Diamonds

Name: Diamonds
Author: Crookes, William
Crookes, William
Diamonds
In the present volume I have tried to give some idea of the
underground wonders of the Kimberley mines. I have pictured the
strenuous toil of the men who bring to the surface the buried
treasures, and I have given some idea of the skill and ingenuity
with which their labours are controlled. I have done my best to
explain the fiery origin of the Diamond, and to describe the
glowing, molten, subterranean furnaces where they first begin
mysteriously to take shape. I have shown that a diamond is the
outcome of a series of Titanic earth convulsions, and that these
precious gems undergo cycles of fiery, strange, and potent
vicissitudes before they can blaze on a ring or a tiara.

I am glad to have paid these two visits to South Africa. I always
recall with interest the dusky smiling natives at work and at
play. I am glad to have seen that Arabian Nights vision, the
strong-room of the De Beers Company. Above all, I have vividly
graven on my heart the friendly welcome, and the innumerable acts
of kindness shown us by our able, energetic, and enterprising
Colonial fellow-countrymen.

  W. C.

CONTENTS

  CHAPTER                                        PAGE

     I. PRELIMINARY                                 1

    II. KIMBERLEY AND ITS DIAMOND MINES            14

   III. KIMBERLEY MINES AT THE PRESENT DAY         34

    IV. COLLECTING THE GEMS                        55

     V. THE DIAMOND OFFICE                         73

    VI. NOTEWORTHY DIAMONDS                        76

   VII. BOART, CARBONADO, AND GRAPHITE             81

  VIII. PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF
          THE DIAMOND                              89

    IX. GENESIS OF THE DIAMOND                    115

     X. THE NATURAL FORMATION OF THE DIAMOND      127

    XI. METEORIC DIAMONDS                         134

    INDEX                                         141

LIST OF PLATES

    The Cullinan Diamond, from a photograph by the
      Author (see pp. 76-79)                      _Frontispiece_

   FIG.                                              FACING PAGE

     1. River Washings at Klipdam                             10

     2. Plan of the Kimberley Diamond Mines                   10

     3. Kimberley Mine. The “Pipe”                            18

     4. Section of Kimberley Mine                             18

     5. Wesselton Diamond Mine. Open Workings                 34

     6. De Beers Compound                                     40

     7. De Beers Mine. Underground Workings                   40

     8. De Beers Washing and Concentrating Machinery          48

     9. Sorting Concentrates for Diamonds. De Beers           54

    10. De Beers Diamond Office. 25,000 carats                72

    11. De Beers Diamond Office. The Valuators’ Table         72

    12. A group of large Diamond Crystals                     76

    13. Some Historic Diamonds                                80
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Diamonds

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