Howdy from the Virgin Valley Mining District in Humboldt County, Nevada. Home of Americas' precious opals. These deposits produce precious: Black opals, White opals, Crystal opals, Fire Opals, and Opals in Wood Matrix. Mined since 1905, the brilliance, size, and qualities of our opals play of color is unique. I sell natural solid gemstones and specimens of opalized woods, limb casts, bark replacements, and pine cones. I also found other various common opal veins and nodules of opal that offer both collectors and cutters the largest variety of specimens and cutting rough that opal as a mineral pseudomorph can offer. There is no big supply of cutting rough from these mines. The fee digs do not sell dry opal in commercial amounts, so almost all the opal from here is mined by the rockhounding public. John Church (me), as Swordfish Mining, offers opal rough, gemstones, and specimens mined from my many claims and also the public fee digs.

YOUR luck, skill, and effort are the factors of which mine to go to, or which claim to buy, and then what opals you'll come away with. Sure, each mine has it's own nature, facilities, and operators, and you will love one over the others usually. I put up all their Fee Dig links to make it easier for you to contact them directly. You have to work hard for what you MAY find. Ask the actual owners your questions about their open dates times and fees. Opal is where you find it, so look where the pros tell you to dig. SEE MY LINKS PAGE TO GET TO THE MINES WEBSITES!

I also have OPAL MINING CLAIMS for sale. These are not turnkey operating black opal mines...YET. Opal comes in pockets and these claims are where the pockets are starting or may be found within the existing opalized wood deposits that ARE there. All are close to or are existing precious opal and opalized wood deposits. Black opal is the exception, not the rule, everywhere. White and crystal opals being found far more commonly in the clay than the black ones. Precious opalized wood is rarer than most other opals as gemstones.

My Virgin Valley opal seminar and claims for sale tour costs $200. This "tour" takes over 6 hours. There is an additional per person fee of $100 for larger groups than a family. This rate applies to non-mining guiding also, but no additional per person charges as I am not talking opal mining and legal specifics there. I'll guide you like my best friends to specific interesting places you want to see. Things such as, but not limited to, lakes, faults, playas, canyons, caves, and hot springs. I don't lead "Indian artifact" hunting expeditions, pictures are all you can take on the refuge. Wildlife is not chased but is always seen as we go about. You're expected to obey the laws. I'm not an outfitter guide in the sense that I provide all of your camping supplies and services. Call for special accommodation help if you require these. Round trip airport pickup from Reno or Boise is offered for an additional $600 fee. Accomodations in Denio Jctor further transportation are seperate from this get you here shuttle. Other arrangements can be made. There is no car rental in Winnemucca. Nine hours round trip drive to Reno, without pit stops is the reason why the cost is high.

I'm honest, work hard, and dig opal for a living better than most others could or would. Established in 1994, Swordfish Mining is your friendly source of Virgin Valley opals, specimens and information. The fee digs shown on the Travel Channel's "Americas' Best Places to Find Cash and Treasure" were; The Royal Peacock Opal Mine in season one and The Bonanza Opal Mine LLC. in season two with the Becky. The other 2 fee dig locations were not shown. Rainbow Ridge Opal Mine and The Opal Queen Mine. The owner of the Opal Queen, who made the Travel Channel show happen, was the one in the Hawaiian shirt talking about the geology of the opal district. Leah and I were in the background digging in the opening of the first show and I was holding one of the black opals for display that were found. AND every digger said they were an Opalholic and every producer edited out any reference to addictive behaviour for some reason.

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, as shareholders in the Bonanza Mine LLC, and the (now Private) Opal Queen Mine, for decades. We had our own claims then and even more now. The neighborhood is families that own and operate as small miners who bought or made claims and the odd rugged individuals. They are willing to gamble time and sweat for the stellar opals we can find. Lots of the cutters or jewelers that do offer Virgin Valley cabochons and opal jewellery, dig here in person for their supply. Do not come here thinking to get rich knowing nothing. Do not fall for the Cash and Treasures Hype on easy money. Easy opal yes, but retailing for cash is work. The mines DO NOT offer to buy your opal from you. As is found in most all gem minerals, usually 95% or more is specimen grade only, not gem grade worth anything. Wet specimens are sold for pennies on the dollar compared to the high cost of dry opal rough from overseas. But Hey this is America, we can go out and try our hand at mining and keep ALL we find.

Getting to be a real neighborhood out here.

Moon rise over the mining district looking East toward the Purple Fire claim group (SOLD) and the Swordfish claims from the dam on one of the Dufferena ponds. You are looking out toward the refuge boundary to the east toward Big Mountain (large shield volcano on caldera edge).

30% MILITARY DISCOUNT ON MERCHANDISE ON THE WEB OR IN PERSON. I need to know you are still enlisted, or retired. THANKS to all our guardians. I'll discount $1,000 off any of the mining claims for you risking your lives in the past for my current freedom.

I accept checks, cash, gold, silver, and credit cards with approval. Wire transfers to my banks general ledger account for large amounts or possible spammers are arranged. Gold and silver always welcome at Kitco daily prices. Personal and business checks need to clear your bank before shipment. I accept major credit cards over the phone. Arrangements for guided digging serivces must be paid in advance.

The Swordfish Mining face in precious opal wood from Virgin Valley NV

scale in mm

This face picture stone is a great example of hidden opals rarely found inside of what appears to be ordinary wood with just a little opal showing. Scale is in mm. 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 back, which is even brighter than shown.

My privacy policy is: No SPAM or address re-selling. 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 cash transaction reporting laws apply to me just like you. Don't ask for me to not tell. Nevada residents pay our 6.85% sales tax unless you are a registered re-seller.

When e-mailing me: PLEASE USE A OPAL RELATED SUBJECT. Contact usopal (insert @) lycos.com

or you can call 1-775-941-0725, please leave a message and I will return your call. Pacific Time Zone

Gem Art Play of Color Wood tops treated Opal Bead ONLY $100 a carat.

NO PHOTOS ON MY WEBSITE HAVE BEEN ENHANCED. ALL OPALS ARE MUCH BE BRIGHTER THAN SEEN WITH A WIDE RANGE OF CHANGING COLORS AND PATTERNS.

New WordPress BLOG http://virginvalleyopal.com/talkin/

Swordfish Mining

PO Box # 124

Denio, NV

89404-0124 or usopal (at)lycos.com or call 775-941-0725.

Note: All text and photograph copyrights reserved by John Church.

Re-publication not for gain is permitted with proper URL credit back to here given.