Barren Lands: An Epic Search for Diamonds in the North American Arctic traces the remarkable true story of two unlikely prospectors who transformed a remote Canadian wilderness into one of the world’s most important diamond fields.
Beginning in the late 1970s, a stubborn mineral hunter and a tough geologist-helicopter pilot embark on a decades-long quest to prove that North America can host a major gem mine. Following faint geological clues from Arkansas through the Rocky Mountains and into the stark tundra of northern Canada, they piece together a trail that earlier explorers, prospectors, and scientists failed to read.
The narrative blends high-stakes adventure with clear explanations of how tiny mineral grains, glacial deposits, and bedrock formations can reveal hidden riches below the surface. Along the way, the team contends with brutal weather, isolation, corporate rivals, and the sheer scale of the Arctic landscape.
Beyond the excitement of a modern mineral rush, the book reflects on the fragile beauty of the barren lands—its lakes, wildlife, and raw geology—and raises difficult questions about what happens when this last great wilderness is opened to large-scale development.
Highlights
- Real-life adventure in the Canadian Arctic wilderness
- Inside look at modern mineral exploration and diamond geology
- Rivalry with major corporations and the rush that followed discovery
- Thoughtful examination of environmental and wilderness impacts
