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KIMBERLITE - Kimberley, South Africa

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Home > MINERALS > UNUSUAL ROCKS AND MINERALS - WEIRD AND WONDERFUL !
  
KIMBERLITE


Sample of diamond-bearing ‘blue ground’ from Kimberley, South Africa
 
Kimberlite is a rare type of volcanic rock best known for sometimes containing diamonds.

It is named after the town of Kimberley in South Africa, where the rock was first recognised, and the most famous diamond-producing area in the world. 
 
Provided with a comprehensive label as shown.

WHAT IS KIMBERLITE?

Kimberlite occurs in the Earth's crust in vertical structures known as kimberlite pipes which are the most important source of mined diamonds today.  Kimberlites were formed deep within the Earth’s mantle – it is thought that kimberlite magma is produced at a depth of more than 150 kilometres - and were erupted at the surface rapidly and violently.  In addition to carrying diamonds to the surface, kimberlite is our only source of samples of some types of rocks that were formed at those depths, therefore providing information about the Earth’s interior.
 
The Kimberley diamonds were originally found in weathered kimberlite which was coloured yellow by iron oxide, and so was called ‘yellow ground’.  Deeper workings encountered less altered rock, which miners called ‘blue ground’.

Click on a picture for a larger image

Size:  approx. 6 x 5 x 3 centimetres
Weight:  105 grams

PRICE: £28.00