How to Hunt for Diamonds: A Guide to Crater of Diamonds State Park

Imagine stepping onto a giant, plowed field of dark dirt where real diamonds are waiting to be found. At Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas, anyone can become a treasure hunter. This state park is one of the only places in the world where the public can search for real diamonds and keep what they find. To have the best chance of finding a precious gem, you must follow a special, step-by-step process used by professional miners. Here is how to dig, wet-sift, and find your very own diamond.

Step 1: Gather Your Equipment

Before heading out into the 37-acre search area, you need the right tools. You can bring your own or rent them at the park. You will need a sturdy shovel, a large bucket, and a set of sifting screens. The sifting screens usually come in a pair: a top screen with large wire mesh to catch big rocks, and a bottom screen with fine mesh to catch smaller gravel and gems.

Step 2: Choose Your Search Area

Walk out onto the volcanic dirt field. Diamonds are heavy, so they tend to sink and collect in low areas. Look for natural washouts, gullies, or the bottoms of hills where rainwater has washed away the lighter soil. Digging near large rocks or in deep trenches is also a smart strategy because heavy minerals often get trapped there.

Step 3: Dig and Fill Your Bucket

Using your shovel, dig into the dark, clay-rich soil. Scoop the dirt and gravel directly into your bucket. Look for areas with gravelly soil rather than just plain clay, as diamonds are found among other heavy rocks. Fill your bucket about halfway to ensure it is not too heavy to carry to the washing stations.

Step 4: The Wet-Sifting Process

Take your bucket and screens to one of the water-filled troughs located in the field. Stack your coarse screen on top of your fine screen. Pour some of your dirt into the top screen. Lower both screens into the water so the dirt is submerged.

Now, begin the wet-sifting process. Gently shake the screens left and right, and up and down under the water. This washing action melts away the sticky clay and washes it through the screens. The large rocks will stay on the top screen. Inspect these quickly for large diamonds, then discard them.

Next, focus on the bottom screen, which contains the smaller gravel. This is where you will use a special sorting method. Submerge the screen and shake it in a rapid, circular motion, then tap the screen flat against the water. This causes the heaviest minerals—like jasper, garnet, and diamonds—to sink to the very bottom and center of the screen.

Step 5: Flip and Inspect

Once the gravel is clean and sorted by weight, lift the screen out of the water and let it drain. Find a flat table or a patch of dry ground. In one quick, smooth motion, flip the screen upside down so the wet gravel lands in a neat pile.

Because of your circular sifting, the heaviest rocks that were at the bottom of the screen will now be right on top, in the exact center of the pile. Look closely for a small, sparkling gem. Real diamonds do not look like broken glass; they have a greasy, metallic luster and smooth, rounded edges. If you see something shiny that catches the light, take it to the park's Diamond Discovery Center, where experts will identify your find for free!