The Russian Ministry of Science claims that it has discovered a new type of diamond.
According to a report in the Siberian Times, hundreds of these new stones were found in the frozen lava of the Tolbachik volcano. The stones measure between 250 and 270 microns and were identified using electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction.
“The solidified lava of the Tolbachik eruption (2012–2013) carries within it a new and never-before-seen type of diamond,” says the ministry. “According to the Russian geologists, these unique diamonds are not formed in the magmatic melt, but are created by volcanic gases under pressure and as a result of crystallization under the influence of electrical discharges of lightning.”
The ministry has noted that the stones are nearly identical to synthetic diamonds. They have since been named Tolbachik diamonds for the Russian landmass in which they were discovered. CJ
