Like many other colloquial mineral monikers (another well-known example is \u201cHerkimer diamonds\u201d), these \u201cdiamonds\u201d are not diamonds at all, but quartz<\/span><\/strong> crystals. The glint of reflected sunlight off the faces of these quartz crystals can give the barren desert the appearance of being \u201cpaved with diamonds\u201d (Albright and Bauer 1955).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Article and Photos by Phil Simmons and Erin Delventhal at Enchanted Minerals LLC – enchantedmineralsLLC@gmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n