Rare plant discovery points to diamonds in Liberia

Geologists working in Liberia have discovered a rare plant that seems to only grow above rocks that host diamonds. The Pandanus candelabrum is a thorny, palm-like plant, and it may soon be the signal for a great prospecting rush across West Africa. One of the scientists told Science Mag that the discovery may offer countries, which have suffered through recent Ebola epidemics, a new source of income. All diamonds were formed deep inside the earth between 0.99 billion and 3.2 billion years ago, and were carried to the surface (sometimes at more than the speed of sound) by volcanic kimberlite pipes. And it’s the soils created from these pipes that seems to attract the Pandanus candelabrum. Read more: independent.co.uk