Abstract
DIAMONDS are found in several areas of the world where their currently accepted source, kimberlite/lamproite volcanism, has not been found. Garnet pyroxenite layers in the the Beni Bousera peridotite massif, northern Morocco, contain octahedral and other cubic forms of graphite, which we interpret here as pseudomorphs after diamond. This occurrence demonstrates that fragments of highly diamondiferous mantle are technically emplaced into the continental crust, providing an alternative source for some diamonds.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bonini, W. E., Loomis, T. P. & Robertson, J. D. J. geophys. Res. 78, 1372–1382 (1973).
Dickey, J. S. Miner. Soc. Am. spec. Pap. 3, 33–49 (1970).
Loomis, T. P. Am. J. Sci. 275, 1–30 (1975).
Kornprobst, J. Contr. Miner. Petrol. 23, 283–322 (1969).
Slodkevich, V. V. Zapiski Vses. Miner. Ob-Va. 13–33 (in Russian) (1980).
Moore, M. Ind. Diamond Rev. 2 (1985).
Jeynes, C. Ind. Diamond Rev. 14–23 (1978).
Lonsdale, K. & Milledge, H. J. in The Physical Properties of Diamond (ed. Berman, R.) (Oxford University Press, 1965).
Evans, T. in Properties of Diamond (ed. Field, J. E.) 425–469 (Academic, London, 1979).
Mitchell, R. S. & Giardini, A. A. Am. Miner. 38, 136–138 (1953).
Mendelssohn, M. J., Milledge, H. J., Nave, E. & Woods, P. A. Acta crystallogr. A31, S214 (1975).
Haidinger, W. K. & Partsch, P. Ann. Phys. 67, 437–439 (1846).
Grenville-Wells, H. J. Miner. Mag. 29, 803–816 (1952).
Okada, A. & Shima, M. J. Jap. Ass. Miner. Petrol. Econ. Geol. 67, 45–49 (1972).
Custers, J. F. H. Am. Miner. 35, 51–58 (1955).
Kamiya, Y. & Lang, A. R. Phil. Mag. 11, 347–356 (1965).
Robinson, D. N. Miner. Sci. Engng 10, 55–72 (1978).
Gurney, J. J. Proc. 4th Int. Kimberlite Conf. (in the press).
Robinson, D. N. thesis, Univ. Capetown (1979).
Robinson, D. N., Gurney, J. J. & Shee, S. R. in Developments in Petrology Vol. 11B, (ed. Kornprobst, J.) 11–24 (Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1984).
Moore, R. O. & Gurney, J. J. Nature 318, 553–555 (1985).
Fang, Chingson & Bai Wenji Int. geol. Rev. 27, 455–457 (1981).
Kaminskii, F. V. Zapfski. Uses. Miner. Ob. 4, 488–493 (1980).
Nixon, P. H., Davies, G. R., Slodkevich, V. V. & Bergman, S. C. Extended Abstracts, 4th Int. Kimberlite Conf. 412 (1986).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Pearson, D., Davies, G., Nixon, P. et al. Graphitized diamonds from a peridotite massif in Morocco and implications for anomalous diamond occurrences. Nature 338, 60–62 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1038/338060a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/338060a0
This article is cited by
-
Ambient synthesis of diamond in saline alcohol
Carbon Letters (2024)
-
Arable plant communities of ultramafic and non-ultramafic soils in Beni Bousera (North Morocco)
Community Ecology (2023)
-
Redox state determination of eclogite xenoliths from Udachnaya kimberlite pipe (Siberian craton), with some implications for the graphite/diamond formation
Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology (2020)
-
The Geological Heritage of the Talassemtane National Park and the Ghomara coast Natural Area (NW of Morocco)
Geoheritage (2019)
-
The buffering capacity of lithospheric mantle: implications for diamond formation
Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology (2014)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.