Diamonds and the Geology of Mantle Carbon

The most recent advances in diamond science are reviewed, covering a variety of specific topics, such as diamond distribution in Earth, diamond composition, mineralogy and textures, diamond formation, isotope geochemistry of diamond, geochemistry, thermobarometry and geochronology of inclusions in diamonds, geology of mantle carbon. The comprehensive, cross-disciplinary nature of this review identifies some of the areas where important unknowns in diamond research can be addressed with future work: (1) the quantitative partitioning of elements and fractionation of isotopes during diamond growth, (2) the co-genetic (or not) relationship of diamond to its host inclusions and the age of diamonds, (3) the recognition and significance of primordial carbon, primary mantle carbon, or subducted carbon in the composition of diamond, (4) the speciation of C in diamond-forming fluids and the processes that control the oxygen fugacity of the mantle, (5) the deepest diamonds, their ultra-high pressure inclusions and the geodynamic processes occurring in convecting the mantle, (6) the experimental simulation of diamond formation from a variety of mantle fluids and melts, and (7) the nanostructural characteristics of diamond as they relate to all aspects of diamond formation.