Scott Kreykes of Dierks has been visiting Crater of Diamonds State Park for the past four years and has registered more than 80 diamonds. On Sept. 6 he registered his 50th diamond of the year and the 35,000th found and registered since the state park opened in 1972.Kreykes recently spent a day at the park sifting dirt from the East Drain of the diamond search area. He took his sifted gravel home to look through later. Park Interpreter Tayler Markham said, “Each visitor that comes to the park is allowed to take one five-gallon bucket of sifted gravel home with them per day. Some visitors like to resift their gravel at home or wait for it to dry to look for the metallic shine of a diamond.”
While searching through his gravel at home, Kreykes spotted a pearl-shaped diamond and excitedly called his wife over to show her. He knew the park was preparing to celebrate the 35,000th diamond find since 1972 and was hopeful that he would register the milestone gem. As he left for the park on the morning of Sept. 6, he slipped his diamond into a glass vial and told his wife, “This could be the 35,000th diamond!”
Kreykes carried his gem to the park’s Diamond Discovery Center, where staff registered it as a 3 pt. white diamond. Markham said, “Diamonds are weighed in points and carats. One hundred points is equal to one carat, like pennies to a dollar. Most diamonds found at the park weigh between 20 and 25 points.” When park staff revealed that Kreykes had indeed registered the 35,000th diamond, he told them he had goosebumps.
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