Patterson
Company were from the Premier mines. Many other remarkable stones in
golden brown, canary, green, etc., are found in the Premier mines.
The
Wesselton mines as a rule produce fine white diamonds. The Robert
Victor mine, of South Africa, is an independent mine controlled by
English capital. The diamonds from this mine are of a very fine color,
but are also very imperfect.
In
addition to the regular mines in South Africa diamonds are found in
certain rivers. These diamonds are now mined by damming up the river at
various points, pumping it dry and dredging it. The river diamonds in
the rough can always be recognized by their dull surface, which is
accounted for by the scratching due to the constant rubbing against
pebbles and other diamonds while being carried down by the stream.
River diamonds vary very greatly as to quality.
Of
the stones found in the mines in the German possessions in South
America nearly all are small and practically all are cut into melees. They are largely, however, of very good quality, and a large part of the best melees now come from the German mines.
For many years the DeBeers Consolidated
