A new research conducted by research team at Johns Hopkins University has suggested that the process of diamond formation may not be as rare as previously believed. However, the research paper, published in the journal Nature Communications, has said the diamonds thus formed are minute. Most of these diamonds are of a few microns.

For the research project, Johns Hopkins University geochemist Dimitri A. Sverjensky was helped by graduate student Fang Huang. Researchers discovered that the birth of diamonds can take place in a relatively simple natural chemical reaction.

According to the study team, these diamonds can't be seen without a microscope. Thus, they might not have any impact of diamonds price or their usage in jewelry. Presently, diamonds used for jewelry are taken from the quite deep areas with the magma. The diamonds are pushed by relatively uncommon volcanic magma eruptions near the surface, where they can be mined.

Previous studies have concluded that diamonds formation takes place in a very rare chemical process, requiring specific pressure and oxidation states.

Sverjensky and Huang's suggested model is needed to be tested using actual materials. However, the process has indicated that that formation of diamonds can take place with an increase in acidity while interaction between water and rock.

So far researchers believed that diamonds were formed in the fluid movement by the oxidation of methane or the chemical reduction of carbon dioxide. Oxidation means a higher oxidation state, or a gain of electrons, whereas results into a lower oxidation state and as a whole the two are called 'redox' reactions.