leys
of the Pardo and the Salobro a heavy conglomerate with granitic pebbles
is exposed near the diamond washings. One diamond of three grains was
obtained for Professor Derby in a test made on 1-1/2 cubic meters of
decomposed conglomerate selected by him. Thus, again, diamonds are
apparently traced to a widespread bed of conglomerate, here quite near
the coast, easily recognized, and suggesting extensive possibilities
for investigation and development.
NEW SOUTH WALES.
A
valuable guidebook to the mines and minerals of New South Wales has
lately been issued under the direction of the minister for mines and
agriculture in that colony, Hon. S. W. Moore." In this work references
are made to the occurrence of diamonds at several points, which have
been noted from time to time in former reports of this Bureau.
The
more recent and more important diamond districts around Bingara and
Inverell are situated near the Queensland border. Bingara is 378 miles
north of Sydney, and Inverell and Tingha are both nearly 40 miles east
of Bingara. The divisions named from the two latter places contain much
tin in the drift, while the Bingara division is worked principally for
gold. With regard to diamonds in particular the guidebook says that
near Copeton. in the Inverell district, are numerous isolated hills
capped with basalt, beneath which are sands and gravels, with tin.
diamonds, and some gold. These hills have been variously named, one of
them being the celebrated diamond locality of Boggy Camp. It was in
this district that the discovery of two small diamonds in a basaltic
dike was made in 1904 at Oakey Creek, near Copeton.
The Bingara division presents conditions somewhat similar,
yet with some differences. The chief diamond yield has been from
patches of gravel capping the foothills of the basalt-covered range
some five miles to the southwest of Bingara.
It
is in the Bingara district, at Ruby Hill, that the eclogite-bearing
pipe was observed in 1902 which led to so much discussion as to
eclogite being the probable source of the diamonds.b The
guidebook states that there has been but little activity of late in
these fields owing to low prices for the diamonds, which are all of
small size.
The
statistics for New South Wales, given in this volume, state the diamond
yield for 1904 as 14,290 carats, valued at £11.620, and the total
production to the end of that year as 147,955 carats, valued at £98.223
17s.
Large diamond at Mount Werong.—The
fact, after years of working at various jioints. that only small
diamonds had been found, led naturally to the belief that no large
diamonds were to be expected in Australia. Within the past year,
however, a diamond of nearly 29 carats has boon discovered at .Mount
Werong, 136 miles west of Sydney and 30 miles south of Oboron. It was
found at a depth of 12 feet by two gold miners, who were not diamond
miners and who did not know what it was. They kept it for some months,
and were offered a few pounds for it on two occasions, but suspected
that it might be more valuable. Finally it was sent to the state
department of mines at Sydney, where it was recognized at once, and its
value then proved to be £200. The stone is a distorted and flattened
crystal, measuring 2,'i by 15 by 5 mm., flawless, and of a straw
yellow. Appreciating the importance of this discovery. Mr. E. F.
Pitt-man, of the department of mines, promptly visited the place and
made a report
a A Guidebook for the Use of Prospectors in New South Wales : Sydney, 1005, pp. 150, with map.
b Mineral Resources U. S. for 1902, V. S. Geol. Survey, 1004, pp. 824-820.
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