Carbon isotopic composition of diamonds in Ukraine and their probable polygenetic nature

Abstract

The paper presents newly obtained data on the mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of Ukrainian endogenic and supergenic diamonds, including pioneering data on the carbon isotopic composition of individual diamond crystals. The endogenic diamonds occur as euhedral microcrystals (their morphology varies from octahedral to rhombododecahedral and cubic) with broadly varying concentrations of the structural nitrogen admixture and with mostly low aggregation of nitrogen centers. According to their carbon isotopic composition, Ukrainian diamonds range from kimberlitic–lamproitic to metamorphic and even carbonado-like, i.e., are polygenetic. Our data confirm the earlier conclusion that the supergenic diamonds are of impact genesis.