Crater of Diamonds reports 501 gems found at state park in 2016

Visitors to the Crater of Diamonds State Park unearthed 501 diamonds during 2016-34 more than in 2015, according to Waymon Cox, park interpreter.
"Arkansans found 205 diamonds last year, while visitors from 34 other states and three foreign countries registered 296 gems," Cox said.
Park staff certified 339 white, 85 brown, and 77 yellow diamonds last year, weighing a total of 96.6 carats. Of all diamonds registered, 17 weighed more than one carat, and two weighed over two carats. While most diamonds were found by wet sifting, about 10 percent were found on the surface of the park's 37.5-acre diamond search area, including three of the year's largest.
"While visiting the park with a friend on April 22, Gail Hudson, of St. Louis, Mo., found a 1.8-carat brown diamond after only five minutes of surface searching. She named her gem-the third-largest of 2016-the Hudson Diamond, in honor of her parents and family in Pennsylvania," Cox said.
The second-largest diamond of 2016 was found on October 3, when Dan Frederick, of Renton, Wash., visited the park with his daughter Lauren. He spotted the 2.03-carat white gem, which he named the Lucky Diamond, on top of the ground after about an hour of surface searching.
On Dec. 12, Jack Pearadin, of Murfreesboro, Ark., and Doug Nelsen, of Winneconne, Wisc., found the fourth-largest diamond while washing gravel at the park, a pea-sized, 1.73-carat white diamond.
"However, the largest diamond of 2016 wouldn't be found until December 29, when a young visitor from Nashville, Tenn. spotted a 2.1-carat white gem sparkling on the surface as she walked through the search area. She named it the Phontany Diamond, after an inside family joke," Cox said.
"We enjoy remembering awesome diamond finds of years past, and we are looking forward to many more exciting experiences in the coming year. Will you find the next big diamond? The best way to find out is to plan your own diamond mining adventure at Crater of Diamonds State Park in 2017," Cox said.

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