The dramatic break up of an ancient supercontinent could be behind the planet’s cache of rare pink diamonds. Geologists and geoscientists from Australia found that this event 1.8 billions years ago was the key ingredient needed to create pink diamonds. They also found out why they have so many in Western Australia. A study published on September 19 by the journal Nature The search for these sweet-colored minerals could lead to more deposits.
[Related: ‘Barbie’ reminds us that pink is a power color for everyone.]
Diamonds are carbon crystals that form in the Earth’s crust, under extreme pressure and heat. They are generally brought to the Earth’s surface through magma during eruptions. Scientists estimate that this process can take billions or even millions of years. The Gemological Institute of America estimates that all of the Earth’s diamonds are billions of years old.
Diamonds can only turn pink when they are subjected the forces generated by tectonic plate collisions.
