The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-02-24
Most Extraordinary Thing Found
In the Mining OF the
Sparklors.
Does Nature Scatter Her Precious Gems
broadcast FrNm some World In
acs-Diamondifefous soil.


less years, and without exception is the
most extraordinary find yet made in the
history OF diamond mining"
This Is certainly very curious discov.
cry, but IL does not stand alone, for os-
trich eggs more or less perfect have been
found both at DE Beers and Coleaberg
Kopje in fossilized condition. Large
pieces of charred fossil wood have also
been found from time 20 time, one Of which
II described as portion 81 fossil tree
feet in length and nearly feet in circum-
ference This was found in Dutoitspan
mine at a depth of 8 feet At kimberley
there was dug up part Of a stem Of tree
with branch attached at a depth of $50
feet from ,he surface, and a still more sin
gulur find was an ants nest quite perfect
aud undisturbed.
Another very remarkable fact 81 that
more than once broken diamond has
been found, and at some distance from IL
tho other portion, the two parts uniting
perfectly. This was the case with the won
derful black diamond, which forms "A por-
tion of the collection Of Mr.. Streeter, the
well known Bond street jeweler The dia-
mond referred to, which is said 20 be the
largest black diamond known, was found
in South Africa three or four years ago.
~ was III INC l0Iih hA ndiA u pttltAit gnu
has been reduced by cutting from 1899.
carats GO carats weight, and Mr.. Street
or has now secured the other half, which
was found quite recently,
All these discoveries seem 20 initiate
against the generally received opinion as
70 tho origin Of these remarkable mines.
As is pretty widely known, the diamond
mines of South Africa, situated chiefly in
Griqualand West, consist of large depres-
sions, filed with earth, varying in color
from yellow to gray and blue, which is
described IA tough, dry mud Of volcan-
ic origin, sometimes hardened into rock.
This mud, or blue az IL Is technically call
ed, Is inclosed in a basin Of rock geolog
ically known as pipe, which Is supposed
to be crater Of an extinct volcano, into
which the mud has been injected from be-
low The four principal pipes or mines
lie within a radius Of a few miles and are
known as Kimberley, De Beers, Dutoitspan
and Bultiontein. The general features of
all arc alike. In each the upper part Of
the soil Is yellow, changing, at from so to
100 feet form the surface to a blue ground
of greater density. The diamonds were
first discovered in the yellow earth, and
when the miners had cleared that out they
imagined that they had como to the end
Of tho diamonds, but it was soon found
that they were even more abundant in the
blue ground, and since that time the mines
have been carried down 10 coo and 500 feet
without any diminution in the yield. On
the contrary, the deeper the excavations
are carried the better appears the output.
The blue, when excavated, is carried up
and spread on the ground, where il lies
for months, 10 be- disintegrated by air and
water and is then washed and picked over
carefully by hand 20 find the diamonds.
Scattered through the blue earth are not
only diamonds, but great variety of crys-
tails, ngatcs, iron pyrites and other sub
stances, among which Mr. a. A. Ander-
son, the traveller, believes he found many
well worked flint implements from differ
ent depths, and Mr. VI. l.. Barber as ear
ly as 1871 reported the discovery OF many
worn and perfect hint implements at Coles
berg kopie, In diamondiferous soil from
considerable depths, which, If confirmed,
would add another to the many puzzles
connected with the diamond mines, espe-
cially II the volcanic theory is to be main
tanned. Mr.. Anderson, however, looks
upon the blue ground as occupying the
ned 81 an ancient lake, and that the dla
monds, flint implements. fossil wood and
other substances had been brought down
10y an ancient river, now represented by
the Naal, distant l. miles or more, the
bed Of which at various points and the
rocky banks on both sides are rich in dia-
monds, the rock OF the river bed being Of
the same nature as that which incloses
the mines. biologists generally incline to
the volcanic theory, but believe that the
diamonds are Of an earlier date than the
upheaval Of the mud containing them from
Il a 40.
imagine volcanic eruption Of mud con
tanning all the curious things found in the
diamond mines, and especially the undis-
tuThed ants nest.
The great majority Of South Africa dia-
monds are amorphous. cloudy, yellowish
looking, sonpy feeling masses, varying In
size from pins head TO a small pebble,
but some are perfect octahedrons, white
aud very brilliant. These are, of course,
The most valuable: and singular TO relate.
although these varieties occur in all the
mines. yet the general characteristics Of
the gems. whether dull or brilliant, white
or yellow, are sufficiently distinctive TO en-
able an expert to say at a glance from
which mine a diamond has come, the same
holding good Of Naal river gems, and Of
those from Jngersfontein, in the Orange
Free State.
Here, then, is another puzzle. How is
Il that gems so apparently similar, having
presumably a common origin and embed
ded i'm the same matrix. have acquired va
rying characteristics Dame Nature is an
adept az hiding her secrets even from the
pryinV eyes OF scientists, for although the
diamond mines Of South Africa have been
known and worked for more than 20 years
scarcely anything has been added to our
knowledge ~ tho gem itself. The ancients
called it adamnnt, aud we still rolNrd IL
as the hardest al all things, yet 10 Is east
ly smashed by a well directed blow. cnn
he cut in flakes by the dishonest ieweler.
and e. often found 80 cracked and flawcd
as 10 crumhle To- pieces untouched. New
srthelcss the splinters win pierce the hard
st rock. and oven when reduced 10 the
finest powder will cut and polish all other