Arkansas’ Crater of Diamonds State Park, the nation’s only public diamond‑hunting ground, saw a remarkable discovery this spring when Navy reservist Jack Pearadin and fellow enthusiast Michael Schumacher uncovered a 6.03‑carat yellow diamond. Pearadin, who has been digging at the park since 2013 and now lives in nearby Murfreesboro, livestreamed the moment he rinsed gravel from a bucket and revealed the sparkling stone, exclaiming, “Oh my God! Holy crap, we got a big one!”
Why the find matters
The diamond, roughly the size of a fingernail, is the largest uncovered at the park this year and joins a modest list of sizable stones found there. Since the former open‑pit mine became a state park in 1972, more than 37,000 diamonds have been recovered, most weighing less than a quarter of a carat. The park’s largest ever, the 40.23‑carat “Uncle Sam,” was discovered in 1924.
Park interpreter Sarah Bivens notes that annually the park yields between 400 and 800 diamonds, most of which are modest in size and value. Still, larger gems do surface: a 9‑carat stone was found by an Arkansas bank manager in 2020, and a 7‑carat diamond was unearthed by a French visitor in 2024.
Expert appraisal
Certified gem appraiser Laura Stanley of Little Rock estimates that a high‑quality six‑carat yellow diamond from the park could fetch around $250,000, largely because of its unique origin. An experienced appraiser quoted by the Associated Press suggested the stone could be worth a quarter of the $1 million figure Pearadin mentioned, still an impressive sum for a hobbyist find.
“They are their own entity,” Stanley said. “It’s the only place in America where you can go find your own diamond and you can’t compare that to a diamond from anywhere else.”
Park background and public access
Crater of Diamonds State Park charges a $15 entry fee that allows visitors to fill a five‑gallon bucket with rocks and keep any gemstones they discover. The park sits on one of only two known primary diamond deposits in the United States, the other being Colorado’s Kelsey Lake. Nathan Renfro, senior manager at the Gemological Institute of America, explained that natural diamonds form deep within the Earth under extreme pressure and heat, then reach the surface via volcanic activity.
“It’s a pretty remarkable operation that’s available to the public,” Renfro said. “Most diamond mines are super high security.”
Future plans
Pearadin, who has sold most of his previous finds online, plans to split any proceeds from the new stone with Schumacher, who helped shovel the gravel that produced the gem. The pair also hope to use part of the earnings to fund a private crystal‑mining venture.
Pearadin has named the stone “American Dream,” reflecting both his personal dedication and the broader appeal of a public resource where ordinary citizens can strike a valuable treasure.
Local impact
The discovery adds to Murfreesboro’s growing reputation as a hub for hobbyist gem hunters and outdoor enthusiasts. Local businesses have reported increased traffic from visitors drawn to the park’s unique offering, underscoring the economic benefit of preserving public access to natural resources.
For anyone interested in trying their hand at diamond hunting, the park remains open year‑round, offering a rare chance to walk away with a genuine gemstone.
Original reporting: 40/29 / KHBS (NW Arkansas) — read the source article.
