three
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four square yards nor less than
thirty-four thousand seven hundred and thirty-two square yards. If the
portion has never been leased, notice of the sale of the parcel
selected is published, and thirty days after is sold at auction to the
highest bidder. Only ten days' notice is required if the claim has been
leased previously. A claim can be leased from one to ten years and
renewed ad libitum on payment in advance of fifty per cent, of
the auction price for subsequent periods of renewal. Usually there is
no competition.
To
work without a lease, a license is issued which grants the privilege
for one year. It costs one dollar and fifty cents, including stamps. In
addition, each village imposes a miners' tax of ten milreis (two
dollars and forty cents).
Mining without lease or license subjects tools and stones to confiscation.
Besides
the leases, concessions have been granted, all to Brazilians, except
one to a French company at Cannavieriras. Most concessioners allow
miners to mine from one-fifth to one-fourth the value of the stuff
found.
In
olden times there were many laws governing the search for diamonds.
Dishonesty was severely punished. The finders of large stones were
rewarded. Nevertheless, it was estimated that about one-third of the
entire find was disposed of surreptitiously.
The
entire Brazilian yield up to 1850 is estimated at something over ten
million carats. Since then it has fallen off, the introduction of
African diamonds having rendered the search for them in Brazil
unremunerative. The rise in the price of diamonds during the past three
years has, however, given an impetus to the industry, and Brazilian
stones are again finding their way in larger quantities into the
world's markets.
V' Borneo has produced more fancy colored diamonds than other countries, and a smaller proportion of " off-colored"
