Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1899-12-15
BY j. Nj. WoLBERT,
South Africa
IT'S Mineral Wealth.
EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.

canic origin, as is proved by the dlamontt
mines IN Griquland West, which are
really extinct cfaters. From the coast to
D. hundred or more miles inland the
country is fairly fertile and studded with
undulating hills admirably adapted Tor
svineards. Beyond this fertile belt lies
the Hinterlanu veldt-level plains
sparsely covered with short grass and
dotted here and there by the karoo bush,
b stunted tree from foot to eighteen in.
ches high. Here thousand of sheep and
cattle Craze, living in comparative lux
ury on the leaves OF the nutritious karoo.
Back of this comes the plateau, some
Ave thousand feet above the sea. 1t is
on this eminence that the gold mines
are situated, These, too, are OF volcanic
origin, tremendous physical upheayals
having produced the peculiar conglom-
crate quartz, called banket, in which the
gold is found. Again, further inland, is
another plateau, rich in minerals and
splendidly adapted for cattle raising.
Minerally, South Africa is the richest
country in the world. Every mineral
known to science can be found there.
Diamonds being the mbst valuable come
first. Leaving aside the Kimberley and
the Jaegersfontcin Gree State) mines,
the precious stones are also to be found
in the Yaal River, seventy miles from
Kimberley; near Klerksdorp, in the
Transvaal; in Zebedlli's country north
of Pretorial in the Houtpansburg dis
trict; and in the BlaauRberg Mountains.
Rhodesia is closed territory as far as
diamonds are concerned, for Mr.. Rhodes,
as managing DIRECTOR of the De Beers
Diamond Mining Company, made con-
tract with himself as the managing di-
recor of the British South Africa Com
pany' Chartered, giving himself the ex-
elusive right to mine diamonds IN Rhode
kia for obligations renderedi"
Gold has been found in Southern Al
RIGA since time immembrial, and Ma
shonaland i popularity supposed to be
the Land of Ophir mentioned in the BIZ
BILE. in modern times gold was first
found by Arabs as early as 1900. Now
It is found at Johannesburg, Klerksdorp
Barberton and Krtgersdorp; iii SWazie-
land, at Knysa, at Potchefstrom, in Zu-
luland, Damaraland and Namaqualand,
in Rhodesia, and dozen other spots.
The only alluvial gold worth mining is
that at Lydenburg. Coal is found in the
Cape Colony In half il dozen places in
Natal, near Dnudee; in Zululand,
twenty-five miles from st: Lucia Bay; in
abe Orange Free State, hear ,kronstadt
and Viljoen's Drift; in the Transvaal,
at Ktefksdbrp and Yereehighng and al
BoksbuiS: and in Rhodesia on both
banks. of the zambesi. The approximate
output Of the coal fields in 1898 was
nearly two million tons
Silver is found all over South Africa,
but the only mines. in operation are
those near Pretoria. The oifcial reports
of the Transvaal state that the best viens
IRE from two to four feet wide. assaving
forty live ounces of silver end ten per cent
of copper TO the ton of ore. Under the
present system of working each ton of
bre produces $3.50. The Marico mine
hsar Zeerust' assay sixty ounces of silver
TO the ton. but caiipot be worked with
profit, owing to lack of coke.
Copper is, found, in Namaqualand
where it has been mined since the seven
teenth century. About, thirty thousand
tons Of ore were shipped to England for
smelling last year the value being about
$40 per ton. Large deposits of copper
have also been found In Mashonaland.
The principal are those OF the Cape Cop
per Company, which made ali estimated
profit of nearly half million dollars last
Wear.
Lead is found in connection with other
metals in all parts of the country. Zinc
exists in the Malmhni district, and an
timony near Barbefton and in the Zout-
pansbufg. Tin is mined in payable
quantities in Swaziland, twenty-onc
pounds of pure tin being taken from
every ton OF ore. Iron is everywhere.
but is not mined, the profits being too
small.
!, Quicksilver has been discovered in
low An AL o,,, r
the TransYaal, and as it beings $50 flask
at the gold mines, this find has proved
most lucky one.
Asbestos six feet in length has been
found on the Orange River banks. 1t is
coarser than the Canadian product but
js more valuable on account of it's length
The Griqualand West Copper Company
and the Cape Asbestos Company are min
ing the fiber at profit. Mica exists in
the Zoutpansburg, between the Selati
and the Great Letaba Rivers. Salt is
also plentiful, and especially SO at
Uitenhage, Cape Colony, where as much
as 100000 Bushels have been mined in
one year. 1t is also mined at Cradock
and Bloemfohtein. Sulphur in paying
deposits is fotind at Tuli. Rhodesia. in
Natal there.aie shale beds promising pc
troleum.. Clay suitable for pottery lime
and kaolin are to be found in number
Of places. Nitrate deposits have been
located in the Deornherg Mountains
where, they are said to extend for more
than fifty miles.
Besides diamonds, other precious stones
are amethysts, beryl. cafnelan, garnets
nliyines, opals, sapphires, topaz, tour.
malihes and turquoises.
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