Ch. 7: Diamonds in Other Areas

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	THE BOOK OF DIAMONDS as such. As regards to their color they differ very little from those of other fields. In brilliancy and refractive power the New South Wales gems surpass the African, and one of those cut in London was stated to have been as fine a brilliant as it was possible to obtain in any part of the world. Professor David came to the conclusion that the Cape Creek diamonds were probably derived from the tourmaline granite. It is, however, now believed that their source will ultimately be traced to volcanic "pipes" analogous to those found in the celebrated Kimberley Field of South Africa. Whether or not this solution will prove correct, time alone can determine—certainly up to the present time there is no evidence of any such "pipe" having yet been found. The diamonds found in this colony generally average from 5 to 6 to the carat, although gems of 2-2¹/₂ carats are occasionally found, and one of 5 % carats has been found. The number obtained per load varies very greatly; the Round Mount Company in 1886 washed 722 loads for 2,685 carats—from 6 loads obtaining the exceptional yield of 1,080 diamonds, weighing 296 carats, which probably establishes a record so far as our fields are concerned. Very great difficulty is experienced in procuring accurate and reliable information as to the quantity and value of the gems which, up to the present, have been won, especially as regards the earlier years of the industry. It is a significant fact that, in spite of the severe drought with its attendant drawbacks, the output for 1898—16,493 carats—is in quan- 60

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