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THE DIAMOND MINES OF SOUTH AFRICA
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is
fit for use. Receiving grounds are laid out separately for each of the
diamond mines on the four farms, and cover an area of several thousand
acres. The most extensive of any are the De Beers floors, which are
laid off in rectangular sections, six hundred yards long and two
hundred yards wide, on the farm, Kenilworth, adjoining the mine. They
begin about a
mile from the mines and extend for three miles in the easterly direction and a mile to the west.
The
main tramway line from the mine is three miles in length, with two
branches, one mile and three quarters of a mile in length
respectively. The speed of the running trucks ranges from 2.5 to 4
miles an hour, and they are counted and greased automatically as they
are sent on to the floors. There is a slight down grade from De Beers
and Kimberley mines which is of material service in lightening the drag
of the loaded trucks. When the trucks reach the floors, they are drawn
by horses or mules over auxiliary tram lines at right angles to the
main haulage line to any desired point of deposit. A full truck
contains about 16 cubic feet of blue ground, weighing 1600 lbs.
approximately; but it was found more convenient to supplant these
end-tipping trucks by 20 cubic feet side-tipping trucks. The
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