load
was slightly less in 1907 than in 1906 for all of the mines except the
Wesselton, which showed an increase. The average yield of all of the
mines in 1907 was 0.3125 carats per load, as against 0.3250 carats in
1906. The average value per carat was greater in the Bult-fontein, De
Beers, and Kimberly mines, and less in the Wesselton and Dutoitspan. In
the Wesselton mine alone was the average value per load greater in 1907
than in 1906. The total quantity of "blue in sight above the lowest
levels of the mines and on the floors was 57,409,013 loads, as against
64,315,580 loads in 1906. The deepest workings were in the Kimberly
mine, where the main shaft was down 2,599 feet; the hoisting was done
from the 2,520-foot level. At the De Beers mine hoisting was done from
the 2,040-foot level, though the deepest shaft was 2,466 feet. Hoisting
from the other three mines was all done from a depth of less than 1,000
feet.
The
sale of diamonds realized £6,452,597, as against £5,607,718 in 1906.
The net profits were £2,607,240. Dividends amounting to £2,550,000, or
£750,000 more than in 1906, were distributed, and a balance of £932,624
was brought forward. The buying syndicate took diamonds valued at about
£1,000,000 more than the minimum limit contracted. Up to November of
1907, however, only the minimum limit called for by the contract had
been bought. Finding that there was to be no relief from the heavy
income tax, amounting to nearly £100,000 annually, imposed by the
British Government, the De Beers Company voted to transfer from London
to South Africa its office controlling operations at the mines. The
London tax would have been an especially heavy burden, since the
company will probably have a 10 per cent tax on profits to pay to the
Cape government also.
Transvaal.—The production of diamonds in Transvaala during
the fiscal year 1907 amounted to 1,545,336 carats, valued at
£2,203,511, an increase of 786,930 carats and of £1,235,282 over 1906.
The production was chiefly from six volcanic pipe mines, the alluvial
diggings at Christiana contributing only 2,562 carats, valued at
£13,579. The Premier mine was the principal producer, having
perfected
its mine equipment. Several million loads of ore can be handled a year
at this mine, and a regular and adequate water supply and a
satisfactory method of disposing of tailings and slums have been
provided.
Orange River Colonyb —The
production of diamonds in the Orange River Colony during the fiscal
year ending June 30, 1907, is given by Mr. Burnet Adams as 398,703
carats, valued at £1,221,202, as compared with a value of £902,727 in
1906. The increase comes chiefly from the two new mines—the
Roberts-Victor and the Voorspoed. Other mines producing were the
Jagersfontein, Koffyfontein, Lace, Monastery, and the alluvial
diggings. The yield of the alluvial diggings was 7,103 carats, valued
at £36,895, while the matrix mines produced 391,600 carats, valued at
£1,185,308. The price per carat of the alluvial diamonds is about 43
per cent higher than of those from the pipe mines. The production for
the calendar year 1907 is given for the Roberts-Victor minec
as 123,427 carats, an average of 0.536 carat per load, and for the
Voorspoed as 40,653 carats, an average of 0.21 carats per load.
* Ann. Rept. Govt. Min. Eng., Transvaal, 1907.
* Mines Dept. Orange River Colony, Fourth Ann. Rept., 1907, Bloemfontein,
* Mining Jour., London, February 1,1908
