The birth of a Kimberly Pipe

1.     The pressure of the molten magma begins to crack the surrounding rock at least 120 miles beneath the surface of the earth.

2.     The crack reaches the surface and the magma is forced explosively toward the surface.

3.     The violence of the eruption causes a cone to form on the surface of the earth.

4.     The eruption is complete and the cone cools.

5.     The cone begins to weather and gradually becomes almost undetectable on the surface.

6. The pipe is mined.