Ace of Diamonds Mine & Campground — Hotel in Town of Newport

Originally on my way to the other diamond mine nearby, I was reluctant to stop in here, but now I'm really so glad I did. This review is not of the mine itself, of which I didn't partake, but rather the mineral and gem shop, and the helpfulness of its keep that day Dan Sebastian. I was looking for fluorescent minerals and when I asked if it was ok to use my UV light to search for any Dan said it was fine and even shut the lights off for me! Not only did they have some nice fluorescent pieces, but when I asked if they had any phosphorescent specimens he had some of those too! Usually if I ask that question pretty much anywhere all I get is strange looks. I ended up buying a fluorescent enhydro Herk diamond and a really nice piece of EXTREMELY phosphorescent drip calcite / dogtooth calcite (he even gave me a free smaller piece as well with the purchase) that Dan had mined himself right on site. I really enjoyed having a nice long discussion with him about fluorescent and phosphorescent minerals, Herk enhydro origins, and nuclear fusion research among other things. If you're interested in the real deal of truly knowledgeable Herk diamond mining and other minerology you probably won't get that from the place down the street which is staffed mainly by younger kids working part time jobs (don't get me wrong, everyone there was definitely super nice and accommodating, but I'm left with the impression that the serious miner or amateur mineralogist should definitely go to the Ace instead). Don't let Dan's broad working man's shoulders and near ZZ Top like beard fool you, he's actually a very well informed and really intelligent sweetie that you won't regret getting to know further. Hope to be back some day and thanks again for the awesome glowing minerals and...

This review is on our trip in July 2023.

Our first trip to New York to dig for Herkimer Diamonds was back in 2010. We dug at the Ace of Diamonds mine. Great time & loads of herks to be had. Smashed rocks, sifted through dirt amongst the piles, and walked around plucking them off the ground. We returned multiple times until suddenly the landscape changed and the rock pile was not the same. All there was were rocks from the cliff that the claims people had sheered off to hopefully find pockets in the walls. We find out in our 2021 trip that the Ace of Diamonds is in a lawsuit and it cannot dig up new material/loads of rock and earth from deep in the mine areas to dump for all of the daily customers to prospect. The place is a waste of time and money now.

Fast forward to today July 2023 and we see they post that they are able to now dig new material and bring it to the piles. We have high hopes that we will get to enjoy this place once again and head out from mid Ohio to see. Upon arrival the pile does not lie...it tells us that nothing has changed. We buy our wrist bands and ask if they have done as they suggested on their website and added new material. They hedge in their answer and claim that they just cant get any of the machines working...I would suggest that you do not post a promise of new material until you are actually able to do this. Another absolutely sad trip to Ace of Diamonds Mine. I am not sure why anyone would donate to the gofundme. Lesson learned that they are just looking to have people...

This is my second time visiting the Ace of Diamonds, and it was even more fun than the first!

We stopped at the Herkimer Diamond Mine with the KOA Resort down the road, which was a blatant tourist trap in comparison to AoD. Although it has beautiful facilities and a stunning archive of various minerals, the prices are outrageous at Herkimer KOA.

Ace of Diamonds feels like a true, down to earth mine. Reasonable admission and equipment rental prices; it features a quaint shop with a surprising variety of unusual items. This rockhound gleefully perused the store, marveling at the selection of hard-to-find stones.

The staff were super nice, salt of the earth folks. They were very friendly, helping us choose the proper tools and digging locations/techniques.

There are a few options: hard rock mining at the ledge, which is for more experienced miners. Breaking up smaller rocks at the base of the ledge, or sluicing the tailings at the top of the hill.

You can bring your own equipment if you choose, but they offer a large selection of tools such as sledgehammers, chisels, buckets, and shovels. Prices are very fair.

Be aware that the driveway is easy to miss, and depending on the direction from which you're coming, it is a sharp turn into the parking lot.

This is a fantastic experience for a family, especially on a budget. It's almost a guarantee that you'll bring home souvenirs. If you're looking for some wholesome fun, check out the Ace of...