Diamonds as old as the moon in Barcelona

Scientists will present for the first time in Barcelona next week evidence of a particular type of ‘super-deep’ diamond that has been sat between the earth’s mantle and its core since before the moon existed.

Scientists have been postulating the existence of such an ancient substance for a long time but it was only when violent volcanic activity brought gases expelled from these precious stones to the surface that they were able to conclusively document their properties.

The diamonds are buried 410 kilometres below sea level in the hardy mantle of the Earth and give off a particular type of gas that is consistent with that of the densest of diamonds known to man.

After experts analysed the helium isotopes that were emitted from various volcanoes and tectonic rifts, they concluded that they had come from a source over 4 billion years old.

These are not the first super-deep diamonds to have been discovered according to Dr. Suzette Timmerman of the National University of Australia.