"Nevada contains some of the richest opal beds in the world and has produced individual specimens valued in excess of $1 million … The Virgin Valley opal beds in northwest Humboldt County, which are the most famous gemstone locality in Nevada, have been a favorite with jewelry makers since their initial discovery in 1905 by cowboys," says Minerals of Nevada.
Unfortunately, the Las Vegas area is the wrong end of the state for opal mining. As Alan Gegax, Desert Companion Magazine’s resident nature expert says, "I am aware of no such place near Red Rock. Most of the land around Red Rock is protected, so quarrying would be prohibited. There are gemstone-collecting areas near Lake Mead, but to my knowledge, none of them specializes in opals."
Most of the action in the opal-mining department is concentrated around the border town of Denio, up in the northwest corner of Nevada. Mining sites in that region include Royal Peacock Opal Mine, in the Sheldon National Antelope Range, Bonanza Opal Mines (open only during the summer months), and Rainbow Ridge Opal Mine (ditto). You can buy gemstones at the Las Vegas Natural History Museum, but they’re imported from Utah.
A newly discovered deposit of black opals is at Webber Mine, north of the Moapa Valley, but this mine does not appear to be open to rockhounds. Starfire Opal Mine in Nye County has some deposits (as its name would indicate) but can’t be reached by vehicle and is difficult to locate.
If you’re serious about opal mining, you might want to invest in Minerals of Nevada. It’s pricey but you may consider it worth the expenditure. For a smaller fee, you can also buy this map of gemstone sites in Nevada or download it for free.
