The Carbon and Nitrogen Isotope Characteristics of Type Ib-IaA Cuboid Diamonds from Alluvial Placers in the Northeastern Siberian Platform

Abstract

Cuboid diamonds are particularly common in the placers of the northeastern Siberian platform but their origin remains unclear. These crystals usually range in color from dark yellow to orange and more interestingly, are characterized by unusual low aggregated nitrogen impurities (non-aggregated C-center) suggesting a short residence time and/or low temperatures at which they have been stored in the mantle. In order to track possible isotopic signature that could help deciphering cuboid diamond's crystallization processes, δ 13 C values, δ 15 N values and nitrogen contents have been determined in-situ in three samples using secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), whereas nitrogen aggregation state have been determined by FTIR spectroscopy. The samples fall out the δ 13 C vs. δ 15 N field of canonical mantle composition. Different scale of carbon and nitrogen fractionation may produce the observed variations. Alternatively, mixing of mantle and crustal material would obscure initial co-variations of δ 13 C values with δ 15 N or nitrogen content.