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NON- METALLIC MINERALS
101
stant travelling of the buyers from zone to zone who organize the lots to be sold in the cities of Baia and Rio de Janeiro, the two principal export centers.
The total national production however, may be estimated to have to­talled 197,088 carats in 1937. In that year, Mato Grosso produced 75,000 carats and was the leader according to amount but in value (6,600 contos) was the third largest thus bearing out the low unit price of the stones from that state. Minas Gerais with an output of 53,000 carats was the second largest producer but first in value (10,800 contos) while Baia the third most important had an output of 48,000 carats with a value of 6,700 contos. Other producing states in that year were Goiaz, Amazonas and Parana.
The domestic total in 1938 fell to 114,205 carats a decline of 32% ever 1937 and was valued at 16,535 contos. It is to-be noted that production in all states declined with the exception of Amazonas. The industry developed in the sense that Sao Paulo and Para appeared as new producers but their out­put was of little consequence.
The 1939 output had increased to 208,244 carats valued at 28,224 con­tos, Mato Grosso continuing to be the leading producer with an output of 76,600 carats or 36% of the total while the value was but 7,400 contos, the third lar­gest in the country. As in 1937, Minas Gerais was the second largest in quan­tity and first in value, the corresponding values being 52,500 carats and 9,000 contos while Baia was third with 48,000 carats and second in value with 8,000 contos.
As is apparent in Table 1 there is a tendency for the exports of diamonds to increase in recent years after an appreciable decline in the 1930-4 period. In the 1920-9 period, the annual average was 4,927 contos; in 1930-4 period this had fallen to 689 contos while in the 1935-9 quinquennium, it had more than tripled the amount of the first period being 15,427 contos. The 1939 exports were the largest in the recent history of diamond exports but was sur­passed in 1940 when the value more than doubled.
In 1937, the leading market for the stone was England with Belgium and Holland being of secondary importance. In 1938, Holland was the leading outlet while England and Belgium followed in importance. The United States which for some years had imported varying quantities of the Brazilia.n stone was the principal market in 1939 according to value accounting for 50% of the total. England and Belgium were second and third respectively with purchases of 9,397 carats and 7,513 carats respectively. In that year, Germany, Japan and Switzerland were other markets of some importance. The 1940 shipments were 25% larger than those of 1939 in quantity and as mentioned above, more than twice the value.
Due to to the wide variations in value attached each cut of stone, it is meaningless to compare a list of prices by year although for purposes of inter­est it may be mentioned that in 1940, the export price for diamonds was 1,600 milreis per carat while the mine price was 100 milreis. The export price of carbonados averaged 512 milreis per carat during the year and obtained an average mine price of 50 milreis.