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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 March 2018
This paper forms part of a communication recently made to the Geologists Association, with some additional matter relative to certain criticisms passed upon Mr. Dunn's hypothesis as to the origin of the diamonds.
It is taken for granted on this occasion that the leading geological facts are known, I will merely, therefore, draw attention to a generalised section of Kimberley Mine, where one side represents the wall or reef bounding the pipe itself, and is thus constituted:—
page 201 note * Q. J. G. S., vol. xxx. (1874), pp. 406 et, eq.
page 203 note * Bronzite, according to Masltelyne and Flight
page 206 note * Proc. Geol. Assoc. Vol. III. p. 77.
page 207 note * Abstract 429, p. 26 (1883).
page 207 note † In a recent issue of the Chemical News (vol 46, p. 105) there is a short article 4, On the origin and formation of the Diamond in nature. "The author, who makes no allusion to the South African Diamond Rock, believes, from the analogy of silica being so soluble in highly heated water under pressure, that the same law may apply to carbon, though he adduces no instance of carbon having been so dissolved. In this way he concludes that the diamond has been formed by the solvent action of highly heated water or water gas, aided by enormous pressure, on the carbonaceous matter of fossils contained in the sedimentary rocks, followed by slow cooling.
page 209 note * In his paper read before the Royal Society (Proc. Roy. Soc.Vol. XXX. p. 460) it appears that bone oil was the nitrogenous compound employed by Mr. Hannay in his synthesis of the diamond. The following ingredients were used:mThree grammes of metallic lithium were heated in closed tube with a mixture consisting of 90 per cent. bone oil, and 10 per cent. paraffin spirit. Bone oil, it should be remembered, is obtained by the distillation of bones and other animal matters, and contains, amongst other substances, a variable series of nitrogenised hydrocarbon compounds.
