Rock/Gem Hunting in Nevada

[JohnnyFlake]

Has anyone done any rock/Gem hunting, in Nevada, over the last couple of years, especially, in Southern Nevada?

If so, what were you looking for? Any luck?

 

[unclemac]

reno area...rose quartz, jasper, obsidian, petrified wood, quartz boulders, ..... i have wandered the desert for many years down there, you chance on many things.

 

[JohnnyFlake]

reno area...rose quartz, jasper, obsidian, petrified wood, quartz boulders, ..... i have wandered the desert for many years down there, you chance on many things.

Have you had any experience in Southern Nevada? I am in the Henderson Area.

 

[unclemac]

no, but wandering the desert is great in all directions ...most is BLM land so no private property worries.

 

[nomad1]

Was just there last month in an area just outside the Moapa reservation. My daughter and I worked the washes and did pretty good on agate, jasper, unakite and a variety of brown rhodonite. The rhodonite takes a great polish.

 

[Scubaman2]

Me and my son have been doing some hardrock sampling for gold and coming across some really nice copper minerals with the blues and greens. Mostly been hunting gold but I am starting to do research regarding possible gems as there is too much mineralization near Las Vegas area deserts to not contain something. We live just out of Henderson in Vegas off of St. Rose Hwy. If you know of anybody near about my son's age (18) he would like to meet somebody to go with other than dad all the time. Or, let me know if you would like to go with us sometime.

 

[JohnnyFlake]

Me and my son have been doing some hardrock sampling for gold and coming across some really nice copper minerals with the blues and greens. Mostly been hunting gold but I am starting to do research regarding possible gems as there is too much mineralization near Las Vegas area deserts to not contain something. We live just out of Henderson in Vegas off of St. Rose Hwy. If you know of anybody near about my son's age (18) he would like to meet somebody to go with other than dad all the time. Or, let me know if you would like to go with us sometime.

Welcome to the forum Scubaman2 & Son!

I live in Henderson, near the intersection of Windmill and Pecos, about a ten minute drive from St Rose Hospital at Eastern and St Rose.

I would love to get together with you and your son sometime. I am far too old to just meet with your son. I am 72 years young. Unfortunately, I cannot set up a meet with you guys until Mid-January or so. I do metal detecting and dry washing for gold using qualifier screens and then panning the concentrate.

You are correct about some gem stones being available within about a 100 mile radius of L.V.

If you like to get in touch at some period in the near future, email me at johnnyflake@yahoo.com - I'll also provide you with a little info on where to look for Gem Stones. If we meet, I'll explain to you about a local club that you may want to join.

Where have you been Hard Rock Sampling?

 

[JLeonhardy]

I don't know WHERE this is at, but if anyone has any ideas I would appreciate it. Saw a reference in an old mining journal regarding some quartz points with garnet inclusions in the hills SE of Searchlight. My mouth has been watering ever since. Haven't made it down there to look, but that's as specific a direction as I've got at the moment. Come my retirement, I'm gonna be prospecting the hell out of those hills if I don't get clearer directions prior!

 

[Scubaman2]

Hi LLeonhardy,

We are also interested in that general area. I have seen some pics of opal mountain near searchlight-I think it was on the DezertGirls site as they have some beautiful photographs of their trips around our area. I would like to eventually learn how to facet gems and would like to find some unknown deposits as the desert in my opinion has a lot of opportunity left since the gold miners were so focused on gold-as I have been for many years myself. Let me know if you want to focus on some specific areas for research sometime.

 

[JLeonhardy]

Some of my best gem finds have been from going in behind creek hi-bankers (especially in Victoria, Aus) and poking through their tailings and leavings. In Oz a couple years a go I found two 50+ carat champagne topaz just sitting on top of their pile......

 

[Goldminer]

OK guys, I have hunted this area for years. I am going to give you some good locations around the Las Vegas areas.Take Hwy 15 E out of LV headed towards the Valley of Fire. 4.9 miles from the Valley of Fire intersection there is an off ramp, take that and head S on the cross road that you come to. Stay on that road across the desert until you come to two small ranges. On the left side of one of the ranges are some fine crystal specimens. Continue thru the ranges for about 1 mile. On your left side you will see a dirt road heading northerly. Take that and continue for several miles, past "The Bowl". On your left side again you see a faint road heading west. Take that road as far as you can. On the small ridges in the area are some of the most colorful petrified trees that I have ever seen. Some are 60ft. long, lots of small pieces scattered about.
Next area is south of LV. Take 93 out of Henderson towards Kingman, Az. Go to Dolan Springs Rd. about 40 miles I believe. Go N on that road thru Dolan Springs to Pierce Ferry Rd. Take PFR til you cross Stockton Hill Rd. Not far pass SHR. you will see a low range on your right. Lots of garnet and very good quartz in that area. Continue on that road towards Meadview. Just before Meadview, any road to your left puts you in Rolling Hills. A lot of gold nuggets have been found here along with meteorites. Good hunting.

 

[JLeonhardy]

@ Gold Miner.... copying, pasting, emailing myself with your post.... THANKS, fella!

 

[Scubaman2]

Wow! Thanks Goldminer. We are mostly gold chasers ourselves but also getting more interested in gems that can also be found in the desert. We have had limited success so far but got the gold fever and have to keep trying. Thanks for giving us some locations to explore.

 

[JLeonhardy]

Too paraphrase the old union song -- "my grandpa was a miner and I"m a miner's son....." I saw the results of two generations of gold fever, five children and one room mountain cabins all over the west over the course of forty years of digging and the impact it had on our family. I just won't hunt the stuff, though I seem to have found a fair amount of it by not looking for it. I do like shiny gems, though.....

 

[hollybgood25]

I hope someone is able to see this. I see the thread is a year old now. Anyways, I am headed to Henderson to visit family. Last year all I could find was a lot of gypsum in the Black hills. Still really cool rock formations but i'd like to find something with a bit of color I will have three days available to go hunting, if anyone wants to be so kind as to show me around (aug 7-10) <not set in stone, then I am off to san diego for some tourmaline hunting! If anyone sees this and is up for a walk, email me at Cholly5@juno.com or reply to this post. Ill be in the Lake Las Vegas area, off lake mead pkwy

 

[flytye]

anyone gem hunting in Northern Nevada sure would like some ideas of where to look Im in the Fernley area

 

[TerraGazer]

anyone gem hunting in Northern Nevada sure would like some ideas of where to look Im in the Fernley area

Flytye...check out Fallon, NV.
There are several mountains with wonderstone. Very near the air force base. Also in the washes there are these fabulous riverwashed rocks I believe they are agate and jasper. I've uploaded a couple of pictures for you. I know it's not gems but very pretty rocks!

 

[unclemac]

lots of jasper, and quartz around the hills in the Stagecoach area. Odd looking mud stone formations around Pyramid, and rose quartz on Mt. Rose....

 

[timothydenehy]

@Goldminer Is this the area you are referring to?

Thank you

 

[tysmith1960]

Old thread, But I was just thinking...I have found some amazing things down near sloan...also I am considering heading to the Kingston range about 1.5 hrs from here today to explore and hopefully find some amethyst, quartz or maybe if im really lucky a garnet or opal...the last two are far less prevalent.