The Meeker herald., 1898-11-05
AUSTRALIAN DIAMONDS.
1t L. Supposed That Great Wealth VIM
Some Day He Unsarthsd.

It Il Supposed That Great Wealth WIN
Some Day He Unsarthsd-
Although considerable numbers of
diamonds are continually being found
in Australia. chiefly in New South
Wales, the true matrix has never been
discovered. In that colony there is
evidence in every case to show that
the stones were drifted from their
original matrix to the places where
they were found, but up to the present
its locale and nature remain unknown,
says Public Opinion. When both have
been ascertaiped 1t is probable that
New South Wales will become one OF
the leading diamond producing coun-
tries of the world. but the work OF
prospecting is difficult. tedious and
costly. by reason of the mountainous
character of the country in which
gems are principally found. The I'M
est stones yet known were obtaine4
several years ago from the Cudgeson0
river. rising in the Australian Alps
and running through auriferous coun-
try in the northwestern portion OF the
colony. No regular search is being
made at the present time for the
stones. the gold mining industries pc
ing found of a more certain and re-
munerative character. hut at Bingera
and other portions of New England
district, in the northern portion OF the
colony. diamond mining is actively
carried on, the stones generally being
small and many of color" Others
nf ha lei, NJ
in the same country. Not few OF
the stones obtained at either place
would be classed as first water by the
expert. being white, clear, bright and
free from speck or flaw, but their ex-
treme hardness makes the cost of cut
ting expensive in proportion to their
size. Considerable numbers Of dia-
monds from Bingera, Inverell and 9TH
er places are annually sold in Europe,
the larger stones bringing good prices.
Thus, Bingera diamond which, when
cut. weighed slightly under carat,
was disposed of in London for SIS, an
other, with greenish tinge. Weighing
over half carat, when cut, bringing
$50. The stones average about four to
the carat in the roughsstote. For dia-
Aaoaa diiiio anu 5lLullht AoA PaA
poses. the New South Wales stones
are simply invaluable. and are pre-
ferred to those of other diamond pro-
ducing countries. At Mittagong, be-
tween seventy and eighty miles south
of Sydney, diamonds are found in a
drift, associated with other gems.
Some of the stones are of much deep
er tinge than the straw color which
makes them off," and are regarded
as having a peculiar beauty Of their
own as yellow diamonds. In 1895
some good diamonds were found in
one of the western gold districts, where
some alluyial mining was being car
ried on at depth of from twenty to
fifty feet One of the stones. capable
of being cut into first-class brilliant
Of four carats, was sold for 1915. AL
though diamonds are met with in nu-
merous places in New South wsise'-s
often many miles apart from each
other, their sources remain undiscov-
cred to this day. The abraded appear
ance Of the stones generally shows
that they must have Travelled con-
siderable distance. although their eN-
treme hardness has caused the signs
of abrasion to be less conspicuous
than in Brazilian and other diamonds
1t Is believed that the matrix of the
Bingera and Inverell diamonds will be
found somewhere near the great di-
viding range, and that as it is ap-
preached the stones obtained will in
crease in size. The ancient river bed
down which they were carried has yet
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