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Kimberlites: From Deep Earth to Diamond Mines
Journal article

Kimberlites: From Deep Earth to Diamond Mines

  • Giuliani, Andrea Kimberlites and Diamonds (KiDs), School of Earth Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010 Victoria, Australia
  • Pearson, D. Graham Diamond Exploration and Research Training School (DERTS), Department of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E3, Canada
Published in:
  • Elements. - Mineralogical Society of America. - 2019, vol. 15, no. 6, p. 377-380
Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous)
Geochemistry and Petrology
English Kimberlites are rare, enigmatic, low-volume igneous rocks. They are highly enriched in magnesium, volatiles (CO2 and H2O) and incompatible trace elements and are thought to be the most deeply derived (>150 km) magmatic rocks on Earth. Kimberlites occur in ancient and thick continental lithosphere, forming intrusive sheets and composite pipes, commonly in clusters. Despite their rarity, kimberlites have attracted considerable attention because they entrain not only abundant mantle fragments but also diamonds, which can provide a uniquely rich picture of the deep Earth. This issue summarises current thinking on kimberlite petrology, geochemistry, and volcanology and outlines the outstanding questions on the genesis of kimberlites and associated diamond mines.
Language
  • English
Open access status
closed
Identifiers
Persistent URL
https://folia.unifr.ch/global/documents/15709
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