Which is rarer: diamond-bearing lamproite or kimberlite?

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Prepare for the Gemological Institute of America's Graduate Diamonds Exam. Enhance your expertise with comprehensive quizzes and insightful explanations. Be ready to excel!

Multiple Choice

Which is rarer: diamond-bearing lamproite or kimberlite?

Explanation:
Diamond-bearing rocks show that kimberlite is the usual host for natural diamonds, forming deep in the mantle and rising quickly to the surface as pipes. Kimberlites are far more common as diamond carriers, which is why they’re known as the primary source of many of the world’s diamonds. Lamproite can also carry diamonds, but such occurrences are much rarer; there are only a few well-documented diamond-bearing lamproite pipes (Argyle is a famous example), whereas diamond-bearing kimberlites are widespread. Because of this disparity in frequency, diamond-bearing lamproite is the rarer of the two.

Diamond-bearing rocks show that kimberlite is the usual host for natural diamonds, forming deep in the mantle and rising quickly to the surface as pipes. Kimberlites are far more common as diamond carriers, which is why they’re known as the primary source of many of the world’s diamonds. Lamproite can also carry diamonds, but such occurrences are much rarer; there are only a few well-documented diamond-bearing lamproite pipes (Argyle is a famous example), whereas diamond-bearing kimberlites are widespread. Because of this disparity in frequency, diamond-bearing lamproite is the rarer of the two.

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