| Facts about Diamonds Diamonds are the hardest of the known natural materials, number 10 on the Mohs scale of hardness. This makes the diamond very useful for industry and jewelry. Diamonds make excellent abrasives because they can only be scratched by another diamond. About 130 million carats (26,000 kg) are mined annually. With another 100,000 kg of synthetic diamonds manufactured annually. The diamond has been treasured for around 2,500 years, when they where used as religious icons in India. The use of diamonds in drill bits and engraving tools also dates to very early in history. They are commonly valued by the “four c's”: carat, clarity, color, and cut. The cutting of a diamond is a skilled operation, so that the brilliance is shown to the best advantage. Between 50 and 60% of the diamond may be lost during the cutting and polishing process. Diamonds originate from central and southern Africa, although other sources diamonds have been discovered in Australia, Brazil, Canada, India, and Russia. |