Definition

Noun: A rare, ultramafic, igneous rock that is a variety of peridotite. It is the primary host rock for diamonds and is typically found in vertical, pipe-like geological structures.

Usage

Kimberlite is a geological term used specifically to describe the rare volcanic rock that originates from deep within the Earth's mantle and can transport diamonds to the surface. * Geologists prospected the area for kimberlite pipes, hoping to find a new diamond source. * The presence of certain minerals, like garnet, can indicate a kimberlite deposit.

Advanced Usage

• "Kimberlite pipe": The most common geological formation for kimberlite, describing the carrot-shaped, vertical volcanic conduit through which the material erupted.
  • The mining operation focused on a single, massive kimberlite pipe.

Variants and Related Words

• Lamproite (noun): Another type of ultrapotassic mantle-derived volcanic rock that can be a host for diamonds, distinct from but related to kimberlite.

Synonyms

• Blue ground (informal/mining term): A weathered, oxidized variety of kimberlite.
• Diamond host rock (descriptive term).

Noun

1. a rare type of peridotite that sometimes contains diamonds; found in South Africa and Siberia