Man finds 35,000th diamond at Arkansas park, his 50th this year

A man in Arkansas reached two major milestones when he found a diamond at Crater of Diamonds State Park earlier this month. 

Scott Kreykes, of Dierks, Arkansas, found his 50th diamond of 2022, which also happened to be the 35,000th diamond to be registered at the state park, according to a press release from Arkansas State Parks.

Over the last four years, Kreykes has found and registered more than 80 diamonds — 50 of which he found this year — at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas, the press release said. 

Earlier this month, Kreykes was sifting dirt in the diamond search area and decided to take some sifted gravel home to look through later. 

Park guidelines allow visitors to take one five-gallon bucket of sifted gravel home per day, the press release said. 

While sifting through his gravel at home, Kreykes found one small diamond. On Sept. 6, he brought it to the park’s Diamond Discovery Center to have it officially registered, the press release said. 

Park staff registered the diamond as a 4-point white diamond. Diamonds that are smaller than a carat are weighed in points, with 100 points being equal to one carat, according to the press release. 

Park staff also told Kreykes that his diamond was the 35,000th to be found and registered in Crater of Diamonds State Park since it opened in 1972.

When Kreykes heard the news, he told the staff that he had goosebumps, the press release said. 

For his achievement, Kreykes received a free two-night stay at an Arkansas state park and a special display for his diamond and registration card, the release said.

Kreykes named his diamond Leo, after his grandson, according to the release.