Recent studies showed that inclusions of the same phase
within
a single diamond are relicts of an original monocrystal that underwent
a dissolution event during diamond growth. Interestingly, these inclusions
developed both diamond-imposed (i.e., cubic-octahedral shape) and
lobed morphologies with rounded shapes and/or embayments. Whether
the diamond-imposed morphology is developed during or after entrapment
of the inclusion is unknown. We addressed the problem in two ways:
(i) by determining the thermodynamic conditions under which mineral
inclusions can modify their size (e.g., a single inclusion separates
to give two inclusions with different size) and morphology, when trapped
in diamond and (ii) by critically reviewing and discussing the recent
observations on mineral inclusions in diamond. Accordingly, we developed
a thermodynamic model which considers all the involved energetic contributions
(i.e., surface and strain energies) to completely describe the Gibbs
energy of a closed system designed to forecast the size evolution
of two adjacent (or a single) inclusions, at constant T and P. Based
on this model and analyzing the existing scientific literature on
diamond, we propose an experimental/observational protocol to evaluate
whether post-entrapment modification of inclusions has occurred.