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Occurrence of diamond in a mica–garnet Iherzolite xenolith from kimberlite

Abstract

ALTHOUGH graphite has previously been reported from upper-mantle garnet lherzolite xenoliths from kimberlite intrusions, diamond has not previously been found in upper-mantle garnet lherzolite xenoliths from kimberlite intrusions. Diamond of primary terrestrial origin is found mainly in the rare ultramafic, potassic rock, kimberlite. Although the precise source of most diamonds in kimberlite is unknown it is generally assumed that most of the diamonds originate from the kimberlite matrix itself. A few have, however, been found enclosed in eclogite xenoliths of widely varying composition1–3 and also in rare xenoliths of garnet serpentinite from the Aykhal kimberlite diatreme in Siberia4. We report here on the occurrence of diamond in a xenolith of garnet lherzolite, the material generally believed to dominate the Earth's upper mantle on density, seismic and experimental grounds.

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DAWSON, J., SMITH, J. Occurrence of diamond in a mica–garnet Iherzolite xenolith from kimberlite. Nature 254, 580–581 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1038/254580a0

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