Blood Diamond Research
Hendina Riyadi
Blood Diamond Research
For thousands of years, diamonds have been highly regarded by everyone from kings and queens to ordinary people. Diamonds are a symbol for wealth, elegance, love, and power. Centuries ago, they were also a symbol of courage, invincibility and strength. What is less commonly known is that these stones are also a symbol of terror and death. Conflicts arise from the mining of these gems; many people have died and many are perhaps still dying because of the mining of these precious stones.
The Discovery of Diamonds
Although the exact date in unclear, the first diamond discovery in Africa was sometime between late 1866 and early 1867. The discovery of these precious stones began when a 15-year old farm boy by the name of Stephanus Erasmus Jacobs found a sparkling white pebble on the grounds of the De Kalk farm along the southeastern part of the Orange River, an area formerly known as the Cape Colony. Jacobs gave the pebble to his friend, Schalk van Niekirk who later gave it to a travelling trader named John O 'Reilly. The stone was passed from hand to hand after that. It was later discovered that the pebble was not merely a stone but a "Eureka" diamond. In 1867, the diamond was displayed at the Paris Exhibition.
The Diamond Rush to Africa
In 1869, approximately two years after the discovery of the "Eureka" diamond, another brilliant white diamond was found near the banks of the Orange River. This time, the diamond was found on the farm of the De Beers brothers: Joahannes and Diederik. Niekirk bought the diamond from the person who found it and sold it to the Lilienfeld brothers, who later sold it to the Earl of Dudley. This diamond was named the "Star of Africa". The discovery of the "Star of Africa" sparked the beginning of the diamond rush to Africa.
De Beers Group and the Diamond Mines
The De Beers farmland were turned into diamond mines. It has at least two diamond mines, namely, the Premier and Kimberly mines.
Blood Diamond Research
For thousands of years, diamonds have been highly regarded by everyone from kings and queens to ordinary people. Diamonds are a symbol for wealth, elegance, love, and power. Centuries ago, they were also a symbol of courage, invincibility and strength. What is less commonly known is that these stones are also a symbol of terror and death. Conflicts arise from the mining of these gems; many people have died and many are perhaps still dying because of the mining of these precious stones.
The Discovery of Diamonds
Although the exact date in unclear, the first diamond discovery in Africa was sometime between late 1866 and early 1867. The discovery of these precious stones began when a 15-year old farm boy by the name of Stephanus Erasmus Jacobs found a sparkling white pebble on the grounds of the De Kalk farm along the southeastern part of the Orange River, an area formerly known as the Cape Colony. Jacobs gave the pebble to his friend, Schalk van Niekirk who later gave it to a travelling trader named John O 'Reilly. The stone was passed from hand to hand after that. It was later discovered that the pebble was not merely a stone but a "Eureka" diamond. In 1867, the diamond was displayed at the Paris Exhibition.
The Diamond Rush to Africa
In 1869, approximately two years after the discovery of the "Eureka" diamond, another brilliant white diamond was found near the banks of the Orange River. This time, the diamond was found on the farm of the De Beers brothers: Joahannes and Diederik. Niekirk bought the diamond from the person who found it and sold it to the Lilienfeld brothers, who later sold it to the Earl of Dudley. This diamond was named the "Star of Africa". The discovery of the "Star of Africa" sparked the beginning of the diamond rush to Africa.
De Beers Group and the Diamond Mines
The De Beers farmland were turned into diamond mines. It has at least two diamond mines, namely, the Premier and Kimberly mines.