Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1921-01-13
Worlds Annual Production of
Diamonds Worth Only About
SOS, 100000.
is AN ANCIENT INDUSTRY
In India Il Antedates Christ's Birth by
Many Centuries-Total Production
to End of 1919 Was 1877 100000
Metric Carats.

| FL. 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, it's
| physical and chemical indestructibil-
ity under most conditions, and it's rel
rough, have perhaps led to the dis
covery of large proportion of it's 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 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 we'll known min
era1s-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,
Brazil, and in Borneo. In Brazil itself
Ola nonds were found in 1927, and car
bOnada only in 1913.
ut 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 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 a large diamond at Niplssing,
| Canada. should be accepted with re-
serve. and the rumors SO years ago
that diamonds occur in Nova Scotia
are doubtless without foundation.
Diamond mining is an ancient in
dustry. and in India aftedates Christ's
birth by many centuries.
1.-THE total production of diamonds
to the end of 1919 was approximately
1877 100000 metric carats, of which
South Africa has produced about 153,-
10000 carats, or 81.8 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, 6,15O,OOO, 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 a. further 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 81, $780,
100000. and before the stones reach
the ultimate consumer at probably two
or three times this sum.
- Worlds Supply Increases.
alike that of the major metals, the
diamond output recently has been
many times that of the former annual
productions. Indeed, since 1889 about
so per cent Of the diamonds which
have been produced In all time nave
been mined. More than most mineral
products. however, the stock of dia-
monds is accommodating, as, except for
tbe loss in cutting, which probably av-l
erages slightly over 80 per cent, there
is no notable wastage, and the worlds
]. stock of cut stones must now approach
S5.OOO,OO0 carats.
ut is difficult to name normal
years diamond production, but for
| 1912 and 1913 it was from 100000 to
100000 carats, worth $58,OOO,OOO to
S72OOO,O0O 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,O00 loads of blue
| ground. or, say, 1891 500 tons worth
approximately $1.1O ton, at cost
Of CT cents ton. For comparison, in
1915, the Utah Copper company treat
ed about 10,994O0O tens Of copper ore.