The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1892-04-21
THE DIAMOND INDUSTRY.
South Africa Now Takes the Lead in This
Direction.

South Africa Now Takes the Lead in This
Direction.
Mineralogists seem t, agree in the
opinion that diamonds are pure car
bon in the crystallized condition and
like it insoluble in acids" but the ques-
ton of the mo lie of their origin is not
yet settled. Liebig explained it ''by
slow process of decomposition in a fluid
rich with carbon andhydrogen. or heat
Sor metamorphic action" Whatever
may be their origin, diamonds of "pure
water" that is perfectly transparent,
will be sought after by those who are
able to purchase them, and diamond
merchants have no reason to fear that
they will decrease in value. Fondness
for precious gems is inherent in the
human family, and as the population
OF the globe increases we may expect
that the worth of diamonds will in
crease
We are indebted t., the east for the
discovery Of diamond mines The Col
conda were opened il 1884; the Brazil
ian not till 1928. India for a long time
had the reputation of producing the
best gems. Borneo, Sumatra, Siberia,
New South Wales and California are
diamondiferous countries; but Sauth
Africa now takes the palm. Nowhere
does the diamond industry assume such
colossal prop )rtions as in Kimberly
and it's adjacent region. From that
diamond center" alone, during the
past twenty years, have been ex-
ported between fifty and sixty
Of q A.
The annual yield is estimated at
$500, 600, 600 New mines are discovered
from year to year, the last, on Ewes
sells farm" being considered of SO
much value that its owner refused an
offer for it of SO. 900, 000 Two hundred
men are now employed in digging
there, and the lower down they go the
richer the yield. Volcanic agency has
doubtless had much to do in the up
heaval of diamondiferous reefs in
South Africa, ana it is possible that
down deep in the bowels of the earth
may lie beds of precious gems surpass-
ing any yet discovered
( Though a-large number of people are
engaged in unearthing diamonds at
Kimberly, the work is profitable. A
late South African paper reports that
the, twentv-five dollar shares in the
''De Beers Company" now command a
ready sale at ninety dollars each At
one time they rose to one hundred and
twenty-five dollars. From this we
judge that the shares offera good OPP
portunty for investment, as at present
prices they return-a fair interest. The
Kimberly Advertiser reports that
EVERY carat sold yields clear profit
to the shareholders of fifteen shillings,
inter provi ling for rents, interest,"
etc. A few years ago the ''De Beers
Company left vast heaps OF debris,
from which it was thought all valuable
stones had been extracted. That debris
is now being overhauled and re-washed
by new companies considerable
profit. Seven hundred carats per week
is the estimated weight of stones OBJ
tanned from this source
Although South African diamonds
have not made "a noise in the worl /"
like the "Koh-i.noor," which passed
from hand TO hand among the princes
OF India, war, violence and treachery
marking its progress, till preached its
present destination, the Tower Of Lon
don: like .he "Sanci Diamond, so