Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Graphitized diamonds from a peridotite massif in Morocco and implications for anomalous diamond occurrences

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

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bonini, W. E., Loomis, T. P. & Robertson, J. D. J. geophys. Res. 78, 1372–1382 (1973).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Dickey, J. S. Miner. Soc. Am. spec. Pap. 3, 33–49 (1970).

  3. Loomis, T. P. Am. J. Sci. 275, 1–30 (1975).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Kornprobst, J. Contr. Miner. Petrol. 23, 283–322 (1969).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Slodkevich, V. V. Zapiski Vses. Miner. Ob-Va. 13–33 (in Russian) (1980).

  6. Moore, M. Ind. Diamond Rev. 2 (1985).

  7. Jeynes, C. Ind. Diamond Rev. 14–23 (1978).

  8. Lonsdale, K. & Milledge, H. J. in The Physical Properties of Diamond (ed. Berman, R.) (Oxford University Press, 1965).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Evans, T. in Properties of Diamond (ed. Field, J. E.) 425–469 (Academic, London, 1979).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Mitchell, R. S. & Giardini, A. A. Am. Miner. 38, 136–138 (1953).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Mendelssohn, M. J., Milledge, H. J., Nave, E. & Woods, P. A. Acta crystallogr. A31, S214 (1975).

    Google Scholar 

  12. Haidinger, W. K. & Partsch, P. Ann. Phys. 67, 437–439 (1846).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Grenville-Wells, H. J. Miner. Mag. 29, 803–816 (1952).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Okada, A. & Shima, M. J. Jap. Ass. Miner. Petrol. Econ. Geol. 67, 45–49 (1972).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Custers, J. F. H. Am. Miner. 35, 51–58 (1955).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Kamiya, Y. & Lang, A. R. Phil. Mag. 11, 347–356 (1965).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Robinson, D. N. Miner. Sci. Engng 10, 55–72 (1978).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Gurney, J. J. Proc. 4th Int. Kimberlite Conf. (in the press).

  19. Robinson, D. N. thesis, Univ. Capetown (1979).

  20. Robinson, D. N., Gurney, J. J. & Shee, S. R. in Developments in Petrology Vol. 11B, (ed. Kornprobst, J.) 11–24 (Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1984).

    Google Scholar 

  21. Moore, R. O. & Gurney, J. J. Nature 318, 553–555 (1985).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  22. Fang, Chingson & Bai Wenji Int. geol. Rev. 27, 455–457 (1981).

    Google Scholar 

  23. Kaminskii, F. V. Zapfski. Uses. Miner. Ob. 4, 488–493 (1980).

    Google Scholar 

  24. Nixon, P. H., Davies, G. R., Slodkevich, V. V. & Bergman, S. C. Extended Abstracts, 4th Int. Kimberlite Conf. 412 (1986).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints 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

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/338060a0

This article is cited by

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.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing