Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-02-25
DIGGING BLACK DIAMONDS.
How the Precious stones Are I'm
earthed In Brazil.

HOW the precious stones Are I'M
earthed In Brazil.
The black diamond is an important
article of commerce not because il is
destined to embellish the hand of fem
mime grace, but because of the fact
that 1t has been widely applied In in
dustry. where it is almost as valuable
as the white fellow. The home of the
black diamond is Brazil, the classical
land of the diamond, the richest beds
Of the mineral having been found in the
province of Bahia and on the banks
and In the bed of the Sac Jose river.
The stone. which is perfectly Opaque.
is not beautiful, and If the magical
word diamond had never been applied
to the substance there is no doubt that
to this day the black diamond would be
a thing unknown. However, the favor
which this mineral enjoys is of very
recent date, for twenty years ago its
properties were unknown and the
trade in the stone was practically moth
ing
The constantly increasing perfection
Of boring instruments brought out the
value of the black diamond, the use Of
diamond point drills now having be-
come so general that the price of the
mineral has in consequence rapidly in
creased. Today the diamond has be-
come of prime necessity in working
tempered metals. saving of marbles,
piercing of tunnels and galleries and
in mines. At the time of the Inaugural
ton of the Laboratory OF Arts and
Trades. July l. 1903, a circular saw pro-
vided with diamond points produced
surprising results, cutting into thin
slices the hardest materials.
On the banks of the Sac Jose we find
the traces of the first exploitation Of
the mines by the natives. the Garim-
peros. The black diamond, however,
having no commercial value, did not
attract these people, and they were APP
parently ignorant OF the real character
of the mineral.
From the report of an engineer who
explored the region in 1858 we learn
that one day the diamond diggers dis
covered black stone in Sac Jose.
They took the stone to one of their huts
and sought to discover its nature by
attempting to crack it. All their eff
forts were fruitless. the stone resist
ing the most powerful hammers. and
after a time it was thrown back into
the river. The stone weighed about
10000 carats, and at the present price
of $40 carat represents loss of $780,
600.
The exploitation of the Brazilian dia-
mond mines by the Garimperos, it is
unnecessary to say, was not scientific.
The crevices of the rocks are explored
with the hand. the gravel being taken
away in little barrels which are carried
on the head. Attempts have been made
to lessen the time of the work by driv-
ing for the mineral. but the violence of
the stream is such during the rainy
season that this plan has been but little
adopted. The only method which will
produce results and the one which will
shortly be put in operation is that of
draining. Dams will be erected 500
feet apart and centrifugal pumps will
be installed for the purpose of drawing
on the water. The results OF the work
cannot be question of doubt, judging
from the past performance of these
diamond mines.
The question naturally arises, Why
have the diamonds been found in the
Sac Jose? The answer to this il not
difficult. and is given when we state
that the original rock, which formerly
occupied the high plateau. has been
gradually distintegrated, the debris Of
the rock being carried by rains into the
Sac Jose. Because Of their density the
black and white diamonds were con-
cealed under the sand, together with
the mineral accessories which surround
them and which are the indications of
the precious stones. Thus in the course
Of years these beds have been formed,
beds the richness of which is meal
culable.-World Wide Magazine.