Rock and mineral identification opportunities

  Greetings from Crater of Diamonds State Park!  One of the most important services we provide visitors on a daily basis is rock and mineral identification.  More than 40 types of rocks and minerals can be found here, and each has its own characteristics that set it apart from others.  While it is important to know what rough Crater diamonds look like, learning to recognize other stones can make diamond searching more productive and help visitors select the best rock and mineral souvenirs to take home.  Fortunately the Crater offers many ways for visitors to identify what they find at the park!

  The first place visitors can learn about basic rock and mineral identification is in the visitor center museum, where interpretive panels and exhibits illustrate the history and geology of the park, as well as the appearance of rough diamonds.  Here, visitors can examine real diamonds on display and learn what sets them apart from other finds in the park.

  After purchasing admission to the diamond search area, visitors can learn about other rocks and minerals from the park in the lower level of the Diamond Discovery Center.  Displays of jasper, agate, calcite, and more offer simple tips to help identify specimens (a coin or pocket knife can help with some stones!).  The Diamond Discovery Center is also where visitors bring their finds for free expert identification.  Our staff helps thousands of people identify their treasures each year; as you might imagine, it doesn’t take long to get the hang of it!

  Other identification options are available while searching for diamonds.  The north and south washing pavilions in the search area feature photos of rocks and minerals that visitors can compare to their own finds.  The Diamond Discovery Center also sells an easy pocket field guide, with photos and descriptions of 13 rocks and minerals from the park.  For those interested in collecting from the park and elsewhere, our gift shop sells rock and mineral handbooks.

  A great option for anyone interested in learning rock and mineral identification is to attend an interpretive program or hike.  Offered throughout the year, diamond mining demonstrations teach the basics of diamond searching and how to identify diamonds and other rocks and minerals.  We also offer programs during the summer to teach visitors about many of the specimens found here.

  Future visitors can learn about many Crater rocks and minerals at home by reading our weekly articles.  Specimens written about in the past include barite, lamproite, mica, jasper, quartz, and (of course) diamonds.  Most of these articles may be found in archives at www.CraterofDiamondsStatePark.com and can help prepare anyone for an exciting visit to the Crater!

Most recent significant precipitation:  February 2, 2014

Diamond finds for the week of January 26, 2014 (100 points = one carat):

January 26 - Preston & Laurie Meese, Noble, OK; Timothy Gray, Royal, AR, 17 pt. yellow; 20 pt. brown

January 28 - Kenneth Shoemaker, Murfreesboro, AR, 5 pt. white

February 1 - Richard Meador, Midland, AR, 4 pt. white; Kenny & Melissa Oliver, Rosston, AR, 5 pt. white, 11 pt. white