Mining & Rockhounding

Nevada’s mining story broke ground before it was even an official state, as pioneers made their way west to the California goldfields in the mid 1800s. Some folks practiced prospecting along the way, but after Nevada’s first gold discovery in what would become Dayton, many stuck around to see what else they might find. Turns out, just up the hill, it’d be the largest silver discovery in the world, instantly calling thousands of westward miners “back east” to get a piece of the colossal Comstock Lode. The boom years of the first major discovery in the United States produced more than $300 million bucks, much of which helped fund development of the West Coast, flipped the bill for the Civil War, and officially made Nevada the Silver State.

The bulk of what is mined in Nevada now isn’t much different than it was in 1859, still championed as one of the largest gold and silver sources on earth. Most of the major mines of Nevada surround Elko, Ely, Winnemucca and Lovelock, and make tours available to the public during summer months. Get a look at modern mining equipment, like trucks bigger than your house, and some of the most massive open mine pits in Nevada at places like Nevada Gold Mines—the largest gold mining operation in the world. 

What about those old mining towns in Nevada? Nevada’s home to the most ghost towns and historic mine sites in the country, so if you’re trying to figure out just how many mines are in Nevada, we’re talkin’ in the thousands. Stand in the footsteps of Nevada’s forefathers at Virginia City’s historic silver mines on the Chollar, Ponderosa or Comstock Gold Mill tours, or head south to see the Techatticup mine in Eldorado Canyon—a mine as famous for its bountiful riches as the outlaws and desperados who flocked to it.  

From Eldorado Canyon to Jarbidge and Osceola to Virginia City, hundreds of mining camps sprung to life across Nevada right around that same time—some strikes the biggest, and others the purest—many destined to become the most famous mining towns in Nevada, thanks to the arrival of the Transcontinental Railroad. Gold, silver, and copper mines popped up all across the state, which is how damn near all of Nevada’s still standing cities and towns first got their start. Today, more than 20 minerals are mined in Nevada—some so unique they’ve drawn the likes of businesses like Tesla and Panasonic.