Diamonds from the Arkhangelsk Province, NW Russia (Springer Mineralogy)

This book examines and summarizes data on more than 40,000 diamonds from deposits in Russia’s diamondiferous Arkhangelsk province. The geological data of diamond deposits includes the geological setting, ore body morphology and mineral composition. Investigation techniques employed include: Color Cathode Luminescence, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Electron Paramagnetic Resonance, Raman Spectroscopy, and Carbon Isotopy. The book provides a full description of the diamond morphology. The problems of a potential (mantle) diamond grade for deposits are considered, depending on the physical and chemical conditions involved in the genesis and growth of diamond crystals. Further, there can be a significant impact on the productivity of bodies and the properties of diamonds during post-crystallization metasomatic processes. In this book, the authors propose a diamond crystallization model for changes in diamond crystals within mantle metasomatic transformations, and identify the factors affecting the growth and dissolution of diamonds in the mantle. In addition, they describe the complex evolution of kimberlite from the mantle up to the Earth’s surface. All of these factors affect the quality and quantity of diamonds in a particular diamond deposit, providing the basis for identifying optimal technological mining processes. Introduction 7 References 10 Contents 13 Abbreviations 16 1 Geological Summary of Kimberlites and Related Rocks in the Archangelsk Diamondiferous Region (ADR) 17 1.1 Historical Perspective of ADR Discovery 17 1.2 ADR Geological Location and Structure 19 1.3 V. Grib and M. V. Lomonosov Deposits 35 1.4 Low- and Non-diamondiferous ADR Bodies 41 References 45 2 Typomorphism of Diamond from Deposits of the Arkhangelsk Diamondiferous Region 47 2.1 Mineralogical Characteristics of Diamonds from the M.V. Lomonosov Deposit Pipes 47 2.1.1 Crystal Morphology 48 2.1.2 Internal Structure 55 2.1.3 Diamond Coloration 58 2.1.4 Diamond Gemological Characteristics 64 2.1.5 Diamond Typomorphic Characteristics 65 2.2 Mineralogical Characteristics of Diamonds from Pipe of the V. Grib Deposit 67 2.2.1 Crystal Morphology 67 2.2.2 Internal Structure 73 2.2.3 Diamond Coloration 74 2.2.4 Diamond Microcrystals 75 2.2.5 Diamond Gemological Characteristics 77 2.2.6 Typomorphic Characteristics of the V. Grib Pipe Diamonds 80 2.3 Morphology and Other Major Characteristics of ADR Diamond from Low and Poor Diamond-Bearing Kimberlites Zolotitsa and Kepina Fields 80 2.3.1 Zolotitsa Field Diamonds: Snegurochka, Pervomayskaya, Koltsovskaya Pipes 81 2.3.2 Kepina Field Diamonds 84 2.3.3 Typomorphic Characteristics of Diamonds from Low- and Poor-Diamondiferous Kimberlites 89 References 91 3 Defect-Impurity Composition, Optical and Spectrometric Properties of Diamond from ADR Deposits 92 3.1 Luminescence 92 3.2 Electron Paramagnetic Resonance 97 3.3 IR Spectroscopy 99 3.4 Raman Spectroscopy of Diamonds and X-Ray Spectrometry for Studying Inherent Mineral Inclusions 106 3.4.1 Graphite 107 3.4.2 Olivine 108 3.4.3 Garnet 113 3.4.4 Chromite 117 3.4.5 Hematite 123 3.4.6 Carbonate 123 3.5 Some Consequences from Data on Studies of Mineral Inclusions in Diamond from ADR Deposits 125 References 126 4 Recent Data on Diamond from the M. V. Lomonosov Deposit 129 4.1 Cubic Habit Diamond from M. V. Lomonosov Deposit 129 4.2 Microinclusions in Diamonds 137 4.3 Quality, Deformation, Physical and Mechanical Properties Estimation of Diamond from the Arkhangelskaya and Karpinskogo-1 Pipes 146 4.4 Investigation of Diamonds Inert ToX-Ray Excitation 148 4.4.1 Qualitative Evaluation of Diamonds Inert to X-ray Excitation 150 4.4.2 Defect-Impurity Composition of Diamond Crystals Non-luminescent in X-rays 150 4.4.3 Link Between Mineralogy and Defect-Impurity Composition of Diamond Crystals in the Collection Mined from X-ray Luminescent Separation Tailings 154 4.4.4 X-ray Luminescence 162 4.4.5 Paramagnetic Centers in X-Ray-Luminescent and Non-Luminescent Diamond Crystals (EPR Spectroscopy) 171 4.4.6 Summary of Results and Comparative Analysis Based on EPR Data 172 References 175 5 Constitutional Characteristics and Patterns of Diamond Formation in the ADR 178 5.1 Petrochemical Types of Kimberlites 178 5.2 Morphogenetic Groups of Diamonds from the Deposits in Arkhangelsk Diamondiferous Region and Yakutian Diamondiferous Province 182 5.3 Constitutional Characteristics and General Patterns of Diamond Formation from Low-Titaniferous and Moderate Titaniferous Kimberlites 187 5.4 Crystallization and Evolution of Diamonds from ADR Bodies 191 References 198 6 Method of Morphogenetic Studies of Diamond and Associated Indicator Minerals, Its Application to Solve the Problems of Typing Search Halos and Evaluation of the Degree of Diamondiferous Kimberlite Rocks Archangelsk Diamondiferous Region 202 6.1 Theoretical Foundations and Development of Morphogenetic Studies of Diamond and Indicator Minerals 202 6.2 The Methodology for the Study of Morphogenetic Peculiarities of Diamond Crystals 208 References 247 Afterword 253 List of Terms 255