mondiferous
gravel. Reports have been made at various times of exceptionally rich
washings from these districts. Prospectors found 551 diamonds in one
load of wash in 1895. But the average bears no comparison with the
yield of the African mines. At present, most of the Australian diamonds
come from the Gwydir river and tributaries, near Inverell. A London
company, " The Inverell Diamond Fields Limited," was formed in 1897, to
operate in this district. The mine closed in 1900 with a total product
of 37,400 carats and 39 tons of stream tin. They are found also along
Shoalhaven river near the east coast. The first washing of the Elliott
Diamond and Tin Mining Company, operating near Inverell, produced 3
carats of diamonds to the load and 40 lbs. stream tin..
In
Queensland, diamonds have been found along the Palmer and Gilbert
rivers; they occur also at Echunga, 20 miles southeast of Adelaide,
Australia. Early in 1907 some were reported from that district, ranging
from one to five carats each. In 1862, some were found in the gold
fields of the Beechworth district in Victoria, and they occur near
Freemantle in West Australia. A diamond found at Coriona in Tasmania in
1894 created considerable excitement, but the diggers who flocked
there, failed to open up a new diamond field. Another was reported by
W. H. Twelvetrees, the Government Geologist, in 1906, who with his
report said that the ultra-basic rocks and the presence of ancient
carbonaceous shale, indicated a possibility of diamondiferous material
being found in the district. This diamond, a bright octahedral crystal,
weighing one-eighth of a carat, was found at Long Plains on the west
coast. When ex-
