U.S. Diamond Mine: 4.87 Carats Recovered!
Dillon Hudson
40/29 News Team
A Lepanto man just learned he found a 4.87-carat diamond this spring. Jerry Evans visited Crater of Diamonds State Park for the first time this year and within ten minutes of entering the park, he found what he thought was a piece of glass.
A release from the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism says he put the glass in his pocket with the rest of his finds from the day. Evans told the department he and his girlfriend “were picking up everything thinking it was a diamond.”
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KATV) — A man in Arkansas found a 4.87-carat diamond at the Crater of Diamonds State Park.
Jerry Evans visited for the first time and took his girlfriend along, last spring.
Evans said he picked up the diamond within the first 10 minutes of his visit, but thought it was something else.
visitor finds 4.87-carat diamond at crater of diamonds state park
SOURCE: Arkansas Dept. of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism
“I thought it might be a piece of glass. It was so clear, I really didn’t know,” Evans said. “We were picking up everything, thinking it was a diamond.”
He put it in his pocket with other things he found before he went home.
Then, after some thought, Evans sent the piece to the Gemological Institute of America just in case it was something.
A few weeks later, they responded with good news. It was a near-colorless diamond.
“When they called and told me it was real, I was tickled to death!” Evans said.
Evans said his son encouraged him to contact Crater of Diamonds State Park after he read an article about a diamond found at the park in the 1990s.
“While I get many emails from people wanting me to identify something they’ve found here, to my recollection, this is the first time someone has contacted me after they’ve had a diamond identified by the GIA,” assistant park superintendent Waymon Cox said. “I’m glad that Mr. Evans was able to bring his historic diamond back to the park to have it officially registered.”
State park officials said the diamond Evans found is the largest registered at the park since Kevin Kinard of Maumelle discovered a 9.07-carat brown diamond on Labor Day 2020.
“Mr. Evans’ diamond is spectacular to see. It’s a complete crystal with a brilliant white color reminiscent of many other large, white diamonds I’ve seen from here in the past,” Cox said.
Most people who visit the park decide to name the diamonds they find. Evans named his the Evans Diamond.
And he gave some advice for anyone considering a visit to Crater of Diamonds State Park: “Come and search because there’s a chance. They’re out there!”
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