Signed, Jenny - Bay Springs Middle School. Throughout time, humans have collected and traded beautiful artifacts. Pieces of bone, chunks of carved wood, and gemstones were common means of barter. Yet through it all, diamonds seem to hold the most fasination for us. A diamond, like all gemstones, is simply a crystal.
Crystals are solid structures that form when liquid minerals are gradually cooled.
Of course it takes a lot of heat to melt the minerals in the first place. That's why, precious gem formation is often associated with volcanic activity. As the molten rock cools, pockets of minerals are formed and the crystals begin to develop. The type of minerals, cooling temperature, and hundreds of other variables all play a role in determing the type of crystal that will form. It just so happens that diamonds are a very simple crystal.