‘Diamond Rush’ in South African Village Was All for Nothing

A diamond rush in the South African village of KwaHlathi has ended almost as quickly as it began.

The “diamonds” in question turned out to be quartz, CBS News reports.

More than 1,000 diamond seekers arrived in the community after a herd man dug up stones in a field and thought they were diamonds. Word quickly got out, and people came to the village, located in KwaZulu-Natal province, from all over the country.

Some diamond hunters even started selling their finds. The commanded prices of $7.29 and up per stone.

But the rush lasted just a week.

According to the BBC, local government officials reported that “tests conducted conclusively revealed that the stones discovered in the area are not diamonds.”

The BBC notes that the rush “exposed deep frustrations of communities desperate to find a way out of poverty.”