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 LEARNING ABOUT DIAMONDS |
Diamond Mining
PRIMARY SOURCE
DIAMOND PIPES
Diamond pipes are formed by volcanic eruption from the Earth’s
center. They are carrot-shaped and the host rock (kimberlite)
solidifies after it cools, trapping the diamonds inside.
CHAMBERING
A vertical shaft is sunk into the rock surrounding the pipe.
Elevators are installed to carry workers and equipment in,
and to bring the ore out of the mine. Horizontal tunnels,
called drifts, are dug across the width of the pipe. |
Diamond Crystals
Embedded into
Kimberlite |
| Miners dig or blast out diamond-bearing material and
load it on trucks or conveyors that transport it to the main
shaft. From there it is hoisted to the surface
BLOCK CAVING
Large caves are excavated until the roof collapses and crumbles
into the cave. The loose material
is collected and hauled out. Then the process is repeated
at a lower level. As operations go deeper
into the pipe, the kimberlite narrows, and the yield decreases
until the mine is no longer profitable.
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