Pink diamond

About Pink diamond:

• Pink diamonds, also known as fancy pink diamonds, are some of the rarest and most coveted gemstones in the world.
• Pink diamonds have a uniquely bent crystalline structure. 
• More than 90% of all the pink diamonds ever found come from a single mine in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.
• All diamonds are found in pipelike volcanoes, or in their eroded remnants. 
• How did they form?
  • Around 1.8 billion years ago, Western Australia and Northern Australia collided in a cataclysmic event.
  • This impact is believed to have been the catalyst that transformed once-colorless diamonds into their pink variants.
  • Scientist found that at Argyle, diamonds crystallised deep in Earth’s interior were brought to the surface when a supercontinent, Nuna, began to break apart.
  • As continents break up, their edges stretch, allowing small pockets of diamond-rich magma to rise to the surface.

What is Nuna?

• It is an ancient supercontinent, graced our planet’s surface.
• Scientists believe Nuna existed around 1.6 to 2.5 billion years ago, predating even the famous Pangea by a considerable margin.
• Researchers actively map Nuna’s formation by piecing together geological and paleomagnetic data.
• These clues suggest that Nuna brought together fragments of what we now identify as North America, northern Europe, and parts of Siberia.
• This supercontinent experienced multiple cycles of coming together and breaking apart. Each phase of assembly and dispersal reshaped the Earth’s surface
• These changes gave rise to new geological formations, laying the groundwork for subsequent continents.
• One of the most intriguing findings about Nuna lies in its connection to Earth’s atmospheric evolution.
• As Nuna formed, volcanic activities increased. These volcanoes released vast amounts of carbon dioxide, playing a pivotal role in shaping the planet’s early atmospheric conditions and potentially influencing the course of life.

Q1) What is Carbon dioxide?

It is a colorless, odorless gas that is naturally present in Earth's atmosphere. It is composed of one carbon atom bonded to two oxygen atoms, and its chemical formula is CO2. Carbon dioxide plays several crucial roles in the environment and is central to discussions about climate change and global warming.

Source: Most pink diamonds were birthed by a disintegrating supercontinent. Where can we find more?