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Diamond is the best known gem. It is known as the “king of gems” for its brilliance and for being the hardest mineral on earth. (Foa, p.50) Its characteristics enable it to be used for many different purposes. Since are the hardest gems on Mohs’ scale, they ....

Middle of Essay
.... on the other hand, although it is the same element, is more loosely packed and has a six-sided, layered configuration, which makes it soft (Pough, 1991). The differences between graphite and are accounted for by the conditions in which they are created. form over long periods of time, between 100 km and 200 km below the surface. At this great depth, carbon gets a chance to cool very gradually, forming diamond crystals. When volcanic eruptions occur, magma carries the up to the surface of the earth. Kimberlite lavas carrying erupt at anywhere between 10 and 30 km/hour and increase their velocity to several hundred km/hour within the last f ....