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Tennant, Smithson

(Encyclopedia)Tennant, Smithson, 1761–1815, English chemist. In 1796 he proved, by burning a diamond, that the diamond consists solely of carbon. In 1804 he announced his discovery of osmium and iridium. ...

Barnato, Barnett

(Encyclopedia)Barnato, Barnett bärnäˈtō [key], 1852–97, South African financier, b. London. His name originally was Barney Isaacs; he first called himself Barney Barnato when he performed as a comedian. He we...

Pissarides, Christopher Antoniou

(Encyclopedia)Pissarides, Christopher Antoniou, 1948–, British-Cypriot economist, b. Nicosia, Cyprus, Ph.D. London School of Economics, 1973. He has been a professor at the London School of Economics since 1976. ...

gem, ornamental mineral or organic substance

(Encyclopedia)gem, commonly, a mineral or organic substance, cut and polished and used as an ornament. Gems also are used as seals (items of assurance) and as talismans (good-luck charms). For birthstones, see mont...

Mortensen, Dale Thomas

(Encyclopedia)Mortensen, Dale Thomas, 1939–2014, American economist, b. Enterprise, Oreg., Ph.D. Carnegie-Mellon Univ., 1967. Mortensen a professor at Northwestern Univ. for his entire academic career. His work f...

Alexander Bay

(Encyclopedia)Alexander Bay, town, part of the Richtersveld local municipality, Northern Cape prov., NW South Africa, where the Orange River enters the Atlantic Ocean. Especially rich alluvial diamond deposits were...

Mirny

(Encyclopedia)Mirny mērˈnē [key], town, NE Siberian Russia, in Sakha Republic. Founded in 1956, when diamonds were discovered, Mirny grew rapidly and is now the center of the Russian diamond-mining industry. ...

Mazaruni

(Encyclopedia)Mazaruni mäzəro͞oˈnē [key], river, c.350 mi (560 km) long, rising in the Guiana Highlands, NW Guyana, and flowing generally E to the Essequibo River at Bartica. The river is the center of Guyana'...

Caguas

(Encyclopedia)Caguas käˈgwäs, käˈwäs [key], city, E central Puerto Rico. Largest of Puerto Rico's inland ...

Kimberley, city, South Africa

(Encyclopedia)Kimberley kĭmˈbərlē [key], city, now part and seat of Sol Plaatje local municipality, Northern Cape prov., South Africa. Since the 19th cent. the city has been primarily a diamond-mining center, b...