Midwest Quartz Crystal & Diamond digging in Arkansas

[Ray Eklund]

Before we moved to Colorado, Nancy and I went to Ron Coleman Crystal Mines, north of Hot Springs Village on Highway 7 North every couple of months for a weekend. About 14 miles north of Hot Springs and just south of a small town of Blue Springs. There is a billboard sign on the west side of the road that shows a cluster of quartz crystals at your turn. You will drive on asphalt road for about 4 miles west and the mine road is on the north, also asphalt. Everyone can direct you to the open pit mine if you get lost. The RV Park is on your right as you near the mine entrance. Find a spot to set up camp during the day or the middle of the night and register up on the "hill" at the big building.

To dig all day, $20.00 for adults. Use garden tools and a shovel. I like the three or four pronged hand tool. The mine will bring a dump truck or two of red "grit" that has small crystals and some the size of big cucumbers. We like the clear crystals, but there are plenty for everyone. Even if you are dressed in a suit, you will find crystals. If it is raining... you will find even more as they wash out of the dirt. Plan on getting dirty... red. The broken edges of the crystals can be sharp, so wear gloves when you are digging and keep some water in the bucket to clean them off. Clean them to toss out the culls. You will have to carry the bucket(s) of crystals about a 1000 feet to your parked vehicle.

There is a RV park with power and water and 24 pads. There is a men's and women's showers, laundry and use to be a restaurant at the mine office and display building. I cannot remember the cost for the RV pad, but it was under $15.00. The restrooms had been needing some upkeep when we were last there in 2004. You can call 800-291-4484 for more information.

The first time we visited the open pit mine and dug crystals out of the tailing piles we dreamed all night about crystals. You will find out for yourself. It was inexpensive and you will find more than you can carry and be exhausted at the end of the day. Expect to begin digging an hour after sunrise and up a an hour or two before sunset and they will announce when it is time for you to lug your treasure to the parking lot.

You can go to Murfreesboro, Arkansas to the Diamond State Park (cannot remember name). Cost is around $5.00, you can rent a bucket and digging tools, or bring your own. People find diamonds in this huge plowed hillside about three football fields or so in size. Probably easily found by Google: Diamonds, Murfreesboro, Arkansas. There is camping in the area, but it has been too many years to remember any details. We did not find any diamonds, but others did while we were scouting. A pouring rain is also a good time to be out looking. The museum has a nice display of diamonds found there and the park rangers will check any stones you find. Prepare to get dirty and toss the clothes into a plastic bag...