Upcoming July special events at the diamond mine

By Margi Jenks
In addition to regular daily programs, there are three great special events to look forward to in July: Independence Day Pool Party, Visit with an Expert Diamond Miner, and Diamond Mine Day Camp.
Independence Day Pool Party—Saturday, July 6th, 6:30 to 9 p.m., Diamonds Springs Water Park

This event is a great way to stay cool and have fun while celebrating our Nation’s independence. The Diamond Springs Water Park will be decked out in red, white, and blue. The evening’s program includes games for all ages, Independence Day trivia, door prizes, and the People’s Choice Patriotic Swimwear contest. We will have music, ending with a dance party of all your favorites, including YMCA and the Macarena. For those with a sweet tooth, the refreshments will include brownies and ice cream. Admission is only $4.00 for children under 42 inches tall, and $6.00 for people over 42” tall.
Visit with an Expert Diamond Miner—Saturday, July 13th, 2 to 3 p.m., Visitor Center theater
Jim Graham from Prescott, Arkansas has spent over 30 years searching for and finding Crater diamonds. From 2011 to June, 2013, he has found 53 diamonds. His largest recent diamonds were an 81 pt. white found on April 17, 2012 and an 89 pt. white on June 27, 2011. Jim will share his experiences from hunting for diamonds, and have his diamond collection for viewing. This event is free and open to the public.
Diamond Mine Day Camp—Friday, July 19th and Saturday, July 20th, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Make plans for your 4th through 6th graders to have two days of adventure and fun. Each day will include lunch, admission to the diamond search area, and swimming at the Diamond Springs Water Park. On Friday participants will learn Crater rock and mineral identification, jewelry making, and outdoor skills and preparedness. Saturday’s program is learning how to diamond mine and then the basics of photography. To register, call Margi or Waymon at the park, 870-285-3113. The camp cost is $20.00 per day. Registrations must be received by July 13th, and include a pre-payment of $10.00 per day. No refunds of the pre-registration fee will be issued after July 13th. Participants for Saturday will need to bring either a cell phone that takes pictures, or a digital camera. So, sign up soon, space is limited. 
Our Prospectors’ Treasure Hunt continues, with Bottles #2 and #3 still hidden in the diamond search area. For this week’s clues, one bottle is west of the north sluice box, and the other is south of the Uncle Sam Diamond marker. Good luck!

Search area last plowed: Different areas of the field are now plowed weekly;

Most recent rain: June 16 and 17

Total diamonds found in 2013: 299
Diamonds registered for June 23 - June 29 (100 points = 1 carat): 
June 23 & 24 – No diamonds were registered
June 25 – J. Gunner Cheek, Delight, AR, 1 pt. yellow; Jery Huddleston, Mt. Sterling, IL, 13 pt. white
June 26 – No diamonds were registered
June 27 – Kenneth Shoemaker, Murfreesboro, AR, 2 pt. white
June 28 – Dennis Nicely, Flower Mound, TX, 9 pt. brown; Caleb Berneathy, League City, TX, 6 pt. yellow
June 29 – No diamonds were registered