GIA scientists use diamond to unlock secrets within the Earth

GIA says that latest research finding suggests that a diamond revealed that water may exist deeper into the Earth than scientists previously believed, as per a press release from GIA.
A team of researchers from GIA and other institutions were able to gain incredible insight into the deep mantle, 660 km below the surface, by examining a diamond that in fact did ride a volcanic eruption to the surface.
Led by Dr. Tingting Gu, a GIA post-doctoral research fellow at the time of the research and now at Purdue University, the researchers, including GIA’s vice president of research and development Dr. Wuyi Wang, examined an exceptionally rare type IaB diamond from the Karowe mine in Botswana.
The 1.5 ct, D-color diamond’s inclusions, examined using advanced, non-destructive methods including FTIR, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction, revealed that water can be found at least across the earth transition zone, 410 – 670 km deep, and into the lower mantle that is more than 670 Km deep.
When the diamond was submitted to GIA for evaluation, researchers were intrigued by its unusual inclusions. These turned out to be very rare hydrous or water-bearing minerals, suggesting the presence of water far deeper in the earth than previously believed.
Speaking about the research, Dr. Wang said, “Mineral inclusions in diamonds are the only materials from the earth’s interior that we can analyze directly. The study of these minerals offers unique opportunities to understand the chemistry of the Earth’s interior. GIA has been actively contributing to this fundamental research.”

Aruna Gaitonde, Editor in Chief of the Asian Bureau, Rough&Polished