The Goldfield news. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1904-1911, 1905-07-14

Ll0 -
monds) in turn have nine classes of
shade ranging from blue white down
to yellow. Outside of these classified
lions are Clancy stones" remarkable
for brilliancy and color and which are
held at high price.
Diamonds of different mines can be
easily distinguished one from the other
by the expert of practical knowledge.
For instance, a special characteristic
Of Bulfontein mine is that all its stones
have small triangular markings.
For years past the annual diamond
output of South Africa was 95 per
cent of the entire product of the earth
and at present it produces about A.
100000 carats annually cover half a
tom in the rough, having an estimated
value of s35, 100000.
From estimates made it would take
1000, 900 tons of "'blue ground from
the Kimberley or De Beers mines to
produce one ton of diamonds and we
know that it takes only $4,000 tone of
auriferous ore, running one ounce per
ton, to produce one ton of gold "a
earats fine.
Up to 1898 South AAfrica alone
produced about 65,O0O,00O carate (of
3h grains troy with an estimated val
ne of $500, 900, which was conceded
by best authority to be as great a dia-
mond product as that of all the bal
ance of the earth from the days of
Adam to A. D. 1898 inclusive. Since
then, to date, it may be estimated that
with Pretoria district fully 25,000,0 900
carats have been produced by South
Africa diamond mines.
Brazil produced only 100000 car.
ats in IT'S years and like India it's an
nual product was quite small in the
past few years. India, the diamond
producing country of ages past, has
only yielded of late $50 to 800 carats
annually.
The history, weight and estimated
value of the famous diamonds of the
world is a matter of common knowl-
edge to all, hence l will pass over this
oft repeated tale and will confine my
self to a few lines relative to the two
largest diamonds known to exist.
The Braganza diamond belonging to
the crown jewels of Portugal weighs
1880 carats with an estimated value of
$~25,0O0,000 many years ago. Unlike
the 'smogul,' the existence of this
enormous stone is a certainty, whether
real or spurious. If spurious (for
which there is no positive proof) then
the Excelsior weighing 971h car
ats in the rough when found in the
Jagersfontein mine, South Africa, June
80, 1,S93-was the first largest known
diamond ever taken from mother
earth. But when the C%ullinan diamond
weighing 3.032 %carats, unearthed
from the Premier mine, Transvaal. last
ma-ch-is taken into consideration, all
other diamonds noted for size, even
the "Braganza,' are comparatively
small. Computing the value of this
gigantic stone with the estimated val.
ne of the Braganza, would give a value
to this Cullinan damon dof $40, 00O,-
900. This great diamond-in size and
beauty far beyond the dream of posi-
bility-was. mined from ground very
familiar to the writer, as are all the
known diamondiferous regions of So.
Africa. Immediately subsequent to
my examination and favorable report
on that portion of the Elandsfontein
farm, 10 known as the Premier dia-
mond property,( it was sold (not to my
patrons, however,) for 10000 pounds
sterling and a company was foated for
100000 shares at par value of one
pound each. Within sixty days after
1otation the shares of the Premier Dia-
mond Mining company rose to 80
Pouhuo per SMART on tne evident merits
of the mine.
SPECULATION.
Ferro- Experimentation rocks are
essential for diamonds. Kimberlite is
evidently the true matrix for the dia-
mond. 1t contains all the constituents
necessary to the formation of dia-
monds, has a high per centage of car
bon dioxide, derivable mainly from
iron, magnesia and calcium ca~rbonates.
Gontinue1 on PaUa