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PRECIOUS STONES.
1221
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.