Diamond Imperial

The uneven distribution of elements across the face of the earth has shaped history - stimulating trade and encouraging exploration and cultural exchange, but also promoting exploitation, war, and imperialism. Southern Africa has paid dearly for its gold and the elemental carbon of its diamonds. Many rare but technologically important elements, such as tantalum and uranium, continue to be mined from poor regions of the world under conditions (and for reasons) that some consider pernicious and hazardous. 

EC, Henrite, Imperial Schultze, Kynoch s Smokeless, Ruby and Smokeless Diamond are examples of European bulk pdrs... 

Another candidate for a useful material from very high pressure synthesis is the gem material, jadeite (NaAlSi206). The natural material of Imperial quality can cost as much as 2000 per carat. Jadeite can be synthesized at about 30 kb and above in equipment similar to that used for diamond growth, and it has been made into pieces of jewelry. Since jadeite is used as a poly-crystalline aggregate, synthesis is essentially hot pressing and sintering, much simpler than if single crystals were needed. However, it does not appear to be a commercial product in competition with the natural supply. 

Prynne s Kitchen Poems, of 1968, drank in the turbulent froth of 1960s political economy and consumer society. The lengthy poem Die A Millionaire (pronounced, we are told, diamonds in the air ), spoke of consumer wants and social needs. Its references set the nomadic drift which is genuine expansion against the purchase of a natural course , meaning the Suez Canal, a feat of imperialism, an acquisition. 

The Imperial Diamond, known also as the Victoria or Great White Diamond probably came from the Jagersfontein mine of the O.F.S. It appeared on the London market in 1884 and had been presumably stolen from the mine. Its original weight was given as 457 carats it was cut into an oval brilliant of 180 carats and a smaller round brilliant of approximately 19-6 carats. The former was purchased by the Nizam of Hyderabad. 

The Imperial Food Products plant opened its doors ten years prior to the fire. Over those ten years, the plant never had an inspection by the state, local, or federal inspectors. The town of Hamlet was not required to make inspections, although it was up to the municipality to enforce fire regulations. Ironically, every day the plant was in operation, there was a federal inspector on site to make sure the chicken processed was acceptable for consumption. Locking a fire door is a violation of North Carolina s fire code, a misdemeanor in this case. The state fire code requires all municipalities to have a fire inspector, even though a minimum number of inspections is not specified. Under the occupational safety regulations, a locked exit door constitutes a serious violation and because management locked fire exits knowingly, it would have been a willful violation (Diamond, 1991, p. 7A). 

It was essential that the cause of the fire be estabUshed as quickly as possible. By 15 October, a coimnittee of enquiry bad been set up with Sir William Penney as Chairman. Its terms of reference were to investigate the cause of the fire at Wind-scale No. 1. Pile on 10th October, 1957, and the measures taken to deal with it and its consequences. The other members of the board were Sir Basil Schonland, the Deputy Director of Harwell, Professor JM Kay of Imperial College London, and Professor J Diamond of Manchester University. Kay and Diamond were both... 

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