0107

► Electron configuration: 1s2 2s2 2p2

► Electrons per shell: 2, 4

 Structure of diamond

The carbon atom is connected to 4 other

carbon atoms by strong chemical bonds,
creating diamond's rigid crystal structure.
 Shapes of crystals

► octahedron
► cubo-octahedron (a combined form)
► dodecahedron
► macle twin
► cube
The biggest synthetic diamond has 10 carat.
Famous cuts of Diamonds

round cut radiant cut princess cut

Diamond has an aversion to water
The Mohs scale of mineral hardness
1 Talc
2 Gypsum
3 Calcite
4 Fluorite
5 Apatite
6 Orthoclase
7 Quartz
8 Topaz
9 Corundum
10 Diamond
! Thank you for
your attention !