Royal Peacock Opal Mine

Scarce Gems at the Royal Peacock Opal Mine in Nevada

It’s possible you’ve had the pleasure of gazing at an opal or two. But were they black fire opals? Less likely. Very few places in the world produce this extremely rare semi-precious gemstone, and the Royal Peacock Opal Mine in Nevada is one of them. Even rarer is the kaleidoscopic kind found only in Virgin Valley, Nevada (the Virgin Valley black fire opal), which is why it’s Nevada’s official gemstone.

Pink, white, moss, and lemon varieties of opal can be found in Virgin Valley, but the star of the show is the black fire opal. These unique and magnificent gems were produced nearly 14 million years ago. An ancient lake covered most of the area, which was filled by a tremendous amount of volcanic ash that buried an abundance of limbs, twigs, and other rotting woods. Heat and pressure then formed a silica gel that percolated through the ash and filled various cavities, which over time, eventually hardened into a spectacular variety of opals.

The amount of opals mined in the Virgin Valley is enough to impress, but the size of these opals uncovered in the region is what’s truly extraordinary. More than a quarter million carats of precious fire opals have been extracted from the Royal Peacock mines, including a 52-carat black fire opal in 1992 and a 169-carat monster in 1979. In total, millions of dollars of opals have been taken from the Virgin Valley, which comprises several commercial operations and more than 200 private claims.

Nevada Opals, All in the Family

The Royal Peacock Opal mine has been a family affair since officially opening for business in 1981. Since then, the mine has been open to the public as a pay-to-dig mine, and has produced extremely rare and beautiful Nevada opals for countless visitors. Originally a buckaroo in southeastern Idaho and northwestern Nevada, Royal Peacock owner Harry Wilson spent the majority of his time in the field, eventually turning into somewhat of a rockhounding hobbyist. The reason? Harry and other ranchers would uncover mysterious glimmering stones and trade them for a shot of whiskey here or there.

By 1944, Harry realized that these sparkling specimens were opals, and there in fact was an opal mine in the area. Along with his wife, Joy, he purchased the Royal Peacock Opal Mine. The Wilsons continue to operate a cattle ranch out of the region, and it has since been surrounded by the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge. Today, the ranch is operated by Harry and Joy’s children and grandchildren.

Dig for Peacock Opals in Virgin Valley, Nevada

Rockhounding enthusiasts flock to this rugged and extremely remote area of Nevada to try their luck at mining their own black fire opals. While the mine formerly operated on a commercial scale, the Royal Peacock Opal Mine is open to hobbyist rockhounders today. Visitors must check in at the gift shop prior to digging, which includes two options:

• Bank Digging: This is the more difficult mining style of the two offered, but often produces more sizable and valuable opals. What’s involved? Knocking fresh material from the bank, typically with a pick or rock hammer. The experts at Royal Peacock Opal Mine will tell you if you sound like you’re hitting glass, you’ve probably struck an opal. Next, work on using small hand tools to gingerly dig the fragile specimen out.
  
• Raking the Tailings: The second mining style is less expensive and less strenuous, and visitors will often end up with a few opals to head home with. Often, bank diggers will knock sizable opals loose without realizing it, leaving the tailing miners uncovered bounty.

An Uncommon Overnighter in the Virgin Valley

Virgin Valley, Nevada is ruggedly remote, meaning a trip out here is probably going to be an overnight affair. The Royal Peacock offers a cabin (which sleeps three) and a cottage (which sleeps two). Both include a kitchen, A/C, electric heater, and come furnished with bedding, towels, propane grill, cooking utensils, and dishes. The cottage has running water and a restroom, while the cabin has shower and restroom facilities outside the lodging.

Royal Peacock also features an 18-spot RV park with 30-amp and 50-amp services. Tent and dry camping is available, too. Both options include access to restrooms and showers and ice-cold well water. Anyone is welcome to stay at the Royal Peacock, whether they mine for opals or not, and reservations are highly recommended.