Kimberlite in Australia is found primarily in Western Australia (Kimberley region), South Australia (Flinders Ranges, Eyre Peninsula), and the Northern Territory (Merlin field, Batten Trough), often associated with ancient cratons and deep fractures, with discoveries including the famous Argyle Mine (though it's lamproite, related to kimberlites) and numerous other pipes and dykes, notably in the North and West Kimberley, East Kimberley, Carnarvon basin, and South Australia.
Lamprophyric (including kimberlitic) rocks are widespread in South Australia. Significant areas include: Eyre Peninsula.
The large diamonds mines are recovering the diamonds from Kimberlite1 or lamproite2 pipes. These diamond-bearing pipes are located on Archean cratons3, which form the old cores of the continents. Pipes larger than 10 hectares4 in size can produce 3 to 4 million carats of diamonds, worth 350 million US dollars.
Australia's largest and most economic diamond deposit has been the Argyle Mine, in the East Kimberley region of Western Australia.
Most of the world's kimberlites occur in South Africa, where over 3,000 kimberlite pipes have been found. Over 200 are known in North America, of which about 40 occur near the Colorado-Wyoming state line. Important new discoveries have been made in northern Canada in the last decade.
As the rocks erode, diamonds are released from the kimberlite. The kimberlite weathers to a yellowish product referred to as yellow ground. Diamonds are easily extracted from yellow ground, but fresh kimberlite rock, called blue ground, holds the diamonds and must be crushed in order to release them.
Arkansas's Crater of Diamonds State Park is one of the only diamond-producing sites in the world where the public can search for diamonds in their original volcanic source. The policy here is "finders, keepers," meaning the diamonds you find are yours to keep.
The Gemfields, Central Queensland
The Gemfields attract travellers and treasure seekers who want to experience the real Australian outback. Work your way around Sapphire, Rubyvale and Anakie to discover what gems end up in your sieve.
A 1-carat diamond in Australia generally costs between A$2,000 and A$20,000+, but can range from under $1,100 for lower-grade stones to over $18,000 for high-quality, well-cut diamonds, with the price heavily influenced by the "4 Cs": Cut, Colour, Clarity, and Carat, plus the diamond's shape and if it's natural or lab-grown (lab-grown being much cheaper). For example, you might find a lower-clarity, M-color oval for around $1,000, while a D-color, VVS1 princess cut could be over $11,000.
Diamonds can be found anywhere beneath layer 16, but is most common in layers 5-12 in version 1.17. 1 and below; in versions 1.18 and later they are expected to be most common between layers -50 to -64. Most players find it through caving or mining.
As a product of partial melting of the lithospheric mantle, the discovery of gold could prove that the magma source of these kimberlites is a gold-rich lithospheric mantle.
The Aquamarine name comes from the Latin word for seawater and is said to calm waves and keep sailors safe at sea. It is sometimes referred to as a poor man's diamond because of the pale color.
For a $5,000 budget, you can typically get a natural diamond ring with a center stone around 0.75 to 1.0 carat, depending heavily on the stone's quality (cut, color, clarity) and the setting's cost. You could also get a much larger, 3-4 carat lab-grown diamond, or a sizable stone of other gems like sapphires or moissanite, as these alternatives offer more carat weight for the same price.
Opal, also known to Indigenous people as the fire of the desert, is a powerful symbol of Australia's arid interior. Australia is home to the world's highest quality, precious opal. The most famous is black opal from Lightning Ridge in New South Wales.
In the United States, Arkansas, Colorado, and Wyoming contain kimberlites that have produced diamonds. Kentucky contains both of these type of rocks — kimberlites in Elliott County and lamprophyre dikes in western Kentucky — although no naturally occurring diamonds have ever been found in either of these rocks.
As one of the most famous diamonds in the world, the Pink Star continues to be a symbol of opulence and rarity. Its current owners, Chow Tai Fook Enterprises, have yet to announce any plans to resell the diamond However, it remains a prized asset in their impressive collection of high-value gemstones.
The Moussaieff Red Diamond
Weighing 5.11 carats, this is the largest known red diamond, making it exceptionally rare. Red is the rarest color classification for diamonds, and stones of this size and purity are virtually unheard of.
The rarest and most valuable gem in Australia is the Black Opal, primarily found in Lightning Ridge, NSW, known for its deep color and vibrant "play-of-color," making it highly sought after globally. While Australia produces most of the world's opals, high-quality black opal is exceptionally scarce due to unique geological conditions, making it Australia's national gemstone and a symbol of rarity.
Yes, in most Australian states, you can generally keep gold you find, especially as a hobbyist on {!nav}Crown land, but you typically need a Miner's Right or prospecting permit, and rules vary by state, with Tasmania having stricter laws where gold may remain Crown property. The key is proper licensing, respecting land ownership, using hand tools (no explosives/heavy machinery), and distinguishing between hobby finds (often tax-free) and commercial mining.
I can argue that spring can be the best time because fresh material and its been releasing fossils throughout the winter. On the other hand, I can argue that in the fall can be the best because of the amount of storms that must have occurred since the spring and material was being washed out all year.
You may bring your own mining equipment to search with (no battery-operated or motor-driven mining tools allowed), or rent tools from the park. Your diamond search begins here, where you can prepare for your visit by learning about diamonds and how to search for them.
You've probably heard about the 4Cs of a diamond, and you may even know that it stands for diamond cut, color, clarity and carat weight.
James Ward pictured with the 2.09-carat brown diamond he found at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Ark in December 2025. It started as a winter break question from two kids—where could they mine for crystals?—and ended with a 2.09-carat diamond pulled from the dirt.