A geologist, Dr Stephen Haggerty from the Florida International University in Miami, has discovered a thorny, palm-like plant in Liberia that seems to grow only on top of kimberlite pipes. This thorny and palm-like plant in West Africa could soon become a diamond hunter’s best friend. That’s because the plant seems to grow only over rock that may contain the precious stones.
Kansas Geological Survey
Known as Pandanus candelabrum, the plant enjoys soil that is rich in kimberlite, a type of igneous rock associated with diamonds. P. candelabrum is found specifically in Liberia, and could become a key tool for diamond hunters.
Steven Shirey, a geologist and diamond expert at the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington, D.C, told Science that prospectors would ‘jump on it like crazy.’
Other plants have been known to point to elements, like copper, which is commonly referred to as geobotany. But this is thought to be the first species of plant known to grow over potential diamond mines. Diamonds, which form hundreds of kilometres underground, are brought to the surface by kimberlite pipes.
The pipes themselves can be fairly large – the one found by Dr Haggerty was 164ft (50 metres) across and 1,640ft (500 metres) long. But the pipes are hard to find, and only 10% of them actually contain diamonds, with only 10% of those having diamonds of good enough quality to be worthwhile.
The plant appears to thrive on the magnesium, potassium and phosphorous that kimberlite soil is rich in, which is why it grows in those areas.
‘It sounds like a very good fertiliser, which it is,’ Dr Haggery told Science. The plant has been spotted at several sites of kimberlite, but does not seem to be found elsewhere – suggesting it only forms in these areas, and could indicate potential diamond spots.
Diamonds can be up to three billion years old, and they are considered valuable and expensive stones, reaching high prices.
Source: www.sciencemag.org
