What is kimberlite?
Q: What is kimberlite?
A: Kimberlite is an igneous rock known for containing diamonds.
Q: Why is it called kimberlite?
A: It is named after the town of Kimberley in South Africa.
Q: What started the "diamond rush" in Kimberley?
A: The discovery of a big 83.5-carat diamond in 1871 started the "diamond rush."
Q: Where does kimberlite occur in the Earth's crust?
A: Kimberlite occurs in the Earth's crust in vertical structures known as "pipes" as well as igneous dykes and sills.
Q: What is the most important source of mined diamonds today?
A: Kimberlite pipes are the most important source of mined diamonds today.
Q: Where does the formation of kimberlite occur?
A: The formation of kimberlite occurs at depths between 150 and 450 kilometres within the Earth's mantle.
Q: What information can the study of kimberlite provide?
A: The study of kimberlite has the potential to provide information about the composition of the lower mantle and melting processes at or near the interface between the cratonic continental lithosphere and the underlying convecting asthenospheric mantle.
