3.29-carat diamond found at Arkansas state park

It is the largest gem found at Crater of Diamonds State Park since 2021

David Anderson found a 3.29-carat brown diamond at Arkansas’s Crater of Diamonds State Park on March 4, 2023. (Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas)

A frequent visitor of Arkansas’ Crater of Diamonds State Park found himself a “Big, Ugly Diamond” — the largest found at the park since 2021.

David Anderson found a 3.29-carat brown diamond at the park’s 37.5-acre search area on March 4, according to a news release.

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“At first I thought it was quartz but wondered why it was so shiny,” Anderson said in the release. “Once I picked it up, I realized it was a diamond.”

This isn’t his first or biggest gem found in the park, but it’s his heaviest so far this decade. Since 2017, Anderson has found 400 diamonds, including a 6.19-carat white gem in 2014.

“My first trip here was in 2007. After I found my first diamond, a 1.5-carat white, I was hooked,” he said in the release.

David Anderson found a 3.29-carat brown diamond at Arkansas’s Crater of Diamonds State Park on March 4, 2023. (Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas)

He added that he named his latest diamond “B.U.D.” for “Big, Ugly Diamond.” It has a mottled brown color and he plans on selling it, the release states.

It’s the largest diamond, in general, registered at the park since September 2021, and the largest brown diamond since 2020.

So far this year, 124 diamonds have been registered at the park. Diamonds were first discovered in the area in 1906 by John Huddleston, a farmer who owned the land.

More than 75,000 diamonds have been discovered there since. The largest discovery was “Uncle Sam,” a 40.23-carat white diamond, in 1924.

According to Park Interpreter Tayler Markham diamonds were brought to the surface during the eruption and they have gone through partial resorption.

“Magma in volcanic pipe melted the diamonds’ outer surfaces and gave them smooth, rounded edges. Larger diamonds like Mr. Anderson’s may have rough areas on the surface, but you can still find signs of resorption on the corners and edges,” Markham said.

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About the Author:

Rebecca Salinas is an award-winning digital journalist who joined KSAT in 2019. She reports on a variety of topics for KSAT 12 News.