Iconic American movie star Marilyn Monroe once famously sang, "Diamonds are a girl's best friend". Scientists the University Liege in Belgium believe they have unearthed a gargantuan amount these precious stones. There could be an 18-km wide layer the gems the crust of the planet Mercury. Our nearest planetary neighbour could quite literally be a celestial jewel. Researchers tested how Mercury formed, 4.5 billion years ago. The planet evolved from a gyrating cloud cosmic dust and gas. Over millions of years, the dust was compressed into graphite, which is chemically identical to diamond. Both are solid forms the element carbon. It is unlikely Mercury's diamonds could ever be mined as they are about 500 km the surface.
Researchers used a machine called an anvil press to simulate the conditions which Mercury was formed. The press is used to make synthetic diamonds. Researchers mixed elements a graphite capsule. These included silicon, magnesium and aluminium. The capsule was subjected to pressure 70,000 times greater than that Earth. It was heated to temperatures 2,000 degrees Celsius. The lead researcher speculated about the diamonds Mercury. He said: "Diamonds are made of carbon only, so they should be similar to what we know Earth…They would [resemble] pure diamonds." Scientists believe there are a quadrillion tons diamonds the Earth's surface. Experts say the value these hidden gems is pretty much incalculable.
