Smyrna times., 1897-08-11
THE DIAMONDS HOME
THE IMMENSELY RICH FIELD OF
WHICH KIMBERLEY IS THE CENTER


d WHICH KIMBERLEY IS THE CENTER.
n WONDERFUL Abundance of Jewels In a Very
D small Area-The Peculiar Formations
t Which Surround and Lie Abova tho
DiAmOnds-HOw They Are Taken.
Before the Kimberley mines were
discovered most of the diamonds added
70 the worlds stock came from either
2 Hlndustan or from Brazil. The largest
Geposlts We're found in Golconda, in the
hyoerabad territory, and in Minas Ge-
raes' In Brazil The African discoveries
nrst showed scientific men what the
origin and native place Of the diamond
really were. In the Indian and Brazilion
neIds 1t was plainly not native To the
soil and was picked up out of differing
formations. In South Africa il was
found In rotten rock, apparently form
ing part OF the earth's crust, and not a
mere superficial deposit, as the others
had been. The great mines In this re-
glCn, according to a correspondent Of
the London Standard, are situated with
IN a circle about 316 miles in diameter.
there are five principal mines, the
largest being only about 40 acres in ex-
tent They are the famous Kimberley.
buIttonteln, De Beers, Du Toits Pan
and Wesselton mines. They are of fab
ulous richness. Here the town of Kim
berley has sprung up.
Ihe district is about 4, 900 feet above
sea level and lies at the northern edOe
OF plateau which extends from the
boKkeVeldt mountains, near the cane
OF Good Hope, to the border of the
Transvaal, There are mines in tbe
Orange Free State, two being of consid-
cradle note, one 80, the other go miles
away with several more of less impor-
tance both there and in the Kimberley
district. The river washings are still
continued. but the yield of gems from
them Is not very rich or steady. Mining
Ill the rock was carried Oh at first in a |
rough and ready fashion, but all that
has changed. In most parts of the dis
trlct, after clearing away some feet of |
surface soil, the excavator comes upon
a dark, coaly shale 100 feet or more
thick. Beneath this lies a mass of ipne-
Gus rock allied to basalt, more than
'hfee times as thick, and that is succeed
ed by blackish shale, with bands Of
hard sandstone. But here and there in.
stead OF the shale, though surrounded
Oy IT, like 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.
Ihls at first is of a rusty yellowisb
Color. Then Ill about 100 feet it turns to
a dull green and becomes Il little II ore
solld-sOmetlmes distinctly harder than
dry clay. The two rocks are identical
IN origin, but the upper or "vellow
ground IS mere decOmposed than the
lower or blue ground" Gradually
the rock ceases to yield to spade or pick.
1t has to be quarried in the usual wav
ana Is quite as hard as bit of coed
limestone. 1t has now quite different
appearance, seeming to consist largely
OF fragments, varying in shape and
slZe' some angular, some rounded, from
at least two inches i'll diameter down to
very small grains. Some evidently are
pieces OF rock, others are minerals (of.
ten broken, but occasionally lookin1
IKE crystals) All these are set in
oark greenish cOlOred matrix. This.
then-whether rotten or solids the
diamond bearing rock. 1t seems to fill
hugo pipes or shafts, which sen chow
or other have been driven or punched"
through the shale and underlying locks.
ana these go vertically downward tn
what distance is unknown, but certain
ly not less than 800 feet.
at first the material was "Uecped
out in number of small claims and
the soft stuff was comparatively easy IN
work, but by degrees many difficulties
arose. AS the excavations were deepened
the claims were with difficulty kept sep
Rfate. Slips and falls of material were
occurring, not only in the
pipe" itself, but from the Country
rock at its side. Water became uou-
Olesome and working expensive Co.
operation and command of capital were
soon absolute necessities.
About 1880 the mines had been ac-
CURED by companies, and tLey are low
united under the name of the De Beers
consolidated mines Deep shafts have
been sunk through the country rCck."
rom which levels arc driven to the
pipes. " The diamond bearing rock is
Iuarried away, as it were, layer by 1
aver and is taken up to the surface. {
During this process Il diamond may lie
discovered, but that is mere chance. a
Inc 1Cck is tEtn conveyed to an in
closure, WhCe it is exposed to atmos-
)herlc action i'll order that, if possible,
{ may crumble naturally to pieces and
he risk be avoided of splitting the con-
aimed diamonds by crushing it up A
This, however, is sometimes necessary.
At last, after being subjected to various
processes, including washing, the min
1al residue Is picked over for diamonds.
The quantity Of diamonds which have A
'een produced by these mines is some
hing astonishing. Indeed the directors
md 1t needful to limit the output lest
hey should glut the market. 1t is said {
hat by the end Of 1892 about ten tons
4 diamonds had been yielded by these
mines, valued at O,OOO, 600. They
you'd NIL, as CrOokCs, the we'll known {
1ngIlsh scientist and lecturer, stated in
recent lecture on the diamond and
hese mines, a box 3 feet square and
eet high. The annual product is now {
bout half ton, and some 5000 per-
ons, OF whom rather more than one.
fth are white, are employed in the
forks. The above estimate includes &
iamonds Of all kinds, bad and good,
1r one stone may be fit for moth
lg but cutting purposes, while another
lay be gem of the first water The q
outh African diamonds very frequently
ppear to be broken. Colored specimens
re not rare. and slight yellow tinge
commonly perceptible. Differences
zist between the diamonds found in
le several mines, so that an expert can -
enerally identify the locality from b
hiCh stone has come. 6
70