Hobbies And Interests
Carbon
Carbon is the one element that diamonds are truly made of. Pure diamonds are pure carbon, although diamonds do always contain some impurities. Carbon, which is the same material as present in pencil lead and graphite, is capable of forming strong chemical bonds with many other elements. The formation of diamonds from raw carbon requires a great amount of heat and pressure. Such environments occur naturally deep beneath the earth, in thick layers of crust known as cratons. In addition, very tiny diamonds have been found at meteor impact sites, where intense impact pressure and heat cause ideal conditions for a very short amount of time.
Nitrogen
Nitrogen is present in diamonds in trace amounts, as an impurity. Nitrogen atoms are capable of replacing carbon atoms in the crystal lattice that gives diamonds their structure. The presence of nitrogen causes the diamonds to absorb blue light, making the stones appear yellow. Nitrogen content is lower in diamonds that have been formed under higher pressure and for greater periods of time.
Boron
Also present in trace amounts, boron is responsible for the blue-gray coloration of some diamonds. Diamonds with boron in them are known as Type 2-A diamonds. The presence of boron also allows these diamonds to behave as semiconductors, while diamonds are ordinarily electrical insulators. Boron is an abundant metalloid that has a variety of industrial uses. Coincidentally, boron nitride, a compound used in bulletproof vests, is nearly as hard as diamond, and is in fact more chemically stable.
Hydrogen
Type 1-A diamonds are high in hydrogen content. These diamonds also appear blue, like 2-B diamonds, but are electrical insulators rather than semiconductors. It is not certain whether the hydrogen is responsible for the color or not. The Argyle diamond mine, located in northern Australia, produces a large amount of type 1-A diamonds.