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Is the Earth's Mantle Full of Diamonds? (gizmodo.com)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Gizmodo: Scientists' models show that sound waves seem to travel too quickly through the old, stable cores of continents, called "cratons," which extend deep into the mantle at depths around 120 to 150 kilometers (75 to 93 miles). Through observations, experiments, and modeling, one team figured that a potential way to explain the sound speed anomaly would be the presence of a lot of diamonds, a medium that allows for a faster speed of sound than other crystals. Perhaps the Earth is as much as 2 percent diamonds by volume, they found. Scientists have modeled the rock beneath continents through tomography, which you can think of as like an x-ray image, but using sound waves. But sound-wave velocities of around 4.7 kilometers per second (about 10,513 mph) are faster than sound-wave velocities in other kinds of minerals beneath the crust, according to the paper in the journal Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems.
The researchers realized that if the regions had either 3 percent diamonds by volume or 50 percent of a rock formed at high pressure and temperature called eclogite, it would enable the sound speeds they observed. But both of those numbers seemed too high, based on observations of the minerals that end up on the Earth's surface: diamond-containing rocks called kimberlites. The researchers compromised and figured that 20 percent eclogite and 2 percent diamonds could explain the high velocities. The diamonds could be sprinkled as crystals found uniformly throughout the cratons.
The researchers realized that if the regions had either 3 percent diamonds by volume or 50 percent of a rock formed at high pressure and temperature called eclogite, it would enable the sound speeds they observed. But both of those numbers seemed too high, based on observations of the minerals that end up on the Earth's surface: diamond-containing rocks called kimberlites. The researchers compromised and figured that 20 percent eclogite and 2 percent diamonds could explain the high velocities. The diamonds could be sprinkled as crystals found uniformly throughout the cratons.
Yes.
Why dig down 120 kilometer if you make them yourself ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
So the answer to the head line is NO, it is not full, it is maybe 2% by volume. Utah beer has more alcohol than that...
The lithospheric mantle is composed of politicians; an incredibly dense material. Sound waves and thermal gradients pass easily through this layer. Money, on the other hand, is readily absorbed by the same material. Strangely, truth is reflected but with, as yet, explainable phase shifts or distortions.
The Russians have won. They have made the world a cesspool of distrust, greed, fear and hate.
So the only explanation to "sound waves seem to travel too quickly through the old, stable cores of continents" is "the presence of a lot of diamonds". A bit over enthusiastic imo.
Slashdot, fix the reply notifications... You won't get away with it...
Haven't you guys seen "The Core"?
#DeleteFacebook
So all you have to do is figure out a way to mine at a depth 30 times
deeper than the worlds deepest mine.
Piece of cake.
Or the core of Earth *is* De Beers' vault?
Sounds like one of those weird creatures L Ron Hubbard came up with.
#DeleteChrome
The De Beers company probably has known this since the 1950s or so.
-- Cheers!
But if you dug all those shiny crystals their value would rapidly approach zero.
Sent as ripples into the electromagnetic field. No single photon has been harmed in the process.
I repeat: Lucy is here....and we thought we need to travel 5.2 AU to get to her :)
Element 8 is oxygen, and no, that's not rare at all. It forms a large part of the Earth's mantle, crust and oceans.
Well, they have been known to create artificial scarcity by limiting supply due to stockpiling...
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
of a starkiller base
your thin skin doesn't make me a troll
...It's full of diamonds!
We'll make great pets
Nope. The 2 points are already in. Actual rating is 3.5.
Slashdot, fix the reply notifications... You won't get away with it...
Some years ago I read way deep down there are diamonds the size of watermelons. By the time they make it to surface (million years or more?) they are broken up into much smaller pieces. Imagine a diamond that big, how much would it weigh? What about polishing it and trim it? Be a damn shame if a jeweler intended to trim the edge but hit it in such a way it shatters into little pieces like a car rear window.
mfwright@batnet.com
It is turtles. Turtles all the way down.
Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
Earth keeps its diamonds in the credenza.
Never let a lack of data get in the way of a good rant.