Stories of Intrigue: Diamond Mining

by Kat Morrow

I came across this story on diamond mining in the country of Guyana, located on the very top of South America. What may be intriguing to you is that this country is rich in deposits of diamonds and gold. These treasures are found using alluvial (surface) mining. It started with a handful of local miners with primitive equipment and a deep desire to find earth’s most valuable resources who began searching for these rich deposits early in the last century.

Two of those early miners who traveled from Milwaukee to Guyana were the Haack brothers, Robert and Donald, who began their quest back in the 50s and 60s in search of adventure, notoriety, and a lifetime of endless stories. They struck diamonds and gold, alright! They even created a business where they would fly other adventurers looking for a “Diamond Safari” and have them visit their mining camps.

I was privileged to hear those stories first-hand many times and visit Guyana on numerous occasions in the 90s with Robert Haack, where he took me back deep into those jungle areas to help relive his adventures. Seeing the sparkle in both Robert’s and Donald’s eyes when they told their thrilling tales was wonderful.

They documented their diamond mining adventures, creating a short film called “Diamond Safari.” Interestingly, In the film, you will see a young woman named Shakira, who has crowned Miss Guyana and later became an actress and model and went on to marry the actor Michael Caine.