Herkimer Diamond Event: The tiny crystals act as “seeds” from which larger Herkimer diamonds grow.
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The Herkimer diamond
crystals formed over the
top of the “seed crystals”,
in a hole with enough room to
grow, and in the presence of
hydrocarbons (oil, gas) - about
450 million years ago.
The Herkimer Diamond Mining District is unique in the
world - not because it produces brilliant small crystals (lot
of locations do so - see list of other locations) but
because of the wide diversity in size, shape, color, clarity
and how it is found in the rock. The diversity of Herkimer
diamond specimens is so large that it needs to be broken
into separate pages in order to cover all of the different
types that are found. Below is the list of web pages
dedicated to each Herkimer diamond variation:
A Large Diversity in Herkimer Diamonds
Every Herkimer diamond specimen tells a story about its formation, particularly if it is attached to the rock of
its “birth place” (called a matrix specimen). When detached from rock, loose as a single crystal, it is difficult
to tell the differences from one mine to another, with a few exceptions (some types of crystals are unique to
certain mines). Understanding “how Herkimer diamonds were made” requires collecting hundreds of
samples from across the entire district are donated by the community and thus make this research project
successful. A list of the supporters is provided on the “Friends of Herkimer Diamonds” page:
More information about how Herkimer diamonds were formed will be provided on the pages listed in the column
on the right. In addition, within those pages will be links to more science - look for the red numbered button.
Best Website for Herkimer Diamond Information - Made Possible by Collector Donations
The information, and photography, on this website is copyright protected
by W. David Hoisington, Ph. D. unless another author/photographer is cited.
Welcome to the New Herkimer Diamond Story!
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Updated - 03/09/2019
Contribute to Herkimer
Diamond research and
have your name below!
Thank you Shannon Haley
Wilbur for the donation of 30
samples from the Fonda
region.1/05/2019 and 3/2/2019
Check out her Facebook.
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