What is "forminiere"

The Société internationale forestière et minière du Congo or Forminière was a lumber and mining company in the Belgian Congo (modern-day Democratic Republic of the Congo). Founded by Jean Jadot in 1906, the company begun diamond mining in Kasai in 1913. At its height, Forminière was involved in gold and silver mining, cotton, palm and rubber cultivation, farming, sawmilling and even owned shops. The Belgian colonial state co-owned 50% of the company's capital, the rest being majority-held by American shareholders.

In 1959, Forminière's production of diamonds rose to 425,234 carats.