Ancient Okavango Diamond's Rare Blue Hue Linked to Plate Tectonics
A 3-billion-year-old blue diamond, named the Okavango Blue Diamond, has been discovered in Botswana. This rare diamond, weighing 20.46 carats, contains an unusually high amount of boron, which is thought to have been brought deep into the Earth's crust through plate tectonics and subduction. Blue diamonds are extremely rare, representing only 0.01% of all mined diamonds, and their coloration is due to impurities. The Okavango Blue Diamond is classified as a Type llb "Fancy Deep Blue" and is considered a once-in-a-lifetime find.