Abstract
THE rare ‘ballas’ form of natural diamond is referred to occasionally in the literature. Ballas diamonds have been described by various authors as follows : (1) “Dense, globular aggregates of small, radially disposed diamond crystals”1 ; (2) “… a very hard, tough, globular mass of diamond crystals radiating from a common center”2; (3) “… a rare form of natural diamond with radial symmetry composed of apparently spherically grown layers …”3; (4) “Radial stalk-like formation of diamond crystals, or irregular growths of multiple crystals”4.
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References
“Industrial Minerals and Rocks”, A.I.M.E., third ed., 398 (1960).
“Industrial Minerals and Rocks”, A.I.M.E., third ed., 6 (1960).
Bovenkerk, H. P., “Some Observations on the Morphology and Physical Characteristics of Synthetic Diamond”, advance papers, Conference on Very High Pressure, Sagamore Hotel, New York, June 1960, p.6–5
Grodzinski, Paul, “Diamond and Gem Stone Industrial Production”, 234 (N.A.G. Press Ltd., London, 1943).
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FISCHER, R. The ‘Ballas’ Form of Diamond. Nature 189, 50 (1961). https://doi.org/10.1038/189050a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/189050a0
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