The Williamson Pink found at Mwadui in 1947. As the money poured in so the picks and shovels were replaced by heavy plant and modern housing in a model layout for the operatives. Water was needed in vast quantities so The Doc financed the building of dams locally using the heavy plant that had been secured. The volcanic pipe bearing the diamomdiferous ore covered a surface area of 361 acres, nearly four times the size of the largest one in South Africa.
John Thoburn Williamson, The Doc
After staking his claim it was sheer hard physical work digging, panning and sorting the ore under the remorseless tropical sun. In the first ten years The Doc put everything he earned back into the mine to make it the most modern plant in the world. Also he was determined that the local population should benefit from the immense wealth being generated. He named the new township after the local tribal chief Mwadui as a mark of respect. Here there is a sketch of him from the very early days, and having a moment by the Baobab tree where it all began.
The Doc on his way The Doc celebrating his 43rd birthday in 1950. He was diamond rich beyond his dreams but cash strapped |
The first generation |
Blasting the Rock |
The heavy plant just got bigger as the money poured in and technology improved. The walking drag-line bucket took six tons at a time. As a kid I used to ride in these Euclid dump-Trucks pulling the chain to blast the air horns. Running the ore was a nonstop operation and later a 10,000 foot conveyer belt was installed traveling at 500 feet per minute. |
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The crushing and sorting plant was the most modern in the world. Up to 10,000 tons of ore went through there daily. |
The Recovery Plant from the air with the tailings mountain behind it. |
