What is the value of a kimberlite pipe?
These diamond-bearing pipes are located on Archean cratons3, which form the old cores of the continents. Pipes larger than 10 hectares4 in size can produce 3 to 4 million carats of diamonds, worth 350 million US dollars. Large Kimberlite pipes are rare.
Which country has the most kimberlite pipes?
The South African Craton includes the large Kalahari Archon on which the majority of the world’s active major kimberlite diamond mines are located in South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Swaziland. They comprise 11 kimberlite pipe mines and 3 kimberlite dyke mines.
Where are kimberlite pipes found?
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.
Where can I find diamonds in Lesotho?
Letšeng Diamond Mine
The Letšeng Diamond Mine, found in the landlocked Southern African kingdom of Lesotho, is owned by Gem Diamonds, Ltd. and the government of Lesotho, and at an elevation of 3,100 m (10,000 ft) it is the world’s highest diamond mine….Letseng diamond mine.
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Type | diamond |
Are kimberlite diamonds worth anything?
How much is kimberlite worth? Kimberlites form this region do yield beautiful diamonds which mostly range from very small to a maximum of 3 carats. Customers have found 1/4 carat to 1/2 carat blue diamonds and yellow & clear diamonds between 1/4 and 2 carats within our specimens worth $1,500-$4,000.
How do I identify a kimberlite rock?
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).
Are kimberlites valuable?
Economic importance of Kimberlite Kimberlites are the most important source of diamonds in the world. About 6,400 kimberlite pipes have been discovered in the world, of those about 900 have been classified as diamondiferous, and of those just over 30 have been economic enough to diamond mine.
Where can I find kimberlite rocks?
Generally speaking, kimberlites are found only in cratons, the oldest surviving areas of continental crust, which form the nuclei of continental landmasses and have remained virtually unchanged since their formation eons ago.
How do I know if my kimberlite has diamonds?
Put the diamond under the loupe or microscope and look for rounded edges that have tiny indented triangles. Cubic diamonds, on the other hand, will have parallelograms or rotated squares. A real raw diamond should also appear like it has a coat of vaseline over it. Cut diamonds will have sharp edges.
What do diamonds in kimberlite look like?
Is Lesotho rich in diamonds?
Lesotho, officially known as the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country completely surrounded by South Africa. The small country (just 30,000 km2) has a population of roughly two million, and is rich in two natural resources: water and diamonds.
How many diamond mines are there in Lesotho?
The Khubelu mine brings the number of Lesotho mines to five. The other four are Letšeng, Kao, Mothae and Liqhobong mines.