My daughter, son and son in law went to Arkansas to the diamond mine....its a large open field of dirt and after the rains mud. You can rent what is needed (cheap) keep whatever you find and there are things other than diamonds that have been found...wear old clothes, boots if it muddy and dig all you want. They have a gemologist to check out what you have and tell you if you have anything of value. You keep all or sometimes someone will buy from you at the park...locals have set ups. but they have to be small....it was fun but we were unlucky enough to have to dig in mud. Dry county, 50 miles round trip for son to get some beer. The state is a lot of nothing. Daughter wondered why it wasn’t the suicide cap. of the country..
You and your family really need to get out more often.