Can diamond be found in rocks?
Rachel Fowler
Updated on March 25, 2026
Can diamond be found in rocks?
The diamond is the hardest natural substance known. It is found in a type of igneous rock known as kimberlite. The diamond itself is essentially a chain of carbon atoms that have crystallized.
How do you tell if a rock has diamond in it?
The only hardness test that will identify a diamond is scratching corundum. Corundum, which includes all rubys and sapphires, is 9 on the hardiness scale. If your suspected diamond crystal can scratch corundum, then there is a good chance that you found a diamond.
What rock are diamonds usually found in?
kimberlite
Diamond is only formed at high pressures. It is found in kimberlite, an ultrabasic volcanic rock formed very deep in the Earth’s crust. The extreme pressures needed to form diamonds are only reached at depths greater than 150km.
Where can I find diamonds in stones?
Carefully drop the loose stone into the glass. If the gemstone sinks, it’s a real diamond. If it floats underneath or at the surface of the water, you have a fake on your hands. A real diamond has high density, so the water test shows if your stone matches this level of density.
How do I find diamonds in my yard?
You can look through the alluvial deposits of sand and mud from old river and stream beds to pan for diamonds by using methods that include scanning the surface, sifting the soil, and then sifting the soil in water.
What happens if you find a diamond?
Most states will allow finders to keep the property if the owner does not show up to claim it after a certain time. Failure to report a found item can lead to criminal charges. So, unless you’re at Crater of Diamonds State Park, you cannot keep a found diamond.
Can you find diamonds in gravel?
After sifting in water, the saruca is flipped upside-down on a table, so that heavy gravel (and hopefully a diamond) appears on top of the resulting gravel pile. Diamonds are fairly heavy for their size and are often found near other heavy rocks and minerals, such as jasper, hematite, calcite and quartz.
What happens if you find a diamond in your backyard?