Where does kimberlite come from?

Where does kimberlite come from?

Kimberlite occurs in the Earth’s crust in vertical structures known as kimberlite pipes, as well as igneous dykes. Kimberlite also occurs as horizontal sills. Kimberlite pipes are the most important source of mined diamonds today. The consensus on kimberlites is that they are formed deep within the mantle.

Are there diamonds in the Earths mantle?

Their structure and chemical recipe point to an origin more than 660 kilometers (410 miles) deep. That’s below the boundary between the mantle’s upper and lower layers. All diamonds form within Earth’s mantle, but most form above that boundary layer.

What minerals are found in kimberlite?

Garnet, chromite, ilmenite, chromium diopside, and olivine occur in kimberlites in significantly higher quantities than diamonds. As kimberlite indicator minerals, they are used for diamond prospecting, as well as for the primary assessment of whether a target kimberlite is diamond-bearing or not.

What is the kimberlite eruption?

kimberlite eruption, small but powerful volcanic eruption caused by the rapid ascent of kimberlites—a type of intrusive igneous rock originating in the asthenosphere—through the lithosphere and onto the surface of the Earth. They form vertical pipelike structures that penetrate the surrounding rock.

Where is kimberlite found in the world?

Kimberlite pipes were first found near Kimberley in South Africa, but since then they have been found on most continents. Of course, as has been noted, not all kimberlite pipes are created equal and only a small percentage of them contain diamonds.

What is kimberlite Stone?

kimberlite, also called blue ground, a dark-coloured, heavy, often altered and brecciated (fragmented), intrusive igneous rock that contains diamonds in its rock matrix. It has a porphyritic texture, with large, often rounded crystals (phenocrysts) surrounded by a fine-grained matrix (groundmass).

Where is anorthosite found?

Major occurrences of Proterozoic anorthosite are found in the southwest U.S., the Appalachian Mountains (e.g., the Honeybrook Upland of eastern Pennsylvania), eastern Canada (e.g., the Grenville Province), across southern Scandinavia and eastern Europe.

Is kimberlite an ore?

Usage. Although Kimberlite Ore is a rare resource that offers a unique crafting recipe, it is not incredibly valuable. Its primary use is the creation of Diamond. Diamonds can be created by smelting Kimberlite Ore in a single step which can be convenient early game.

What type of volcano is kimberlite pipes?

Diamonds are brought to the surface from the mantle in a rare type of magma called kimberlite and erupted at a rare type of volcanic vent called a diatreme or pipe.

How are the diamonds in the kimberlite pipe formed?

Powerful magma eruptions brought the diamonds to the surface, creating kimberlite pipes. Kimberlite pipes are created as magma flows through deep fractures in the Earth. The magma inside the kimberlite pipes acts like an elevator, pushing the diamonds and other rocks and minerals through the mantle and crust in just a few hours.

Why is the kimberlite important to the study of the mantle?

In this regard, the study of kimberlite has the potential to provide information about the composition of the deep mantle and melting processes occurring at or near the interface between the cratonic continental lithosphere and the underlying convecting asthenospheric mantle.

What is the theory of the kimberlite eruption?

This theory involves the pooling of kimberlite magma at shallow depths and the subsequent build-ıp of volatiles. When the pressure within this pocket, termed an intermediate chamber, is sufficient to overcome the load of rocks above, an eruption follows.

What makes a kimberlite a peculiar igneous rock?

Kimberlites are peculiar igneous rocks because they contain a variety of mineral species with chemical compositions that indicate they formed under high pressure and temperature within the mantle. These minerals, such as chromium diopside (a pyroxene)]