Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1899-04-27
DIAMOND FIELDS OF BRAZIL
Once of Considerable importance Hut
Now Comparatively Neg
ICeted-

1t is not generally remembered that
| Brazil was at one time the most impor-
tant diamond-prOducing country in the
world. We are reminded of this fact
by the second secretary of the British
legation at Rio, who has just sent home
report on journey to that part of
the country, Minas Gereas, whence this
miaeral has been obtained In great
EST quantity. Mr.. Beaumont tells us
that though the quality Of the Brazil
ian stones still makes them more val
liable than any others, diamond mining
has Of late been comparatively neglect
cd, the industry being now, for the most
part carried on by single individuals,
"garimpeiros," or small associations,
working with rude and obsolete ma
chinery. y company known as the Boa
Vista has recently been formed in
Paris, with a capital of 100000 francs,
to carry on work on a systematic ba-
sis and on Il large scale, for very long
period, and if it succeeds the industry
will no doubt receive great impetus
therefrom.
Mr.. Beaumont's journey was UNDER
taken partly through curiosity to visit
a little-knOWn country and partly in
the hope of learning something of the
methods and prospects in vogue, es-
pecially those of the new company,
from which such great things are ex-
pCctcd. The cOmpany's operations are
ccntcred about the town of Diamantina,
a place founded by band of St. Paulo
and Portuguese adventurers in the sew
enteenth century. Diamonds were dis
covered in this locality about the year
1928. Between 1772 and 1906, the pc
riod of the most active production, the
diamond mines produced 1,O3O, 3O5 car
ats, at a cost which averaged 4Oc. per
carat between 1712 and 1895, 72s. Cd. per
carat between 1896 and 1900, and 32s-
between 1851 and 1906. During the same
period gold was extracted amounting
in value to 6 197,410. From 1772 to
Si3, under the administration of the
Real EXtraccaO," 50 stones were found
of an ottawa (iS carats) or more. The
gems extracted, after the largest and
best had been set aside for the crown,
were sold by contract at from about
37s. to 5Os. a carat.
For 16 years at the beginning of the
present century the banking houses of
Hope in Holland and of Barring in Lon
don controlled the mines, the output
of which was assigned to them in re-
payment of a loan of 10 100000 forms.
Then the government took hold of the
administration, and continued to do so
until 1915. In that year it was decided
by decree that the lands should be put
up at auction every four years, the re-
serve price being 80 seis (2d.) "braca,"
but its provisions were never carried
out, being modified by the law of 1852,
which recognized the rights of all those
who already effectively occupied min
ing lots on payment of one real per
"braca quadrada.' The term of occu-
patton might have been indefinitely cX-
tended. Lands not yet occupied were
to be put up at auction, he reserve price
being one real per "braca quadrada.'
Between l772 and 1913 1851, 700 carats
were taken by the Real EXtraccao."
Since that date mining has been carried
on exclusively by private individuals.
and mostly on small scale. The total
production of Brazil up TO 1880 is es-
timatcd By NJ. GarceiN at 2i% tons. Itis
impossible to form an accurate esti~
mate of the present production, but it
is probably about 10000 Carats year,
including tho Bahia diamond fields
st. James Gazette