Russian scientists are claiming that a gigantic deposit of industrial diamonds found in a huge Siberian meteorite crater.
Russian scientists are claiming that a gigantic deposit of industrial diamonds found in a huge Siberian meteorite crater during Soviet times could revolutionize industry.
The Siberian branch of Russian Academy of Sciences said that the Popigai crater in eastern Siberia contains "many trillions of carats" of so-called "impact diamonds" -- good for technological purposes, not for jewelry, and far exceeding the currently known global deposits of conventional diamonds.
Nikolai Pokhilenko, the head of the Geological and Mineralogical Institute in Novosibirsk, told the reporters Monday that the diamonds include other molecular forms of carbon. He said they could be twice as hard as conventional diamonds and therefore have superlative industrial qualities.
He said the minerals could lead to a "revolution" in various industries. "But they can't upset a diamond market because it is shaped by diamonds for jewelry purposes."
The deposit was discovered by Soviet scientists in the 1970s, but was left unexplored as the Soviet leadership opted for producing synthetic diamonds for industrial use. The deposit remained classified until after the Soviet collapse.
Pokhilenko said that the diamonds owe their unparalleled hardness to enormous pressure and high temperatures at the moment of explosion when a giant meteorite hit 35 million years ago, leaving a 60-mile crater.
The Siberian branch of Russian Academy of Sciences said in a statement that scientists discussed the issue at a roundtable in Novosibirsk over the weekend, saying that further studies will be needed to assess economic aspects of their potential exploration.
Pokhilenko said his institute is planning to send an expedition to the crater in cooperation with Russia's state-controlled diamond mining company Alrosa.
(Read by Brian Salter. Brian Salter is a journalist at the China Daily Website.)
双语资讯
(Agencies)
俄罗斯科学家表示,前苏联政府曾在西伯利亚地区一个巨大的陨石坑内,发现大型工业用钻石矿,而这一发现有可能引发工业变革。
俄罗斯科学院西伯利亚分院表示,西伯利亚东部的珀匹盖陨石坑内有“数万亿克拉”的“冲击钻”,是良好的工业钻石,而不是用来打造珠宝。这一储量比目前已知的全世界钻石矿储量的总和还超出很多。
新西伯利亚市地质与矿物研究院院长尼古莱-波克希伦科本周一告诉记者,这种钻石含有其他分子形式的碳,硬度是普通钻石的两倍,因此具有最高级的工业品质。
他说,这一矿藏会导致多个工业领域出现“革命”,“但不会扰乱钻石市场,因为这一市场是由珠宝钻石主导的。”
这一矿藏是前苏联科学家在上世纪70年代发现的,但前苏联领导人选择制造人造钻石用于工业用途,而没有对矿藏进行勘探。直到前苏联解体,这一矿藏也不为人所知。
波克希伦科说,3500万年前,一颗巨大的陨石砸向此处,导致发生大爆炸,也留下了一个60英里的陨石坑。因此钻石在爆炸时巨大的压力和超高温的作用下变得无比坚硬。
俄罗斯科学院西伯利亚分院在声明中说,科学家上周末在新西伯利亚召开的一次圆桌会议上讨论了这一矿藏,表示若要评估未来勘探工作的经济效益,还需要进一步研究。
波克希伦科说,研究院计划向该陨石坑派遣一支勘探队,与俄罗斯国有钻石公司阿尔罗萨共同开发。
Vocabulary:
meteorite crater: 陨石坑
synthetic diamond: 人造钻石
美文欣赏:七个生命真谛让你活出别样精彩
对祖父的甜蜜回忆
开心的活着犹如这是人间乐土
崭新的一天 A New Day
不逼自己一把,你就不知道自己有多优秀
双语美文:重生 Reborn
每个人的幸福课:阳光在头顶,幸福在身边
我还是非常爱你
心之所向 路之所往:没有比心更真实的地方
名人教你笑对人生:你不是失败者,你只是还没成功
现在是最美好的时光 Now is the Best Time
尽情地忧伤 Clear Your Mental Space
美文欣赏:生活教会我的8堂人生课
心灵鸡汤: 你应该为自己感到骄傲的6个理由
如何给梦想留出更多时间
古德明英语军事小故事:盗地图
新概念优美背诵短文50篇:睡眠
心灵鸡汤: 如何来投资人生收获一生
永远不要表达你的爱
心灵花园:其实你真的很幸运
奇葩:惊悚小说也催泪
谁说你做不到:赶走内心里那些消极的声音
我的退休生活 The Joy of Retirement
每天都需要读一遍的励志佳句:在黑暗中创造光明
美文欣赏: 孩子教给我们的15个快乐小秘诀
The Oak Tree
生活无需匆忙:小熊维尼的人生哲学
推特盘点:2012最激励人心的12句名言
梦想无止境:别被自己所阻拦
聆听自己的声音:每一天都是新的惊喜
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |