THIS diamond planet is lurking near Earth. Can it make Earthlings richer anytime soon?

Scientists have created new simulations which have suggested that a 9-mile-thick layer of diamonds is lurking deep below Mercury's surface.

However, there is no chance of mining these diamonds, however, it may explain some of the biggest mysteries of the planet.

The study was published in the journalNature Communications and speaks about the composition and peculiarmagnetic field of the planet.

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The magnetic field of Mercury is much weaker in comparison to that of Earth, however, magnetismis unexpected since the planet is very small and geologically inactive.

The planet also has rare dark surface patches which were identified as graphite by NASA's Messenger mission.

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The study's co-author and staff scientist at the Center for High-Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research in Beijing Yanhao Lin said that this feature sparked curiosity among scientists.

In a statement, he said that the extremely high carbon content of Mercury "made me realise that something special probably happened within its interior."

How were diamonds formed below the surface of Mercury?

According to the scientists, even after Mercury's oddities, it was created similar to how other terrestrial planets were formed by the cooling of a hot magma ocean.

In the case of Mercury, this ocean was filled with silicate and carbon. The metals first coagulated within it and formed a central core as the remaining magma crystallised into the middle mantle and outer crust of the planet.

The researchers for a long time believed that the temperature and pressure of the mantle were just good enough for carbon to form graphite, which floated above the surface because it was lighter than the mantle.

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According to a 2019 study, the mantle of Mercury was 80 miles (50 kilometres) deeper than earlier believed.

This is expected to increase the temperature and pressure at the boundary between the mantle and the core and create conditions in which carbon can be crystallised into diamonds.

To look into this possibility, chemical soups which included iron, silica and carbon were whipped up by a team of Belgian and Chinese researchers, including Lin.

It is believed that such mixtures, which are similar to some types of meteorites, are believed to be similar to infant Mercury's magma ocean.

(With inputs from agencies)