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The American Museum of Natural History provides a wonderful online exhibition about diamonds at American Museum of Natural History - A World of Diamonds. The diamond exhibit is well laid out for exploring the various topics, but you can also use the index below to look up specific items.
What is Diamond?
Composition: what is diamond made of? Structure: how do carbon atoms connect to form a diamond? Trigons: why is each diamond crystal unique? Hardness: what does it mean to say diamonds are the hardest substance? Durability: what is cleavage and why are diamonds not unbreakable? Surface: why do diamonds repel water but become greasy? Density: why are diamonds heavier than graphite? Refraction: why are diamonds brilliant and lustrous? Color: why are not all diamonds colorless? Dispersion: what gives a diamond "fire"? Flourescence: what does it mean when a diamond is fluorescent? Electrical Conductivity: why is diamond a poor conductor and graphite a good electrical conductor? Thermal Conductivity: why do diamonds feel cold? Vital Statistics: all the scientific facts
Origins
Origins of Carbon: where does the carbon in diamonds come from and what is the difference between harzburgitic (peridotitic) and eclogitic diamonds? Formation: where and under what conditions do diamonds form? How Diamonds Surface: how do diamonds move to the earth's surface? Where Diamonds are Found: why are diamonds found on cratons? Indicator Minerals: what are indicator minerals? Kimberlite and Lamproite: what do kimberlites and lamproites look like? Kimberlite Pipes: what does a kimberlite look like inside? Age: How old are kimberlites and diamonds? Xenoliths: what are mantle xenoliths in a kimberlite magma and why are they important? Inclusions: what are diamond inclusions? Collisions and Stardust: are kimberlites that sampled the diamond stability field the only source of diamonds?
History
What's in a Name: what does "diamond" mean? A Royal Gem: initially so rare only royalty possessed diamonds Love & Betrothal: diamonds as a token of love have an ancient history Origins in India: Earliest reference to diamond occurs in a 300 BC Sanskrit text Indian Traditions: a complex system of meaning and value Castes & Buddhism: a color for every caste and the adoption by Buddhism of diamond as a symbol of religious virtue Mediterranean: Diamonds showed up in Rome via India by 100 AD Myths and Legends: Alexander and the Valley of Diamonds The Middle Ages: while diamonds disappear during the Middle Ages conceptually they stay alive through "lapidaries" Trade: Diamonds from India show up in Europe in 1300 Renaissance: a royal craving for top stones 17th Century: Brilliant cut diamonds emerge in 17th century 18th Century: Arrival of South American diamonds boosts popularity, especially with women 19th Century: Arrival of South African diamonds broadens ownership base 20th Century: the rise of American capitalism and the adoption of diamonds as a symbol of success
Mining and Distribution
A World of Diamonds: where are diamonds mined? Across southern Africa: Distribution of diamond pipes in southern Africa South Africa: a short history of the discovery of diamonds in South Africa Other African Countries: Congo, Botswana, Namibia Brazil and Venezuela: distribution of alluvial diamond deposits in Brazil India: the earliest source of diamonds Russia: from indicator minerals to major producer Australia: Argyle - the world's most prolific diamond producer North America: Canada, the newest major diamond producer Types of Deposits: the difference between primary (kimberlite & lamproite) and secondary (alluvial) diamond deposits Mining a Kimberlite Pipe: different ways to mine a pipe Processing Diamond Ore: how are diamonds separated from the host rock? Marine Deposits: what are marine diamond deposits and how are they mined? Alluvial Deposits: history's original source of diamonds Sorting and Distribution: what happens to diamonds after they are separated from their host rock?