Opal Negra Mine

Our mine, the Opal Negra*, is in the Northwest corner of Nevada, more specifically - Virgin Valley, one of the premiere opal sites in the United States.

* Spanish for Black Opal, the Nevada State gemstone

"Magnifica"

click the photo to play a short movie featuring this opal

warm spring at campground

There are more than 21 wetland ponds on the valley floor including this warm spring at the no-fee campground.

Virgin Valley isn’t famous only for it’s opal.

Petrified wood is found in abundance, some being beautifully opalized. Occasionally pieces of Virgin Valley wood, complete with bark are recovered from the deposits. More rarely opalized cones, some showing spectacular fire, can be found.

There is a gem quality carnelian (red agate) site just to the North of the turn off from highway 140. The carnelian can be found loose in the float below the rhyolite out-croppings where it formed. The more adventurous can attack the seams and cracks in the rhyolite with chisels and hammers. Just be mindful that there are limits to how much material you can take per day.

Virgin Valley lies within the Charles Sheldon National Antelope Range. The area abounds with recreational opportunities ranging from fishing to hunting, hiking to bird and game watching.

Bog Hot Spring is about 9 miles West of Denio on highway 140.

A side trip to Plush, Oregon for sunstone is very nearly a must. You can fee dig at the Dust Devil Mine or try your luck in the free area set aside for rock hounds. You can view a short Utube video about the Dust Devil here.

Nearby Lake County is a hang gliders paradise.

Hampton Butte, famous for its green petrified wood, is another day trip well worth taking.
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The top of Thousand Creek Gorge, featuring sheer drops in excess of 800' is only a few miles (4wd road) from the campground.

For Hikers; a section of the Immigrant Trail runs through the Sheldon. There is a virtual tour of the Applegate-Lassen Cut-Off here.

There are several dozen wild burros living in the valley. You can find more pictures of local burros here.

If you should decide to visit Virgin Valley to try your luck at one of the fee digs be sure to stop by and visit with the Wilson's, the gracious owners of the Royal Peacock mine. And a trip to Virgin Valley would not be complete without stopping by the Rainbow Ridge mine for a look at the magnificent specimens on display in the rock shop there. If you really catch opal fever, a well known malady in Virgin Valley, you'll want to look up our friend, John Church, at Swordfish Mining, to talk about buying a claim.