Is lamproite valuable?
Kimberlites and lamproites have tremendous economic importance because they are host rocks for gem-grade and industrial-grade diamonds.
What is the difference between lamproite and kimberlite?
Kimberlites are produced in the low-heat flow regions, whereas lamproites occur in the high-heat flow regions; (3) Kimberlites and lamproites were formed in different time; in particular, most productive kimberlitic magmatism was observed in the EEP and SP in the Devonian; (4) Kimberlite and lamproite bodies have …
Where is lamproite found?
In Western Australia diamonds are produced from mines at Argyle in the east Kimberley and Ellendale in the west Kimberley. Diamonds are made of carbon and crystallise naturally under the immense pressure found deep below the Earth’s surface, more than 150 km down.
Are there diamonds in lamproite?
Magmatic lamproite is not believed to contain diamonds. This material erupted slower than breccia tuff, vaporizing most of the diamonds within it.
Do all kimberlite pipes have diamonds?
Kimberlite pipes: Where they are located 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.
How much is kimberlite worth?
RAPAPORT… DiamondCorp recorded a sale of kimberlite diamonds from its Lace mine in South Africa for the first time since 1931, achieving an average price of $175 per carat.
How do you identify Lamproite?
Lamproite is an ultrapotassic mantle-derived volcanic or subvolcanic rock….Lamproites conform to the following chemical characteristics:
- molar K2O/Na2O > 3, i.e., ultrapotassic.
- molar K2O/Al2O3> 0.8 and commonly > 1.
- molar K2O + Na2O/ Al2O3 typically > 1 i.e., peralkaline.
How deep is Dunite formed?
about 400 km
Dunite and other peridotite rocks are considered the major constituents of the Earth’s mantle above a depth of about 400 km (250 mi).
What type of rock is a Lamproite?
Lamproite is an ultrapotassic mantle-derived volcanic or subvolcanic rock.
How do I know if my kimberlite has diamonds?
Finding large concentrations of G10 garnet can be a good indication of a diamondiferous kimberlite. On the Mohs hardness scale, garnet has a hardness of 8, compared with diamonds, which have a hardness of 10.
How do I identify my kimberlite stone?
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).
How do I identify a kimberlite rock?