The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-14

the method which could be used for the
production of gems.
The cheapest and best process of making
white diamonds consists in melting in an
electric furnace giving temperatures APP
proXlmating those of the sun; namely, 1900
degrees to $500 degrees centigrade) white
pig iron containing or per cent. of
carbon, and adding to IL carbon from the
crucible in which the iron Is contained.
This additional carbon is supplied by heat
ing sugar until IL decomposes, and that ma
terial is then put in to the crucible as a
lining, and at the very high temperature
at which the iron begins to vaporize the
carbon lining OF the crucibls Is taken up
rapidly by the iron. After fusing a few
minutes the entire contents of the cruel
BILE are taken out and emptied into water.
The quicker the cooling the more likelihood
of obtaining diamonds.
The best process discovered for cooling
the diamond-yielding fusion is to empty
the crucible suddenly into molten lead,
kept just at the point of fusion. The iron
solidifies into a tough skin on the sur
face, forming globules of iron an inch in
diameter, but liquid at an exceedingly high
temperature inside. The subsequent
steps are the removal of this tough skin
on the surface, forming globules of iron
an inch in diameter, but liquid at an ex-
ceedingly high temperature inside. The
tough skin when found and the cooling
of the residue as slowly as possible. The
removal of this solid wall of iron from the
surface allows the interior mass to ex-
pand, las carbon expands when II crys-
tallizes), and thus the carbon crystallizes
out from the iron into small. white dia-
monds not more than an eighth of an inch
in diameter-entirely water-white--and
which would be gems IL only large
enough.
The Frenchman who, In 1893. first sue
ceeded in making white diamonds by the
foregoing processes has also obtained a
very large percentage of the black dia-
mond used for grinding purposes
Since the above method of the forma-
ton of diamonds has been pointed out II
has been found that diamonds occur in or
binary steel, but microscopic in their mi
nuteness. and IL is very probable that the
hardness of certain steel is due to the act
ual capitalization OF diamonds in the sub
stance of the steel ard not entirely due to
the formation OF the carbide of iron-the
so-called cementite-which is the harden
ing of iron in the steel.
We find in nature diamonds that have
been formed under apparently the same
condition. Many meteorites consist prin-
cipally of metallic iron which contains dia-
monds and another material carborundum,
while 1t has not been found occurring on
tnS eaIih III nature, mas peeh lounu III
meteorites. It ~ a compound of carbon
and silicon, and is now made arttflcially
and used for grinding. If sufficient care
were taken a very excellent gem could
probably be made of carboroundum. 1t cut
a ruby very easily, and will scratch a
diamond. The colors are generally blue
and green.
Thus far we may say only the ruby and
the spinel have been made to compete with
the natural stone but 1t may not be very
far in the future when the diamond of
gem size will be made artificially TO COM
pete with its prototype.