Diamonds

A first-person observational study of diamond production and science based on field visits to the Kimberley mines, it surveys the mine layouts, surface and underground workings, and the methods used to recover and sort gems. It outlines the administrative and security arrangements around handling and valuation, and documents notable stones and varieties such as boart, carbonado, and crystalline forms. The work examines physical and chemical properties, presents theories and experiments on natural genesis and laboratory synthesis, and considers meteoritic occurrences. Illustrated with photographs and plates, it combines practical descriptions, technical discussion, and geological interpretation to explain how diamonds are found, processed, classified, and assessed.