Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1897-06-24
THE DIAMONDS HOME
THE IMMENSELY RICH FIELD OF
WHICH KIMBERLEY is THE CENTER.


Wonderful Abundance of Jewels In Very
Small Area-The Peculiar Formations
Which Surround and Lis Above the
Diamonds-How They Are Taken.
Before the Kimberley mines were
discovered most Of the diamonds added
to the worlds stock came from either
Hlndustan or from Brazil. The largest
deposits were found IN Golconda. in the
Hyderabad territory. and in Minas &C.
raes. in Brazil. The African discoveries
first showed scientific men what the
origin and native place of the diamond
really were. In the Indian and Brazilian
fields 1T was plainly not native TO the
soil and was picked up ont of differing
| formations. In South Africa il was
found IN rotten rock, apparently form
ing part Of the earth's crust, and not
mere superficial deposit, as the others
had been. The great mines in this rc-
gion. according 10 correspondents Of
the London aeardard, are sisuaeod with
In circle abouS 81 miles in tldnsnetcr.
There arc five principal iniHes, tho
largest being only about 45 acres In sK-
tent They are Tie famous Es,rsriey,
Bultontohs, Do Beers Du Forts Pan
and Wesse8%cn miaes. They are of fab
ulous richness Here the town OF Esn-
berley has sprung mp.
The distssct 10 about 4, 900 feet above
sea level and lies at the northern edge
OF a platesu which extends from the
BokHeveldt mountains, near the cape
OF Good Hope, TO the border of the
Transvaol. There are mines in the
Orange Free State. two being of consid-
cradle no>s, one So the other 60 miles
away. with several more Of less impor-
taneo both there and in the Kimberley
district The river washings are still
Continued. bat the yield Of gems from
them Is not very rioh or steady. Mining
in tho rock was carried ON at first in
rough and ready fashion, but an that
has changed. In most parts Of fhe dis
tricS after clearing away sense feet of
surface soil. The eScavstor comes upon
dark, ooaly shale 100 feet or more
thick. Beneath this lies MASS Of igne-
ous rock allied to basalt, moro than
three times az thick, and that ia succeod-
ed by q blsckish shale, with bands Of
hard sandstone. But here and there in.
stead OF the shale, though surrounded
by it, hike pond in a field. is mass
Of curious rotten stuff, in which some
times fragments Of shale and sometimes
hard mineral grains can be seen.
This at first is Of a rusty yellowish
color. Then in about 100 feet it turns to
dull green and becomes little mere
solid-sometimes distinctly harder than
dry clay. The two rocks are identical
in origin, but the upper or yellow
ground" is more decomposed than the
lower or blue ground" Gradually
the rock ceases to yield to spade or pick.
It has TO be quarried in the usual way
and is quite as hard as bit of good
limestone. 1t has now quite differ1t
appearance, seeming to consist largely
of fragments, varying in shape and
size, some angular, some rounded. from
at least two inches in diameter down to
very small grains. Some evidently are
pieces Of rock, others are minerals (of-
ten broken, but occasionally looking
like crystals). All these are set in q
dark greenish oolored matrix. This,
then-whether rotten or solids the
diamond bearing rock. 1t seems to fill
huge pipes or shafts, which somehow
or other have been driven or punched"
through the shale and underlying rocks,
and these 60 vertically downward to
what distance is unknown, but certain
ly not less than 800 feet.
At first the material was "pegged
out" in a number of small claims, and
the soft stuff was comparatively easy to
work, but by degrees many difficulties
arose. AS the excavations were deepened
the claims were with difficulty kept sep
arate Slips and falls of material were
constantly occurring, not only in the
"pipe" itself, but from the country
rock" at its side. Water became trou-
blesome and working expensive. Co.
operation and command of capital were
soon absolute necessities.
About 1880 the mines had been &C
quired by companies, and they are now
united under the name of the De Beers
Consolidated mines. Deep shafts have
been sunk through the country rock"
11OIl "hlCn lCNClS GIO uI1N6h W JuS
pipes" The diamond bearing rock is
quarried away, as it were, layer by
layer and is taken up to the surface.
During this process diamond may be
discovered, but that is mere chance.
The rock is then conveyed to an in
closure, where it is exposed to atmos-
pheric action in order that, if possible,
it may crumble naturally to pieces and
the risk be avoided of splitting the con-
tanned diamonds by crushing it up.
This, however, is sometimes necessary
At last, after being subjected to various
processes, including washing, the min.
eral residue is picked over for diamonds
The quantity of diamonds which have
been produced by these mines is some.
thing astonishing Indeed the directors
find it needful to limit the output lest
they should glut the market 1t is said
that by the end of 1892 about ten tons
of diamonds had been yielded by these
mines, valued at e60,O00O00 They
would fill, as Crookes, the we'll known
English scientist and lecturer, stated in
N H.,