What kind of diamond forms can be caused by resorption?

• A. A combination of octahedral and dodecahedral forms
• B. Pure cubic forms
• C. Only octahedral forms
• D. Only dodecahedral forms

Answer: (A)

Resorption dissolves parts of a diamond’s surfaces, so the final crystal habit reflects facets that survive or become exposed under those conditions. In diamond, the two prominent forms are octahedral faces (111) and dodecahedral faces (110). When resorption occurs, it can attack different faces to varying degrees, so you often end up with a crystal that shows both octahedral and dodecahedral facets rather than a single, uniform form. That’s why the most accurate description is a combination of octahedral and dodecahedral forms. Pure cubic forms aren’t the typical result of resorption, and focusing on only one form ignores the way dissolution can reveal the other.