The Surface Textures of Diamonds

Abstract

Diamonds exhibit a wide range of surface textures that developed at different stages in their history. Some of the surface textures developed early and are linked to growth and resorption processes that occurred when the diamonds were residing in the Earth’s mantle. Others formed during exposure to the kimberlitic magma, and others formed on the Earth’s surface. Individual diamonds can exhibit many different types of surface textures, and the relationship between these textures can be used to reconstruct the sequence of events that have affected the diamonds since their formation.