COLORADO DIAMOND PROSPECTING, Colorado has diamond deposits, you just need to look... Options

[ASTROBLEME]

Hi Everyone:

Diamond prospecting isn't too hard if you know what to look for. This photo was recently posted publicly by another diamond expert (Dan Hausel) whom I've worked with and have grown to respect over the past few years. I am excited to now be able to share some knowledge through this forum as I have endured much difficulty in the early years while learning about diamond prospecting on my own.

The specimens in this photo are great examples of "indicator minerals" that were recovered from a diamond bearing area (Sloan Ranch kimberlite pipes #1 & #2) right here in Colorado. If you ever find minerals that resemble these specimens in any of your samples, I'd advise you to consider testing the prospect area for DIAMONDS!

Sincerely,

ASTROBLEME

[ASTROBLEME]

Hello Everyone Prospecting for Diamonds:

Kimberlites that contain diamonds also carry several other minerals. The most well known are the garnets. Many diamond prospectors search for these garnets since they are much more numerous than diamonds. The colors can be very different and the best way to tell if a garnet was from a diamond bearing pipe is to do a detailed analysis on the chemistry.

Why? Because diamonds contain inclusions and some of those inclusions have been identified as being garnets. The garnets that have the chemistry known to be found in diamond bearing kimberlitic pipes are described as G-9 or G-10. I have collected garnets ranging from purple through wine to bright red in coloration from the surface expressions known as pans in the State Line Mining District. The color isn't so much as an indicator of a kimberlitic pipe containing diamonds as the diamonds are. It is my opinion that far too much time and money is being spent around the world looking for "diamond indicators" than there is actually digging up diamonds!

Here's a photo of some of the garnets I have collected from diamond bearing kimberlitic pipes here in Colorado.



As you can see, these don't look too impressive but the diamonds that come with them sure are...

Take another look at my first diamond photo. The red coloration of the matrix is the eclogite garnet mineral. The cubo-octahedral crystal developed within that diamond- eclogite xenolith matrix a long time before it was delivered to the surface. Diamond crystals come in many forms and not all of them appear to be diamonds when first collected. Some have suffered damage during deposition and others can take an uncommon crystal form so check your concentrates carefully. Most diamonds break away from the matrix and are found in a "clean" state without any trace of the matrix. This is due to the diamond being so much harder than the matrix. The diamond crystal is the only thing that survives the through the erosion process. If you ever find a diamond with the matrix attached, you are very, very close to the diamond source. Take your time to properly sample the area to determine where the diamonds are eroding from.

Hope this helps in your recognition of possible diamond deposits.

Sincerely,

ASTROBLEME