Diamond

I use diamond in my everyday life and hence, I choose it as my mineral. At home I use saw,
drill, grinding wheel and many other tools. Most of these tools are made up of diamond. Some
particles of diamond are embedded in a saw blade, a drill bit or a grinding wheel for the purpose
of cutting, drilling or grinding. The feature of hardness in diamond is responsible for making
tools and equipments that are used to cut, drill and grind. This use is broadly known as an
abrasive use of diamond.

Diamond is a naturally occurring mineral made up of carbon atoms. One carbon atom is
surrounded by other four carbon atoms held together by strong covalent bonds. These
arrangements make diamond the most durable substance known.

Diamond is known to have been formed through volcanic eruptions under high pressures and
high temperatures that occurred in the interior of the Earth's mantle about 100 miles down. The
Gem and industrial diamond from the interior of the earth were delivered to the surface of the
earth by the high pressure and temperatures that caused the kimberlite eruptions. These eruptions
begin in the inner and outer mantle and on their way up they tear out pieces of mantle rock and
deliver them to Earth's surface without melting. These blocks of mantle rocks are known contain
diamonds and the rocks were best known as the xenoliths.

Diamond is found is few parts of the world. In U.S.A, it is found at the Crater of Diamonds State
Park, near Murfreesboro, Arkansas and Kelsey Lake Diamond Mine near Fort Collins, Colorado.

Diamonds are mined using pit-mining method. To reach diamonds at the bottom of kimberlite,
pipes rocks are blasted and pit-mining begins. Pit-mining is the most common way to recover
diamonds. In pit mining, heavy machinery, hydraulic shovels, and trucks are used to mine
diamonds from the depths of kimberlite pipe rocks. Diamonds that are found on the sea bed are
mined using horizontal and vertical marine mining.

Diamond, apart from being used as an abrasive, it is also used to make diamond windows from
thin diamond membranes used as lasers and x-rays machine. This is due to their feature of
transparency resistance and durability. It is also used to make diamond speaker domes because it
is a stiff material. Diamond is used to make wear-resistant parts.