History of Gold Mining. 7 



claims located there were purchased by a syndicate of German 

 capitalists styled the Guiana Company, and after very extensive 

 prospecting machinery for the purpose of working the ground by 

 hydraulicing was erected. This work has been carried on since 

 January, 1993, with satisfactory results, 27,123 ounces of gold having 

 been the result of the work to the 31st March, 1907. As subsidiary 

 to the hydraulicing work dredging has been employed at Omai with 

 some success. 



The bed of the Konawaruk River is in places gold bearing, and a 

 commencement of dredging operations has been made there with very 

 promising returns. 



Land on the banks of the Mahdia creek, Potaro River, has also 

 been granted for dredging purposes. Very large areas of land exist in 

 the colony, which carry gold in quantities that will pay to work either 

 by hydraulicing or by dredging. 



During the earlier 5rears of the gold-mining industry from time to 

 time miners when washing up the gold productions found small 

 diamonds in the pans. The occurrence of these stones attracted little 

 attention until an expedition to the upper reaches of the Mazaruni 

 River in the year 1890, whilst seaching for gold found small diamonds 

 in some numbers. During the next two or three years other 

 expeditions to the same district were made with the object of searching 

 specially for the gems ; but although diamonds were found in consider- 

 able numbers their value was not sufficient to cover the very heavy 

 expenses of their exploitation, and the search for them practically 

 ceased until 1900. In that year a company, styled " The British 

 Guiana Diamond Syndicate," located 2,000 acres of land on the 

 Putareng creek, Mazaruiii River, and obtained from the Government 

 a concession to mine thereon for precious stones. This was followed 

 by a rush to this district, where large areas of land were located for 

 which licenses were taken out. The output of diamonds for the year 

 1900-01 amounted to 4,981 stones, weighing 740"6 carats. Since that 

 ' year diamond washing has been continually pursued in the Putareng 

 district. 



Diamonds have been discovered in the Kuribrong River, a tributary 

 of the Potaro River, and a considerable numl^er of stones of good quality 

 and fair size have l^een found there. 



So far the stones found in the colony have been small, averaging 

 from ten to fifteen to the carat. 



The total number of diamonds recorded at the Department of Lands 

 and Mines from the inception of the industry of mining for diamonds 

 in 1900 to March 31st, 1907, amounted to 731,240, weighing 49,590 

 carats. 



It has been found necessary from time to time to amend the Regu- 

 lations in connection with the mining industries. In 1903 all the 

 regulations relating to mining, both for precious metals and for gems, 

 were amended where necessary, and consolidated. They have since 

 been slightly amended in some minor details, and have been published in 

 a volume handy for reference, and form an Appendix to this Handbook. 



