The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-08-01
DIAMONDS IN AUSTRALIA.
Precious Gems Found in several
Parts of Au>trnIin

Orlando II. Baker. the United States
Consul at Sydney. New South Wales. re-
ports 10 the State Department that dia-
monds have been found In Bingara dis
trict at seven different places and in In
vereli district I'm fifteen different places:
also at the Ruby tin mines on Vegetable
Creek
In Bathurst district" he says. "dia-
mouds have been found in four different
localities: in Nudge district at fourteen
different places; in Tambaroora and Tu-
ron. at six different places, and I'm Beri-
ma district az eight different localities
Several Of these diamond fields have been
worked extensively with modern maChiu-
cry. The diamonds are small. some are
saiG TO be of fine quality. Ia Cudgeg0ng
district, IN the first FIVE months OF sys-
tematic washing. over 2.jOJ diamonds were
discovered. and over 1000 more We're dis
covered afterward. the largest being FIVE
and hve-eighths carats. The gems were
mostly colorless. but some had straw
color. yellow tints. or tints Of brown
Light and dark green and black were dis
covered one or two Opaque ones were
found. and one Of a dark-green color. with
the appearance Of having been polished
with black lead Black specks within the
crystals We're not uncommon. The weight
OF the diamonds aycrag rd o. pa carat.
"In the Bingara diamond field the dia-
mOuds average about five 70 the carat:
the largest stone weighed IS carats, and
more than 81 per cent Of the diamonds
are straw COIored- II is estimated that in
the Bingara district l2,000 diamonds were
found up 90 1887. In BOggy Camp dia-
mOnd field (the most systema ticaIy work
ed OF any in New South Wales up TO 1850
q 600 diamonds were found-totaI weight
5,I51 carats. The InvereU Diamond
Fields Company holds 100 acres under
lease In 1875 the prOspectOrs obtained
from one load Of wash SIS diamonds. In
a loads OF wash 600 carats of diamonds
and $40 pounds Of stream tin were found
At this place there is plant capable Of
treating go loads per week. It handled
during the year lSyS 300 loads Of gravel.
yielding 12.1s6 carats Of diamonds; also
large quantity OF stream tin. which near
ly paid the cost Of treatment
The output IN 1873 was 2. $50 carats OF
diamonds and % tons Is hundredweights
OF stream tin The mine closed in 1890;
total product 57.409 carats Of diamonds
and % tons of stream tin. The largest
stone found in these mines weighed e II
cfrats; it is believed TO De the largest
diamond ever found in New South Wales
IL was "A straw-cOIOred broken fragment
Of a crystal. from which il was estimated
that the original stone may have weighed
ID carats About a half dozen 3-carat
stones were also found. bur the average
size was Oue-third Of a carat
The Elliot Diamond and Tin Mining
Company recently started operations near
the iDVgrell diamond field The first
Washing Is said TO have yielded 3 carats
OF diamonds 10 the load. and over 80
pounds of stream tin. Many diamonds
are picked up by prospeCtOrs here and
there ana md their way TO sydney but
thH quantity Is unknown. The jewellers
who buy them have been accustomed 10
send them 10 Europe To De cut. They do
not care To make a statement tia might
invite competition