ZONAL DISTRIBUTION OF IMPURITIES IN DIAMOND

The zonal distribution of impurities in six diamonds (2 clear. 1 green-skinned, 2 green-bodied and 1 coated) was studied by neutron activation followed by dissolution of the diamond into a number of fractions. High surface concentrations of impurities found here and by other workers were attributed to both laboratory and natural contaminants. No unusual element distributions were found in the outer layer of the green-skinned diamond, the green skin probably being caused by natural radiation damage. The green-bodied diamonds had very different compositions from each other and from the other diamonds and it is suggested that such stones owe their colour to a high general level of impurities. All the diamonds, including the clear core of the coated diamond, contained impurities thought to be submicroscopic inclusions, either silicates, carbonates or immiscible sulphides derived from the parental magma. Variations in the composition of these inclusions in one diamond suggest changes in the host magma composition during growth. Sulphides apparently occurred in very small amounts throughout all the diamonds. Variations in the concentration of impurities are probably related to changes in growth rate or environment during diamond formation, and could explain some of the zonal variations in the physical properties of diamonds. © 1979.