The largest countries in terms of diamond reserves. Where and how diamonds are mined in the world

Place of Birth. Diamonds are extremely rare in nature, tk. are formed under conditions of high pressures at depths of up to 200 km at temperatures above 1200°C. Their absolute age is from 16 million to 1.7 billion years. According to the conditions of their formation, deposits can be primary - primary, and secondary - alluvial. At first, diamonds were mined mainly from modern and fossil placers, which in the crust, BP. give up to 85% of raw materials.

Then, primary deposits were identified, represented by intrusive kimberlite pipes, dikes of lamproites, alkaline basaltoids, and metamorphogenic eclogites. Kimberlite pipes are of the greatest practical importance. However, only half of the 1000 known pipes contain diamonds, and only 50 of them reach industrial grade. The diameter of the largest pipes exceeds 1.5 km. Known finds of diamonds in meteorites, as well as in impactites - rocks ah, which underwent impact metamorphism during the fall of large meteorites. In this case, the diamonds are mostly small, but sometimes they are in significant quantities. In Russia, on the coast of the Kara Sea on the coast of Baydaratskaya Bay, such rocks were found in the Kars astroblem 60 km in diameter. Impactites here contain diamond crystals up to 2 mm from 1 to 50 ct./t.

In total, about 500 tons of diamonds have been mined in the world, incl. 1/3 over the past 25 years (E.M. Spiridonov, 2000). Gem-quality diamonds are mined in deposits in 29 countries of the world. However, the main ones are Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Russia, Angola, Congo, Australia and Canada. In the late 1980s In terms of application in technology, diamonds have lost the competition to hard alloys and synthetic composite materials. Since then, about 99% of diamonds have been predominantly used as precious stones.
In Russia, the first finds of diamonds were made in the 17th century. on the river Sev. Dvina. And it was in this region, 120 km north of Arkhangelsk and 60 km from the coast of the White Sea, that a diamond pipe was discovered in 1980. As a result of subsequent work, the Belomorian kimberlite subprovince was discovered, continuing in a northwestern direction to the Kola Peninsula.

In the Arkhangelsk region. its productive part is represented by the Zim-neberezhny kimberlite district, in which 5 kimberlite fields and 67 pipes aged 375,320 million years have been discovered. Here, at the Lomonosovsky deposit, in 2005 the development of the Arkhangelsk pipe began, with an average diamond content in the rock of 0.6–4 ct/t, jewelry stones up to 50%. It is dominated by colorless and with a weak shade, high and medium degree of transparency individuals. Among the colored polyhedra are gray crystals, brown and smoky brown, often yellow. In addition, there are rare crystals of green, pink-lilac and orange color, and of those mined during this period, the largest diamond is 48.25 ct. In 2006, the operation of the tube them. Karpinsky-I. Also very promising is the Verkhotina deposit with a pipe im. Mushroom containing higher quality diamonds.

The entire northern part of the Russian platform, including the Arkhangelsk and Vologda regions, as well as the Republic of Komi, where three kimberlite diatremes were found and the Ichetyu primary deposit with a low diamond content was developed. On the Kola Peninsula, the Terskoberezhny kimberlite district is distinguished, covering the south. part of the peninsula from Turye cape in the west, to the river. Ponoi is in the east. Within this district, the Ermakovskoe kimberlite field, with two diamond-bearing kimberlite pipes, and two predicted fields, Makeevskoe and Pyalitskoe, were identified. In addition, diamond-bearing kimberlites were found in the central part of the Kola Peninsula (White Tundra area), and earlier diamond finds were recorded near the border with Norway in placers of the river. Groove.

In neighboring Finland, more than 20 kimberlite pipes are also known, 15 of which are diamond-bearing.
In Yuzh. Karelia, diamond-bearing kimberlites of the Kimozero occurrence were discovered on the Zao-Nezhsky Peninsula, near the village. Great Lip. According to the results of their testing, 111 diamond crystals were found with a size of up to 2 mm. Diamond-bearing lamproites were discovered in the Kostomuksha region, and diamond-bearing potassium rocks, Ladogalites, were discovered at the Kaivomyaki manifestation in the Lahdenpokh region. In addition, diamond-bearing conglomerates with pyrope were found and tested in the Kalevalsky district at the Ozhiyarvinsky occurrence. In the Medvezhyegorsk district, a diamond-bearing karst formation was found, and in six districts of Yuzh. Karelia has glacial halos of diamond scattering. Further south, on the Russian platform, in sedimentary deposits, diamonds were found in the Luga region, in the Novgorod region. - on the river. Mete, and in the Tver region. - in the district of Ostashkov In the Belgorod, Lipetsk and Voronezh regions. single finds of diamonds in sedimentary strata are also known. On Wed. Urals in 1829, the first diamonds were found in the placers of the Krestovozdvizhensky mine near the station. Warm Mountain. In 1936, from the North to the South. In the Urals, 300 diamond finds were recorded in 18 locations.
Most large diamond had a mass of about 3 ct. In 1937-39 on Wed. In the Urals, the first placers with diamonds were discovered at the Kus'e-Aleksandrovsky deposit along pp. Koive, as well as on the river. I see. In 1945, poor placers were discovered in the middle reaches of the river. Chusovoy. Industrial mining of diamonds in the North. Ural began in 1955 from placers on the river. Vishera, where the yield of jewelry raw materials reached 80%, and the average cost of Ural diamonds is several times higher than the cost of Yakut diamonds. In the Perm Territory in 2007, exploration work began at two alluvial diamond deposits in the Krasnovishersky district on the Chugara and Vochuk rivers. Along with this, there are prospects for prospecting for primary deposits in the Berezovsky and Gornozavodsky districts.

In Siberia, the first diamond was found in 1897 on the Yenisei Ridge in the gold-bearing placer of the river. Mill, bass. R. Bol. Pete. The next year, in the same district, a diamond was found at the Olginsky mine at the Turning key, and in 1937, another diamond with a size of 0.5 mm was found there. However, specialized prospecting for diamonds in Siberia was started only in 1946-1947. In 1948, diamonds were discovered on the river. Mal. Erema in bass. R. Stony Tunguska. In 1949, they were found in placers in the middle reaches of the river. Vilyui, in 1950 - on the river. Markha, and in 1953 - on the river. Mal. Botuobia. In 1954 in Siberia on the river. Daldyn opened the first diamond pipe Zarnitsa.

The following year, two more large pipes Mir and Udachnaya were found, in 1960 - the Aikhal pipe, in 1969 - International, and in 1975 - the largest Yubileynaya, very promising Na-kyn diamond field with Nyurbinskaya pipes, Botuobinskaya and Maiskaya. In 2007, the Verkhnee-Munskoye deposit was discovered in the area of ​​the Internatsionalnaya pipe, consisting of three closely spaced kimberlite pipes. Total in Yakutia to present. temp. More than 200 kimberlite pipes have been discovered on an area of ​​1.5 million km2 between the Lena and Anabar rivers. The largest pipes (from 500 m in diameter and more) include the Zarnitsa, Mir and Udachnaya, Aikhal, and Yubileinaya pipes. In the north of Yakutia, in bass, pp. Anabar and Olenyok discovered 63 kimberlite bodies and the Mayat placer diamond deposit. Rich ross-pi diamonds were found on pp. Ebelyakh, Molodo, Motorchuna and Anabar.

According to the sampling of these deposits, they are characterized by a large number of colored diamonds and a high content of jewelry raw materials. In the south of Yakutia, in the Aldan region, in 1951, diamonds were found in the gold-bearing placer of the river. Gikonda and in Kyle's lamproite tube. In just 50 years, about 1000 kimberlite bodies have been discovered in Yakutia in 22 kimberlite fields. Of these, 150 pipes with diamonds, but only 20 are profitable for mining. Of the mined diamonds, 60-70% is raw materials of technical quality. In the Krasnoyarsk Territory, diamond pipes can be found in Evenkia. In the Amur region diamonds in the late 1980s found in placers in the middle course of the river. Zeya, and in 1991 they were found downstream, near the mouth of the river. Selemdzha. According to the composition of impurity elements, they are close to Yakut diamonds. In Primorsky Krai, diamonds were found in a placer near the village. Vostretsovo (former Karatun), near Novopokrovka, and in 1993 - near Lesozavodsk.

According to data for 1995 (V.I. Vagoanov), 34 deposits in Yakutia account for 83.3% of the balance diamond reserves of all reserves in Russia; in 6 deposits - 16.6%; to the Perm Territory 0.1%. Russia accounts for a quarter of the world diamond market; in 2006, 38.361 million carats were mined. by $2.575 billion, cf. price per car. amounted to 67.11 dollars. In 2005, Russia exported 38 million carats. diamonds and took the highest position, followed by the DR Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa), Australia and Botswana. In value terms, the first place belongs to Botswana (25%) of world exports, the second belongs to Russia (22%). This is followed by Canada (12%), South Africa (11%) and Angola (9%). The global volume of diamond exports in 2005 is estimated at $11.5 billion (176.5 million carats).
The predicted resources of diamonds in the deposits of Russia account for more than 50% of the world's resources. The Russian Diamond Exchange became a member of the World Federation of Diamond Exchanges.

In Ukraine, a kimberlite pipe was found in the Donets region. All in. In Kazakhstan, small diamonds were discovered in 1968 in eclogites of the Kokchetav metamorphic complex. In Mongolia, on the ridge. Khangai, known di-atrema Shavaryn Tsaram with diamond and gem-quality pyrope. India was the first country where more than 3 thousand years BC. diamonds were mined from the placers of Golconda. Among them were found unique in size: "Great Mogul", "Koh-i-Nor", "Pitt" or "Regent", "Orlov", as well as all brightly colored diamonds (Appendix 1). At the beginning of the XVII century. the development of diamond placers continued in bass. R. Ganges and south of Hyderabad.

Similar placers have long been known in pieces. Andhra Pradesh in doli-us pp. Godavari, Penner and Krishna, in the Eluru region, and in pc. Orissa - in bass, the Mahanadi and Brahmani rivers. By the end of the XVII century. these placers were worked out. In 1937, in pcs. Madhya Pradesh, in the Panna district, the first kimberlite pipe was discovered. Later, here, at the Majgaon deposit, 7 more kimberlite pipes were discovered. The output of gem diamonds at this deposit reached 40%. IN last years diamond tubes found in pcs. Uttar Pradesh and in the south of the country. In Indonesia on about. Kali-mantan (former Borneo) diamonds were mined as early as the 6th century. AD from placers in the west. parts of the island - in the valley of the river. Lan-dak; in the center, parts - at Purukchau, and in the east - at Samarinda. Mostly small diamonds are found here, but a unique "Raja Mattan" or "Mattan" weighing 367 carats was also found. In the XX century. in the south of the island, 40 km north of Martapur, a kimberlite pipe was discovered.
In China, the first diamonds were found in the 1940s. in prov. Shan-tung in placers pp. Ilo and Shuhe, as well as in prov. Hunan and Guizhou. Only 25 years later, in Prov. Shandong revealed primary deposits - 10 kimberlite pipes and 12 diamond-bearing dikes, incl. Chang-ling tube, size 100x50 m, with up to 20% yield of jewelry raw materials. The largest of the diamonds mined here "Chang-ling" had a mass of 158.79 carats. On the NE in prov. Liaoning, on the Liaodong Peninsula in the region of Luishun and Dalian, there are 124 kimberlite pipes with a rich content of diamonds, incl. diamond pipe Binhai with a size of 240x60 m. In the south of the country, pipes were found in the prov. Hunan; and in the east - in prov. Hubei and Jiangsu, where a 52.7 carat diamond was found.

In Brazil, diamonds were discovered in 1723, when their alluvial deposits in India and Indonesia were practically mined out. This allowed Brazil to become the next leader in diamond mining. The content of jewelry raw materials from the mined mass of diamonds here was about 50%. First, placers were developed, as well as ancient conglomerates and micaceous phyllites with diamonds. Later, kimberlite pipes were discovered. Diamonds have been found in 11 states, incl. the largest deposits in pcs. Roraima, Mato Grosso, Piauí, Minas Gerais. In the latter, diamond deposits are developed north of Belo Horizonte - in the district of Diamantina and Itabira, as well as in placers of the river. Jekininigna. In pcs. Goias diamonds are found in placers pp. Claro and Tillones. In pcs. Mato Grosso diamond placers were developed on the river. Paraguay, then in this state and pcs. Bahia, found kimberlite pipes. In pcs. Piaui and Parana diamond deposits were discovered in 1950. The following unique diamonds were found in Brazil: "President Vargas", "Goias", "Darsu Vargas", "President Dutra" (Appendix 1); as well as the largest carbonado diamonds - "Sergiu" weighing 3167 carats, and "Donkey's head" weighing 2000 carats, found near Diamantina.

Yuzh became the next leader in the world in diamond mining. Africa. The beginning of its diamond history dates back to 1867, when on the river. Orange, the first dew-rashes were discovered and the first diamond weighing 21.5 carats was found. Soon at the village Kimberley discovered the first diamond pipe with a diamond-bearing rock, called. kimberlite. Later, such pipes were called kimberlite pipes. In Yuzh. Africa, in the Kimberley region, in present. temp. four large diamond pipes are being developed: De Beers, Wesselton, Bultfontein and Dutoitspan and a significant number of smaller ones. From a ton of kimberlite ore, an average of 62.6 g of diamonds is extracted, incl. jewelry no more than 25-30%. The largest diamond weighing 7500 carats was found here. (1.6 kg), and of the largest: "Cullinan", "Eccelsior", "Jonker", "Jubilee", "Dutoitspan" and others (Appendix 1).

Diamonds are also mined in coastal-marine placers from Cape Town to the mouth of the river. Orange-howl at Alexander Bay. In neighboring Namibia, diamond placers have been mined since 1907. Here, the largest deposit is considered to be in the Lüderitz region. Later, south of Mariental, the Gibeon and Berseba kimberlite pipes were discovered with high-quality gem diamonds. In Lesotho, in 1955, the Kao pipe was discovered, and in 1967, the Letseng-la-Terae pipe, where unique-sized diamonds "Hope of Lesotho" weighing 603 carats, "Lesotho-Brown" 601.25 carats were found. and "Nameless" 527 ct. In the same years, the first diamonds were found in Botswana, and in 1967 diamond pipes were discovered there: Orapa, Letl-hakane and Javaneng. Of these, the Orapa pipe with a size of 1670x1210 m is one of the largest in the world. In addition to it, more than 30 more kimberlite pipes are known, and development is being carried out by the world's largest diamond mine, Javaneng, and at the Tswapong deposit. Moreover, Botswana leads in terms of the number of gem diamonds; more than 34 million carats are mined there, which is over 20% of world production. In Yuzh. Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) at the beginning of the 20th century. diamond placers were discovered in the Gweru region.
Since 1973, the Dokol deposit has been developed in Swaziland. In 1912, the Colossus diamond pipe with a size of 900x500 m and the Wessels kimberlite sill were discovered, and later 29 more kimberlite bodies, incl. rich pipe River Reach. In Tanzania (until 1964 Tanganyika), diamond placers were discovered in 1913 in the north of the country near Mabuki, and their development began in 1925. Later, 400 kimberlite pipes were discovered there, incl. south of the lake The Mabuki deposit in Victoria and the Mwadi diamond pipe in the Shinyanga region with a size of 1525x1068 m. In Central Africa, the largest diamond deposits are located in the Congo (Kinshasa). The first diamonds in placers were found there in 1903, and in 1946 primary deposits were also discovered. In prov. Kasai since 1916, diamond-bearing placers are known along the river. Kasai and its tributaries Luembe, Chikapa, Luashi-mo, but their development began only during the Second World War. The first group included the Kasai, Lubudi and Bachamba deposits, in the Chikapa region, and to the northwest, two more placer deposits near Kikvita and Bandundu.

Another group of deposits is Bakvangi, to the east. from the first, is near Mbu-ji-Mayi. Along with placers, kimberlite pipes of Mbuzhi-Mayi, Tishikasa and Tishuba were discovered there, and to the crust. temp. 15 more tubes. Here there are black diamonds saturated with magnetite inclusions. In the Republic Congo (Brazzaville) diamonds discovered in 1931 in the top. R. Likvala at the Betu deposit, in the Makua region. In neighboring Gabo, diamonds were mined from placers of the river. Ngunye at the Makongonio deposit. In the Central African Republic placers of diamonds were discovered in 1914. They began to be developed since 1931 in the west - near Berbérati, and in the east - in the region of Bria. The output of gem diamonds here is about 40%. In Angola, in the NE of the country on the border with the Congo, since 1916, diamonds have been mined from placers in the basin of the river. Kasai - deposits of Andrada, Lukapa, Lushila, Maludi, etc. Later, primary deposits were discovered here - more than 600 diamond pipes and dikes, incl. the largest are Katoka, Kamafuka and Kamazambo with a high content of gem-quality diamonds. The volume of production in Angola in 2005 reached 1.5 billion dollars per year.

From the countries of the West. Africa in Guinea, the first diamonds were discovered in the south of the country in 1932, and three years later, the development of diamond placers for pp. Moa and Mako-na, where a unique 885 carat diamond was mined. In 1952, primary kimberlites were discovered here, and in the late 1970s. placers in the valleys pp. Baule and Diani with the yield of gem diamonds up to 93%. In the 1980s near Kisidugu, the Gbinko deposit and placers of the Are-dor deposit were discovered.
In Ghana, near Aquatia, in 1919, rich placers of diamonds were found in the valley of the river. Birim and in the lower reaches of the river. Bonsa, near the coast of the Gulf of Guinea. The output of gem-quality diamonds in these placers is about 25%, and colored varieties are often found.
Kimberlite pipes were discovered in Ghana in 1943, and in Mali - in 1956. In Côte d'Ivoire (former Ivory Coast) in 1929, diamond-bearing placers were discovered on the Maraue River. In 1947 Here, diamond mining began at the Tortiya deposit.The yield of gem-quality raw materials in placers was 60%, and about 33% in a diamond pipe on the Bu River, discovered in 1962. 130 km to the north. east of it is the Seguela deposit, represented by kimberlite dikes.
In Liberia, the first diamonds were found in 1911, but their development began only in 1930. In the west of the country, in the upper reaches of pp. Lofa and Mano, in 1957, diamond pipes and a kimberlite dike were discovered. In Sierra Leone, diamond placers have been mined since 1932 according to pp. Seva, Bafi, Bagbe, etc. In the south of the country, a kimberlite "Dike Tongo" 10 km long was discovered, and in the east, in the env. Engema, prospective open diamonds rn Koindu. Here in 1945 the "Victory Diamond" weighing 770 carats was found, in 1972 one of the largest diamonds "The Star of Sierra Leone" 968.89 carats was found, and in 2002 a diamond weighing 1000 carats was found. In 2006, 12 leading African states created the Association of Diamond Mining Countries, which account for 75% of the world's diamond production. In total, Africa produces 1.9 billion carats per year to the amount of $158 billion. De Beers diamond production in 2006 reached 51.13 million carats.

It should also be noted an unusual type of diamond deposits in carbonatites on about. Fuerteventura in the Canaries, Atlantic Ocean. In Australia, in New South Wales, the first finds of diamonds in placers to the northwest of Sydney date back to 1851, and in 1867 they were found to the west. from Sydney in the Mooji district. Here, on the Eastern Plateau and the Kujegong area, a wide development of diamond-bearing placers was revealed. In Zap. Australia, in prov. In Kimberley, the first primary diamond deposits were discovered in 1979. In 10 years, more than 30 diamond pipes were already known here. Diamond-bearing rocks in Australia are represented by lamproites, which are different from kimberlites. Their age is 20-40 Ma, they are poor in CO2 and Mg, but anomalously enriched in K and F. In Australia, kimberlites are sometimes associated with them, but the latter do not contain diamonds. In prov. Vost. Kimberley, the largest deposits associated with pipes of lamp-roites are Argyle with reserves of about 500 million carats. Up to 40 million carats are extracted annually at this deposit. al-mazov. 90% of all pink and red diamonds are mined here. They are mostly small, on average about 0.5 carats, the largest of them weighed 34 carats. In prov. Zap. Kimberley is developing the Ellendale-Fitzroy deposit, where gem-quality diamonds account for 60 to 90% of the total production. In the Northern Territory of Australia, by 1987, prospects for diamond potential were also revealed and 37 diamond pipes were discovered. This country in 2000 ranked second in the world in diamond mining, but they are worse in quality than in South Africa and Russia.
In present temp. Canada is beginning to become one of the leading countries in the production of diamonds, ranking sixth in the world. The first 80 diamonds were found here in 1870-1899. The first large diamond weighing 33 ct. discovered in 1920. The first kimberlite dike was discovered in Prov. Ontario in 1946. In recent years, in zap. and sowing prov. Canada has discovered more than 400 diamondiferous kimberlite pipes. Most of them are located in the Northwest Territories, in the prov. Saskatchewan - 74, in prov. Ontario - 45, they are also known in Prov. Albert. Among them, kimberlite pipes predominate with respect to small size, and a significant part of the deposits is represented by kimberlite dikes. Of the most promising deposits in the Northwest Territories are Eka-ti, Daivik, Lac de Grae, Snap Lake, Kennedy Lake and Jericow. In 1999, the development of the first deposit began here, in 2002 the Divik deposit was put into operation, and in 2007 the Snap Lake deposit. Canada is the 4th largest diamond miner in the world. In the USA, the first finds of diamonds were made in 1876 in pieces. Wisconsin. In California, Virginia and North. Carolina, single diamonds were encountered during the development of gold placers. In Arkansas, diamonds were discovered in the Murfreesboro region, approx. Pike. In 1924, the largest diamond in the USA was found here - "Uncle Sam" weighing 40.22 carats, from which a diamond of 12.42 carats was cut. Part of this area is the Nat. Park "Diamond Kra-ter". In total, more than 700 diamonds were found in it. The last major find in 1975 was a 16.37 carat diamond. In Arizona, diamonds up to 0.5 mm were found in a meteorite from Diablo Canyon. However, no commercial diamond deposits have yet been discovered in the USA. In Venezuela, placer diamonds were found in 1885, and their development began in 1931 in bass. R. Caroni, piece. Bolivar.
The output of gem diamonds in placers is 35%. In 1942, the largest diamond "Liberator" was mined, weighing 154.15 carats. To present temp. kimberlite pipes of San-ta-Elena and Ikabaru were found here. In addition, alluvial deposits of diamonds are known: San Pedro - in the valley of the river. Ventuari, and Gua-nyamo - in the bass. R. Orinoco. East from Venezuela - in Guyana since 1890 placers of diamonds are known to the top. R. Ma-zarouni. Later, alluvial diamond deposits were discovered: Makapa, Tumureng and Ekereku; Kuyuvini - at the head of the river. Essequibo, and up. R. Potore. In Ecuador and Bolivia, diamond deposits were discovered in 1960.

Synonyms. Adamant \ Bahia-diamond, low-grade diamond from pcs. Bahia, Brazil | Haleston-board, from English. "hailstone" hailstone, in size and edge - fine-grained diamond | Jaeger, high quality bluish white | Jargon, low quality, yellow | Stone: - smoky, by color; - oil, with a color defect; -river, from placers | Tiffanite, steel grey, low quality, ref. by "Tiffany", USA | Framezit, in honor of the scientist P.R. Frames.

www.minsoc.ru Bukanov V.V. Colored Stones: Encyclopedia

Perhaps a diamond is not the most expensive gemstone (for example, an emerald will cost more), but it is he who is called the king of stones, and it is to him that women are so partial. He is surrounded by mystery. Its cold brilliance is mesmerizing. Many diamonds have "their own graveyard", because for hundreds of years people have been killing each other for them. Diamond fever has repeatedly swept the world. And today, many prospectors are tormenting themselves with questions about where the deposit of these precious stones is located, and how diamonds are mined. This is what will be discussed in this review.

Expensive minerals and products from them

The most expensive diamond in the world is the Pink Star. This is a stone of impeccable purity! Its weight is 59.6 carats. In 2013, it was sold at an auction in Geneva for $74.1 million. The most expensive jewel in the world - a diamond bikini weighing 150 carats and worth $ 30 million.

Where does mining take place?

Where are diamonds mined? In Russia, Australia, Botswana, Congo, South Africa, Canada, Angola, etc. Mining is carried out in about 25 countries around the world. But the very first diamond to be cut was born in the middle of the 15th century in India. Hindus were the first to learn how to turn a diamond into a diamond.

Development of the first diamond deposits

The diamond was assigned magical and even divine qualities. The figurines of the ancient gods were decorated with these precious stones. Where are diamonds mined? India has been a monopoly in this field of activity for many centuries. Since ancient times, such stones as "Kokhinur", "Shah", "Orlov" have been known. It was the Indian mines that gave them to the world. However, the country's diamond deposits dried up over time.

At the beginning of the 18th century, numerous deposits of precious stones were found in Brazil. For the first time he showed the Brazilians how diamonds are mined and how they should look, again a native of India. Brazilian stones are of high quality, but they are small in size. Large ones are extremely rare. There are six of the most famous of them: "Star of the South", "Star of Egypt", "Star of Minas", "Minas Gerais", "Dresden's English Diamond" and "President Vargas". In 1867, the first diamond was found in South Africa. And the life of many South African countries has changed dramatically, most likely, it will never be the same...

The appearance of jewels in the bowels of the earth

Diamond mining in Africa is in full swing. The first South African stone weighed 10.75 carats and after cutting was named "Eureka". Deposits are of two types: primary (kimberlite) and secondary. All diamonds in the world are at least 100 million years old. Then, in the depths of the Earth, the temperature was several times higher than now, the rocks were in a liquid state. As the minerals cooled, they were subjected to enormous, monstrous pressure. During volcanic eruptions, magma carries diamonds out of the bowels of the Earth - this is how deposits called kimberlite pipes are formed. The first such deposit of diamondiferous ore was found in Kimberley. Hence the term "kimberlite pipe". By the middle of the 20th century, diamond mining in the world was advancing rapidly. The leaders were the South African countries, Brazil was in second place, and India by that time had practically fallen out of the race.

in quarries

How are diamonds mined in quarries? A mine is created by means of a drilling rig. Explosives are subsequently laid in it. Note that at the mining stage, sparing technologies should be used during explosions, since a diamond can simply be destroyed, regardless of its legendary strength. Rock fragments obtained as a result of explosions are loaded into dump trucks and taken to a specialized factory, where they are processed and diamonds are extracted directly.

As a certain depth is reached, the diamond deposit begins to be exhausted. The average depth of the quarries is about 600 meters. But sometimes this parameter reaches one and a half kilometers. In order to continue mining diamonds, workers are starting to create a mine. It should be noted that underground mining is more expensive. But this is the only way to get to those deposits of precious stones that are too deep.

There is no beauty in diamond quarries

If you think that diamond mines mean a beautiful cave, completely studded with jewels that shimmer with all the colors of the rainbow, then you are deeply mistaken. In reality, there is nothing romantic in a diamond mine. And looking at the walls, it is impossible to even think about the presence of diamond placers in them.

The design of mines in Russia takes place in unique conditions. In addition to permafrost, this process is complicated by the presence of groundwater, which can corrode the tires of dump trucks. In addition, diamond mining in Yakutia and other mines in our country is complicated by the presence of oil shows. During construction, workers immediately design ventilation and air heater installations.

The extraction of diamonds in the mines takes place in a standard situation due to the combine driving. In addition, many specialists working at the place of extraction of precious stones are trying to provide for the possibility of using blasthole breaking - the destruction of rock with explosives placed in specially drilled wells.

How are diamonds mined? Stages

There are several stages of diamond mining. They are the following:

1. Intelligence service. May last for several years. Involves trying to find a diamond and confirming the presence of gems.
2. infrastructure stage. There is a purchase of all the necessary equipment, the creation of residential premises, the purchase of equipment, etc. If diamond mining is carried out on the ocean floor, then special robots equipped with electronic control are used. When diamond deposits are found deep in the earth, mines are created.
3. factory stage. It implies the creation and equipment of factories where specialists will extract diamonds from rocks.
4. Actually mining.

Features of the technology of extracting stones from rocks

How are diamonds mined? Photos, of course, can tell a lot about people interested in this field of activity. But in order for you to fully master the information, let's look at the process of extracting jewelry from rocks.

1. Use of fat installations. Pretty primitive method. On a table covered with a layer of fat, kimberlite enters along with water. As a result, water and rocks are carried away and diamonds stick to the surface.
2. The use of x-ray machines. A more advanced method, since as a result of irradiation, the jewelry begins to glow.
3. Connection of electromagnetic equipment. Through this technique, diamonds are separated from rocks.
4. The use of suspension plants. placed in a liquid with a high density. Heavy stones sink, but the diamond remains on the surface.
5. The use of devices with a froth skimmer. This method is used for the extraction of diamond dust.

Now you have at least some idea of ​​how diamonds are mined. The process, as you can see, is very, very difficult. But many do not even think about how much work, time and effort should be put into ensuring that sparkling pebbles get on the windows of jewelry stores, and then migrate to the necks, ears or fingers of secular beauties.

The first diamond deposits in Russia

In the middle of the 19th century, the first small placers were discovered in the Urals. Russian geologists did not stop trying to find deposits in the North. In 1954, the first diamond pipe was found in Yakutia, and over the next three years, six more pipes were discovered. How are diamonds mined in Yakutia? This was what experts thought about most often at that time. But soon the area was settled, the cities of Mirny and Udachny appeared on the map. And now, the process of mining and processing of precious stones does not raise any questions for any of the specialists. Go ahead.

Fifteen years after diamond mining began in Yakutia, a primary deposit was found in Australia, and in the 90s in northern Canada. But still the leading positions in production belong to Africa. Diamonds from Botswana, South Africa and the Congo account for over 45% of the global gemstone market.

Only decoration?

Interestingly, more than 80% of all gems are used by diamond-mining countries for purposes other than selling or creating jewelry. These stones are indispensable in industry, as they have a hardness of 10 points on the Moss scale. Diamond is considered to be the hardest stone on the planet. However, a mineral was found that is 58% harder. This is lonsdaleite.

Laboratory mining of diamonds

The question of where diamonds are mined would not be fully covered if we only mentioned mines and the ocean floor. It turns out that experts have learned how to create diamonds in the laboratory. Research on growing jewelry in the laboratory began in the 40s, and was crowned with success in 1953. The question of how to mine diamonds in the laboratory has been resolved. These are HPHT or CVD diamonds. HPHT stands for High Pressure Temperature and CVD stands for Chemical Vapor Deposition. These stones are called synthetic, which is not entirely correct, since they do not imitate a natural mineral, but are absolutely authentic. Note that about 97% of the stones used in industry are laboratory ones. By the way, a diamond is just one of the seven ways

And one moment. The concepts of “artificial diamond” and “diamond substitute” are often confused. Substitutes are inferior in strength, but also shine, although they do not play in the sun like natural or artificial gems. The most famous substitutes are moussanite and cubic zirconia. Almost everyone can afford products with similar “jewels”.

Diamonds are for married people only!

According to ancient belief, diamonds have magic power. True, the magical abilities of a diamond are revealed only if its owner has a strong, strong-willed character. No wonder it is called the stone of kings! A diamond that is handed down from generation to generation has a special power. In no case should such jewelry be sold, because you can bring trouble. The diamond brings good luck, wealth, protects from negative experiences, anger and sadness. Interestingly, it cannot be worn by unmarried women - this may interfere with meeting the chosen one. It is believed that such jewelry is intended exclusively for married ladies of elegant age. And wearing diamonds by young girls is in bad taste.

When should you wear diamonds?

According to an old belief, the recipient of a diamond is obliged to be faithful to the giver. And again there is a parallel with modernity: although " best friends girls are diamonds", some have the sweet old-fashioned opinion of what to take similar gifts decently only from very close men. It's either the groom or the husband. You need to wear a diamond when there is a feeling of happiness. The stone will “remember” this moment, prolong the feeling of the joy of life. The same thing happens with negative emotions. Diamonds bring happiness to honest and pure, like the stone itself, people. However, all these nuances have not scared anyone away. And hardly anyone will think about whether a stone suits him or not when he sees it.

We hope that after reading this article you have understood how and where diamonds are mined in Russia and in other countries of the world. This process cannot be called easy.

Diamonds are one of the most valuable rocks on the planet. Found in several regions, mined different ways. People of many professions, from a geologist to a jeweler, work to make a diamond a diamond.

For the formation of diamond crystals, the following conditions are necessary:

1. Depth from 100 km.
2. The temperature is not lower than 1100°C.
3. Pressure not less than 35 kilobars.

Natural processes create types of deposits:

• Indigenous. The diamonds were brought up by the flow of magma during volcanic eruptions. Bubbles of gas in the rock burst, forming tubes with dark bluish rock inside. It was called kimberlite, and diamond-bearing pipes kimberlite - after the place of the first discovery - the South African province of Kimberley.
• Loose. For thousands of years, air has destroyed tubes. Precipitation and streams washed away rubble, pebbles, diamonds from the mountains, creating placer fields.
• Impact. Appeared at the sites of the fall of meteorites.

There are thousands of pipes scattered around the world, but few are suitable for industrial development. The rarest meteorite diamonds are left for research by scientists.

Technological cycle

Diamond mining is a project that requires financial investments. Funds are needed for geological exploration, equipment, construction of an enrichment plant, wages for workers, and preparation of deposits.

The technology of work includes the following stages:

• Exploration. It takes months or years. When precious crystals are discovered, calculations are carried out confirming that this is a solid deposit, and not isolated finds.
• Purchase of equipment. they are not mined manually, they need equipment for arranging the mine, transport for moving the rock.
• Creation of infrastructure. People who need somewhere to live, eat, and be treated are involved in the field. Often the mine becomes a city-forming enterprise.
• Factory construction. The sale of raw materials is unprofitable, therefore, a processing plant is being built, in which precious stones are separated from the rock, sorted and sent to the cutting plant. Here the material is processed, cut and polished.

The deeper the rock lies, the more solid the investment. To obtain one carat, a ton of mine rock is processed. Placers are more generous - a ton of rock gives from three to five carats.

Mining methods

Until the 19th century, diamonds were mined with a shovel, raking river sand and washing the rock on trays. Today, the process is mechanized, mining methods are mine and quarry (open). How diamonds are mined is affected by the depth of the rock.

Career

Diamonds concentrated no deeper than 600 m are mined in quarries. Wells are being drilled into which explosives are laid. They blow up, dump trucks going to the processing plant are loaded with discarded rock.

Today, there are several major regions in the world with industrial scale production. World top ranking (%):

• Russia - 22;
• Australia - 20;
• Botswana - 19;
• Congo - 17;
• Canada - 10.

Today, diamond mining in the world is well developed, but the demand for polished diamonds far exceeds the supply. Experts say the situation will get worse. This is beneficial for countries involved in diamond mining and processing. However, not every state can boast of precious deposits. Today, there are large mines and quarries only in Africa, Russia, Australia and Canada. There is a "big five" of the leading diamond mining countries. We will tell about it and not only.

The first world diamonds

Even 7 thousand years ago, people learned about the existence of these stones. Placers were then discovered in India. The largest crystals were also found there. For thousands of years, people have mined precious stones here. The most famous: "Shah", "Kokhinur", "Orlov". In the 19th century, the deposits were empty. Diamonds in India began to run out. Today, diamond mining in India continues, but mainly they are engaged in cutting stones and selling diamonds.

By the time India lost ground, gems were found in South America. The first deposit in this country was discovered in the 18th century. The stones that were mined here are small, but they are of excellent quality. It is worth mentioning three of these: "Star of Egypt", "Star of Minas", "Star of the South". They have amazing clarity and shape. For a century, Brazil led the way in gemstone mining, but then new discoveries began and it was time for other giants of the diamond industry.

Unique finds came across in streams and rivers. So, the birthplace of the famous Eureka diamond weighing 11 carats is Africa, it was found in the riverbed. After that, South African deposits became popular.

Giant diamond and the search for gems in Russia

When the mines of Africa became famous, other placers and kimberlite pipes began to be searched in the region. A significant part of the income went to Great Britain, since diamonds were mined in its colonies. Here, in the 20th century, they found the largest crystal on Earth - "Cullinan" - weighing 3160 carats.

Of course, Russia did not want to lag behind. Large-scale research was carried out in the country, expeditions were sent to look for deposits. The first found were alluvial, this was not enough. We needed kimberlite pipes. The first was discovered in 1949 in Yakutia, then in the Arkhangelsk region. Thanks to this, our state has become one of the leaders in the extraction and processing of precious stones.

New deposits in Russia are being sought and developed today. According to forecasts, our reserves are still large.

Jewels of Australia and South Africa

Today, there are several countries that retain leadership in the extraction of precious stones, and the largest diamond deposits.

For a very long time, Australia was on the list of the largest states where diamonds are mined, but now its reserves are running out. Now stones are mined only in the Argyle mine, which is near the city of Kimberley. Recently, a rare pink variety of diamond was discovered here. Such crystals are sold only at auctions. However, Australian kimberlite deposits are about to be depleted.

Large reserves of diamonds are located in South Africa. The country is rich in minerals and gems. Not surprisingly, of all the countries of Africa, only it does not belong to the backward ones.

The first deposits in South Africa were discovered in 1867. For almost 2 centuries, it ranked first among countries in diamond mining. Almost 60% of all stones in the world came from there. Then deposits began to be actively developed in other countries, and South Africa lost the lead.

Since 2006, the volume of gem production in South Africa has decreased by 2 times. Also, the Republic of South Africa supplies much less stones to the world market. On the one hand, this is the result of a crisis in the country and the world. On the other hand, the cutting industry in South Africa is developing well, local demand for diamonds has grown, and they leave the country already with polished diamonds.

One of the largest diamond corporations, De Beers, is located in South Africa. It controls the development of deposits, mining, processing and who sells South African diamonds. The largest mine is Venice.

High Quality Angola Crystals

In fourth place among the countries of the world in terms of diamond mining is another African country - the mine - "Venice". 2 tons are mined here per year precious crystals.

Among the diamonds of Angola, there are almost no small or low-quality ones. Angolan stones are large, colorless or pink.

The first deposits here were explored at the beginning of the 20th century. They were alluvial, that is, the stones were in the sand and clay along the river banks. When the country gained independence, diamonds were for a long time the currency for which weapons were bought, and they were mined unofficially. In the world, gems from Angola were called bloody.

Today the situation has changed. In the mines of Angola, legal stones are mined in the amount of 8.7 million carats per year. Their total cost is 1.5 billion dollars. The reserves are estimated at 180 million carats. To date, 700 kimberlite rocks are known.

The largest diamond mine is Fukauma.

The processing of precious crystals is also well developed here.

Gem mining in Canada and the USA

The first valuable crystals were found in Canada at the end of the 19th century, but industrial extraction began only in the 1990s. Then the world began to pay attention to how diamonds are mined in Africa and where they go. They talked about terrible working conditions, about the financing of military conflicts. Legality, "purity" of diamonds began to mean a lot.

Canada's main mines are located in the northern and northwestern parts of the country. There are several large ones, especially large and well-known "Renard" and "Gacho Quay". In 2017, they accounted for a third of the global growth in gem mining. Today, in the list of countries that are leaders in the diamond mining industry, Canada is in third place. It produces 12 million carats of gemstones worth $2 billion a year.

In the US, there are diamond mines only in the state of Arkansas. The country is not included in the list of industry leaders, but it is worth mentioning for two reasons. Firstly, in Arkansas there is the famous "Diamond Crater", the remains of the volcano. For some time, precious stones were mined here. Secondly, many stones mined in the world do not bypass America, because here is the largest gem-cutting center.

Botswana and other African countries

Botswana is the leader in diamond mining in Africa. She is second in the global rankings. More than half of the country is a barren desert, the climate does not allow farming. Gold and oil are mined in small quantities. However, Botswana may soon overtake South Africa in terms of living standards, and all thanks to diamonds.

Gems were found here only in the 1970s, but the country's mines quickly became famous - of all the deposits in the world, only these bring green diamonds. These crystals are extremely rare and are the most expensive purchase. They have become the hallmark of Botswana, thanks to which it is known to the world diamond market.

More than 40 million carats of gems are mined here annually. Export brings 2 billion dollars annually. The largest number of stones are found in the mines of Jwaneng and Orapa, as well as Damtshaa and Letlhakan.

Africa is rich in diamonds, they are also mined in other countries: in Tanzania, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Zaire, Congo. There are both abundant placers and pipes. Separately, perhaps, one can say about Namibia. There are large deposits here, and the country is classified as a significant diamond-mining state.

Where are the most gems found?

The richest diamond deposits in the world are located in Russia. The top 10 largest quarries look like this:

1. "Jubilee", RF;
2. "Udachny", RF;
3. "Mir", RF;
4. Argyle, Australia;
5. "Katoka", Angola;
6. "Venice", South Africa;
7. them. V.P. Grib, Russian Federation;
8. Jwaneng, Botswana;
9. Orapa, Botswana;
10. "Botoubinskaya", Russian Federation.

As you can see, our country takes the first three places. If you look for mines on the maps, we will see that most of them are located in Yakutia.

If we talk about the volumes of crystals found, diamond mining is distributed differently across countries. So, in terms of diamond mining, the leading countries are:

• Botswana;
• Russia;
• Canada;
• Angola.

The largest deposits of the planet, the extraction of stones, their turnover is controlled by several large companies, international corporations. Some own mines in different parts of the Earth. Three such leading companies can be noted: De Beers (South Africa), BP Billton (Australia) and the Russian ALKOROSA.

Data-lazy-type="image" data-src="https://karatto.ru/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/kak-dobyvayut-almazy-1.jpg" alt="diamond" width="300" height="216">!} The search for diamonds is a process that has fascinated the inhabitants of the Earth for several millennia. The discovery and mining of diamonds in India began a real hunt for large crystals, which quickly gained popularity and became a necessary attribute of wealth and luxury. With the development of technology, other diamond deposits in the world have been discovered, the development of which continues to this day.

Facts from history

The reserves of diamonds that India revealed to the world were already pretty depleted by the beginning of the eighteenth century. The mines, in which such famous stones as "Shah", "Orlov", "Kokhinur" were discovered, no longer pleased the owners with placers of sparkling crystals. Therefore, I had to look for others, rich in these precious stones, mines.

Already in the first half of the eighteenth century, a diamond deposit was discovered in South America. Brazil became the world center for diamond mining for a whole hundred years. Here it was possible to find samples of the highest quality, albeit not very large sizes. The most famous were the "Star of the South", "Star of Minas" and "Star of Egypt".

Sometimes precious crystals could be found in rivers and streams. So, in the second half of the eighteenth century, a stone was found in South Africa, which, after being cut, began to weigh almost 11 carats and was called "Eureka". This discovery became the starting point in the development of South African deposits. Since these territories were part of the colonies of Great Britain, the main part of the extracted raw materials was sent to Foggy Albion. The search for new kimberlite pipes did not stop and spread to other areas of the continent, and at the beginning of the 20th century, the Cullinan was found, whose weight reached 3106 carats.

Russia at that time, with small Ural diamond placers, could not compete with Africa and Brazil. But the search for deposits went on constantly, and geologists, starting in 1949, began to discover kimberlite pipes in Yakutia and the Arkhangelsk region one after another. The development of diamond mining in these territories allowed Russia to take a leading position.

Now these gems are mined not only in South America, Africa (Namibia, Botswana, Congo) and Russia. Search and development of deposits is carried out, for example, in Australia. Canada also boasts of having large deposits.

How is the mining process going?

To understand how diamonds are mined, you need to understand how these transparent gems are formed. At a depth of more than a hundred kilometers at very high temperatures and pressure, graphite (C) becomes diamond and, thanks to volcanic eruptions with magma, rises to the surface, forming kimberlite pipes. They are distributed throughout the surface of the Earth, but not all of them are suitable for work. In addition, finding and establishing a workflow is a very expensive undertaking in a financial sense. Preparing a kimberlite pipe or placer for mining requires a lot of effort and time, and more than a ton of rock is required to mine 2 carats.

Large-scale diamond mining in the world is carried out in a quarry way, when a deposit is drilled at the first stage, and then an explosion is made. The rock is taken to processing plants, where the extraction of precious stones takes place. While valuable minerals are found, the quarry continues to be deepened. Most often, their depth does not exceed 600 meters, but there are deep quarries up to one and a half kilometers.

In order to separate valuable stones from ore, the following methods are used:

• The most primitive way is to use fat installations. The extracted rock with water is poured onto the surface, covered with a special fat, on which crystals remain.
• You can detect crystals in ore using X-rays or special magnets.
• Most often, suspensions (liquids with increased density) are used. So they achieve that the waste rock sinks, and crystals remain on the surface.

How diamonds are mined depends on many factors. The work of geologists is very serious, because you need to be sure that it is advisable to start development in this particular place. Deposits can also be found underwater, and some require the creation of mines.

Leaders among diamond-producing countries

Diamond mining takes place on all continents, however, there are leading countries for the extraction of these precious stones, among which are the following:

1. For a long time, Australia was in the lead, where high quality products were found. However, according to experts, already in 2018, the largest Argil mine will exhaust itself.
2. The Republic of South Africa is firmly in the top six, which is made up of the leading diamond mining countries. It produces up to 7.4 million carats per year.
3. Angola ranks fourth in the world among countries where diamonds are mined. Up to 8.7 million carats are mined at the main Fukauma deposit.
4. Canada is firmly in third place, receiving up to 12 million carats, including from its largest Ekati mine.
5. A lot of mines that contain precious crystals are located on the territory of African Botswana, where they have been developed since the early 70s of the twentieth century. It produces up to 24.6 million carats per year. The development of the diamond mining industry is in full swing in the neighboring country (Namibia).
6. The richest kimberlite pipes are located on the territory Russian Federation. Here, in the Arkhangelsk and Perm regions, in the Republic of Sakha, the largest deposits have been found and are being developed, where they receive more than 38 million carats per year.

Geologists from various countries continue their work, trying to find expensive crystals. So, according to experts, the Arabian Peninsula is rich in treasures. In Ukraine, kimberlite pipes can also be found, but their development requires very significant funds.

The largest deposits

While talks about diamond mining have just begun in the countries of Arabia and Ukraine, the leaders in diamond mining continue to use their largest deposits, among which the following stand out:

• On the maps of Russia there are several particularly outstanding quarries that have large reserves of precious crystals. The Yakut quarry "Jubilee", which has been developed since the mid-eighties of the twentieth century, has a reserve of more than 150 million carats. The “Udachny” quarry, located in the same area, is not inferior to him. The deposit is also noteworthy. V. P. Griba (Arkhangelsk), where you can get almost 100 million carats. Currently, the Botoubinskaya pipe (Yakutia) is being actively developed, whose reserves exceed 70 million carats.
  
• Gemstones have been mined in Angola for twenty years. The mine in Catoca has already reached a depth of 200 meters (it is planned to deepen it by another 400 meters).
• The mines of "Venice" (South Africa) annually bring up to 102 million carats to their owners. More than a dozen kimberlite pipes will not run dry for another twenty years.
• Botswana also has rich mines producing millions of carats of diamonds. The oldest and one of the largest is Orapa, where work began in the early seventies.

Diamond mining can effectively support the economic development of any country. Therefore, research into new territories is now being carried out very actively.