Palisadian. [volume] (Cliffside Park, N.J.) 1906-current, 1920-11-27
Worlds Annual Production of
Diamonds Worth Only About
$65,OOO,OOO.
is AN ANCIENT INDUSTRY
In India II Antedates Christ's Birth by
Many CenturIes-Total Production
to End Of 1919 Was 1877, 100000
Metric Carats.

III. Ball tells an interesting story about
the worlds diamonds. Their sources
are scattered pretty widely over the
globe, but with the exception of two
or 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 gem, Its
physical and chemical indestructibil-
ity under most conditions, and It's rel
atively great brilliance, even in the
rough, have perhaps led to the dis
coyery of large proportion of its oc-
currences. On the other hand, Its
small size, together with the fact that
the habit Of the rough stone is UNI
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.
4hC AOlnT Lie HlOsL
tant Indian producer in Travernier's
time, was found by poor native while
blowing his millet field. A monk, for
merly resident In India, first rccog-
niZed the true character Of the Bra
lillian gems, although gold miners for
years had treasured them as curiosi-
ties.
Though the known occurrences Of
diamonds are much more numerous
than those of many well known min
erals-cryOlite, for example-a map
OF the carbonada occurrences would
be blank except for a couple of dots in
the states of Bahia, In Minas Geraes,
fsBrazil, and In Borneo. In Brazil itself
diamonds were found in 1927, and car
bonada only in 1843.
ut would be strange If scattered
diamonds do not occur in South Caro-
lima, but the reported finds need con-
hrmation, as certainly do those from
Illinois near Ashley; near Syracuse,
N. T.; In Missouri; Yankton, s. D.;
Santa Maria river and Philadelphos,
| Ariz. Cleveland. O., and San Juan
county, Colo.
persistent rumors were current 30
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 foundatioH.
Diamond mining is an ancieis: IT,
dustry, and In India antedates Christ's
birth by many centuries.
1.-THE total production Of diamonds
to the end of 1919 was approximately
187,90O,0OO metric carats, of which
South Africa has produced about 1884,
10000 carats, or S1.S per cent; Bra
I'll about 100000, or rs per cent;
India little over 100000. or 6.3
per cent, and the Southwest Protec-
torate, 6,150,0OO, or 80 per cent. Bor-
neo has perhaps produced In all 1,000,-
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 a further l 100000
carats. The 1877 100000 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
productions. Indeed, since 1880 about
80 per cent Of the diamonds hich
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 80 per cent, there
is no notable wastage, and the worlds
stock of cut stones must now approach
85,OOO,0O0 carats.
at is difficult to name a normal
years diamond production, but for
1912 and 1913 1t was from 100000 to
100000 carats, worth S58OOO,0O0 TO
72,0O0000. 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, 600 loads of blue
ground, or, say. 1891, 800 tons worth
approximately s1.10 a ton. at a cost
Of 81 cents ton. For comparison. In
1916 the Utah Copper company treat
ed sbouf 10 9o4 600 tons of conner ore