Chemdog Diamond Sauce

Definition:
A term used in the cannabis industry to describe crystalline structures, primarily THCA, that are developed in sauce extracts or isolated on their own.

What are THCA Diamonds?
In a cannabis context, the term diamond has a few different meanings. It’s often used to describe pure tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) crystalline, also known as “THCA diamonds” or “THC diamonds,” as well as THCA crystalline that was developed in the presence of a terpene-rich solution.

More About Diamonds
In a jar of sauce, diamonds are the crystalline structures that develop at the bottom of the container. Concentrate enthusiasts will be familiar with sauce carts, or vape cartridges loaded with terpene-heavy sauce. These cannabis diamonds may also refer to the crystalline structures left over after terp sauce has been removed from the initial sauce mixture. These diamonds are usually coated in residual sauce. Diamonds can also refer to pure crystalline THCA that have been isolated from refined oil.

The central difference between these types of diamonds is the context in which they’re extracted and further processed. Whether presented as a saucy, high-terpene extract, or packaged as isolated THCA, diamonds are always crystalline structures of pure THCA. Remember, these diamonds may be inaccurately referred to as pure THC, but in reality, they come in the pure THCA form.
The size and shape of diamonds don’t necessarily reflect the quality of input materials. The size and shape is influenced by temperature, moisture, chemical impurities, and solvents used in the extraction process.

Diamonds range in size from very small to large chunks. THCA is a pseudopolymorph, meaning it can crystallize into multiple forms, but only when acted upon by variables such as temperature, moisture, and chemical impurities. Sterols, lipids, and even terpenes can impurify and alter the course of crystallization. Similar to the way chemical variables interfere with sugar crystallization to create molasses, terpenes and other intruding compounds disrupt THCA crystallization to varying degrees, which has an effect on the diamond’s structure. Unique terpene profiles, that are dependant on the cannabis variety that is being extracted, can alter the size and composition of the diamonds created in an unrefined cannabis extract. The final size and shape is also influenced by the interference of solvents that are used during the extraction process. However, different shapes and sizes don’t necessarily mean different levels of purity. A diamond’s physical attributes are more a record of its path to crystallization than an indicator of how pure the diamond is.