This Arkansas state Park is a rare 35 acre field where diamonds can be found. This field is only one of two diamond fields in the United States. It is the only one open to the public. There are as many as 40 different types of rocks and minerals to be found at this site including amethyst, agate, jasper, quartz, calcite, barite and most importantly diamonds. Only one in one hundred people find a diamond. Maybe you can be one of the lucky ones.

While we are here we will try to find and identify as many minerals as we can.

Geology:

Around 100 million years ago, the lazy southern coastline in what is now central Pike County, AR, suddenly exploded, creating a crater some 80 acres in size. After this eruption, small pyroclastic cones developed in the crater and spewed out ash and lapilli (small molten rock fragments), in the photo.

Some of the ash mixed with sediments from the adjacent Trinity Formation, forming lake sediments on the east margin of the crater and at scattered sites across the depression. Then came a magma from deep in the earth, filling part of the depression with a lava lake. This sequence of events took awhile, but only a wink of an eye in geologic time.

The lamproite breccia tuff that formed in the explosion carried diamonds from deep in the earth (in the upper mantle) and rapidly brought these crystals to the surface. Although the lamproite magma originated from the same depth, it moved slowly enough for the magma to resorb the diamonds. Hence, it is not considered a source of diamonds at the site, either in the rock or the soil developed from it. Recent exploration demonstrated that there are some 78.5 million tons of diamond bearing rock to sort through, so it will be awhile before the tourists and rockhounds deplete this diamond storehouse!

Here are some Diamond hunting tips.

- look for a small, well rounded crystal. A diamond weighing several carats may be no larger than a marble.

- Diamonds have an oily, slick outer surface or mud will not stick to, so look for clean crystals.

- If you think you have found a diamond, hold it carefully in your hand. Experience  has shown once a diamond is dropped, it usually isn't found again that day.

- Diamonds may be any of several colors. The most common found at the crater are clear white, yellow, and brown.

- Bring any stone  you think may be a diamond to the Visitor Center for free weight and certification. Anything you find is yours!!
 

Needed supplies - Day pack, notebook, water, snacks, comfortable clothes, sun screen. The park has the equipment you will need to dig for diamonds. If you want to bring your own you may but nothing with wheels is allowed in the park.
 
 

We are now going to move on to the Arkansas Museum of Natural Science. We will travel Hwy 310 south to to Hwy 19 south to Prescott. Get on Hwy 24 east to Camden. From there turn on Hwy 7 south until you hit the museum. We will be leaving  the Ouachita Region and entering the Gulf Coastal Region.