Swordfish Mining: Virgin Valley Opal

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=80 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="1ac00500dvldtc.jpg"> <div> <B>Swordfish Mining:   Virgin Valley Opal</B><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" ><B> Claims Gemstones Specimens Jewelry  & More </B></FONT></div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="045d2c00dvldtc.png"> <div> <IMG SRC="13fb2cc0.png" border=0 width="178" height="204" ALT="Evening Starfire" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> Black crystal opal </div> <div> <IMG SRC="257b98b0.jpg" border=0 width="185" height="139" ALT="A new clain for sale next to patented mine." ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Typical prospect.</div> <div>  <a href="https://www.paypal.com/us/verified/pal=usopal%40lycos%2ecom" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.paypal.com/en_US/i/icon/verification_seal.gif" border="0" alt="Official PayPal Seal"></A>  </div> </td> <td valign="top" height=400 width="100%" BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <bR> <div> <A HREF="black_precious_opal.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="BLACK OPALS">BLACK OPALS</A>   |   <A HREF="id52.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="DOMES">DOMES</A>   |   <A HREF="virgin_valley_precious_opal_mining_claims_from_the_miners_for_sale.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CLAIMS">CLAIMS</A>   |   <A HREF="opal_from_nevada.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PRECIOUS OPAL">PRECIOUS OPAL</A>   |   <A HREF="what_we_do.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="WIRE WRAPS, BEADS, JEWELRY">WIRE WRAPS, BEADS, & JEWELRY</A>   |   <A HREF="cut_stonestops_gemstones_cut_for_years__these_stones_have_all_been_displayed_in_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="GEMSTONES">GEMSTONES</A>   |   <A HREF="opal_twigs.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="LIMB CASTS">LIMB CASTS</A>   |   <A HREF="virgin_valley_wood_replacements.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="PINE CONES BARK">PINE CONES & BARK</A>   |   <A HREF="precious_opal_snake_head_cast.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="THE SNAKE HEAD">THE SNAKE HEAD</A>   |   <A HREF="id56.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="GOODS">GOODS</A>   |   <A HREF="zincite_and_vulgarities.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="MINERALS">MINERALS</A>   |   <A HREF="quartz_and_other_mineral_crystals_for_sale.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CRYSTALS">CRYSTALS</A>   |   <A HREF="leah_and_john.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="ABOUT US">ABOUT US</A>   |   <A HREF="picture_album.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="SWORDFISH PICS">SWORDFISH PICS</A>   |   <A HREF="the_sheldon.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="CHARLES SHELDON NWR">CHARLES SHELDON NWR</A>   |   <A HREF="numbers.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us">Contact Us</A>   |   <A HREF="map_to_virgin_valley_fee_digs.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Location">Location</A>   |   <A HREF="qa.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="QA">Q&A</A>   |   <A HREF="links_to_friendly_web_pages.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="LINKS">LINKS</A> </div> <bR> <div>      Welcome to the Virgin Valley Mining District in Humboldt County, Nevada. Home to the biggest American opal finds. These deposits have been producing precious: Black opals, White opals, Crystal opals, Fire Opals, and Opals in Wood Matrix for over 110 years. The brilliance, size, and quality of the play of color are unique among opals. They warm your soul.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" >PLEASE MAKE COMMENTS TO KEEP OUR MINING ALIVE IN THE NEW 15 YEAR PLAN BEING MADE.  BOOK MARK THIS LINK </FONT><A HREF="http://sheldon-hartmtn.fws.gov/index.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://sheldon-hartmtn.fws.gov/index.htm">http://Sheldon-hartmtn.fws.gov/index.html</A> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" >TELL THEM YOUR PLEASURES. </FONT></div> <bR> <div>     These gem Opalized woods, limb casts, bark replacements, and pine cones along with the various veins and nodules offer collectors and cutters the large variety of specimens, cutting rough, and gemstones that opal as a pseudomorph offers.  I dig on my claims, the open to public fee digs, and the unclaimed  outback high desert for hundreds of miles in all directions. There is not a huge supply of cutting rough mined. It is usually mined in person.</div> <bR> <div>        John Church (me), as Swordfish Mining, offers rough, gemstones, and specimens of opal from the various mines. I offer opal claims now. Jewellery, crystals, minerals, gifts, and various offerings from my back room menagerie will appear in the e-store, maybe in 2009 at this rate.</div> <bR> <div>       My claims tour and seminar is $200 for the most part of a day. There's additional per person fee of $100 over the first couple. Up to 3 people in my SUV. The rate also applies to my general guiding for a day. Yes, I'll guide you like a friend to show you about specific places such as lakes, faults, playas, canyons, caves, and hot springs. I do not lead  "artifact" expeditions. Call to discuss your wishes, I don't bite, often. 1-775-941-0725. </div> <bR> <div>      I DON'T SELL  FEE  DIGGING ON THE SWORDFISH HOLDINGS.</div> <div>     </div> <div>      The fee digs that were shown on the Travel Channel's "Americas' Best Places to Find Cash and Treasure", were: The Royal Peacock Opal Mine and The Bonanza Opal Mine LLC.  Good opal can be found at ALL the fee digs. YOUR luck, skill, and effort are the factors of which mine to go to, and what you'll come away with.  I put up their links to make it easier for you to contact them.   </div> <div>    </div> <div>        I sell OPAL CLAIMS. These are not all operating black opal mines. It comes in pockets and these are where the pockets will be found. Black opal is the exception, not the rule with white and crystal opal far more common. Quality precious opalized wood is rarer than other opals.    </div> <bR> <div>       Wet specimens that have never been dried are sold at big discounts to the proven dry opal rough that sells for more than Australian.  If you want good to cut opal,  it should be bought dry.  Most miners sell the opal wet tho' because most will not dry. The gamble is in the price paid as always.  </div> <div> <IMG SRC="07b17410.jpg" border=0 width="535" height="321" ALT="The Swordfish Mining face in precious opal wood from Virgin Valley NV " ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> This face is a great example of  the picture opals rarely found inside of what appears to be ordinary wood with just a little opal showing.  Scale is in mm. </div> <bR> <div>      It shows how Black Opal can be surrounded by White Opal and encased in wood. It shows a little crystal conk around the edges.  A note; the crack in the black opal has not changed all these years and still does not go through to the white which is even brighter than shown. </div> <bR> <div>      Leah Brashear, her family, and I have mined our claims and at the various fee digs; The Rainbow Ridge Mine, The Royal Peacock Opal Mine,  The Opal Queen Mine, and as shareholders of the  Bonanza, LLC, for decades.  We had our own claims then I built up the largest collection of claims here. </div> <div>     <IMG SRC="270d05c0.jpg" border=0 width="464" height="348" ALT="Getting to be a real neighborhood out here." ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>       Moon rise over the mining district looking East toward the Purple Fire and Swordfish claims from the dam on one of the Dufferena ponds. You are looking out of the Refuge East by South toward Big Mountain.</div> <bR> <div>      20% MILITARY DISCOUNT.  I need to know you are still enlisted and active or retired after a lifetime of service to Freedom. THANKS even if you don't do anything but enjoy my site. I'll also give a flat "appreciation" discount of $500 off any of the mining claims and $20 off the tour fee.   </div> <bR> <div>      I accept checks, cash, and credit cards through Paypal.</div> <div>   </div> <div>  </div> <div>      My  privacy policy is absolute for you.  No SPAM or address re-selling.  There are no ads on this site other than the links page.  As the sole proprietor owning and operating Swordfish Mining;  I am the designated official for everything, including the Homeland Security Regulations contact. Federal government tax and reporting laws apply to me.  Nevada residents must pay our states 6.5% sales tax. </div> <bR> <div> When e-mailing me:   PLEASE USE A OPAL RELATED SUBJECT. </div> <bR> <div>       Contact  usopal@lycos.com  or you can also call 1-866-698-5666</div> <div>                  Pacific Time Zone Toll Free.The machine is not on when online.</div> <div> <IMG SRC="1b8a3070.jpg" border=0 width="163" height="263" ALT="Gem Precious Opalized Wood Bead " ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="1b7a8ee0.jpg" border=0 width="168" height="238" ALT="Gem Precious Opalized Wood Bead. " ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" >A Gem Wood Opal Bead.</FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <div>  "The Earth is your Mother, She holds you. </div> <div>        The sky is your Father, He protects you.</div> <div>            The Rainbow is your Sister, She Loves you.</div> <div>                The Wind is your Brother, He sings to you.</div> <div>                     Never a time this was not so.</div> <div>                                                                         Hoka-hey-ho." <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div> Note: All text and photograph copyrights reserved by John Church.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <div> Re-publication not for gain is permitted with proper URL credit given. </div> <bR> <div>  <script type="text/javascript" language="JavaScript1.2" src="http://www.altavista.com/help/free/inc_translate"></script> <noscript><a href="http://www.altavista.com/babelfish/tr"></noscript>  <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFF00" FACE="Arial" > </FONT></div> <bR> <div>    <img align=bottom src="http://www.thebook.com/cgi-bin/thebook/Counter1/Count.cgi?ft=0|tr=0|prgb=0;255;0|md=7|dd=B|st=333332|sh=1|df=virginvalleyopal_1_own.dat">  </div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>