Diamonds formed under extreme pressure and heat deep in the soil of the soil. If you find it, it will most likely look like a metallic or glassy pebble, not a shiny jewel that you can imagine. Volcanic soil also contains amethyst, navy blue, jasper, agat and various types of quartz. (You can keep them too.)
The largest diamond found in the United States came from this Pole-Wujek 40.23-carat Sam Diamond, discovered In 1924, before the Earth became a state park. In September 2021, California guest Noreen Wredberg found Yellow diamond weighing 4.38-carat after two hours, in 2024 visitors named Julien Navas found Diamond worth 7.46-carat in the park.
The park received over 180,000 visitors in 2017, who found 450 certified diamonds of different colors. Among the reported diamond finds, 299 were white, 72 were brown and 74 yellow.
Park staff told Mays that visitors find one or two diamonds every day, so “keep your expectations”, he writes. Most of the discovered diamonds have the size of the paper matching head, while the 1 caravian diamond is about the size of green peas. But even petite diamonds have a thrill. Park employees provide free identification services, studying finds as part of Louals and confirming whether the glassy pebble is a quartz or something more valuable.
Family experience
For those who want to join thousands of visitors each year, the park makes it affordable. Admission costs USD 15 for adults, 7 USD for children aged 6 to 12 years. You can camp in the park at night and return to the field at dawn. In the summer months, the park runs a petite water park – a recognition that diamond hunting in Arkansas can be brutal, with a heat indicator exceeding 110 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sometimes the rain changes the field into the mud, which is preferred by experienced seekers, because it makes it easier to detect diamonds – but it can be a messy adventure. As Mays put it, “most visitors come out with a handful of interesting rocks, newly discovered knowledge and an urgent need for a long shower.”
If you don’t find any diamonds in the park, not despair – you can potentially buy Diamonds of $ 200,000 per Alibaba.
This story originally appeared Ars Technica.