demand
for diamonds has increased so greatly that the management found it
necessary to extend washing operations. The sale of diamonds realized
£5,607,718, as against £4,802,844 in 1905. The net profits amounted to
£2,937,509, from which the amount distributed in dividends was the
same as in 1905, £1,800,000, and £916,057 were carried forward. The
company found it necessary to lay aside £500,000 to meet the English
income tax, levied since 1901, should it be compelled to pay this
second tax in the mother country after paying one to the colon}-.
Transvaal diamond mines.—According
to the annual report of the government mining engineer of Transvaal for
the fiscal year 1906 the production of diamonds came principally from
volcanic pipes, with some from alluvial deposits. The total output in
1906 was 2,610,084 loads washed (including 104,623 loads from alluvial
deposits), which yielded 758,406 carats of diamonds, valued at
£968,229, as against 1,568,077 loads washed (including 120,827 loads
from alluvial deposits), which vielded 995,002 carats of diamonds,
valued at £1,198,530, in 1905.
The
Premier Diamond Mining Company (Limited), contributed by far the
largest part of the diamond production of Transvaal and earned, during
the year ending with October, 1906, a profit of £673,349. Two other
companies operating pipes in the Pretoria district that contributed to
the diamond production were the Kaalfontein and the Montrose Diamond
Mining companies (Limited). The new alluvial deposits along the Vaal
River, opened for mining in June, 1906, have not come up to
expectations.
One
of the promising diamond mines of the Transvaal is the Roberts Victor,
which was discovered early in 1905; it made a profit during the last
six months of 1906 of £39,045.a The average yield per load of ground washed was 0.7 carat.
The Vorspoed is another Transvaal diamond mine of recent (September. 1905) discovery and proved value.
BRAZIL.
The following summary of the diamond-mining conditions in Brazil is given by M. Arrajado R. Lisboa:6
The
diamantiferous district is very large. It extends from Matto-Grosso to
Bahia, crossing the states of Goyaz a,nd Minas-Geraes, which is the
principal center of the industry. A French company until recently
explored the Boa-Vista mines, near Diamantina, and at present an
English company operates the Agua-Suja mines, Baga-gem, but operations
are still in the installation stage.
Lately
several diamond-dredging claims of Brazil, on the river Jequitinhonha,
the diamantiferous river, have been examined by American companies. On
the river Coxipo, in Matto-Grosso, many diamonds have been gathered
with the gold, and with appropriate plant, diamond dredging may offer
very satisfactory results when competently directed.
Carbons
exist in the diamantiferous district of Bahia, named Chapada
Diamantina. There is no systematic exploration, the diamonds being
found by the garimpeiros or washers, who employ primitive processes.
Carbons being of comparatively high value their presence in the
diamantiferous alluvials of Bahia with the diamond has given an added
importance to these deposits during the last few years.
New
alluvial diamond deposits were reported at Douradinho, district of
Coromandel, Estrella do Sul. The stones are perfectly limpid and of
very fine quality, and bring good prices.
