Muséum national d'histoire naturelle _ The species

FROM : Mine du Cap, République d'Afrique du Sud
WEIGHT : 22.25 cts

This specimen is an uncut diamond. It has a clear yellow colour called "jonquille". This diamond is a regular octahedron which edges are slightly rounded.

Its measures 17 x 12 x 12 mm and weighs 22.25 carats (4.547 grames),and comes from the mineral deposit of Cape Town area in the Republic of South Africa. This diamond entered the collections of the Muséum naturelle d'Histoire naturelle thanks to the donation of Mr. Taub in 1888.

It is kept in the storage rooms of the collections of the Muséum (i.e., not yet displayed to the public).

Photography: A. Dahmane / Photo Saint-Hilaire, © MNHN

SPECIE : Diamond

HISTORY : Name inspired from the Greek word "αδαμασ"[adamas] meaning "not flexible", "untameable", in reference to the fact that diamond cannot be scratched

Species described in 77 by Caius Plinius Secundus (23-79 AC), Roman naturalist

Type-locality: undefined because species
ANCIENT NAME : Diament

CHEMICAL FORMULA : C
CRYSTAL SYSTEM : Cubic
COLOR : Colorless pale yellow, brown, pink, green, black
DIAPHANIETY : Transparent to translucent
LUSTER : Adamantine to greasy
STREAK : Colorless
MORPHOLOGY : Octahedric, cubic crystals, twinning common
HARDNESS : 10
DENSITY : 3,515

CHEMICAL CLASS : I - Elements
GROUP : Diamond
STRUNZ CLASS BEFORE 2001 : 1/B.02-40
STRUNZ CLASS AFTER 2001 : 1.CB.10

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Diamond

MNHN N°88.78

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