Diamond Acres diggings, Fonda, Mohawk, Montgomery County, New York, USA

A cluster of Herkimer diamonds. Specimen is approximately 18mm tall x 15mm in width. Child photo shows additional view. Field collected in 2011.

© david hanson

Herkimer diamond on a bed of drusy quartz crystals. Specimen is 1.3cm tall x 2.5cm in width. Field collected in 2011.

© david hanson

A small cluster of water-clear quartz crystals. Overall specimen is 3.3 x 3.4 x 2.2cm. Field collected in 2011.

© david hanson

A small cluster of water-clear quartz crystals. Overall specimen is 3.0 x 3.4 x 2.3cm. Field collected by Christopher Hanson in 2011.

© david hanson

Herkimer diamond. Specimen is 4.2cm tall x 3.2cm in width. Field collected in 2011 by Chris Hanson.

© david hanson

A cluster of Herkimer diamonds. Crystals were found loose within a pocket and were re-assembled at appropriate contact points. Specimen is 4.0 cm tall x 6.0cm in width. Field collected by Christopher Hanson in 2011.

© david hanson

After hours of hard work, I was rewarded with a nice herkimer diamond. 7/3/2011. 8 cm x 6.5 cm x 9 cm.

Herkimer diamond. Specimen is 18mm tall x 16mm in width. Field collected in 2011.

© david hanson

Herkimer diamonds. Specimen is 3.1cm tall x 5.3cm in width. Field collected by Chris Hanson in 2011.

© david hanson

Herkimer diamond. Specimen is 2.5cm tall x 2.1cm in width. Field collected in 2011.

© david hanson

Herkimer diamond cluster. Specimen is 3.1cm tall x 4.0cm in width. Child photo shows additonal view. Field collected by Chris Hanson in 2011.

© david hanson

A small plate of drusy quartz found in a pocket along with quartz crystals. Specimen is 2.5 x 4.2 x 2.8cm. Field collected in 2011.

© david hanson

Herkimer diamonds on a bed of drusy quartz. Specimen is 1.9cm tall x 2.2cm in width. Field collected in 2011.

© david hanson

Herkimer crystal with phantom collected at the Berkshire claim with Larry Michon November 2018.

© Mike Polletta+

Rare matrix specimen of Herkimer Diamond variety quartz crystals (they easily pop off matrix during collecting). Overall size of mineral specimen: 25x22x18 mm. Size of individual crystals: 2-12 mm.

© 2001 John H. Betts

Exquisite small cluster of water-clear quartz crystals (variety Herkimer Diamond) on matrix. Complete and undamaged. Matrix specimens are rare because the crystals commonly break off matrix during collecting. Overall size of mineral specimen: 2x1.5x1 cm. Size of individual crystals: 1 cm.

© 2002 John H. Betts

Pyrobitumen (aka Antraxolite) in quartz matrix. FOV is about 12.0mm. Field collected in 2012.

© david hanson

Elongated marcasite crystals in calcite. Field of view is 12 mm across. Linda Frahm specimen. P. Cristofono photo.

© 2008 Peter Cristofono

Pyrobitumen (aka anthraxolite)"sphere" in quartz matrix. FOV is about 2.5mm. Field collected in 2012.

© david hanson

Herkimer diamonds fresh from a pocket. A great way to spend the 4th of July! 7/4/11. FOV is about 23 cm.

Calcite in matrix. FOV is 8.0mm. Fielc collected in 2012.

© david hanson

A heavily included, but otherwise transparent, 7 cm crystal.

© 2010, JGW

dolomite crystals in vug. Acid test...very little to almost no fizz

© F. G. Festa

Herkimer Diamond in Calcite. FOV is about 21.5mm. Field collected in 2012.

© david hanson

Herkimer diamonds with Pyrobitumen (aka antraxolite)inclusions. FOV is about 6.0mm. Field collected in 2012.

© david hanson

Quartz from a freshly-opened pocket. 7/3/2011. FOV 13 cm.

The other side of this piece is not as well formed with several contact points, but at 15cm. long is an example of how large the crystals can be at Diamond Acres.

Herkimer diamonds with Pyrobitumen (aka antraxolite)inclusions. FOV is about 6.0mm. Field collected in 2012.

© david hanson

Crystal in vug

© F. G. Festa

This 1cm cluster of Quartz crystals was part of the druzy lining of a pocket.

Herkimer diamond on matrix. FOV is approximately 2.0cm. Child photo shows additional view. Field collected in 2011.

© david hanson

Doubly terminated quartz crystal collected in 2012. Size of crystals is 20mm by 12mm

© Adam Berluti

"Smoky" Herkimer diamond. Specimen is 3.3cm tall x 5.3cm in width. Field collected by Chris Hanson in 2011.

© david hanson

Herkimer diamonds on matrix. Overall specimen is 2.7cm tall x 3.7cm in width. Field collected in 2011.

© david hanson

Herkimer diamond on matrix. Specimen is 5.0cm tall x 5.4cm in width. Field collected by Chris Hanson in 2011.

© david hanson

Herkimer diamond. Specimen is 3.9cm tall x 3.1cm in width. Field collected in 2011.

© david hanson

Dolomite crystals in a vug in the siliceous Little Falls Dolostone that is the host for the "Herkimer" type quartz crystal, one is visible deeper in the vug to the right of center. Former Howard Merk collection.

© 2024 Harold Moritz

Clear, "Herkimer-style" quartz crystals stuck on drusy quartz covering dolostone matrix. Harold Moritz collection.

© 2025 Harold Moritz

Quartz var. Herkimer Diamond Water clear Herkimer Diamonds on brown drusy quartz, on a dolostone matrix. There are two main crystals (20 and 27 mm.) and ten smaller ones. All of the crystals are clear, which is rare. The dark brown drusy sets them off nicely.

© Terry Burtzlaff

Doubly-terminated, transparent, with interesting growth features on the front rhombohedral terminal face. Harold Moritz specimen.

© 2025 Harold Moritz

Quartz var. Herkimer Diamond. Water clear Herkimer Diamonds on brown drusy quartz, on a dolostone matrix. There are two main crystals (20 and 27 mm.) and ten smaller ones. All of the crystals are clear, which is rare. The dark brown drusy sets them off nicely.

© Terry Burtzlaff

Quartz var. Herkimer Diamond Water clear Herkimer Diamonds on brown drusy quartz, on a dolostone matrix. The large crystal measures 20 mm. tall. The dark brown drusy sets them off nicely.

© Terry Burtzlaff

Mary Shaub (wife of Dr. Benjamin M. Shaub) collecting quartz crystals out of a large pocket and handing them to Lawrence Schoppee. September 1958

© Benjamin M. Shaub

The idea was to escape from New York City on the weekends, rain or shine! Here I am on an awful muddy day in 1963 at the old Stonearabia Road locality, Fonda, New York. The area was not yet exploited as a popular collecting area. We collected matrix specimens in the old stone walls and also dug pockets of large loose quartz crystals floating a ...

This trail is what you will find at the Diamond Acres. Simply follow it. This site is unique in that "claims" are every where. You can not dig in a claim. In order to dig here you must locate a area void of roped off areas or posted areas. Photo 2017

© F. G. Festa

This claim was unmanned when I arrived, not a sole in sight. Tools, chisels, wedges and various gear lay about as if abandoned. On the rock ledge, I count approx. 16 large crystals. Photo 2017

© F. G. Festa

As part of photo #829146.......this huge milky colored crystal, still attached to the rock from where it formed millions of years ago sits out guarding the other crystals on the ledge. Photo 2017

© F. G. Festa

Claims run for one year, this claim is an excavation which had to have taken many years to have dug this deep and through this amount of rock. Photo 2017

© F. G. Festa

Though a photo is a 2-dimensional representation of a 3-dimensional object, this "claim" is massive. Photo 2017

© F. G. Festa

I located this pile of rock and sat down here. It turned out to be a productive site, but how many rocks did I crack! Photo 2017

© F. G. Festa

With no roped off area or posted signs, this rocky area would be open to digging in.

© F. G. Festa

This claim wins the prize. It is dug and constructed like a Roman Bath, complete with rock walls, patio and descending rock slabs down into the water. Photo 2017

© F. G. Festa

It was quite an experience just to walk around the "Acres". Photo 2017

© F. G. Festa

This "claimant" dug a trench and cleverly piled the waste rock. Photo 2017

© F. G. Festa

As space is limited, "claimants" stack their debris too conserve space. Photo 2017

© F. G. Festa