Diamonds in Tasmania

Diamonds occur in the Savage River–Donaldson River area of northwestern Tasmania, in placer deposits probably derived by reworking of high-level Tertiary sediments. The ultimate source of the diamonds in Tasmania remains enigmatic, but they may be subduction-related, and could have been carried to the surface in alkaline basaltic or lamprophyric dykes and breccia pipes. Exploration to date has been largely superficial, and typical indicator minerals may not be of great use.