Diamond mining in Kimberley 1867 onwards.

Question 1

Why are daimonds valuable

Answer 1

• They are the hardest and most brilliant natural substances.
• Their hardness makes the valuable fo use in in idustrial cutting , drilling and polishing tools.
• They are rare and represnt exclusivity and wealth.

Question 2

What happened when the British took over of the Griqualand West.

Answer 2

• The Griqua are a mix of the dutch colonists in the cape and the Khoi and San.
• They migrated to the north and east in 1820 to establish settlements out the way of the Europeans.
• Adam Kok I, their Kaptein led those going to the north, he estabilished Griqualand West .
• In 1834 The cape colony recognised Andries Waterboer’’s sovereign territoryand signed a treaty with him.(Waterboer succeeded Adam Kok I as Kaptein.)
• In 1870 diamond fields were discovered.
• The ZAR and the Cape Colony bordered it and both claimed this area.
• The ZAR claimed it based on the Bloemfontein Convection , that stated that the British were not interested in north areas of The Vaal River. The Griqua knew they would be badly treated by the boes so they asked the British for protection
• It was the declared protectorate in 1871.
• Two years later Britain declared full British Colony. The purpose ws to fore the Griqua Kaptein to sell his mineral rights.
• Seven years later Griqualand West was fully incorparted into the Cape Colony .
• This cause a rebellion against the british which was soon crushed by the British.

Question 3

Elaborate on the following :

One person one claim

Answer 3

• Mines were brought at Colesburg, Dutoitspan . De Beers , Bultfontein and Wesselton were all close to Kimberely
• From 1870 to 1873 the price of diamonds rised because of world trade.
• Thousands of people flocked into the area in hope of making a fortune therefore the rule of one person was allowed to have one claim.

Question 4

What happened to the black claim holders

Answer 4

• Whites already competed with each othe fo wealth and insisted on being masters of black labour.
• African claim holders were suspected of being part of illegal diamond buying because they spoke the same language and had similar backgounds to many of the workers.
• This led to riots in 1875 whee black and asian clai holders were attacked.
• The British authorities responded by cancelling al claims of blacks.

Question 5

Problem related to digging deeper.

Answer 5

• Because claims were small diggers had to dig down deep in the earth.
• The holes become too deep it could cave in of getting flooded
• When diamonds run out and diggers have to break through the thick layer of rock the next pipe.
• In 1874 an owner was allowed to have up to ten claims.

Question 6

What caused the formation of companies

Answer 6

• By the end of the 1870s there was a collapse in the price of diamonds.
• The high costs involved in developing underground works.
• The small scale mining businesses were forced to sell out their their business to the bigger mining businesses. From 1600 to 400 were the claims at the kimberley hole,

Question 7

What were Cecils John Rhodes and Barney Barnato responsible for.

Answer 7

• They are responsible fo the amalgamation of the companies that had begun to emerge when suface mning became impractical . Together they formed De Beers Consolidated Mines Company.

Question 8

Formation of De Beers Consolidated Mines

Answer 8

• By the late 1880 Rhodes and Barnato separately owend most of the diamond mining companies.
• The conditions of mining became dangeous. Rhodes gained Barnato’s support for to amalgamate by promising him the position of life- governer. Through the elections he got him a membership to the exclusive kimberley club.
• The sale of his company made Barnato rich.

Question 9

Regulating the supply of diamonds

Answer 9

• The syndicate sold an uncontrolled amount of diamonds on the market .
• Rhodes knew that if there was an oversupply of diamonds the price would drop .
• He did two things:
  1. He flooded the market with diamonds whch dropped the price and this mad the syndicate lose money
  2. He then stockiled the which made the availability scare and the syndicate would not anything to sell.
• In April 1892 Rhodes came to an agreement with the syndicate to sell a controlled amount of diamonds.
• This led to the formation of the Diamond Corporation.