A Young Earth & Diamonds

Biblegems #30

One Biblegems reader wants to know how, in a young earth scenario, diamonds are formed?

According to typical modern scientific theory, natural diamonds were formed millions—even billions—of years ago. The theory goes that deposits of pure carbon trapped deep in the earth’s mantle, under tremendous pressures and intense temperatures (1100 - 2900° C), eventually crystallized. Over millions and billions of years, these crystals gradually moved upwards through the earth’s crust, carried along by volcanic magma.

A standard scientific technique for determining the age of diamonds is applying the decay rate of Carbon 14 within them. Unfortunately for the popular scientific theory, carbon 14 is undetectable after 100,000 years, assuming the rate of decay remains constant. Yet carbon 14 is evident in diamonds, indicating that diamonds are only thousands of years old instead of millions.

Recent scientific studies by Andrew Snelling and Mark Armitage have also indicated that some structural formations peculiar to diamonds are likely due to water-born uranium 238. “It appears that Armitage's observations of etch trails, darkened linear features, and twisted tubes are remnants of fluid infiltration when the hot diamonds were in contact with hydrothermal fluids near the surface of the earth.”¹ For this to have occured, the process would have only required hours and weeks, not billions, millions or even thousands of years. It all could have taken place in the early days of creation.

The Bible plainly states that …

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters (Gen. 1:1-2).

That primordial earth, the hard material of dirt and rock, was completely submersed in water. On the second “day” (Hebrew: yom, a literal 24 hour time period) of creation the waters were separated and the dry land appeared. On that same day vegetation burst forth from the ground at a super-accelerated rate that would have appeared much like our elapsed time digital productions of blossoming flowers or changing seasons. This would have provided the perfect environment for the rapid formation of diamonds.

While the Bible is not a scientific treatise, it does frequently address scientific issues and makes claims regarding the nature of the natural universe, its origins and its purpose. When these claims are made as statements of fact and not poetic metaphor, they need to be taken as fact. We cannot hold the Bible to be the true revelation of God on the one hand, and then alter its plain meaning to fit the theories of the day on the other.

The very existence of diamonds is a testimony in the earth of God’s creation as revealed in the Scriptures. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse (Rom. 1:20).

1. Vardiman, L. 2008. Diamonds May Be a Creationist's Best Friend. Acts & Facts. 37 (6): 6.