. Europe and other continents . cluding copper, iron, andcoal, also occur ; but as yet they have been little de-veloped. At Kimberley in Cape Colony, however, arediamond mines, which now supply ninety-eight per centof all diamonds. The diamonds occur as rounded crystals in a decomposedvolcanic rock, and are obtained by digging out the soft rock(Fig. 332) and carefully removing the crystals. After thisthe crystals must be cut into the proper shape and are various grades, some clear and beautiful, othersimpure and dull. So productive is this deposit of preciousstones that $160,000
. Europe and other continents . cluding copper, iron, andcoal, also occur ; but as yet they have been little de-veloped. At Kimberley in Cape Colony, however, arediamond mines, which now supply ninety-eight per centof all diamonds. The diamonds occur as rounded crystals in a decomposedvolcanic rock, and are obtained by digging out the soft rock(Fig. 332) and carefully removing the crystals. After thisthe crystals must be cut into the proper shape and are various grades, some clear and beautiful, othersimpure and dull. So productive is this deposit of preciousstones that $160,000,000 worth have been removed in elevenyears. There is only a limited demand for diamonds ; but the SOUTHERN AFRICA 449 company in control is careful not to mine enough of them toreduce the price greatly. This is possible since the Kimberleymine owners have a practical monopoly of the diamond pro-duction of the world. Commerce and Cities. — The two chief rivers of SouthAfrica are of little use as trade routes. The Orange River. Fig. diamond mine at Kimberley. is not navigable, because of lack of water and the presenceof rapids at the edge of the plateau. The other, theZambesi, is navigable by small boats for a distance ofthree hundred miles from its mouth; but the climatenear the coast, especially on the delta, is warm and un-healthful. Rapid water checks further navigation, and2g 450 AFRICA at one point there is a cataract, the Victoria Falls (seemap, Fig. 297), which rivals even Niagara in cataract has a width of over a mile and a height offour hundred and fifty feet. It is therefore both widerand higher than Niagara; but the volume of water is is the coast especially favorable to commerce. Forlong distances there are no good harbors, while the river
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectgeograp, bookyear1901
