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820
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MINERAL RESOURCES.
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The
average size of the diamonds was small, though one fine white stone was
found at Copeton that weighed 3-3/4 carats and was sold locally for
£17. The greater part of the output came from the vicinity of Copeton,
in the Tingha division.
The discovery of a volcanic breccia or agglomeratea
at Snodgrass, 20 miles west of Delegate, led to the prospecting for
diamonds in that region. The rock resembles the diamond matrix in the
pipes of the mines of South Africa and contains rounded eclogite lumps
as in those mines. The rock occurs at the contact between granite and
Silurian slates and sandstones. No diamonds have yet been found.
DIAMOND INDUSTRY.
The
crisis which the diamond industry of the world recently faced is past
and the conditions are fast becoming normal. With the exception of a 5
per cent increase in the price of the rough diamonds from the Wesselton
mine, the price of rough diamonds has remained practically stationary.6
The increase in price of high-grade rough diamonds is taken as an
indication of a growing demand for these and a decided betterment of
the industry. The value of the rough diamonds has fluctuated but
little, although an increase in the price of polished stones c of
as much as 15 per cent in three months is reported. Dispatches from the
foreign diamond markets, as Amsterdam and Antwerp, report the presence
of large American buyers as a good sign of a revival of the diamond
trade.
The
imports of diamonds and other precious stones into the United States
has again returned to nearly the normal amounts, and is strong
indication of the general betterment of industrial conditions. Nearly
the usual number of diamond cutters have returned to work in the United
States, and it is to be hoped that this industry will increase with the
change effected in labor conditions.
Gullinan diamond.—A
noteworthy event in the diamond world during 1908 was the successful
cutting and polishing of the great Cullinan diamond, and the
presentation of the same to the King and Queen of England on November
21.d The diamond weighed about 3,025 carats and was cut into 9 large stones and a number of smaller ones.6
These gems were (1) a pendaloque or drop brilliant, weighing 516-1/2
carats, dimensions, 2.322 inches long and 1.791 inches broad; (2) a
square brilliant, weighing 309-3/16 carats, 1.771 inches long by 1.594
inches broad; (3) a pendaloque, weighing 92 carats; (4) a square
brilliant, weighing 62 carats; (5) a heart-shaped brilliant, weighing
18-3/8 carats; (6) a marquise brilliant, weighing 11-1/4 carats; (7) a
marquise brilliant, weighing 8-9/16 carats; (8) a square brilliant,
weighing 6-5/8 carats; (9) a pendaloque, weighing 4-9/32 carats; (10) 96 brilliants, weighing 7-3/8 carats; (11) a quantity of unpolished ."ends" weighing 9 carats.
The
first and second of these are larger than any cut diamond in the world.
Even the Kohinoor diamond, weighing 102f carats, is less than half the
size of the smaller one of the two large Cullinan stones. All the
polished gems from the Cullinan are without flaw and of remarkable
brilliancy and luster. In place of the normal
a Pittman,
E. F., Australian Min. Standard, April 7,1909. 6 Jewelers' Cire.
Weekly, June 16, 1909. c Jewelers' Circ. Weekly, December 9,1908. d Jewelers' Circ. Weekly, November 25, 1908. 'Jewelers' Circ. Weekly, November 11,1908.
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