Diamonds, precious stones par excellence are usually extracted from private or state mining companies in different parts of the world. But you knew that there is a place where anyone can “dig” their own diamonds? It is the Crater of Diamonds State Parkin Arkansas (USA), where the rule of “Finders Keepers “: the diamonds belong to those who find them, and normally it is tourists. The park is located above an ancient diatrema volcanic formed about 100 million years ago. Here, starting from 1972the year of opening of the mine to the public, they were found beyond 35,000 diamonds with dimensions generally lower than 1 caratwith rare exceptions, including the largest gem ever discovered in the United States, “Uncle Sam”, A white diamond of across 40 carat.
Crater of Diamonds State Park: the only mine of diamonds open to the public
The Crater of Diamonds State Parklocated in the southwestern region of Arkansas, in the United States of America, is theThe only mine in the world open to the public in which visitors can look for and dig true diamonds. It is a real tourist attraction: every year among the 150,000 – 170,000 visitorsarmed with blades and other simple non -motorized excavation tools venture in search of diamonds, paying only the entrance ticket for $ 15 US. The rule is clear: “Finders keepers“, Whoever finds, keeps!
The park rises on an ancient crater volcanic whose eruption, about about 100 millions years ago, brought to the surface rocks And debris containing diamonds. The overall area covers almost 911 acres (3.8 km²), of which approximately 38 acres (0.15 km²), equivalent to approx 29 regulatory football fieldsare reserved for the research of diamonds. To facilitate the excavations, once a month the soil of the excavation area is plowed, so as to make it more soft and facilitate diamond hunting.
The story of the park in Arkansas and the first diamonds of the mine
The first diamonds were found in 1906 From John Wesley Huddleston, a farmer owner of a portion of the land on which the excavation area stands today. The stones were sent to an expert jeweler of Little Rock (the capital of Arkansas), who confirmed theauthenticity. In particular, the gems were described as diamonds white–blueone of the weight of 0.62 carats and the other of 0.37 Carati. Subsequent checks confirmed the excellent quality of the stones.
In the following years there were various attempts to exploitation commercial of the mining area. However, poor profitability, legal disputes and some fires led to repeated failures. Between the 1952 and the 1972 The site was transformed into attraction tourist private. Finally, once acquired by the state of Arkansas, the park was officially open to visitors In 1972.
Geology and origin of the diamonds in the Crater of Diamonds State Park
In the Crater of Diamonds State Park, precious stones are found mainly in the soils derived from the alteration of Lamproitic tuffs pyroclastic. It is rocks volcanic Fine grain, consisting of ash and dust, with fragments of magmatic rock of lamproitic composition. There Lamproite is one ignea rock very rare, rich in potassium and magnesium and poor in aluminum. Has a dark color and is usually formed in the terrestrial cloak, a depth above 150 km. During the ascent to the surface through volcanic ducts, the rasproitic magma drags with it fragments of cloak rocks and diamonds. In the case of the Arkansas, the diamonds come from rocks calls eclogitiscomposed mainly of red and green grenade.
The dating Of laboratory indicate that the diamonds have trained about Three billion years agowhile the eruption that brought them to the surface dates back to a period between 113 And 97 millions years agoIn the Cretacic. The diamonds reached the surface thanks to the rapid ascent of the diatremawho captured and dragged with him the material coming from the deep areas rich in diamonds. According to experts, the ski speed was between 97 and 402 km/h.
How many diamonds have been found
According to the data shown on the official website, beyond 35,000 diamonds They were found by visitors inside the park. The most common diamonds have color white, brown or yellow and an average size of 0.20–0.25 Carati (about 3.8–4.1 mm in diameter). However, there is no lack of findings of large specimens, which have become famous all over the world. One of the most important is the Strawn–Wagnerconsidered the diamond more perfect Never certified in the laboratory by the American gemological society. Another known finding is the so -called “Uncle Sam diamond”, A white diamond from 40.23 caratthe largest ever found in the United States.
Other diamonds of considerable size include theAmarillo Starlight (16.37 carats), lo Star of Arkansas (15.33 carat), The Esperanza (8.52 carats), The Kahn Canary (4.25 carats) and the same Stown-Wagner Diamond (3.03 carats).
In addition to the diamonds, other precious gems can also be found inside the park, such as amethysts, grenades, diaspri, agate and quartz.
