As previously believed, diamonds are not that rare to find, according the new Johns Hopkins University research report.
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Diamonds are understood to form deep in the Earth under enormous pressure, making them seem like precious objects hard to get a hold of.
In Sverjensky’s study, which appeared in the online science journal, Nature Communications, a “new quantitative theory” is introduced wherein researchers explain a new process of how diamonds are formed.
For one thing – the bulk quantity of diamonds close to the Earth’s surface – where they can be mined – is still subject to the relatively rare volcanic magma eruptions that comes out from the depths where they are created. For another, the diamonds considered in Sverjensky’s studies are not necessarily the stuff of romantic betrothals, unless the ring recipient has a microscope. Most of these diamonds are of a few microns.
However, Sverjensky and his team used a chemical model, yet to be tested with experiments, which showed that diamonds could be formed in host rocks by a simple natural reaction with fluid.
The new research showed that water could produce diamonds as its pH falls naturally – that is, as it becomes more acidic – while moving from one type of rock to another.
The normal understanding in modern world has been that diamonds are crafted through the movement of fluid by the oxidation of methane or the chemical reduction of carbon dioxide.
Oxidation would result in the loss of electrons during a reaction, while reduction results in the gain of electrons.
Scientists have long held that diamonds are formed through two processes, collectively called “redox”.
“The more people look, the more they’re finding diamonds in different rock types now”, said Sverjensky in a press release.
Furthermore, Sverjensky also stated that the outcome is one of many in almost the past 25 years that magnifies scientists’ understanding of how universal diamonds could be.
A group of geochemists found that diamonds may be more abundant than previously thought as recent findings suggest that there are more methods of formation than scientists had estimated. It roughly requires 90 to 80 miles below the Earth’s surface at an intense temperature of about 1,650 to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
A latest study has revealed that diamonds could be formed due to changes in water chemistry indicating their abundance in Earth’s mantle.
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“Fluids are the key link between the shallow and the deep Earth”, Sverjensky said. To put it into perspective, man’s deepest drilling excursion made it only so far as 9 miles down. “That’s why it’s important”.
