Diamonds were made millions of years ago when fuming volcanoes melted the element called 'carbon' inside some rocks. Gigantic masses of earth pressed the carbon tightly. The hot melted carbon was squeezed so tightly that by the time it cooled. It had changed into the hard gemstones called 'diamonds.
Some diamonds are found in the gravel and sand near rivers. Others are left in mountains by glaciers. Most diamonds are mined from rocks deep underground, mostly in Africa. The country of South Africa is the major source of diamonds used in jewellery.
Diamonds usually look like pieces of glass or dull stones when they're first taken out of the ground. They must be cut and shaped to be used in jewellery. And diamonds are so hard that nothing can cut them except another diamond.
Using diamond-edgedtools, the diamond cutter carefully shapes and polishes the diamond so that it has straight edges and smooth surfaces. These edges and surfaces help the diamond reflect light so that it sparkles and flashes with tiny bursts of colour.
Diamond often seem to flash like white fire. But there are diamonds that have other colours.
Red, blue, and green diamonds are difficult to find. Yellow, orange, and violet diamonds are more common. Some times people even find black diamonds.
Only the clearest diamond become glittering gems. But because of their hardness, even dull-looking diamonds are still valuable as cutting tools. These are called 'industrial diamonds'. Only about 25 per cent of all diamonds are fine enough to become jewels, so most of the world's diamond are the hard-working insdustiral ones.
DID YOU KNOW..?
The hope diamond is one of the biggest blue diamonds known in the world. Unfortunately it is supposed to be cursed. Several of its owners have died tragically or have had very bad luck.
