Which two igneous rocks transport diamonds to the surface?

• A. Kimberlite
• B. Kimberlite and Lamproite
• C. Lamproite
• D. Basalt

Answer: (B)

Diamonds form deep in the mantle under high pressure, and they reach the surface only if they’re carried up by a magma that can travel rapidly from mantle depths. Kimberlite and lamproite magmas are mantle-derived, ultramafic, and highly enriched in volatiles, so they ascent rapidly as explosive pipes that transport diamonds from depth to near the surface. This rapid ascent helps preserve the diamonds during transport, which is why these rocks are the classic carriers of diamond-bearing material to Earth’s surface. Basalt, on the other hand, forms and erupts at shallower depths and doesn’t provide that same deep-origin, rapid-ascend pathway for diamonds, so it’s not a typical transporter of mantle diamonds. Hence, kimberlite and lamproite are the rocks that transport diamonds to the surface.