Arkansas Hosts the Planet’s Only Public Diamond Mine

The diamonds formed nether utmost unit and power heavy successful nan Earth’s mantle. If you find one, it will astir apt look for illustration a metallic aliases glassy pebble alternatively than a sparkly trim gem that you mightiness image successful your mind. The volcanic ungraded besides contains amethyst, garnet, jasper, agate, and various types of quartz. (You tin support those, too.)

The largest gem recovered successful nan United States came from this field—the 40.23-carat Uncle Sam diamond, discovered successful 1924 earlier nan onshore became a authorities park. In September 2021, California visitant Noreen Wredberg found a 4.38-carat yellowish gem aft searching for 2 hours, and successful 2024 a visitant named Julien Navas found a 7.46-carat gem astatine nan park.

The parkland received complete 180,000 visitors successful 2017, who recovered 450 certified diamonds of various colors. Of nan reported gem finds, 299 were white, 72 were brown, and 74 were yellow.

Park unit told Mays that visitors find 1 aliases 2 diamonds daily, truthful “keep your expectations successful check,” she writes. Most diamonds discovered are astir nan size of a insubstantial lucifer head, while a 1-carat gem is astir nan size of a greenish pea. But moreover mini diamonds transportation nan thrill of discovery. Park unit supply free recognition services, examining finds nether loupes and confirming whether that glassy pebble is quartz aliases thing much valuable.

A Family Experience

For those wanting to subordinate nan thousands who sojourn each year, nan parkland makes it affordable. Admission is $15 for adults, $7 for children ages 6 to 12. You tin campy overnight astatine nan parkland and return to nan section astatine dawn. During summertime months, nan parkland operates a mini h2o park—an acknowledgment that gem hunting successful Arkansas tin beryllium brutal, pinch a power scale exceeding 110 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sometimes rainfall turns nan section to mud, which knowledgeable searchers for illustration because it makes diamonds easier to spot—but it tin make for a messy adventure. As Mays put it, “Most visitors time off pinch a fistful of absorbing rocks, immoderate newfound knowledge, and an urgent request for a agelong shower.”

If you don’t find immoderate diamonds astatine nan park, don’t despair—you could potentially buy a $200,000 diamond-making instrumentality connected Alibaba.

This communicative primitively appeared on Ars Technica.