tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7328977577669695362024-03-07T20:47:47.694-08:00Jewelryadsenserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02461294144682559162noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-732897757766969536.post-33847144674154032102008-07-05T22:59:00.000-07:002008-07-05T23:13:15.739-07:00Diamond<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Brillanten.jpg" class="image" title="Brillanten.jpg"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6f/Brillanten.jpg/300px-Brillanten.jpg" border="0" height="228" width="300" /></a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allotropes_of_carbon" title="Allotropes of carbon"><br /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allotropes_of_carbon" title="Allotropes of carbon">This article is about the mineral. For the gemstone, see </a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_%28gemstone%29" title="Diamond (gemstone)">Diamond (gemstone)</a>. For other uses, including the shape <big><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E2%97%8A" title="◊">◊</a></big>, see <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_%28disambiguation%29" title="Diamond (disambiguation)">Diamond (disambiguation)</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allotropes_of_carbon" title="Allotropes of carbon">In </a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineralogy" title="Mineralogy">mineralogy</a>, <b>diamond</b> is the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allotropes_of_carbon" title="Allotropes of carbon">allotrope of carbon</a> where the carbon atoms are arranged in an isometric-hexoctahedral crystal lattice. Its hardness and high <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dispersion_%28optics%29" title="Dispersion (optics)">dispersion</a> of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light" title="Light">light</a> make it useful for industrial applications and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewelry" class="mw-redirect" title="Jewelry">jewelry</a>. It is the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardness" title="Hardness">hardest</a> known naturally-occurring <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mineral" title="Mineral">mineral</a>. It is possible to treat regular diamonds under a combination of high pressure and high temperature to produce diamonds (known as Type-II diamonds) that are harder than the diamonds used in hardness gauges.<sup id="cite_ref-Smithsonian_1-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond#cite_note-Smithsonian-1" title="">[2]</a></sup> Presently, only <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aggregated_diamond_nanorods" title="Aggregated diamond nanorods">aggregated diamond nanorods</a>, a material created using <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultrahard_fullerite" class="mw-redirect" title="Ultrahard fullerite">ultrahard fullerite</a> (C<sub>60</sub>) is confirmed to be harder, although other substances such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cubic_boron_nitride" class="mw-redirect" title="Cubic boron nitride">cubic boron nitride</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhenium_diboride" title="Rhenium diboride">rhenium diboride</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultrahard_fullerite" class="mw-redirect" title="Ultrahard fullerite">ultrahard fullerite</a> itself are comparable.</p> <p>Diamonds are specifically renowned as a material with superlative physical qualities; they make excellent <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abrasive" title="Abrasive">abrasives</a> because they can be scratched only by other diamonds, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borazon" title="Borazon">borazon</a>, ultrahard fullerite, rhenium diboride, or aggregated diamond <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanorods" class="mw-redirect" title="Nanorods">nanorods</a>, which also means they hold a polish extremely well and retain their <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lustre_%28mineralogy%29" title="Lustre (mineralogy)">lustre</a>. Approximately 130 million <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carat_%28mass%29" title="Carat (mass)">carats</a> (26,000 kg) are mined annually, with a total value of nearly <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_dollar" class="mw-redirect" title="US dollar">USD $</a>9 <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1000000000_%28number%29" title="1000000000 (number)">billion</a>, and about 100,000 kg (2.2<span style="margin-left: 0.2em;">×<span style="margin-left: 0.1em;">10</span></span><sup>5</sup> lb) are synthesized annually.<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond#cite_note-2" title="">[3]</a></sup></p> <p>The name <i>diamond</i> derives from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_language" title="Greek language">ancient Greek</a> <i>ἀδάμας</i> (<i>adamas</i>) "invincible", "untamed", from <i>ἀ-</i> (<i>a-</i>), "un-" + <i>δαμάω</i> (<i>damáō</i>), "to overpower, to tame". They have been treasured as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gemstone" title="Gemstone">gemstones</a> since their use as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icon" title="Icon">religious icons</a> in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdoms_of_Ancient_India" class="mw-redirect" title="Kingdoms of Ancient India">ancient India</a> and usage in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Engraving" title="Engraving">engraving</a> tools also dates to early <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_world" title="History of the world">human history</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond#cite_note-3" title="">[4]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-ancient_China_4-0" class="reference"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond#cite_note-ancient_China-4" title="">[5]</a></sup> Popularity of diamonds has risen since the 19th century because of increased supply, improved cutting and polishing techniques, growth in the world economy, and innovative and successful advertising campaigns. They are commonly judged by the “four Cs”: <i>carat</i>, <i>clarity</i>, <i>color</i>, and <i>cut</i>.</p> <p>Roughly 49% of diamonds originate from central and southern <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Africa" title="Africa">Africa</a>, although significant sources of the mineral have been discovered in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada" title="Canada">Canada</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India" title="India">India</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia" title="Russia">Russia</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazil" title="Brazil">Brazil</a>, and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia" title="Australia">Australia</a>. They are mined from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kimberlite" title="Kimberlite">kimberlite</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamproite" title="Lamproite">lamproite</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcanic_pipe" title="Volcanic pipe">volcanic pipes</a>, which can bring diamond crystals, originating from deep within the Earth where high pressures and temperatures enable them to form, to the surface. The mining and distribution of natural diamonds are subjects of frequent controversy such as with concerns over the sale of <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflict_diamond" class="mw-redirect" title="Conflict diamond">conflict diamonds</a></i> (aka <i>blood diamonds</i>) by African <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paramilitary" title="Paramilitary">paramilitary</a> groups.</p>adsenserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02461294144682559162noreply@blogger.com0