May 9, 2023
Most diamonds are formed deep inside Earth and brought close to the surface in small yet powerful volcanic eruptions of a kind of rock called âkimberliteâ.
Our supercomputer modelling, published in Nature Geoscience, shows these eruptions are fuelled by giant âpillars of heatâ rooted 2,900 kilometres below ground, just above our planetâs core.
Kimberlite eruptions leave behind a characteristic deep, carrot-shaped âpipeâ of kimberlite rock, which often contains diamonds. Hundreds of these eruptions that occurred over the past 200 million years have been discovered around the world.
The volcanic eruptions that bring diamonds to Earthâs surface are driven by âpillars of heatâ stretching deep inside the planet.
