`` Remember the time Mikey found that massive diamond at that park ? '' That 's how one North Carolina family is going to remember this summer . Boy Scout Michael Detlaff , 12 , was visiting an Arkansas park with his family on July 31 when he found a 5.16-carat `` honey brown diamond '' in the park 's `` diamond search area . '' The park 's response ? `` It is thrilling any time a child finds a diamond here . '' The Arkansas ' Crater of Diamond State Park is the only diamond-producing site in the world open to the public and this is n't the first time a diamond has been found , nor is it even close to the biggest diamond discovered at this amazing park . Visitors can dig for diamonds in the park 's 37.5-acre plowed field , which was a diamond mining site before it became a state park in 1972 . John Huddleston , the farmer who originally owned the property , is credited with starting a diamond mining rush when he first found diamonds in Murfreesboro in 1906 . Mystery surrounds Egyptian sphinx unearthed in Israel . Free diamonds . The park 's policy is finders keepers , which means Michael Detlaff went home with his diamond , which he named `` God 's Glory Diamond . '' Mining.com estimated his find to be worth between $ 12,000 and $ 15,000 after being cut and polished . `` Michael had only been searching for about 10 minutes when he found his diamond , '' said Park Interpreter Waymon Cox in a press release . `` In fact , Michael 's dad was renting mining equipment to begin his own diamond search when Michael showed the gem to him at the park 's Diamond Discovery Center ! '' Michael 's find was the twelfth diamond weighing more than one carat found at the park this year , and the 27th largest diamond found since the opening of the park . One thing we do n't get -- how are there any diamonds left ? Why has n't this place been mobbed tourists on a daily basis going over every grain of sand with a magnifying glass and blunt instruments to ward off greedy fingers poaching their immediate territory ? Underwater discovery of Apollo 11 rocket engines ? Fun facts about the Crater of Diamonds . • The three colors of diamonds found at the park are white , brown and yellow . • 40 different types of rocks and minerals other than diamonds can also be found at the park . Other gems include amethyst , peridot and garnet . • Buildings dating to the park 's mining days remain on the premises , such as the Mine Shaft Building and the Guard House . • Due to recent heavy rains , many of the recent finds were right on the surface of the field . • The park says two diamonds a day are found on average . • The largest diamond ever found on site was a white diamond weighing 40.23 carats unearthed in 1984 during the park 's mining days . It 's the largest diamond found in North America to date . • The largest diamond ever found by a park visitor was a 16.37-carat diamond . • Hilary Clinton borrowed the 4.25-carat Kahn Canary diamond , also a park find , to represent Arkansas 's diamond site at a gala celebrating her husband 's inauguration . • Michael Detlaff 's find is the 328th diamond found by a park visitor so far this year . • Most diamonds found in the park are too small to be cut and are kept simply as souvenirs . Crater of Diamonds State Park , 209 State Park Road , Murfreesboro , Arkansas ; +1 870 285 3113 ; 8 a.m.-5 p.m. ; admission $ 7 for adults , $ 4 for children , campsites cost approximately $ 17-21 per night ; rental equipment starts at $ 2.50 per bucket/shovel/knee pads .
Boy Scout , this year , finds 11 carat at Arkansas state park . Arkansas 's Murfreesboro is only diamond-producing site in the world open to the public . New gem is the 328th diamond found by a park visitor 12 .