Greetings from Crater of Diamonds State Park! If you talk to anyone in the Murfreesboro area, then you know that last October was a particularly busy month at the Crater. 22,813 people entered the diamond search area in October 2021, superseding the 15,443 people we saw in October of this year. But how does that compare with diamond finds? Does higher visitation mean that more diamonds were found?

During October 2021, park staff registered 42 diamonds, totaling 7.39 carats. Three weighed over one carat, the largest being a 1.60-carat brown diamond, and four were found on the surface. By the end of last October, the total diamond count for the year was 302 diamonds.

This October certainly had fewer diamond miners, but the number of diamonds registered increased. During October 2022, 72 diamonds were registered, totaling 10.31 carats. Only one diamond weighed over one carat, a 1.38 ct. brown. By the end of the month, the total count for the year was 619 diamonds.

Since the foundation of Crater of Diamonds State Park in 1972, the park has registered over 35,000 diamonds.  Some years are more productive than others. But what drives diamond finds, if not visitation? Higher visitation can often mean fewer diamonds are registered. This is mostly because of a higher volume of people in the search area. When the search area is packed on a busy day, people tend to spend less time searching for diamonds. Weather can also be a factor. Last October we experienced less rainfall and slightly warmer temperature, driving more people to visit.

Any time can be a good time to find a diamond at the Crater, but many visitors find success in colder months, due in part to the slower visitation. This has nothing to do with diamonds being easier to find in winter, but it is easier to search for diamonds when there is space to do so. Visitation will drop as we approach December, January, and February, leaving the field practically empty on many days. Visiting during these months will require special attire such as rubber gloves to wet sift, rubber boots, and thick layers of clothing to keep you warm throughout the day.  Don’t let the cold discourage you, because it could be your lucky day find that one-of-a-kind diamond in the rough! 

Search area last plowed: September 27, 2022

Most recent significant rainfall: November 26, 2022

Recent diamond finds (100 points = 1 carat):

November 26 – Lee Hall, Palmyra, MO, 18 pt. brown

November 27 – Frank & Kathy Roggenkamp, Hemphill, TX, 13 pt. white; Steve Carr, Jackson, MO, 3 pt. yellow & 6pt. brown

November 28 – Ashton Guillet, Lake Charles, LA, 6 pt. yellow; David Anderson, Murfreesboro, AR, 7 pt. white, 9 pt. white, 12 pt. yellow, 76 pt. brown