This is just a short note to introduce myself.
I am a Diamond Digger not much I do not know about getting them little beauties out of a stream, old river bed or Kimberlite!
Years of experience and trained by a real old time diamond digger. RIP Old Friend.

Unfortunately it is all I know!

Still have to learn all about gold prospecting.. but then I also invent things so I think my next invention will be a diamond wash pan with a gold sluice of some sort! mmmmm Got to put the old thinking cap on!
So I am here to learn from the esteemed "Old Boys" how to prospect and pan for gold.

If I can help with any questions about Diamonds and where to find them I will do so gladly.
DD

Welcome Diamond Digger!

Diamonds have quite a fascinating geology..
Especially considering that they have to come to the surface fast, some say within 24 hours from start to finish!
Always made me wonder what manages to drive the magma trough the litosphere etc within that time frame?

I've heard that some believe Carbon Dioxide can act as a "plow" by breaking up the country rock around/above the ascending magma.
What do you think?

What signs do you look for to know there is Kimberlite or possibilities to find Kimberlite in an area?

Once again, Welcome!
It'll be interesting I'm sure.

Hi,
Your questions are interesting. But you should never worry too much about how it got to the surface just that it is there!
I am not a Geologist but I held many pieces of Kimberlite in my hands and I sure know what to look for and how to spot it.
Garnets is the first indicator you want to see small dark purple ones. Then Feldspar, ilminite etc they are good indicators but a tip I can give you is to look for the pointer stone.... (Spits in the corner ) It is a dirty white stone small usually around 5-10 mil big looks like two separate stones joined by a dirty brown band... in any direction, hence dirty stone. The lore is you will always find a diamond right next to one of them. At first I thought it a joke so the old man took me into the field with a test sieve and we spend the day looking for dead gravel. This is gravel that does not bear diamonds. We did find some and it looked OK from afar but close up the indicators were gone. On the way back we did a quick hand wash of some promising samples and found a small .3ct diamond next to you guessed it.... a dirty stone!
Have fun.
DD

to identify kimberlite go to your local college or jr. college and see the geologist and ask if he would show you a peice of it or better yet, ask for a small smale. i did this and he gave me a chunk of it.plus we had a long talk and he became a friend! now you cant beat that!

I've studied a bit of geology in college, its a hobby of figuring out such details. Its just very interesting.

This "pointer stone", you wouldn't happen to have a picture do you?
I've heard of the garnets, Chrome diopside and a few other indicator minerals, but never of that one you talk about.

Voltaire,
Next time I see one I will take a picture for you. Might be a long wait because I am not mining at the moment.
That might change soon as I am looking for an American backer so I can get my teeth into some land I know of.
Anyway have a good new year all.
DD

Voltaire,
There will also be Jasper, Ilminite (heavy black stones) amber fossils, and many more different semi precious stones in a diamond wash.
Many Diggers find these stones and put them in a tumbler, when you go into a rock shop and see them funny looking Egg shaped stones in a basket?? them stones are from the Diggings. They pay for the Diesel!
Might just be mining again soon!
Or that or Su-i-cide hehehehehe
DD

DD,
Yes, please snap a picture when you can.

Very interesting, could you expect serpentine as well?

Never heard of Jasper, though, which sounds rather strange that a quartz variant is in a mafic magma..
Of course, could have been carried along by the magma..

Regards,
Voltaire