The Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas is the only public diamond mine in the US and has a ‘finders keepers’ policy for visitors to search the area. More than 360 diamonds have been registered at the state park so far this year.
Last month, 31-year-old Micherre Fox discovered a 2.3-carat diamond, which she told locals would be used for her engagement ring.
“Having never seen an actual diamond in my hands, I didn’t know for sure, but it was the most ‘diamond-y diamond’ I had seen,” Fox said.
“I was willing to go anywhere in the world to make that happen. I researched, and it turned out that the only place in the world to do it was right in our backyard, in Arkansas.”
“There’s something symbolic about being able to solve problems with money, but sometimes money runs out in a marriage. You need to be willing and able to solve those problems with hard work.”
Fox had been searching for around a month before she found the diamond. Most of the diamonds found in the volcanic crater are white, brown and yellow.
More than 75,000 diamonds have been unearthed there since 1906. The largest discovered, at 40.23 carats, Uncle Sam, is on display in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.
Earlier this year, a couple from Florida discovered a 3.36-carat diamond at the state park, naming it ‘The Dash Diamond’ after their family dog. Other notable discoveries include a two-carat diamond found by a father and son from Arizona, as well as a 7.46-carat brown diamond spotted by a French tourist in January 2024.
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