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The Crater of Diamonds State Park is located near Murfreesboro, Arkansas.  The park is a 36 acre field that is the eroded surface of an extinct volcanic pipe.  It is the only diamond mine in the world that is open to the public.  Visitors search for gems, and can keep whatever they find!  Below are some interesting facts about the Crater of Diamonds State Park.  You can click on the cameras to see pictures.

 

  The first diamond was found on August 8, 1906, by John Huddleston on his farm.

  From about 1911 to 1950, diamonds were commercially mined on a small scale by various mining companies.

  In the early 1950's, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Millar opened the mine to the public.  It became a huge tourist attraction.

  In 1972, the mine was sold to the state of Arkansas.  It has been operated as a state park ever since.  You can visit the Arkansas State Parks website.

  The biggest diamond ever found at the mine was the Uncle Sam. It was found in 1924 and weighed 40.23 carats.

     Since the diamond mine has been a state park, the biggest diamond found is the Amarillo Starlight that weighed 16.37 carats.

  An average of 74,000 visitors come to the park each year.  About one out of 100 visitors find a diamond.

  The average size of diamonds found in the park is about the size of a match head.  The most common colors found are white, brown, and yellow.

  Other gem stones found at the park are peridot, garnet, agate, and amethyst.

  The best ways to search for diamonds are:  looking on the surface, sifting dirt through a screen, and washing soil under water.

Follow the links below to read interviews with three very successful diamond hunters.

James Archer        Shirley Strawn        Angelo Cela