THE KIMBERLEY DIAMOND MINE.
Thirteen years ago the world was startled to hear that in South Africa large diamonds had been found in Griqualand West, Africa; far and wide the discovery was noised abroad. At once there began a rush to the diamond fields from every part of the globe. An army of speculators, diamond merchants, diggers, and shopkeepers betook themselves with all speed to the spot. The desert of a few months before was changed into a town of daily increasing dimensions, and not a few of the early comers made no small gain by their discoveries of the precious gems. Let us take a peep at the Kimberley mine in its work-a-day dress. We arrive first of all at an enclosure of nine acres. This was at one time a hill, but now it is a vast pit, apportioned, out in about 400 lots, and excavated to a depth of between 200 and 300 feet. The worker’s in the pit are chiefly Kaffirs, and their number is about 3500. These are employed shoveling the blue earth into metal pans, which when full, are drawn to the top, and carted off some little distance from the mines, where the soil is allowed to lie till the lighter portion is washed away, and the heavier part in which the diamonds are concealed alone remains. The top portion, which has been rendered soft and muddy by the rain is examined for any stray diamonds it may contain, and the heavier is then shifted again till all the precious gems are extracted. But the stones of the greatest value are generally discovered in digging the mine, and as the Kaffirs are many of them very clever thieves, the greatest care and watchfulness have to be exercised to prevent the workmen' from stealing them. Yet even when the fullest precaution has been taken a certain percentage are sure to find their way into the black men’s mouths, or are secreted by some other method. If the Kaffirs are discovered in the possession of auy stolen property they are severely punished, but the temptation to steal is unfortunately often too great for them.
About £1,000,000 a year has been paid for labor, so that you may, form soltie idea of the Value of the diamonds produced at the Kimberley mine.
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Bibliographic details
Kumara Times, Issue 1469, 13 June 1881, Page 2
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386THE KIMBERLEY DIAMOND MINE. Kumara Times, Issue 1469, 13 June 1881, Page 2
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