The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1899-06-17
M FIELDS OF BRAZIL
once Of Considerable Importance hut
Nov Comparatively Veg
lected

II 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 sea home
a report on a journey to thst part OF
the country. Minas Gereas, whence this
mineral has been obtained in great
est quantity. MIR. beaumont tells US
that though the quality Of the brazil
ian stones stin makes them more val
liable than any others, diamond mining
has OF late been comparatively neglect
ed, the industry being now, for hemost
part, carried on by single individuals,
'.garimpeiros," or small associations,
working with rude and obsolete ma
ehinery. A 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 a large scale, for a very long
period, and II it succeeds the industry
will no doubt receive a great impetus
therefrom.
Mr.. Beaumont's journey was under
taken partly through curiosity TO visit
a nttle-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.
pected. The company's operations are
centered about the town of Diamantina,
a place founded by a band Of st. Paulo
and Portuguese Adventures in the sew
enteenth century. Diamonds were dis
covered in this locality about the year
l72s. Between l772 and lsO6, the pc
Rod Of the most active production, the
diamond mines produced l,030,56 car
ats, at a cost which averaged 4Oc. per
carat between lT72 and 1895, 72s. cd. per
carat between 1896 and 1900, and 32s.
between 1901 and 1906. During the same
period gold was extracted amounting
in value to el97,410. From 1772 to
1913, under the administration Of the
Real Extraccao," so stones were found
Of an ottawa Us 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 sos. a carat.
For 10 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 l2,O 900 forms
Then the government took hold of the
administration, and continued to do SC
until 1s45. In that year It was decided
by decree that the lands should be put
up at auction every Tour years, the re
serve price being 30 seis ed a "braca,'
but its provisions were never carried
out, being modified by the law of 1859
which recognized the rights of all thos'
who already effectively occupied min
ing lots on payment Of one real pei
''braca quadrada." The term of occu
patton might have been indefinitely ex
tended. Lands not yet occupied vert
to be put up at auction, the reserve price
being one real per "braca quadrada.
Between l772 and is43 1854, 700 carat
were taken by the Real Extraccao.
Since that date mining has been carrie,
on exclusively by private individuals
and mostly on a small scale. The tota
production of Brazil up to 1850 is es
timated by NJ. Garceix at 2hs tons. Iii
impossible to form an accurate est
mate Of the present production, but !
is probably about 10000 esrats a yeaI
including the Bahia diamond fields
ST. James Gazette.