Scientists at Southampton University in the United Kingdom have solved the long-standing riddle of how diamonds appear on Earth’s surface after years of conjecture.
According to the discovery, kimberlite eruptions—also referred to as a “fountain of diamonds”—drive these priceless jewels to the surface.
Water, rock, carbon dioxide, and other necessary kimberlite components—such as diamonds—combine to create a tremendous surge that can reach speeds of up to 83 miles per hour during kimberlite eruptions.
The research indicates that these eruptions are caused by massive geological processes, notably the separation of tectonic plates.
These diamond-rich eruptions are thought to be caused by the mixing and movement of rocks from the upper mantle and lower crust against one another during plate tectonics.
These “fountains of diamonds” appear every 22–30 million years, according to data analysis.
Professor Thomas Gernon, an expert in Earth and Climate Science, stated that discovering new, unexplored diamond deposits was the team’s objective.
He emphasized how much time these diamonds spend in the foot of continents, waiting for an event to trigger strong and spectacular eruptions.
The results clarify the periodicity of these eruptions by relating them to significant geological occurrences such as the breakup of the supercontinent Gondwana approximately 180 million years ago.
It was from this divide that continents such as South America and Africa eventually emerged, and 25 million years later there were diamond eruptions.
Professor Gernon emphasized the systematic physical process involved, speculating that the phenomenon might have an impact on things other than kimberlites.The study examined the relationship between kimberlite volcanism and continental disintegration using statistical analysis and machine learning.
Senior Research Fellow Dr. Thea Hincks emphasized the geospatial study of the team, which showed a steady migration of kimberlite eruptions over time at consistent rates from continental edges to interiors.
The discovery not only clarifies the origin of diamonds but also offers important new understandings of Earth’s geological processes and how they affect the trip of the priceless gemstone to the surface.
