Finding a diamond in the rough may not be as rare as we think. However, that is only if the “rough” is a place reputed for the site of natural diamonds in the first place. Recently, a man in Arkansas stumbled upon a diamond carrying 4.87 carats. The man was exploring the state’s Crater of Diamonds State Park, situated in Murfreesboro. The Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism had reported the news first.
According to the Department, Jerry Levans stepped foot into the Park for the first time in his life in 2023 spring. Barely 10 minutes into the trip, the Lepanto man saw a rock that he mistook for a “piece of glass”. He was at the top of a plowed ridge, with his girlfriend, and their objective for the day was to collect any rock that could be a diamond. As can be assumed from the name of the location, the Park has a considerable reputation for possessing easily accessible diamonds on the surface.
The Clear Glass That Turned Out To Be A Diamond
Jerry, at first, dismissed the rock as only a piece of glass. However, his intuition kept telling him that the tiny rock may just be something more. He then decided to have the Gemological Institute of America take a look at the discovery and identify it. The results returned after some weeks. The Institute confirmed that the rock was indeed a diamond, almost without any color. Evan’s reaction to the find was one of comedy: “When they called and told me it was real, I was tickled to death!” Evans has since chosen to name the piece after himself. The “Evans Diamond” is about as big as a jellybean and looks like a pyramid.
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Evans’ son encouraged him to inform the State Park about the discovery. Waymon Cox, the Assistant Park Superintendent, recalls that he gets many emails asking him to identify their finds in the Park. However, Evans was the first one to come to them after already receiving identification from the GIA. As such, he was glad that Evans brought the historic diamond back and registered it officially at the Park. According to the Park, the Evans Diamond is the largest to be discovered at the location since 2020.
On Labor Day, 2020, another Arkansan resident named Kevin Canard discovered a humongous 9.07-carat brown diamond. It remains the second-largest diamond to be discovered at the Park. The largest discovered from that location, and in the United States, is known as the Uncle Sam, and measured 40.23 carats. It was discovered in 1924, during a mining operation, on that land that was yet to be designated as a State Park.
A Treasure Trove
According to Cox, the Evans Diamond is one of the more pleasing ones to look at. He describes it as a “complete crystal with a brilliant white color reminiscent of many other large, white diamonds I’ve seen from here in the past.” The Crater of Diamond State Park is the only place in the world where anyone can try their hand at searching for natural diamonds. A volcanic source gives rise to them. In 2023, the Park has registered approximately 798 diamonds, with a total measurement of over 125 carats. Furthermore, the Park estimated that every day, visitors find at least one or two diamonds.
Originally, the land belonged to John Huddleston, a farmer. When he came across the precious stones on his land, the area started to gain a reputation for diamonds. Since the initial discovery, the Park has seen more than 75,000 diamonds unearthed. The website of the park details that the area gained official recognition as a State Park in 1972. Since then, over 35,000 of the precious gems have been discovered.
The search area for the diamonds is a field measuring 37.5 acres. Visitors are free to keep whatever gemstones, minerals, or rocks that catch their fancy. Visitors are also allowed to camp at the park using their own equipment, or equipment that the Park lends. However, you cannot use any mining tools that are driven by a motor or powered by a battery. Of course, the staff will help anyone looking to identify any of their finds. So, will you be taking a trip to the Park?
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