A study in Nature Communications reveals Mercury may have a thick diamond layer hundreds of miles below its surface.

The diamond layer is estimated to be about 18 kilometers thick, formed from a crystallized carbon-rich magma ocean.

These diamonds are located at Mercury's core-mantle boundary.

Sulfur in Mercury's iron core has influenced the formation of this diamond layer.

This diamond layer is crucial for transferring heat between the mantle and core, contributing to Mercury's unique magnetic field.

The discovery provides insights into Mercury's internal structure, differentiation processes, and planetary formation.

The BepiColombo mission, scheduled to orbit Mercury in 2025, may provide further information on Mercury's characteristics.

Mining these diamonds is not feasible due to their extreme depth of almost 485 km and Mercury's harsh conditions.