Modern science of geology knows thousands of various minerals and rocks. And someone who, and geologists know for sure which stone is the most durable in the world. Do you know the answer to this question? If not, be sure to read our article.
The strongest stone is…
Nature has created a huge number of different minerals. Some of them are so soft that they crumble in your hands. But others are not deformed even from the strongest blow. What is the hardest stone in nature? Let's figure it out.
If we talk only about minerals, then the answer is obvious - it's a diamond. This natural formation is one of the forms of pure carbon, which is formed in the bowels of the Earth at considerable depths. The mineral is at the top of the Mohs scale with an absolute hardness of 1600 units. In addition, a diamond also has such a quality as metastability (that is, the ability to exist indefinitely for a long period of time under normal environmental conditions).
It is worth noting that the word "stone" can also mean such a thing as a rock (an aggregate of oneor several types of minerals). It is not so easy to determine the absolute champion in hardness among rocks. Most often, the following breeds fall into the list of the most durable stones:
- Gabbro.
- Diabase.
- Granite.
However, later in our article we will pay special attention to diamond, the most durable stone among mineral formations.
Mineral diamond: basic properties
So, the most expensive, most desired, most beautiful and most durable stone on Earth is a diamond. And it's hard to argue with that. However, the very name of this mineral is more than eloquent. The word "diamond" in ancient Greek means "indestructible".
The first historical evidence of a transparent stone of unprecedented strength came to us from Ancient India and China. At the same time, the Indians called him fariy. But the Chinese, as early as the third millennium BC, used diamonds to grind their ceremonial axes made of corundum.
What are the physical and mechanical properties of the most durable stone in the world? Let's list the most basic ones:
- Shine: diamond.
- Line color: none.
- Hardness: 10 (Mohs scale).
- Gensity: 3.47-3.55g/cm3.
- Kink: conchoidal to splintery.
- Singony: cubic.
- Thermal conductivity: 900-2300 W/(m K) (very high).
The most common color of diamonds is yellow or colorless. Minerals of green are the least common in nature.blue, red or black. Another important property of all diamonds is their ability to luminesce. Under the influence of sunlight, they begin to glow and shimmer in various colors and shades.
7 interesting facts about diamonds
- Diamond, graphite and coal are all made from the same element (carbon).
- Diamond rains on some planets of the solar system.
- Diamond is not the rarest stone on Earth. There are at least ten gemstones that are much rarer in the earth's crust.
- The headquarters of the largest natural diamond mining and processing company is located in Johannesburg (South Africa).
- Under certain conditions, diamonds can be synthesized from tequila or peanut butter.
- A beam of light passing through the body of this mineral reduces its speed by half.
- 80% of diamonds mined today are used for industrial purposes.
Main diamond deposits
Diamonds are formed at a depth of 80-150 kilometers under the influence of colossal pressure and temperature. Then, thanks to volcanic activity, they rise closer to the surface of our planet, forming vertical deposits - kimberlite pipes. For example, this is how the neck of such a pipe looks like in Yakutia (the Mir diamond quarry):
In addition, some diamonds may havemeteoritic origin. Such minerals are formed when a cosmic body contacts the Earth's surface. So, "out-of-this-world diamonds" were discovered in the Grand Canyon in the USA.
It so happened that the richest deposits of diamonds on Earth are concentrated in the bowels of Africa. It is here that the largest mining company in the world, De Beers, is based. Diamonds are actively mined today in South Africa, Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Tanzania, Russia, Canada, and Australia. The leader of the Russian diamond industry is ALROSA.
Use of diamonds in industry
Don't think that diamonds are used exclusively in jewelry. The hardest stone is also widely used in industry. In particular, heavy-duty drills, knives, cutters and other products are produced from it. Diamond powder (essentially a waste product obtained from the processing of natural diamonds) is used as an abrasive in the production of grinding discs and wheels.
Diamonds are also used in nuclear energy and quantum electronics. Another extremely promising area today is microelectronics on diamond substrates.
Hexagonal diamond
Ten years ago, diamond could be considered the hardest material on Earth. But in 2009, a group of scientists from China and the United States managed to prove the falsity of such a claim. According to them, the most durable substance in the world is an artificial material called lonsdaleite (or hexagonal diamond).
Using the method of computer simulation, scientistsit was possible to establish that this material is 58% stronger than diamond. And if the latter collapses at a pressure of 97 gigapascals, then lonsdaleite is able to withstand loads of 152 gigapascals.
However, the hexagonal diamond exists so far only in theory. However, scientists doubt that the new material will ever be applied in practice. After all, the process of obtaining it is extremely complex and expensive.
