Content

• Steps
• Method 1 of 3: Ground Surveys
• Method 2 of 3: Dry Screening
• Method 3 of 3: Wet sieving
• Tips
• Warnings
• What do you need

The Crater of Diamonds State Park is the only place in the world where anyone can search for diamonds. The park is located in Murfreesboro, Arkansas. There are three well-known diamond prospecting methods, namely land-based, dry-sieving and wet-sieving. The more you learn about each of these methods, the more interesting your stay at the only public diamond mine will be.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Ground Surveys

1. 1 Select a small piece of land to explore.
2. 2 Examine the topsoil carefully. Diamonds sometimes just lie on the surface, as rain or wind reveals layers under which nuggets may have been lying. Without examining the surface of the soil, do not move or remove what lies on it.
3. 3 Look for diamonds under rocks and lumps of soil.

Method 2 of 3: Dry Screening

1. 1 Choose a piece of land with loose, dry soil.
2. 2 Place two handfuls of dry earth in a strainer.
3. 3 Sift the soil with quick movements so that the sifted earth is gathered in one pile.
4. 4 Look for diamonds among the remaining stones in the tray.

Method 3 of 3: Wet sieving

1. 1 Collect soil from the territory of your choice in the bucket to search for diamonds. Take it to a dedicated flushing pavilion in the park.
2. 2 Pour some of the soil into a rolling wash pan.
3. 3 With the tray in the water, sift through any loose soil.
4. 4 Remove anything over 6 mm from the tray.
5. 5 Hold the tray with your hands on both sides, lower it into the water about 3-4 cm.
6. 6 Move the tray through the water from side to side. This will pull the small stones into the center of the tray.
7. 7 Adjust the immersion height of the tray by placing your hand under it. Submerge it in water and remove it from water again.
8. 8 Rotate the tray a quarter turn.
9. 9 Repeat steps 6-8 ten times.Move the tray from side to side, lower and remove from the water and turn!
10. 10 Submerge the tray in the water one last time to scatter any stones left in the tray.
11. 11 Remove the tray from the water. Let the remaining water drain.
12. 12 Turn the tray over on a flat surface.
13. 13 Rake a pile and look for diamonds among the stones.

Tips

• Dry screening:
  • Tray sieving is a very simple method for finding diamonds. All you need is a fine mesh sieve (available from the park itself)!
  • Sift the soil in one place so you don't have to reuse the already sifted material.
  • Don't use too much earth in one go. The more soil you put in the tray, the more stones will be in your tray. You don't want to look for diamonds among a bunch of other rocks!
  • If you decide to look for diamonds in the summer, it is better to choose a place in the shade!
• Wet sieving:
  • This method is the most common and effective!
  • A wash tray (available from the park) is more effective when combined with wet screening. You can use two trays with different mesh, for example fine and coarse (a tray with a coarse mesh is placed on top of a tray with a fine mesh). Thus, large rocks are separated from small ones.
  • However, do not forget to look for a diamond among large rocks as well!
  • Wet sieving is great for a hot summer day.However, it is not recommended to use this method in cold weather.

• Recognizing diamonds
  • The surface of diamonds is oily; other rocks cannot adhere to them. This means that diamonds are rarely found inside other rocks or minerals and do not stick to lumps of soil. Diamonds are found to be pure sparkling!
  • The diamonds found in this park are usually the size of a match head. Diamonds of white, yellow and brown colors were found here.
  • The most distinctive feature of a diamond nugget is its distinctive metallic luster! Diamonds reflect 85% of the light falling on them, so they glow a lot!
• Ground exploration:
  • If you do not want to spend a lot of time and energy searching for diamonds, the method of ground research is suitable for you. All you need is a keen eye!
  • Have you decided to explore the entire area in one day? Search in one small area, so you have a better chance of finding a diamond.
  • Do not try to crush or break rocks or lumps of soil. Diamonds cannot stick to other rocks.
  • The largest diamonds found in the park were discovered precisely by ground research!
• Combine the following:
  • Working in a group you can achieve great success, and the trip to the park itself will be memorable.
  • Think good. Many people leave the park with nothing. Remember, diamonds are very difficult to find. "Diamond Crater" is unique not because you can find a diamond there, but because you can try yourself as a diamond digger. Since this is the only public diamond mine!
  • You can bring the necessary tools with you. It is possible to use any wheelless vehicles and devices that work without a motor and not on batteries.
  • There are over 40 different types of minerals to be found in the diamond crater, so if you don't find a diamond, you might stumble upon another mineral.

Warnings

• Diamond mining is not easy! Drink plenty of water while searching for diamonds, especially on hot days. People with disabilities are also allowed to search for diamonds, but consider your physical ability when choosing a search method.

What do you need

• Shovel
• Sieve (fine mesh 1/16 is suitable)
• Bucket
• Magnifier
• Tweezers / pocket knife, with which diamonds will be selected
• Sunscreen and hat
• Food and drink
• A bag to collect other minerals and interesting stones