EPD Spark-2 test on Diopside rock sample: extracting crystals for gemstone processing and collection

Diopside is a monoclinic pyroxene mineral with composition MgCaSi
2O6. It forms complete solid solution series with hedenbergite (FeCaSi
2O6) and augite, and partial solid solutions with orthopyroxene and pigeonite. It forms variably colored, but typically dull green crystals in the monoclinic prismatic class.
Diopside is found in ultramafic (kimberlite and peridotite) igneous rocks, and diopside-rich augite is common in mafic rocks, such as olivine basalt and andesite. Diopside is also found in a variety of metamorphic rocks, such as in contact metamorphosed skarns developed from high silica dolomites. It is an important mineral in the Earth's mantle and is common in peridotite xenoliths erupted in kimberlite and alkali basalt.
Gemstone quality diopside is found in two forms: black star diopside and chrome diopside (which includes chromium, giving it a rich green color). At 5.5-6.5 on the Mohs scale, chrome diopside is relatively soft to scratch. Due to the deep green color of the gem, they are sometimes referred to as Siberian emeralds, although they are on a mineralogical level completely unrelated, emerald being a precious stone and diopside being a semi-precious stone.
Diopside based ceramics and glass-ceramics have potential applications in various technological areas. A diopside based glass-ceramic named 'silceram' was produced by scientists from Imperial College, UK during the 1980s from blast furnace slag and other waste products. They also produced glass-ceramic is a potential structural material. Similarly, diopside based ceramics and glass-ceramics have potential applications in the field of biomaterials, nuclear waste immobilization and sealing materials in solid oxide fuel cells.
It is not so easy to recover in using common methods like mechanical crusher, jaw-crusher and etc.
There is a new approach to extract the mineral crystal from host rock - to strike them with a high voltage pulses in water.
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