GEM CUTTING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3862, 20 March 1928, Page 87

GEM CUTTING.

SAPPHIRES AND OPALS.

NEW AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

SYDNEY, March 2. Although more than 80 per cent, of the sapphires of the world and 90 per cent, of the opals are produced in Australia, not mor e than 1 per cent, have been cut in Australia. Within the last three months this industry has been developed in Brisbane, and arrangements have been made for th e export of Australian sapphires and opals on a large scale to America and Europe. It is the aim of the company conducting these operations to teach this gem-cutting profession to a number of limbless soldiers.

Queensland has a sapphire field at Anakie—with other shows around it—which can produce a large supply of sapphires. But the sapphire miners in Queensland is in an unfortunate position. By a proclamation dated January 28, 1928, the Government mad e the sale of the ’best quality sapphires a Government monopoly. The monopoly only applies to royal blue sapphires, and there is no restriction in the traffic in orange, golden, yellow, and green sapphires. The proclamation is still in force. Originally the idea was that the Government should purchase the best quality of stones from the miners as soon as they were won from the earth, and should then dispose of them at a price that would recoup the Government. The Government monopoly was established solely with the idea of stabilising the prices of the best quality sapphires, and to enable the industry to be developed and extended. Unfortunately, however, this excellent scheme did not work out successfully. Expert salesmanship is required for the selling of gems in order to obtain a satisfactory price. As a result the Government has accumulated a stock of sapphires for which it cannot obtain a satisfactory price. An official statement of the value of the sapphires held by the Government is not obtainable, but ’it is understood to be in the region of £50,000. Consequently, the Government has ceased to purchase sapphires. Recently, as the result of appeals from miners, it purchased £2OOO worth, just to relieve somewhat the plight of the miners ; but there many thousands of pounds’ worth of the best quality gems held by the miners. This situation is distinctly unsatisfactory, as it provides a great temptation for the miners to engage in illicit selling. It is understood, however,, that the whole question is now engaging the attention of the State Government.

As the lease's held by the Heiser Burvnah Sapphires, Ltd., are situated near Inverell, in the State of New South Wales its operations are not affected by the Queensland Government monopoly The company will cut the best quality sapphires in Brisbane, which will make them more easily saleable. Also, it has at its command the services of an expert gem salesman Negotiations are now proceeding between the company and the Government for the purchase of a parcel of sapphires, and it is believed that when the expert proceeds to London he will make the Queensland Government an offer for the whole of the Government stock of sapphires at present at the Agent-general’s office, in London. The company is in a position to adopt an independent attitude owing to the fact that it will have an ample supply of sapphires from its leases in New South Wales : at the same time the company would be ir. a better position it the possible competition of the Queensand Government were removed. Thus both parties have something to train from a successful conclusion of the negotiations A satisfactory agreement would uni aoubtedly b e of great assistance to the miners of Queensland. t The operations of the company near Inverell are unique by reason of the fact that a system of dredging for sapphires is being carried out, which is more econol mical than removing the over-burden from the alluvial pay dirt. No other company in the world is operating for sapphires in this way. The wash dirt was drawn bv the gravel pump into the sluice-boxes and there is a pulsator at the end which saves the sapphires, very much after the same fashion as the device used on alluvial diamond fields. According to all reports, the company has a bright future before it.