Time Machine Tuesday: Diamonds in Colorado

Did you know that Larimer County had a diamond mine?  The Kelsey Lake Mine was operational from 1996 to 2001.  During that time period, in 1999, the Colorado Geological Survey released What Are Diamonds?, an issue of their popular Rock Talk series.  This publication discussed Northern Colorado’s State Line Kimberlite District and the Kelsey Lake Mine, as well as the history of diamond mining in Colorado and the geology of diamonds.  In this fun, easy-to-read publication, you can learn such fun facts as:

  • How do volcanic deposits form diamonds?
  • What is Colorado’s connection to the famous Hope Diamond?
  • What was the Great Diamond Hoax of 1872?
  • How are diamonds mined?
  • What was the largest diamond found in Colorado?

For current information, including a location map, visit the Colorado Geological Survey’s Diamonds webpage.