Without Sophie, everything underground became much normal, and the workers were either lazy or worked hard, and few people cared about them.

The lion hunters followed the mine managers, and the miners were not afraid of them at all. When they appeared, those who should work were still working, while those who should be lazy and rested were still resting.

The managers shouted casually, no matter whether it was useful or not, they would be done after they shouted.

After wandering around the mine, Li Du decided to go out for some breathing. It was too depressing inside. He didn't blame these workers for being crazy. He would also go crazy if he stayed in such a place for a while.

They walked out, the lion hunter handed him a cigar and asked with a smile: "What are your thoughts, man?"

Li Du sighed: "This is crazy, this job is simply tormenting."

The lion hunter said mercilessly: "If you don't have a choice, then you have to make money, any job is tormenting! And, do you think this is crazy? If you keep going north or look at the diamond mines in the west, you will find that this is heaven."

Li Du said in surprise: "So, what do those diamond mines you are talking about look like?"

The lion hunter smiled and said, "If you have the chance, go and have a look, Li, some of my guys escaped there, they are having a great time doing it here."

After pausing for a few seconds, he said again: "But no matter what, diamond digging is never an easy thing, it just makes people crazy."

"So, I had to increase the salary of employees and increase the cost of mining. I mean, you should understand why my diamond prices are constantly increasing." He said slyly at the end.

Li Du admitted that diamond digging is a very tormenting thing, but as for the mine owners who have increased their treatment for their employees, he really doesn't believe it.

The diamond mining process is very detailed. After the raw stones are collected, a specialized personnel are responsible for packing them up.

They only visited the collection process, and there were other processes later. Under the leadership of the lion hunter, they gradually observed.

Diamonds are rarely discovered directly in mines, because most diamonds are small and difficult to detect in dim underground environments. Unless a large diamond of dozens of carats is found, they are screened by machines.

They took a lift to leave the mine, returned to the ground, first passing through a place similar to the airport inspection gate, where a machine scanned people.

This is to prevent miners from finding diamonds underground and taking them out privately. In order to bring out diamonds, the miners are crazy.

"They would hide it in their mouths, stuff it into their anus, clamp it in their toes, or even eat it." The lion hunter explained, "The craziest guy I've ever met, do you know how he did it?"

Li Du cooperated and asked, "How did you do it?"

The lion hunter shook his head and said, "He is such a crazy bastard. The boy used a shovel to make a hole in his leg, hid the diamond inside, and then asked for help without stopping blood."

"What's the final result?" Li Du asked.

The lion hunter sniffed a cigar and smiled, "Oh, no, I can't continue, and you won't want to know the final result."

If Li Du didn't ask, it would be a terrifying thing. These mine owners could do anything to protect their own property and intimidate their employees.

Originally, they should have gone to the screening workshop first, but the workshop was extremely chaotic and there was a lot of dust floating, so the lion hunter finally decided to skip this step.

He explained: "There is nothing to see. Using the different vibration penetration of diamonds and Kimberley ore, analyze the ore, and then crush the ore after discovering the diamonds. That's it."

At noon, the diamond rough stones found in the morning were gathered and sent to the lion hunter.

The lion hunter signaled Li Du and Sophie to see these things, saying, "This is the first time the mined rough stone has come into contact with human skin, and it feels extraordinary."

The diamonds are plain, like dull transparent blocks of salt, but after cutting them, they can show their amazing charm.

Next, the diamond rough will start to operate online.

They were first sent to the valuation company building, and each mine had such a building, which contained government officials, appraisers, and sheriffs and other workers.

The raw stone was sent into a hut with explosion-proof glass, and officials and staff stared at the first scale of the raw stone.

Li Du and the others went to visit. The atmosphere in the hut was tense and silent. Only the sound of the raw stones rubbing against each other was heard.

The raw stones need to be weighed three times, and they are carried out on three rooms and three scales.

The officials supervised it. Three workers in the three rooms carefully sifted the raw stones over and over again, put them on batches, and recorded the earliest data.

If the weight difference between the rough stones reaches one percent, the rough stone will have to be re-weighted and the supervision will be stricter.

Diamonds and gold are both important components of the South African government's economic lifeline. The government must be clear about the value of diamonds produced in the mines to impose taxes.

After the weighing, the lion hunter waved to Li Du and said with a smile: "Come on, distinguished guest, I will take you through the next steps in person."

He took out a safe and asked Li Du to open it. The box was divided into dozens of small grids, with different sizes and different levels.

In South Africa, the rough stones will be divided into 23 levels according to their size. The lion hunter is an expert in this field. He introduced Li Du, then sent it to each small grid in the safe, and then transported it to the valuation workshop.

The valuation workshop is the best place in the mine. It looks like a laboratory, with large floor-to-ceiling windows and snow-white lights. The employees work inside, equipped with snacks and drinks.

Li Du nodded and said, "Their working environment is good."

"They are also well treated." The lion hunter laughed with teeth, "This is a job that many young people in our country yearn for. It is decent, relaxed, and has a high income, but you have to have two brushes."

More than a dozen workers sat next to the long table, with plenty of light and comfortable environment.

The diamond rough stones contained in the safe are sent to the table by conveyor belts. With their well-trained hands, they first select the rough stones suitable for crafting into jewelry, and then divide the selected rough stones into several categories according to their color, quality and shape.

The lion hunter smiled and said, "It takes at least ten years of experience to engage in this work. I think after they pass the exam, they will be sent to London and Antwerp for training. In the end, the assessment will be excellent so that they can work for me."

It is very complicated to judge the value of a diamond. The 4C standard is usually used to measure color, weight, cut and clarity.
Chapter completed!