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.

PLEASE MAKE COMMENTS TO KEEP OUR MINING ALIVE IN THE NEW 15 YEAR PLAN BEING MADE. BOOK MARK THIS LINK http://Sheldon-hartmtn.fws.gov/index.html TELL THEM YOUR PLEASURES.

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 and cutting rough that opal as a pseudomorph offers. I dig on my claims, the open to public fee digs, and the unclaimed outback high deserts. There is not a huge supply of cutting rough mined. and It is usually mined in person. John Church (me), as Swordfish Mining, offers rough, gemstones, and specimens of opal.

My claims tour and opal seminar is $200 for the most part of a day. There's additional per person fee of $100 for large groups. Ask if you need an explanation as I teach the district to who is there. The rate also applies to non-mining guiding for a day, but no additional people charge. 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 and expect you to obey all laws. Call to discuss your wishes, 1-775-941-0725.

NO FEE DIGGING ON THE SWORDFISH HOLDINGS. YOU DID NOT SEE MY BUSINESS ON TV.

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. Ask the owners your questions.

I sell OPAL CLAIMS. These are not operating black opal mines. Opal comes in pockets and these are where the pockets will be found close to the traces already 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. And to make it perfectly clear: The majority of "gem" rough is not suitable for gemstones as in all gem materials.

Wet specimens that have never been dried are sold at big discounts to what the proven dry opal rough t sells for. 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.

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

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. Not for Sale.

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.

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 and built up the largest collection of claims here now.

Getting to be a real neighborhood out here.

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.

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 give a discount of $500 off any of the mining claims and $200 off a millsite.

I accept checks, cash, and credit cards through Paypal.

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. The buck stops here.

When e-mailing me: PLEASE USE A OPAL RELATED SUBJECT.

Contact usopal@lycos.com or you can also call 1-866-698-5666

Pacific Time Zone Toll Free.The machine is not on when online.

A Gem Wood Opal Bead.

"The Earth is your Mother, She holds you.

The sky is your Father, He protects you.

The Rainbow is your Sister, She Loves you.

The Wind is your Brother, He sings to you.

Never a time this was not so.

Hoka-hey-ho."

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

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