What Is Herkimer Diamond?

What Is Herkimer Diamond? © Rainbow Doorways.

Herkimer diamond

Herkimer diamond is a double-terminated quartz crystal discovered within exposed outcrops of dolostone in and around Herkimer County, New York and the Mohawk River Valley. Because the first discovery sites were in the village of Middleville and in the city of Little Falls, respectively, the crystal is also known as a Middleville diamond or a Little Falls diamond.

Many of the New York crystals are known for their extreme clarity, and Wiccan and New Age belief systems often ascribe specific occult properties and a wide variety of mystical powers to them.
These quartz crystals, which geologists theorize formed extremely slowly in small solution cavities or vugs, have 18 facets (6 sides) and two terminations. There are also larger cavities that are several feet in diameter that are called "pockets". Herkimer diamonds are found clear, cloudy, smoky or even containing a variety of rare impurities. Impurities (rare and general) can include clusters, scepters, fluid inclusions (sometimes incorrectly called enhydros), phantom, and bridge crystals.

A fluid inclusion is a pocket within a crystal containing liquid, usually water, sometimes also methane or oil, and rarely, smaller crystals. A phantom is a crystal containing other visible crystals of the same type, a skeletal crystal contains a series of crystal edge outlines inside the crystal and a hopper crystal has its faces replaced by a step like pattern.

Herkimer Diamond. Photo: Northern Maine Minerals

You Can Find It at Crystal Grove Diamond Mine, St. Johnsville, New York

New York is home to Broadway shows, plenty of shopping, Times Square, and the Statue of Liberty, but did you know New York is a great place to mine for gemstones? Crystal Grove Diamond Mine is the place to go to find Herkimer diamonds, beautiful quartz crystals that are fun to mine. These crystals were first discovered in New York, and the perfect clarity of some of these stones makes them very popular with gem hunters.

Address:  161 County Highway 114 Saint Johnsville NY


See also:
6 Places Where Can You Go to Dig for Gemstones in California
What Is Geyser Opal, and Where You Can Find It?
Dig Your Own Unique Opals From Nevada