| Would you like to find a million dollar gemstone while | | | | which are open to rockhounds who would like to pay |
| on vacation in the Western deserts? Well, then you | | | | to dig for the fiery precious black opal. You have a |
| may be interested in a colorful opal from Nevada. Not | | | | couple of different options, tailings diggings or bank |
| many people know that northern Nevada is famous | | | | diggings. At one mine you may dig directly in the |
| for its beautiful, colorful black Opal. The state | | | | bank, while another they will dig up a section of bank, |
| contains some very rich precious opal beds and has | | | | and haul the freshly dug material in for you to search |
| produced some spectacular and extremely valuable | | | | through. You end up working through the opal |
| specimens. The Virgin Valley opal beds in northwest | | | | bearing material in a safe location, and this eliminates |
| Humboldt County are perhaps the most famous | | | | exposing the bigger to any dangers of caving at the |
| gemstone locality in Nevada, and Nevada has | | | | bank face. |
| produced a large amount of gem material. High quality | | | | At the time of this writing, the three areas open for |
| precious opal emitting a multihued rainbow of color is | | | | rock hounds are: |
| found replacing wood or other plant material in this | | | | 1. Rainbow Ridge Mine |
| remote location. | | | | 2. Royal Peacock Opal Mine |
| The Virgin Valley Opal field is in an isolated desert | | | | 3. Bonanza Opal Mine |
| area south of Highway 140 about 25 miles southwest | | | | Each of these mines has their own website (the |
| of Denio. Precious opal was first discovered here in | | | | websites are listed on my Nevada opal web page |
| 1905 and a number of claims were located at that | | | | shown in the link below). |
| time. Exploration of these deposits has been | | | | The road into the opal area is not paved, and a high |
| continued intermittently by various parties since that | | | | clearance vehicle is needed to drive right into the opal |
| time. The opal field lies within an area approximately 5 | | | | mine areas themselves (however 4 wheel drive is |
| miles wide and 10 miles long in certain beds | | | | not needed). There are few gas stations or other |
| outcropping along the walls and slopes of Virgin | | | | sources for supplies in the general area - it is |
| Creek Valley. | | | | important to be self-sufficient in this remote region |
| There are no a free areas which are open to | | | | of Nevada. |
| precious opal prospecting and collecting by rock | | | | While there is no free digging in the opal beds, there |
| hounds that do not wish to pay for access. Hundreds | | | | is a fair amount of free camping in the area. A nice |
| of active mining claims blanket the entire area and | | | | free campground with shower and pool is located at |
| the claim owners do not take kindly to trespassers. | | | | McGee hot springs. There are also plenty of other |
| The pay to dig fees at Virgin Valley are generally | | | | things to do, and a number of recreational activities in |
| much higher than would be experienced and many | | | | the Virgin Valley area. There are several stocked |
| other pay-dig sites open to rockhounds. Productive | | | | ponds in the Valley available for fishing. There is sport |
| mining in Virgin Valley requires the removal of | | | | hunting for Mule Deer and Antelope in their season. |
| overlying barren sedimentary beds, which can be | | | | There is a naturally heated swimming pool at McGee |
| quite deep, requiring the use of a bulldozer or other | | | | Hot Springs. There are also caves to explore, fossil |
| heavy equipment, and the operating costs for this | | | | fields, and rock hunting for agates, petrified wood |
| type of equipment is not cheap. On the other hand, | | | | and other gems (besides precious opal). A special wild |
| there is also the chance that you will strike a | | | | life refuge is not far away. There is no question that |
| fantastic find and come up with a $50,000 precious | | | | the Virgin Valley area is a very interesting one to visit |
| opal log. | | | | and explore. |
| As I have noted, there are areas at Virgin Valley | | | | |