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Diamonds are very valuable gemstones.
They are usually a clear colour, and when cut, are
faceted
so that they sparkle in the light. They are formed in the
core of the Earth and erupt towards the surface in volcanic
eruptions. They are found in Australia, Canada,
Brazil,Africa or India. They were first discovered in India
(from river gravel). Diamonds are quite rare, because they
don't often come near the surface where they can be
mined.
They are very hard, so they cannot be scratched very easily
but diamonds are not tough and can chip and or break when
you hit them. Diamonds have been known to break or be
damaged when someone tries to scratch glass to prove they
are real. The name diamond comes from the Greek
word "adamas", meaning unconquerable. Diamonds are used a
lot in jewelry, and also in factories. They are often used
to cut things, because they are so hard. Synthetic,
or man-made diamonds (which are usually used in factories)
are called Zircons. Do you want to find out more
about diamonds?
