Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1910-08-03

the black diamond, while the
United States Is its largest
market. II is found in La
Chapada and Lavras districts
or the province of Bahia. Brazil
where 1t is mined from river beds and
other alluvium. The miners sell their
find 20 agents OF exporting firms in
the city of Bahia. 1t is calculated that
this port ships annually about $4,000
900 to S4.600.000 worth of black dia-
monds. and. with the adoption of
modern methods and machinery in
place OF the extremely primitive ones
formerly employed, the industry will
be tremendously stimulated About
twenty-five years ago a stone of LOO
carats was found, followed by one of
LOO carats, and in 1895 a gigantic
stone of 3,07S carats, or 615 grams.
which was purchased by New York
house for s32, 900 and broken up into
pieces of suitable size for diamond
drills. At present prices this stone
would be worth about 1892 900. Dur
ing the past ten years stones of 400
20 500 carats have been discovered.
while they are frequently found weigh
ing from 100 to 200 carats.
Previous to 1870 carbonate was
practically valueless. From 1870 to
1872 it was employed as an abrasive
Tor cutting and polishing the white
gems, and thousands of carats were
sold at 90 cents per carat, to be crush
ed to powder for this purpose A few
years later, when carbonate was EN-.
ployed in diamond drilling, It sold at
from 81 to 81 a carat Between 1895
and the present the market value has
1uctuated between s25 and $S5 a carat.
this high price being caused by the
decline In the supply of carbonate In
the past ten years, while the demand
has increased. In connection with the
subject OF black diamond consumption
In drilling. 1t is interesting to remark
that In digging the drill hole at Ryb-
mix (Paruschowitz), Upper Silesia.
which attained a depth of nearly 1000
feet, upward of $4,000 worth of car
bonado was used
The conditions are entirely differ.
ent from those of Africa. The gravel.
sand. and other material containing
streams and rivers, and have been
washed down by erosion from high
chapadas' or plateaus, which are
probably the original matrix I'm which
Brazilian diamonds were formed. AS
Is natural. gold and variety OF other
substances, such as itacolumnite.
DIVINE, limestone, hematite, granite.
gneiss, and clay are associated with
the diamonds. The diamond bearing
material Of Brazil consists of a CON
slomerate, sometimes interbedded--,, ~,
hard yellow sandstone, which is wash
ed down through erosion by rivers. or.
in some cases, may be badly decom-
posed and rotten rock. Fossils are
generally lacking The deposits often
consist Of schists and schistose clay.
diamond-bearing clays, reddish earth,
granite and gneissic formations, and
pebbles of various sorts.
The states OF the republic which
have yielded diamonds are Minas
Geraes. Parana. Bahia, Goyaz, and
Matte Crosse. 1t is in the first named
that Diamantina, celebrated for the
rich diamond mines in it's vicinity. is
situated. The city Is well built and
lies at the headwaters Of the Jeuuitin.
honha. or Diamond. river, a stream
$50 miles long, which empties into the
Atlantic at Belmonte To the east of
Diamantina Is the peak Of Mount
ltambe, $3.50 feet. I'm the Sierra Espin-
AGO Range The mines are situated
north OF Rio de Janeiro. 500 kilo.
meters, or 497 miles. north Of Ouro
Preto. the capital OF Minas Geraes.
The territory in which they are stu.
ated forms q vast ellipse. 80 kilo-
meters, or so miles. by 40 kilometers
OF % miles, In a plateau 900 to 200
meters $3.50 TO 1897 feet. contain.
ing a number OF valleys cut by the
Jequintinhonna and its left tributaries.
Ribeirao do Inferno. Rio Caethe. etc.
and also by the Sac Francisco's af.
fuents which flow to the northwest. In
verT different basin
Although diamond mining has been
more extensively and systematically
pursued in the states Of Minas Geraes
and Bahia than elsewhere in Brazil
Matte Crosse. Goyaz. and Parana have
yielded sufficient results to Justify the
belief that their future as centers OF
diamond production will be prosper
Gus
The primitive methods OF mining
employed In Brazil until recent years
have. nevertheless, abundantly re.
Vealed the natural productiveness OF
the Brazilian diamantiferous deposits.
Two native methods are still very
,psely in use. according to the local