This title introduces young readers to diamonds, the hardest natural substance on Earth! Learn how diamonds are formed and where they are found. Historical and modern mining methods are detailed, and topics such as conflict diamonds are covered. The many uses of diamonds are examined, from industrial applications in products such as diamond saws and dentists' drills to engagement rings and birthstone jewelry. See how artisans such as diamond cutters and lapidaries use diamonds to create beautiful and useful jewelry by paying special attention to the four C's, carat, cut, clarity, and color. Finally, a list of tools and tips will set young rock hounds up to unearth their own treasures. Glossary words in bold, an index, and phonetic spellings for those hard-to-pronounce geologic terms enhance and supplement the text. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Checkerboard Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.