Comparatively, they are rare.
Only one in 200 geographic areas where indicator minerals show
the potential presence of diamonds actually contain diamonds.
Eighty percent of all diamonds mined are not gem quality, but
are industrial diamonds.
The remaining twenty percent of diamonds mined have the
potential to be gems, but must be sorted, cut and polished to
become gemstones. Then, those that are coloured, flawless and large
become the multi-million dollar objects you read about in the
news.