The copper era., 1901-09-05
AUSTRALIA DIAMONDS.
They Have Been Found in Many Dis triCts-Yield is Quite Large and
 Quality in Some Parts Good.


 Washington Times {: Orlando H. Baker, the United States Consul al
 Sydney, N. 5. w., reports to the State Department that diamonds have been found in Bingara district at seven diff ferent places, and in Invenell district in fifteen different places; also at the Ruby tin mines on Vegetable Creek.
 Tn Bathurst district" he says, ''dia- monds have been found in four differ ent localities, in Mudgee district, at fourteen different places; in Tamba- roora and Turon, at six different places, and in Berima district, at eight differ mond fields have been worked exten- siyely with modern machinery. The diamonds are small; some are said to be of fine quality. In Codgegong dis trict, in the first five months Of sys- tematic washing over 2500 diamonds were discovered, and over 1000 more were discovered afterward, the largest being five and fiye-eights carats The gems were mostly colorless, but some had straw color, yellow tints, or tints of brown. Light and dark green and black were discovered. One or two opaque ones were found, and one of a of having been polished with black lead. Black specks within the crystals were not uncommon. The weight of the diamonds averaged 0.224 carat.
 "In the Bingara diamond field the diamonds average about five to the carat; the largest stone weighed two and fiye-eights carats, and more than 50 per cent of the diamonds are straw co.Ored. It is estimated that in the Bingara district 12,0O0 diamonds were found up to 1887. The Boggy Camp diamond field (the most systematically worked of any in New South Wales up to 1SS6) 23,000 diamonds were found total weight 5l51 carats. Inverell Dia mond Fields Company holds 100 acres under lease. In 1895 the prospectors obtained from one load of wash 5l5 diamonds. In forty-two loads Of wash 500 carats of diamonds and 546 pounds of stream tin were found. At this place there is plant capable of treat ing 250 loads per week. It handled during the year 1898, 1900 loads of gravel yielding 12,196 carats of dia- monds; also a large quantity of stream tin, which nearly paid the cost Of treat ment.
 '"The output of 1889 was 2l ,S30 carats Of diamonds and twenty tons eighteen hundr redweights of stream tin. The mine closed in 1900; total product ST. 100 carats of diamonds and thirty-nine tons of stream tin. The largest stone found in these mines weighed six and One-half carats; it is believed to be the largest ever found in New South Wales. It was straw-colored broken fragment of crystal, from which it was estimat- ed that the original stone may have weighed fifteen carats. About half dozen three-carat stones were also found, but the average size was one- third of a carat.
 "The Elliot Diamond and Tin Mining Company recently started operations near the Inverell diamond field. The first washing is said to have yielded three carats of diamonds to the load, and over forty pounds Of stream tin. Many diamonds are picked up by pros- pectors here and there, and find their way to sydney, but the quantity is un- known. The jewellers who buy them have been accustomed to send them to make a statement that might invite