Skip to primary navigationSkip to main contentSkip to footer
Lester Martin logo
  • Engagement
    • Shop Complete Rings
    • Find Your Diamond
    • Start With the Ring Setting
    • Diamond Education
  • Collections
    • 302
    • Alisa
    • Ashi
    • Dugout Mugs
    • Barbela Design
    • Bassali
    • Chisel
    • Citizen
    • Cosi Bella Coins
    • Dilamani
    • Elysium
    • Ever & Ever
    • Fingerprint Jewelry
    • Hidalgo
    • La Vie
    • Lafonn
    • Leslie's
    • Lester Martin Collection
    • Meira T.
    • Lightning Ridge Opal
    • Mova Globes
    • Reflection Beads
    • Religious Collection
    • Rembrandt Charms
    • Roger Dery Gem Design
    • Romance Diamond
    • Royal Chain
    • Shardz
    • Stuller
  • Jewelry
    • LMJ Deals and Steals
    • Engagement
        Complete Diamond Engagement RingsSemi-mount Diamond Engagement RingsAnniversary Bands
    • Wedding Bands
        Diamond Wedding BandsGemstone Wedding BandsGold Wedding BandsAlternative Metal Rings
    • Pendants
        Diamond PendantsGemstone PendantsGold PendantsSilver PendantsReligious Pendants
    • Charms and Charm Bracelets
        CharmsCharm Bracelets
    • Earrings
        Diamond EarringsGemstone EarringsPearl EarringsGold EarringsSilver EarringsPiercing Earrings
    • Necklaces
        Diamond NecklacesGemstone NecklacesPearl NecklacesGold NecklacesSilver NecklacesFamily NecklacesReligious Necklaces
    • Chains
    • Rings
        Diamond Fashion RingsGemstone Fashion RingsPearl RingsGold Fashion RingsSilver Fashion RingsFamily Rings
    • Bracelets
        Diamond BraceletsGemstone BraceletsPearl BraceletsGold BraceletsSilver BraceletsAnkletsFamily BraceletsReligious BraceletsBangle BraceletsChain Bracelets
    • Estate Jewelry
    • Giftware
        CrystalGold Dipped Roses
    • Men's Section
        Men's NecklacesMen's ShavingMen's BraceletsMen's AccessoriesClasps
    • Watches
        Women's WatchesMen's WatchesUnisex WatchesWatch Bands
    • Accessories
        Cleaning SuppliesWomen's Accessories
    • Eternity Bands
  • Education
    • Jewelry Education
    • Diamond Education
      • The Four Cs of Diamonds
      • Diamond Buying Tips
    • Choosing The Right Setting
    • Learn About Gemstones
      • Birthstone Guide
      • Gemstone Guide
    • Precious Metals
    • Jewelry Care
      • Caring for Fine Jewelry
      • Diamond Cleaning
      • Gemstone Cleaning
    • Anniversary Guide
    • Gold Buying Guide
  • About
    • About Us
    • Events
    • Our Blog
    • Diamonds Do Good
    • Services
    • Testimonials
    • Jewelry Insurance
  • Contact
  • AccountToggle My Account Menu
  • SearchToggle Search Menu
  • Wish ListToggle My Wishlist
  • Bag (0)Toggle Shopping Cart Menu
  1. Home
  2. Blog
  3. 100-Year-Old 'Grease Table' Tech Still Helps in Recovery of Small Diamonds

100-Year-Old 'Grease Table' Tech Still Helps in Recovery of Small Diamonds

Published: Mar 12, 2024
100-Year-Old 'Grease Table' Tech Still Helps in Recovery of Small Diamonds
Author: 
LMJ Blog Team

If you mosey on down to the lower level of the Diamond Discovery Center at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, AR, you'll see an ingenious piece of diamond-sorting technology that has stood the test of time. It's a replica of a "grease table" that allowed miners to separate small diamonds from dirt, rocks and other minerals.

First invented and used in the late 1890s to support the diamond mining efforts in Kimberley, South Africa, grease tables functioned on the scientific principle that diamonds are naturally hydrophobic, meaning they repel water.

The table is set up as a series of pitched stairs on which a gooey grease is applied. A gentle stream of water enters the table from the top and is collected in a trough below. When fine diamond-bearing material is added to the stream at the top of the stairs, the soil and minerals slide easily over the grease and out the bottom, while even the smallest of diamonds remain relatively dry and get caught in the grease.

At the end of the run, the grease is scraped from the steps and boiled down so the grease turns to oil. At that point, the oil and water separate and the diamonds fall to the bottom of the container, where they can be retrieved.

Before the invention of the grease table, teeny diamonds had to be picked by hand.

Here in the US, grease tables were employed at the diamond processing plants that operated on the current site of Crater of Diamonds State Park, where amateur miners get to keep what they find at the only diamond site in the world that’s open to the general public.

One of the early manufacturers of the tables was the Kimberlite Diamond Mining and Washing Company, which operated from 1912 until 1919, according to an article published on the Arkansas State Parks' website.

Park interpreter Sarah Reap wrote that the company referred to its machine as “unerring,” noting that “even microscopic diamonds are "trapped" and its "power of discrimination is little short of marvelous."

The grease table did have its limitations, however. For the grease to work properly, the temperature in the processing room had to be between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit. If the grease was cold and hard, the diamonds would slide right off. If the grease was too warm, it became too sticky.

According to Reap, modern grease tables use a combination of wax and petroleum jelly.

It's amazing to think that a technology developed more than 100 years ago is still in use today, joining other tried-and-true inventions, such as the light bulb (1879), stapler (1866), bottle opener (1892) and the escalator (1892).

If you'd like to see a grease table in action, check out this video hosted by author and Arkansas diamond mining expert Glenn W. Worthington…

Credit: Image courtesy of Arkansas State Parks.

Categories
  • Previous Article
  • Next Article
Lester Martin Address
Lester Martin Jewelers
1650 Limekiln Pike B27
Dreshertown Plaza
Dresher, PA 19025
(267) 470-4771
ValentinesW
CLOSED: Sat 5/24 Fri & Sat 5/30 & 5
Store Information
Store Hours

Tuesday - By Appointment Only

Mon - Tues:Closed
Wed - Fri:10:00am - 5:00pm
Saturday:10:00am - 3:00pm
Sunday:Closed
Jewelry
  • LMJ Deals and Steals
  • Engagement
  • Wedding Bands
  • Pendants
  • Charms and Charm Bracelets
  • Earrings
  • Necklaces
  • Chains
  • Rings
  • Bracelets
  • Estate Jewelry
  • Giftware
  • Men's Section
  • Watches
  • Accessories
  • Eternity Bands
Collections
  • 302
  • Alisa
  • Stocking Stuffers. Most Items Below $75
  • Ashi
  • Dugout Mugs
  • Barbela Design
  • Bassali
  • Chisel
  • Citizen
  • Cosi Bella Coins
  • Dilamani
  • Elysium
  • Ever & Ever
  • Fingerprint Jewelry
  • Hidalgo
  • La Vie
  • Lafonn
  • Leslie's
  • Lester Martin Collection
  • Meira T.
  • Lightning Ridge Opal
  • Men's Shaving
  • Mova Globes
  • Reflection Beads
  • Religious Collection
  • Rembrandt Charms
  • Roger Dery Gem Design
  • Romance Diamond
  • Royal Chain
  • Shardz
  • Stuller
  • Valentine's Day Gifts
Our Store
  • About Us
  • Events
  • Services
  • Privacy Policy
  • Return Policy
Mailing List

Sign up for special offers and discounts

© 2025 Lester Martin. All Rights Reserved. Website designed, maintained, and hosted by Punchmark. Accessibility Statement.

Learn how we use cookies in our Privacy Policy or manage cookie preferences.