DIAMONDS FOUND IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD
ilar to those distributed among the streams of Bahia, India.
Diamonds
were discovered in the southeastern part of Australia in 1850, which
has been a small producer ever since. Australian diamonds have a
reputation among cutters for being the hardest in the world. It is
said that they can be successfully cut only with their own dust.
Australia now produces less than a thousand carats a year, most of
which is obtained as a by-product of the alluvial tin mines. The
crystals seldom weigh over one-fourth carat. They resemble the
diamonds of Borneo in hardness, in being of average size, and in
tendency, when colored, to great depth of color.
The
occurrence of diamonds in New South Wales was recorded by Stutchburg on
the Turon River and by Har-graves at Reedy Creek as early as 1851. In
1859 the Rev. W. B. Clark reported their occurrence at Burrendong and
at Pyramul Creek. Since then, diamonds, in single specimens, have been
recorded in many widely separated portions of New South Wales. In 1867
they were found to occur at the Cudgegong River. In 1872-73 a somewhat
extensive rush took place at Bingera where a large number of mineral
leases were applied for, and it was anticipated that diamond-washing
would become a permanent and payable industry. Unfortunately, however,
the stones being small and the Sydney jewelers declining to buy, there
was no outlet and the work was suddenly abandoned.
The
diamonds of New South Wales in their physical characteristics are more
nearly allied to those of Brazil than any other country. They have been
largely sold in London
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