John Williamson (geologist)
Encyclopedia
John Thoburn Williamson (1907 –1958) was a Canadian
geologist
famous for establishing the Williamson diamond mine
in present-day Tanzania
.
Dr. Williamson was born in 1907 in Montfort, Quebec
. He attended McGill University
, where he initially intended to study law
, but became interested in geology
after accompanying a friend on a summer field expedition to Labrador. He subsequently earned bachelor's
, master's
, and Ph.D.
degrees in geology, completing his studies between 1928 and 1933.
After completing his studies, Williamson traveled to South Africa
with one of his professors, where he eventually took a job with Loangwa Concessions, a De Beers
subsidiary
in what was then Northern Rhodesia
(now Zambia
). He then moved on to work at the Mabuki diamond mine, which he purchased from the owners in 1936 when they had decided to shut the mine
down. Williamson struggled to support himself with the operations of the Mabuki mine, while using it as a base for diamond prospecting
in the region. In 1940, he discovered the diamond-bearing kimberlite
pipe
at Mwadui that he would develop over the coming years into the Williamson diamond mine
.
The diamond mine at Mwadui was closely managed by Williamson, who by the 1950s had developed a diamond mining operation renowned for its efficiency and technological innovations. By 1952 the mine was operating at 10,000 tons per day. The mine's production, which Williamson owned in full, made him one of the richest men in the world by the time of his death in 1958 of cancer
. The mine, famous for being the first significant diamond mine outside of South Africa, continues to operate today, and the total production from 1941-2008 has been estimated at 20 million carats (4,000 kg) of diamonds. The mine produced many fine gems including a pink 54 carat rough diamond presented to Princess Elizabeth and Price Philip on their wedding day in 1947.
John Williamson was never married; upon his death the mine was left to his three siblings, who promptly sold the mine for £4 million GBP
to a partnership between De Beers and the government of Tanzania (then Tanganyika
).
The life of John Williamson was adapted into the biographical novel
The Diamond Seeker by John Gawaine (a pen name
), which was published in 1967. The book depicts Williamson as quiet to the point of secretive, and something of a womanizer. However, it also hails him as the last of the great diamond prospectors, who were able to find meaningful deposits and establish significant, successful mines without outside resources or support. While the book is known to have taken some liberties with the facts, it is one of the few biographical
sources available. Williamson will be inducted into the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame on January 13, 2011.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
famous for establishing the Williamson diamond mine
Williamson diamond mine
The Williamson Diamond Mine is a diamond mine south of Mwanza in Tanzania; it became well known as the first significant diamond mine outside of South Africa. The mine was established in 1940 by Dr...
in present-day Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
.
Dr. Williamson was born in 1907 in Montfort, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. He attended McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
, where he initially intended to study law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
, but became interested in geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
after accompanying a friend on a summer field expedition to Labrador. He subsequently earned bachelor's
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
, master's
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
, and Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
degrees in geology, completing his studies between 1928 and 1933.
After completing his studies, Williamson traveled to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
with one of his professors, where he eventually took a job with Loangwa Concessions, a De Beers
De Beers
De Beers is a family of companies that dominate the diamond, diamond mining, diamond trading and industrial diamond manufacturing sectors. De Beers is active in every category of industrial diamond mining: open-pit, underground, large-scale alluvial, coastal and deep sea...
subsidiary
Subsidiary
A subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
in what was then Northern Rhodesia
Northern Rhodesia
Northern Rhodesia was a territory in south central Africa, formed in 1911. It became independent in 1964 as Zambia.It was initially administered under charter by the British South Africa Company and formed by it in 1911 by amalgamating North-Western Rhodesia and North-Eastern Rhodesia...
(now Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
). He then moved on to work at the Mabuki diamond mine, which he purchased from the owners in 1936 when they had decided to shut the mine
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
down. Williamson struggled to support himself with the operations of the Mabuki mine, while using it as a base for diamond prospecting
Prospecting
Prospecting is the physical search for minerals, fossils, precious metals or mineral specimens, and is also known as fossicking.Prospecting is a small-scale form of mineral exploration which is an organised, large scale effort undertaken by mineral resource companies to find commercially viable ore...
in the region. In 1940, he discovered the diamond-bearing kimberlite
Kimberlite
Kimberlite is a type of potassic volcanic rock best known for sometimes containing diamonds. It is named after the town of Kimberley in South Africa, where the discovery of an diamond in 1871 spawned a diamond rush, eventually creating the Big Hole....
pipe
Volcanic pipe
Volcanic pipes are subterranean geological structures formed by the violent, supersonic eruption of deep-origin volcanoes. They are considered to be a type of diatreme. Volcanic pipes are composed of a deep, narrow cone of solidified magma , and are usually largely composed of one of two...
at Mwadui that he would develop over the coming years into the Williamson diamond mine
Williamson diamond mine
The Williamson Diamond Mine is a diamond mine south of Mwanza in Tanzania; it became well known as the first significant diamond mine outside of South Africa. The mine was established in 1940 by Dr...
.
The diamond mine at Mwadui was closely managed by Williamson, who by the 1950s had developed a diamond mining operation renowned for its efficiency and technological innovations. By 1952 the mine was operating at 10,000 tons per day. The mine's production, which Williamson owned in full, made him one of the richest men in the world by the time of his death in 1958 of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. The mine, famous for being the first significant diamond mine outside of South Africa, continues to operate today, and the total production from 1941-2008 has been estimated at 20 million carats (4,000 kg) of diamonds. The mine produced many fine gems including a pink 54 carat rough diamond presented to Princess Elizabeth and Price Philip on their wedding day in 1947.
John Williamson was never married; upon his death the mine was left to his three siblings, who promptly sold the mine for £4 million GBP
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
to a partnership between De Beers and the government of Tanzania (then Tanganyika
Tanganyika
Tanganyika , later formally the Republic of Tanganyika, was a sovereign state in East Africa from 1961 to 1964. It was situated between the Indian Ocean and the African Great Lakes of Lake Victoria, Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika...
).
The life of John Williamson was adapted into the biographical novel
Biographical novel
The biographical novel is a genre of novel which provides a fictional and usually entertaining account of a person's life. This kind of novel concentrates on the experiences a person had during his lifetime, the people he met and the incidents which occurred are detailed and sometimes...
The Diamond Seeker by John Gawaine (a pen name
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
), which was published in 1967. The book depicts Williamson as quiet to the point of secretive, and something of a womanizer. However, it also hails him as the last of the great diamond prospectors, who were able to find meaningful deposits and establish significant, successful mines without outside resources or support. While the book is known to have taken some liberties with the facts, it is one of the few biographical
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
sources available. Williamson will be inducted into the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame on January 13, 2011.