Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1902-01-31

Iransvaa. and in Cape Colony dia-
monds have already been found in pay
able quantities BY far the most i'm
portant diamond mines fer South At
ric3i. and indeed of the world are those
at Kimberley about ti.J0 miles north OF
Cape Town. Diamonds We're discover
ed there in 1863 They occur in the
iEdurated mud of the craters of eN
tinct volcanoes and vary in size from
that OF pinhead 10 the great .Iaceers
fontein diamond. OF which | shall pres
emily tell you. The present workings
are from 1000 to LOCO feet in depth
located in what is called the neck OF
these volcanoes. The diamonds are
mined very much coal is mined. aft
er which the diamondiferous rock is
exposed TO atmospheric agencies to in
sure its disntegration. thereby faCili
tating the separation of the earthly ma
teral from the diamonds in the Subse-
quent process of washing
.'All the mines of Kimberley are now
under the ownership of the De Beers
Consolidated company. This company
employs about 1000 white men aud
about 1900 kaffirs at the mines and
indirectly supports popula ton of 90.
600 at the town of Kimberley. The an
nual production of the mines is from
100000 to 100000 carats. having a
value of about S20.OO0.OO0. This out
put could be greatly increa sed, but is
restricted SO as to admit OF the market
absorbing the product without entail
ing any reduction in the price Of the
diamond. The entire product of the
diamond fields of South Africa to date
that is. for a period of about thirty
years-is somewhat over fifteen tons in
weight. having a value in excess of
0O.o0O.Oo0. A box about eight feet
square would contain all these dia-
monds. the net result of mining over
l00.OoOOOO tons OF rock, besides the
millions Of tons of earth moved in
exploratory and dead work. The life
of the mines is as yet Understandable.
but diamond mining in Kimberley I'M
doubtedly will continue for many years
to come.
THE diamonds are sold to syndicates
of diamond buyers at from SIS to IS pei
carat The syndicates agree to take
the entire output of diamonds. regard.
less OF size. at that price. In this con
nection. If you will excuse the digres
sion. might mention the history of the
celebrated Jaggersfontein diamond
This is the largest stone ever discov
cred, weighing very nearly LOCO carats
in the rough fabout half a pound avoir
dupoisl. and is three and a half inches
long. about as large as an average
goose egg. Ii is impossible to deter
mine the value of a diamond of this
size 1t is of good color. but would
not cut we'll Diamonds lose from 4t
10 GO per cent of their size in cutting
Some idea OF its value. however might
be suggested by the fact that a dia
mond of only $50 carats was sold
few years ago by the De Beers com
pany for $3.50. 600. and diamonds as yor
know. increase greatly in value will
increase of size. AS yet there are nc
bidders for this white elephant The
Jaggerfontein diamond which l have
just described was found July 4 1898
at O'Clock. after firing one blast"
Commenting recently On the facts Sci
forth in his address. MIR. Hammond
made this additional remark:
1T will be several months. however.
before there is an adequate supply Of
labor for the mines. The number OF
workmen needed is 1900 whites and
100000 kaffirs- The pay of the Kaffir
is 80 cents day and his board White
labor cannot possibly compete With
black labor In the mines. Owing to the
low grade of the ore the mines could
not be worked at a profit were white
labor employed But there is any
amount of opportunity in the mining
district for skilled white labor Mining
fremen machinists. drill men and car
penters are greatly needed
"A considerable quantity of machin-
cry will be required in the future.
Most of the machinery viii undoubted-
ly come from this country. but the mar
Set will be greater and more profitable
when transportation facilities are in
creased