Diamonds have formed over a signifi cant period of the Earth's history, from ca. 3.

57 Ga to 88 Ma, and
probably to present day. Macrodiamonds are interpreted to crystallize from low-density fl uids, or
carbon- and water-rich melts at pressures >~4.0 GPa and temperatures <~1350C. These P-T
conditions are met within thick, old lithospheric mantle roots that have low paleogeothermal gradients,
and these roots lie under ancient continental nuclei. Kimberlite-hosted diamond mines occur in these
cratonic shield regions that are older than 2.5 Ga. Macrodiamonds are transported as xenocrysts from
the mantle to the surface by kimberlite magmas. The initiation of kimberlite magmatism is at depth in
the asthenospheric mantle (>150 km), although the initiation and generation of kimberlite magma is
poorly understood. Kimberlites magmas generate a range of rocks that form a wide variety of landforms
and intrusions, in many aspects similar to that generated by small-volume alkali basaltic volcanic
systems. Kimberlite bodies typically form from multiple intrusive and/or extrusive events; these discrete
events form distinct kimberlite phases. These individual kimberlite phases are characterized by differing
textures, mineralogy and geochemistry, and diamond grade, size populations and morphology, and
value.