Diamonds

During our study of minerals this week, one of our classmates asked what natural diamonds look like before they are cut and polished.

 

Diamond "in the rough", uncut and unpolished

Another student asked if gems are valuable.  Diamonds are rare and difficult to mine (take from the earth), which makes them expensive and valuable.

 Diamond Mine Map

Mirny Diamond Mine, Russia

 

Inside Mirny Diamond Mine

 

Now that we know what minerals are, how to identify them by their properties, and that rocks are made of minerals, next week we'll dig deeper into how rocks are formed and classified.