Barren Lands: An Epic Search for Diamonds in the North American Arctic

by Kevin Krajick

In the tradition of Sebastian' Junger's The Perfect Storm and Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air, Barren Lands is the extraordinary tale of two small-time prospectors who risked their lives to discover $17 billion worth of diamonds in the desolate tundra of the far north.

In the late 1970's, two men set out on a twenty-year search for a North American gem mine, along a fabled path that had defied 16th-century explorers, Wild West prospectors, and modern geologists. They are an unlikely pair: Chuck Fipke, a ragged, stuttering fellow with a singular talent for finding sand-size mineral grains, and Stew Blusson, an ultra-tough geologist and helicopter pilot. Inventive, eccentric and ruthless, they follow a trail of geologic clues left by predecessors all the way from backwoods Arkansas up the glaciated high Rockies into the vast and haunted "barren lands" of northern Canada. With a South African geochemist's "secret weapon," Fipke and Blusson outwit rivals, including the immense De Beers carte, and make one of the world's greatest diamond discoveries- setting off a stampede unseen since the Klondike gold rush.

A story of obsession and scientific intrigue, Barren Lands is also an elegy to one of earth's last great wild places, a starkly beautiful and mysterious land strewn with pure lakes and alive with wolves and caribou. An endless variety of primeval glacial rock formations hide copper, zinc, and gold, in addition to diamonds. Now that the barrens are "open for business," what will happen to this great wilderness region?

Barren Lands is an unforgettable journey for those who, in the words of a nineteenth-century trapper, "want to see that country before it is all gone."

Genres: Nonfiction

464 pages, Hardcover

First published October 16, 2001

Reviews

[zogador · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's shame this author has only published this one book. Perhaps we can hope for more in the future. This seems to be a somewhat undiscovered work, and that is surprising considering how well-written it is. Which brings us to the main problem... How do you write about geology and mining while presenting it in a form which is still interesting for the layman? Krajick does exactly that.

This book is much more than a dry recount of the search for and discovery of diamonds. The meat of the story is actually the people who were involved. The author illuminates the elements of vibrant personality, drawing the reader into a more personal understanding of events as they unfold. Yes, they key elements of science and method are included, but succinctly so. Only a very mild interest in the rocks and history is required to enjoy the overall picture.

I learned a lot about diamonds from this book and I enjoyed every minute of it.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second time reading this book and never tire of it. Well researched, a super engaging story written by a talented, unbiased journalist. I am curious to read the other version of events called Fire into Ice. I've had it in my bookshelf for years- it's probably time to take a crack at it. Definitely a geology favorite of all time.

[Steve Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Krajick paints a full spectrum view of the minerals industry as well as the lengths people will go to achieve their goals. Barren Lands is a prime example of what explorers, prospectors, and exploration geologists must endure to make that once-in-a-lifetime find. The book does a good job exposing the borderline insanity and life threatening risks that go into this profession. The beginning paints the backdrop exceptionally well, showing what such an isolated place does to a person; both physically and mentally. This theme is carried through to the end of the book.
Since there is large amounts of money at play in this story, there is the obligatory inclusion of greed and breakdown of relationships that comes with proximity to money. I found the ending to be satisfactory in the fact that it is not sensational, but realistic. That's just the way things go, even in the untameable North.
I highly recommend this book to anyone considering or currently in the commodities industry, especially the geological sciences. Barren Lands gives perspective to what you can expect if exploration is your game.

[Shiva · Rating 5 out of 5]

Makes want to switch from soft sed to hard rock.