below
the levels in which it occurred. The small quantity now cut probably
comes from stocks set aside while those parts of the mines were being
worked, and from random lots still obtained by "jay-hawkers " from old
stopes.
DIAMOND.
ARKANSAS.
Conditions in the Arkansas diamond region of Pike County have been briefly summed up by John T. Fuller.1
Prospecting during the last five years has demonstrated two
diamond-bearing pipes. Washing to date on the original area of
discovery has yielded 28 carats of diamonds per 100 loads of 16 cubic
feet of earth washed. Little development was done in 1911 through lack
of capital. The most important find of the year was an 8-1/8-carat
white diamond on the Mauney tract, a portion of the original pipe. This
is the largest diamond so far found in Arkansas. Another white diamond
of 3-44/64 carats was found on the property of the American Diamond
Mining Co. It is also the largest stone yet found on this property.
The
Arkansas Diamond Co. reports that its mine was not operated during
1911, but that a small amount of washing was done resulting in the
recovery of 155 stones weighing 45-5/8 carats. Press reports of the
discovery of a big diamond in the Mauney mine2 place its
weight at 10 to 14 carats, one of the articles stating that the stone
had not been weighed at that time. The diamond is described as
"blue-white, apparently flawless, and wedge shaped." No information
about the stone was given to the Survey by Mr. Mauney, but it is
doubtless the same stone whose weight is given as 8-1/8 carats by Mr.
Fuller. In a communication received from the secretary of the American
Diamond Mining Co., a diamond weighing 2-44/64 carats is reported to
have been found on the company's property by Mr. Reece Lamb, vice
president. This stone has been -valued at $165 per carat and might lose
40 per cent in cutting. It is doubtless the same stone referred to by
Mr. Fuller as weighing 3-44/64 carats.
CALIFORNIA.
Mr.
M. J. Cooney reports that three small diamonds were found in the
Cherokee Flats region, Butte County, Cal., during 1911. These stones
were obtained by placer miners, washing for gold in the same way that
all the diamonds of that region have been found. One of these stones of
one-fourth carat weight is said to have come from ground owned by the
United States Diamond Mining Co., of which Mr. Cooney is president.
TEXAS.
Attention
was called by Mr. T. E. Willson, editor of the Jewelers' Circular
Weekly, to a reported discovery of diamond in Texas, and further
information furnished by correspondents was given. The Geological
Survey has not examined the locality. The discovery is claimed by
Fred. W. Packer in Montgomery County, Tex., who states that he noticed
the resemblance of certain formations
» Eng. and Mia. Jour., Jan. 6,1912, p. 6. » Jewelers1 Circular Weekly, June 21 and June 28,1911.
