Want to hunt diamonds in Arkansas. Has anyone made this trip.

[craigsaaron]

My wife and I want to hunt diamonds soon and would like any info you have. Has anybody been to hunt? Let us know, please. Hunting tips needed, places to stay, or good places to eat. Any info will be greatly appreciated. Will be bringing my M/D of coarse. Can anybody help with M/D info. Can you hunt the park? Thanks for your time.

[mikeslater]

I always want to try diamond digging whenever we go to hot springs, never got to do it though. Good luck!

[redbronco]

I have been wanting to make the trip but just haven't made the time. Here is a link that might help.
http://www.craterofdiamondsstatepark.com/

[Big Ken]

Me and the wife went last fall, but really enjoyed ourselves. I'm not sure if they allow MDing inside the park. When you first get there, you "rent" equipment, we rented a bucket, shovel, and some screens. Be sure to ask someone to show you the proper way to find the diamonds, we went half of the day thinking that they were just going to show up in the screen, but there is a right and wrong way of doing the searching. To be completely honest the chances of finding a diamond are "very" rare, in fact they say only about 1 diamond a day is found there, and on the day we were there none were found. But all in all we had a fun time just thinking about how we were going to spend our Millions

[mrs.oroblanco]

We've been, many times.

I asked them personally if you could metal detect - the answer - absolutely not. Apparently, someone found an old jar (with metal lid on it), with diamonds in it - they decided that was the last metal detector they let in the park.

Its a fun place to go - and we have had a little luck there, but not until James Archer showed us how to use a saruca.

THEN, it was really fun!!!

B

[craigsaaron]

What is a saruca? Help.

[Juanmoretime]

Sounds like a margarita or salsa to me!

[mrs.oroblanco]

A saruca is a round screen (they will rent you one), and instead of walking along the ground with your head down, looking for sparkles that might be a diamond, you go over towards the edges (the land at the edges starts to dip down).

You dig down, until you get to a slightly different color layer than the top (that blue'blackish smelly stuff), and fill your bucket, then take it over to the tanks and you shake and twist it, until all the muck and mud is gone. (shake, 1/4 twist, shake, 1/4 twist), then you find a spot in the sun, and in one motion, dump it in all one round pile (shape of saruca). Keep doing that until the bucket of dirt is empty.

By then, the first piles are dry, and the diamonds will stand out, and be on the top.

http://coromotominerals.com/corowash.jpg

Someone else is given credit for using it at Crater of Diamonds, but, James Archer used a homemade one for years -

B

[River Rat]

My sister saw a segment on the BR TV station and had called me about it. We both know of a Rhonda Bankston, but seeing this pic of her, defiantly is not the Rhonda we know. Just a lucky person from BR to find such a large diamond. Maybe you will have some good luck there, cause I sure didn't.

The find was Nov 16, '08, I tried to find the segment from the local TV station and the newspaper article too...I had seen them both about 2 months ago.

RR

http://www.craterofdiamondsstatepark....aspx?mid=7774

[mrs.oroblanco]

Bottom line - it's fun.

B

[baldy804]

we plan on going there on our vacation to northern louisiana in the first week in june i will let you know how we do and yes i will also have my detector with maybe i can find a park to hunt or something

[Rich in Houston]

I see this was posted a long time ago. I went to the State park where you hunt for diamond. Name excapes me but it was fun.. Didn't find a diamond but I would go back if ever close be again..

[bootybay]

I am dying to go there.. road trip anyone?

[bourgm]

I will be heading back up there in October 2011.. Looking forward to going.. My wife is going, but going to find me someone who is willing to dig deep with me this time..

[golddusty63]

I have mined diamonds at Murfresboro Ark. What i need is plans to build a Saruca. I had a blast even though it was hotter than blue blazes. If you go try to wait till the weather starts to cool down some. The diging is hard work and hauling the buckets is not fun if you have sunburn on the back of your neck. Have fun and good luck.

[mrs.oroblanco]

golddusty63,

I've made three. Trust me - buy one.

The little shop right past the Crater of Diamonds State Park have them for sale. And, they will last for a long time.


Beth

[golddusty63]

golddusty63,

I've made three. Trust me - buy one.

The little shop right past the Crater of Diamonds State Park have them for sale. And, they will last for a long time.


Beth

[golddusty63]

Beth; Do you mean the Miners Campground? If so i lived there for a while back in 1994. I lived in my camper then moved to Nashville just down the road.

[mrs.oroblanco]

Yea - I think that's the name of the place. I know it when I see it, but, I'm horrible at remembering names.

Beth

[golddusty63]

Yup know what you mean with the names. I've been prospecting a lot anymore. I'm just in the home area for the winter to relax a bit.Going to Arizona in the Spring to do some Nugget hunting and dry washing. Figured i'd stop at the Diamond mine and see what i can dig up. Maybe i'll see ya there. I'm pretty much a full time RVer and do a lot of prospecting,rock hunting,fossil hunting ETC. ETC. Bill