Diamond mining process
The initial mining process started off with miners and labourer’s creeping along their stomachs and knees in search of and collecting diamonds in jam tins strung from their necks.
The process had to be improved, consequently resulting in them using sieves to separate the sand from the larger grains containing the diamonds. The method of sifting out the fine sand by submerging the sieve containing the gravel in a trough filled with seawater while rotating it was introduced by Charlie Bannau. The heavier minerals like diamonds accumulated in the center of the sieve.
Then followed the “Babies” swinging sieves suspended from 3 chains, ordinarily a worker would rock such a sieve like a baby in a cradle.
Soon thereafter the introduction of the trommel sieve followed. For those prospectors mining on their own the one-man box was the perfect option. This special wooden crate contained sieves, jig and shovel. The box was shipped from Swakopmund to Conception Bay and then transported by wagon to the mining area.
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