If you’re looking for diamonds, Georgia might not be the first place that comes to mind. But you’d be surprised at what lies beneath its red clay soil.
Georgia is better known for its juicy peaches and large farmlands, but its secret gem—literally—is the chance to find diamonds! Even though there aren’t many of these sparkling gems, people who are looking for them can try their luck at finding something truly special.
We will show you how to find diamonds in Georgia in this article. We’re going to talk about where you might have the best chance of finding these valuable stones and give you tips from pro hunters.
Our tips can help you find a diamond, no matter how skilled or interested you are in the subject. Continue reading to learn about Georgia’s hidden gems and how you can win a shiny prize from the Empire State of the South!
What Is Georgia Diamond Anyway?
Diamonds are made up of crystals that are a hundred times stronger than anything else. They are made of carbon, which makes pencil lead and charcoal.
It takes billions of years and a lot of heat and pressure deep below the Earth’s surface for them to form. Think of it as nature’s pressure cooker.
They then rise to the top during volcanic eruptions and hide in rocks called “kimberlite,” where we can find them. People love putting them in jewelry because they are shiny and can change light into all the rainbow colors.
There are many places in the world where you can find gems, and the location where you find specimens can also affect how much a diamond is worth. People dig them from kimberlite rocks in large pits or riverbeds.
They also sort and sift through the sand and gravel in riverbeds, where loose diamonds may have ended up after being pushed by water for a long distance. Before they are put on rings or pendants, these shiny stones go on a long journey and stay in different places.
We’ve made a guide to identifying diamonds to help you with your search.
- The deep experience and understanding of our team about the area
- Recommendations from local groups and clubs
- How easy it is to get the a particular location
- Safety and potential hazards when collecting
- Weighing private and public locations
- The ability for both experienced and novice geode enthusiasts to find great samples
With these factors in mind we’ve been able to put together a fantastic list that just about anyone can use!
The Best Places To Find Diamond in Georgia
Let’s talk about where to find diamonds in the state. There are a lot of great places to try to find gems in Georgia, but only a few are good for diamonds. It’s not always easy to find places that few people know about.
Always Confirm Access and Collection Rules!
Before heading out to any of the locations on our list you need to confirm access requirements and collection rules for both public and private locations.
These requirements are subject to change without notice and may differ from what we state below.
Always get updated information directly from the source ahead of time to ensure responsible rockhounding.
Glade Creek
Glade Creek is a secret gem for nature lovers. It flows through the state’s beautiful scenery. People come to the creek for more than just the beautiful scenery.
It’s also a popular place to find something extra sparkly: diamonds. The water in the creek has moved the dirt and rocks around over time, which can sometimes show shiny treasures.
Because of the way the rocks are formed, the creek could bring diamonds from deep underground to places where visitors with sharp eyes might find them.
You may bring sieves and shovels in order to try to catch the light bouncing off of a diamond in the rough. Being patient and having a little luck could help you find something shiny in the sands and gravels of the creek on a sunny day. The adventure is in the great outdoors, and you’ll enjoy the beauty of Georgia’s wildness!
Where we found diamond at Glade Creek
Usually, natural diamonds are found in places where kimberlite or lamproite rocks, which contain diamonds, rise to the surface. These places have been volcanic in the past. Diamonds in Glade Creek can also likely be found in alluvial deposits.
The tools every geode hunter will need
When you're out looking for geodes having the right tools for the job is very important. You don't need a lot for most trips but there are a handful that are critical and will make your life a lot easier.
We get asked a lot about the equipment we use. Over the years we've found a handful of tools that we recommend to both new and experienced geode hunters which we outline in great detail in our complete rockhounding tools and kit guide. These are quality options that also happen to be relatively inexpensive.
Below are the basic tools that make your life so much easier and save you a ton of time. Check out the full guide to see everything we recommend bringing. One quick note, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases but we try very hard to only recommend gear we would use ourselves and often recommend brands you can't find on Amazon.
At a minimum you should have:
1 - Sturdy rock hammer: The Estwing Rock Pick is our standard
2 - Rugged chisels: Try Kendo' 3-piece Chisel Set
3 - Compact shovel: The Koleiya 28-inch shovel works well
4 - Rock screen pan: The Wazakura Soil Sieve Set fits the bill
5 - Eye protection: DeWalt Safety Glasses are cheap and comfortable
6 - Head protection: Malta's Safety Helmet has been our go-to
7 - Jewelers lens with at least 20x magnification: Jarlink's Jewelers Loop is perfect
The geode-finding books that we use most
There are also a few books that have been extremely helpful in the search for gems. These books have great recommendations and tips:
National Audubon Society Field Guide to Rocks and Minerals: North America
Southeast Treasure Hunter's Gem & Mineral Guide
Earth Treasures: The Southeastern Quadrant
We provide links to find these tools on Amazon but some can also be found at your local hardware stores. For more recommendations check out the link to our full tool guide above.
Nacoochee Valley Placers
Treasure hunters will have a great time in Georgia’s Nacoochee Valley Placer. If something is a “placer,” it means that rich minerals have built up on it over thousands of years through water action.
In the past, this valley was a popular place for gold workers to find wealth in the streams and ground. People don’t just come with their pans and shovels to look for gold. There are stories and some proof that diamonds might be mixed in too.
It’s not as likely to find a diamond in the Nacoochee Valley as it is to find gold, but the thought of it makes the search more exciting. With a little luck, you might find a beautiful diamond.
It’s kind of like a treasure hunt where you can enjoy nature and learn about Georgia’s past!
Where we found diamond in Nacoochee Valley Placers
Sifting through the sand and gravel, especially in or near the streams, you might just find a diamond.
Shell Bluff
Shell Bluff is a place with a lot of history and interesting rocks. The tall rocks along the Savannah River, which look like pages from a history book, are what make it famous.
These layers show what the seas were like millions of years ago and the animals that lived in them. The Bluff isn’t just for history buffs, though. Rock hunters and gem hunters can also go there to try their luck.
Shell Bluff could be a good place to find diamonds because it has the right kind of old, deep rocks where diamonds are sometimes found.
You can learn about nature and the land at Shell Bluff, where the layers of earth are very rich. You might even find a secret gem that has been waiting for you for millions of years!
Where we found diamond in Shell Bluff
The most common place where diamonds are found is in volcanic pipes that bring them to the surface from deep inside the Earth in kimberlite or lamproite rocks.
Other Great Places To Find Georgia Diamonds
Here are the rest of the places on our list, after our favorites. We’ve broken down each place by county and added a few more places where we were successful.
Our recommendations by county
| County | Location |
| Clayton | Morrow Station |
| Clayton | Morrow area creek beds |
| Hall | Stockeneter Branch Placer |
| Twiggs | Pikes Peak |
| White | County stream gravels and placers |
| White | Horshaw Mine |
Common Diamond-Hunting Questions
People often ask the following questions when they want to know where to find diamonds in Georgia:
Is it illegal to collect diamonds in Georgia?
Generally, it depends on who owns the land and the rules in the area about mineral rights and collection to decide if it’s legal to dig for diamonds.
It’s important to remember that, depending on the laws in Georgia, someone else may own the mineral rights even if you have permission to collect them on someone else’s land or on your own.
The Best Places To Buy Diamond in Georgia
You’ll always feel good when you hold a diamond. But some people don’t like to dirty and work hard. If you don’t want to do that to find gems, this list is for you.
Here are some of our favorite places in the area to buy and find diamonds:
- Diamond Center – 5701 Appalachian Hwy, Blue Ridge, GA 30513, United States
- Forever Diamonds – 2922 Watson Blvd #305, Centerville, GA 31028, United States
- Masina Diamonds – 75 John Portman Blvd NW Suite 6N-106, Atlanta, GA 30303, United States
- North Georgia Diamonds – 29 Highland Dr #105, East Ellijay, GA 30540, United States
- Oxford Diamonds – 4800 Briarcliff Rd NE #2041, Atlanta, GA 30345, United States
