Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1920-11-25
GEMS FOUND IN
MANY COUNTRIES
Worlds Annual Production Of
Diamonds Worth Only About
$65,00O,OO0.
IS AN ANCIENT INDUSTRY
In India II Antedates Christ's Birth bv
Many Centuries-Totai Production
to End Of 1919 Was 1s7, eoo, 900
Metric Carats.

New York.-Writing in the Engi-
neering and Mining Journal, Sydney
II. Ball tells an interesting story about
the worlds diamonds. Their sources
are scattered pretty widely over the
globe, but with the exception of two
nr three of the big South African
mines the gems are found generally
as the result of small operations. Mr..
Ball writes:
"DiamOndS are much more widely
distributed than is commonly sup
posed. The value of the gen. Its
physical and chemical indestructibil-
ity under most conditions and it's rel.
atively great briliance, even in the
rough, have perhaps led to the dis
corery of large proportion of its oc-
currences. On the other hand It's
small size, together with the fact that
the habit of the rough stone is un,
known to many prospectors and en-.
gineers, has doubtless caused many
occurrences, possibly even of CONNER
cial Importance, to remain undiscov-
cred.
Fields Discovered by Accident.
'"The Kolar field, the most impOr-
tant Indian producer in Traverniers
time, was found by poor native while
blowing his millet field. A monk for
merly resident In India, first recog-
nized the true character Of the Bra
lillian gems, although gold miners for
| had Lost
ties.
| Though the known occurrences Of
diamonds are much more numerous
than those of many well known min
crals-cryolite. for example-a map
of the carbOnada occurrences would
be blank except for a couple Of dots In
the states Of Bahia, in Mlnas Geraes,
Brazil, and in Borneo. In Brazil itself
dia nonds were found in 1927, and car
bonada only In 1S43.
1T would be strange If scattered
diamonds do not occur in South Caro-
lima, but the reported finds need con-
| firmatiOn, as certainly do those from
Illinois near Ashley; near Syracuse
n. Y; in Missouri; Yankton, S. D.;
Santa Maria river and PhiladelphOs,
Ariz.; Cleveland, o., and San Juan
county, Colo.
persistent rumors were current 80
years ago that diamonds occurred in
the Sierra Madre, near Acapulco,
Mex, but occurrences in this locality
| are doubtful, as are several others re-
ported in Mexico. The reported find
Ing of large diamond at Nipissing,
Canada. should be accepted with re-
serve, and the rumors 80 years ago
| that diamonds occur In Nova Scotia
are doubtless without foundation.
Diamond mining is an ancient in
! dustry, and in India antedates Christs
birth by many centuries.
THE total production of diamonds
to the end Of 1910 was approximately
1877, 100000 metric carats of which
South Africa has produced about 1885,
10000 carats, or 81.S per cent; Bra
I'll about 14,OOO,OOO, or rs per cent;
India q little over 100000, or 6.3
per cent and the Southwest Protec-
torate, 6,15O,0OO, or 80 per cent. Bor-
neo has perhaps produced in all 1,OOO,-
600 carats, and the Belgian Kongo,
Australia, British Guiana, Rhodesia,
named in their relative order Of i'm
portance, together with other locali-
ties, have produced further 100000
carats. The 187,SO0,0O0 carats
would fill box slightly under eight
feet cube. The value of the rough
product can be placed at about $780,
100000, and before the stones reach
the ultimate consumer at probably two
or three times this sum.
Worlds Supply Increases.
Like that of the major metals, the
diamond output recently has been
many times that Of the former annual
| so per cent of the diamonds which
have been produced in all time have
| been mined. More than most mineral
products, however, the stock of dia-
monds is accommodating as, except for
the loss In cutting, which probably av-
erages slightly over 30 per cent, there
is no notable wastage, and the worlds
100000 carats.
ut is difficult TO name a normal
years diamond production, but for
1912 and 1918 1t was from 100000 to
100000 carats, worth $58,OO0,OO0 to
$72,OOO,OOO Production hereafter will
be determined largely by the diamond
market, for the dominant production,
that of South Africa, is in the hands
of strong financial interests.
Except for the De Beers, Premier.
and Jagersfontein pipe mines, in South
Africa, the diamond production is from
relatively small operations. In 1913
the Premier diamond mine alone, how
ever, treated 1,435,OOO loads of blue
ground, or, say, 1891, 500 tons worth
approximately $1.10 ton, at a cost
Of CT cents ton. For comparison, In
1915, the Utah Copper company treat
ed about 1O9940 900 tons of copper ore.
The Premier diamond product could
be carried In a large dress suit case"