So you’re ready to go on a treasure hunting vacation to get some of the most beautiful turquoise in the world? Wonderful, the Royston Turquoise Mine has been known for years for its hard, well colored, and beautiful Turquoise.

See some current prices on Turquoise here!

Mining at the Royston Turquoise Mine

Currently safety regulations do not allow folks to mine for their own turquoise in the actual mine its self, but…

Royston Turquoise

The folks at the mine estimate that they miss up to half of the turquoise that comes out of the mine. There’s so much of that brilliant blue to green stone left in the tailings piles due to the fact that it is just not cost efficient for the mine to go after it all.

The time it would take the mine to get all the turquoise out of the ore before sending it to the tailings piles is just better spent going after the bigger pieces that are still in the ground…

So there’s plenty of turquoise just waiting for you to come and get it.

Searching through the tailings at the Royston Turquoise Mine for turquoise is not too difficult, it mainly takes a bit of time, a good eye, and moving a lot of material.

The mine only allows people to dig for three hours, and you can only take one bucket full of material out of the mine each day.

Given the abundance of turquoise in the tailings you should have no problem filling a bucket with some very wonderful specimens.

Some of the real money that can be made in turquoise comes from turning your raw finds into jewelry, but that is a discussion that will be left to those that know more about the subject. If you’re interested in some of the basics of turquoise jewelry you may want to read our Turquoise page .

The folks at the mine can definitely point you in the right direction if you’re interested in having jewelry made.

What Equipment Should You Take the Royston Turquoise Mine

So you may be wondering what kind of equipment should you be bringing with you to help dig up some of that wonderful stuff at the Royston Turquoise Mine:

-Hat (the sun can be a little harsh out here)
-Sunscreen (once again the sun can be a little harsh)
-Knee Pads
-5 Gallon bucket (to help you move material)
-Small hand shovel (try to get one that is easy to use while kneeling)
-Rock hammer (to help remove some of the rock from the good stuff)
-Gardening claw (to help dig through the tailings)
-Heavy-duty gloves (digging through the hard rock tailings is very hard on the hands)
-Food and Water (no food or water is available for many miles around the mine)

Getting to the Royston Turquoise Mine

The Royston Turquoise Mine is open April thru October on Wednesdays and Saturdays (excluding holidays), 10am – 4pm.

To visit the mine you’ll need to fly into Las Vegas, NV, which is about 210 miles South of the town of Tonopah, so you will definitely want a rental car. You should set up your hotel in the town of Tonopah, NV.

To get exact to the Royston Turquoise Mine please contact the folks at the mine.

Contacting the Royston Turquoise Mine

For information on digging at the mine contact the mine office at 775-482-9889.

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How would you like to go find a beautiful gem that runs from a deep blue to a wonderful dark green, and you can sell to get a nice pile of the green paper?

Well if you’re interested in getting up to $500 per pound* for your finds, then hunting for Turquoise may be the adventure you’re looking for.

See some current prices on Turquoise here!

Warning, minor science content ahead…

If your more interested in finding turquoise then learning about it skip to the bottom of the page to see where you can go on a treasure hunting vacation to discover your own gem turquoise.

How is Turquoise Formed

How turquoise is formed is a very complicated question that is not fully understood. Some theories hold that turquoise is associated with hot upwellings of water from volcanic activity leaching out the proper chemicals from the rocks. Others hold that it is from water moving down through the rocks.

All agree on the fact that turquoise forms in country rock (that is the native stone to the area) that has concentrations of copper, aluminum, and various phosphate compounds. Over many hundreds of thousands of years various chemical processes lead to the formation of turquoise within cracks and voids in the stone.

How is Turquoise Valued

The value of turquoise is very dependent on not only the hardness and deepness of color, but also often on personal taste. Often colors between deep sky too robins egg blue are the most valuable colors, but some also look for green, and even white turquoise.

Overall turquoise is considered a soft material and the softer it is the less value it has. In some cases the deposits can range from quite hard to the consistency of chalk. The turquoise industry has come up with ways to make the softer turquoise more resilient to ware, but it is also an inferior product in some cases.

Obviously on a treasure hunting vacation you are looking for the hardest turquoise you can find. Not to worry though, the site that we have selected for you is well known not only for its wonderful color, but also for the hardness of the turquoise that you will find…

Often another variable in the value of turquoise is the amount of country rock that is included in it, as know as the matrix. Often the turquoise is formed around the matrix and once polished the matrix sticks out in lines or as nodules in the turquoise, this is referred to as a “spider matrix”.

For the most part spider matrix in the polished stone will not affect the value of your turquoise, as long as they add character and do not overtake the piece. Just keep in mind this is often a personal preference as compared to an analytic one, so depending on the buyer it may effect the value in their eyes.

Making Turquoise Look Better and Last Longer

Turquoise is often treated with many different substances to improve its appearance and durability. Some of the ways that this is done is much more accepted then others. These include the use of oils and waxes, all the way to pulverizing the very soft stone and then “reconstituting” it by using various glues to hold it together.

Turquoise is very often brittle and can be damaged by solvents, perfumes, and makeup. Also prolonged exposure to sunlight can cause its color to fade. So be sure you store your finds accordingly after your treasure-hunting vacation is over.

Waxing and Oiling of Turquoise

So how can you make your treasures look a little better? Well, after your stones are cut and/or polished you can do a light waxing and oiling. Both of these are generally accepted ways to enhance the color of turquoise.

Just a little bit of mineral oil will go a very long ways, so don’t over do it. Also the harder the stone is the less it will absorb.

Also a good buffing with a good bees wax will help to enhance the luster of your stones.

One thing that you do need to keep in mind is that turquoise that has been treated with oil and wax can be prone to sweating when placed under direct heat, also it can get a white haze on it if exposed to prolonged amounts of sunlight.

Backing Turquoise

Often since some of the best quality turquoise is found in thin sheets, another common practice when it is made into jewelry is to do what is called backing. This involves mounting the turquoise onto a solid piece of metal or other material that is bonded onto the backside of the stone to help stabilize the stone and thus prevent cracking or fracturing of the turquoise.

Where is Turquoise Found

Although there are many places around the world, and over 100 mines in Nevada alone that have gem quality turquoise available, there is currently only one that allows folks to enjoy a treasure hunting vacation to find there own turquoise.

And that is the…

Royston Turquoise Mine Tonopah, NV

*Please understand the fact that although some gems are sold at a price like that, the odds are very much against a person not directly in the mining business ever even seeing a gem of that quality. Treasure hunting vacations are not about getting rich, they are not about the treasure you find in the ground, they are about the treasure you find in searching for the beauty that nature has to offer, and the treasure of enjoying time with family and friends. Enjoy your trip for these things and you will have a treasure hunting vacation of a lifetime.

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Are you ready to go looking for a gem that can be as beautiful as a rainbow and fetch more per carat then diamonds? Well then Tourmaline may be the gem for you.

Cut Bi-color Tourmaline

Tourmaline can be found in pegmatite deposits all over the world, but gem quality tourmaline is a rare find indeed. A great specimen can fetch you over $500 a carat*.

See some current prices on rough/uncut Tourmaline here!

Tourmaline Mining

Some of the sites that you will go to too hunt for tourmaline are currently, or at one time were operating tourmaline mines, and are currently fee for dig mines. At these sites the tailings piles will usually be the only area you are allowed to dig, not in the main mine itself.

uncut Bi-color Tourmaline

Other sites that are open for the public to explore are old quarries, these sites may require a little heavier digging then the tailings piles and in some cases hard rock mining may be needed. So be prepared to do a bit more labor at these sites.

So you’re probably saying, “Why would I spend my time going through what the mines have already thrown away?”

Well, the original miners often did not take their time to search through the material and many wonderful Tourmaline crystals are still found in the piles on a daily basis.

Digging in the tailings can take quite some time, the key here is to move as much dirt as you can, but once you start to find some of those wonderfully colored gems you’ll want to slow down just a bit.

While your digging out dirt you’ll need to screen all of it to pull the larger material out. Just because you don’t see a tourmaline crystal in your screen at first doesn’t mean it’s not there, so you’ll want to put the material left in your screen in a bucket for washing and screening again later.

Since Tourmaline and other gems such as quartz are often found in clusters in there natural state, many times when the soil is dug out of the mine with one crystal in it, odds are that others will have been dug out at the same time, and dumped in the same area of the tailings piles.

So once you find one crystal in a spot, don’t just leave that location, because many more Tourmaline crystals may be hiding just under the surface for you to discover.

After you’ve dug out a bit of rough material from the piles, you will want to go down to do a final screen and wash of your material.

Once the dirt is washed off it will be much easier to see those rainbow colored gems shining up at you.

The Many Colors of Tourmaline

One of the most sought after colors of Tourmaline is a very deep blue. Although quite rare, it still is found in the tailings piles.

Green Tourmaline

Other treasured examples of Tourmaline are bi-colors, tri-colors, and one of the most beautiful is the watermelon that can run the whole spectrum of the rainbow from one end to the other.

Schorl Tourmaline

The most abundant form of Tourmaline is black tourmaline, most often referred to as schorl. It is believed that up to 95% of all tourmaline is schorl.

Although schorl is interesting as a mineral sample for a collection it has very little value as a gem, but some specimens can be very interesting and beautiful so be on the lookout for nice pieces.

Cleaning Your Tourmaline

Many of your tourmalines may have a white substance on them called cookeite. One way to remove this is by simply using a toothbrush, soap, and water.

If that doesn’t work then you may want to move to using things such as a rotary tool, bead blaster, or acids to remove the cookeite. These techniques should only be used by people experienced in using these types of equipment and chemicals, the last thing you want to do it destroy your tourmaline due to inexperience.

Where to Find Tourmaline

So are you ready to get some tourmaline for yourself? Wonderful, the folks at these sites can help you make your treasure hunting vacation a success.

Himalaya Tourmaline Mine Mesa Grande, CA

Cryo-Genie Mine Warmer Springs, CA

Oceanview Mine Pala, CA

Stewart Mine Pala, CA

Perham’s Quarry West Paris, MN

Mount Apatite Park Auburn, MN

Bumpus Quarry West Bethyl, MN

*Please understand the fact that although some gems are sold at a price like that, the odds are very much against a person not directly in the mining business ever even seeing a gem of that quality. Treasure hunting vacations are not about getting rich, they are not about the treasure you find in the ground, they are about the treasure you find in searching for the beauty that nature has to offer, and the treasure of enjoying time with family and friends. Enjoy your trip for these things and you will have a treasure hunting vacation of a lifetime.

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Are you ready to go on a treasure hunting vacation involving tourmaline mining? Then going to the Himalaya Mine may be just what you’re looking for.

See some current prices on rough/uncut Tourmaline here!

The Himalaya Mine

The Himalaya Mine located outside of Julian, CA has been in operation since 1898 and is still producing wonderful amounts of Tourmaline today.

Since the mine has been in operation off and on for over 100 years the tailing piles here are very extensive. As a mater of fact there are over 17 acres worth of tailings.

Tourmaline Mining at the Himalaya Mine

Until recently you were able to go up to the mine and dig through the tailings piles yourself, but to make it more accessible to the general public, they now offer a dig at the Lake Henshaw Resort.

Tri-color Tourmaline from the Himalaya Mine

Digging through over one hundred years worth of tailings from the mine costs $75 per person per day (kids under 12 are free and age 12 to 15 are half price). When you take into account that it is not unheard of to walk away with many thousands of dollars worth of gem quality Tourmaline in your pocket, this does not seem to be quite so expensive.

They also offer a tour of the mine for an additional $20 per person. Also they offer buckets of unprocessed ore from different tourmaline bearing parts of the mine for an additional cost. The price of these buckets depends on how rich tourmaline deposits are in the area where the ore came from.

Equipment Needed for Tourmaline Mining at the Himalaya Mine

The mine has most of the equipment you may need to use for rent, but for those that want to be really prepared, you may want to look at the list below (click on the links to see examples):

-Hat (the sun can be a little harsh out here)
-Sunscreen (once again the sun can be a little harsh)
-Knee Pads
-Box Screen Set (to help filter your dirt, one with ¼ inch holes may be best)
-5 Gallon bucket (to help move material for screening and washing)
-Small hand shovel (try to get one that is easy to use while kneeling)
-Rock hammer (useful if you plan on just digging a little or a lot)
-Heavy-duty rubber gloves (for washing your material; mineralized soil is hard on your hands)
-Food and Water (no food is available at the mine)

Getting to the Himalaya Mine

The Himalaya Mine and digging the tailings is open year round Thursday through Monday (closed Tuesday and Wednesday) 10am to 3 pm; no reservations are required to go through the tailings piles.

To visit the mine you’ll need to fly into San Diego, CA. You’ll definitely want to get a rental car since the mine is about 40 miles from the airport. You can stay at a hotel in the town of Julian, CA or stay at the Lake Henshaw Resort, which is located next to the mine.

The Himalaya Mine tailings dig at the Lake Henshaw Resort is located at:

26439 Highway 76
Santa Ysabel, CA 92070

Contacting the Himalaya Mine

For information about mining at the Himalaya Mine contact:

Simon King or Gladys Walker
619-444-3731

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Mining for Tourmaline at the Cryo-Genie Mine

The Cryo-Genie mine is currently an active tourmaline mine that will not only let you go through the tailings pile all day for only 10$. But, if you’d like to see how tourmaline is mined today for only $20 they will also take you on a tour down into the mine its self.

See some current prices on rough/uncut Tourmaline here!

Although the area of the mine was known about in the early 1900s it was never mind with truly modern techniques until the 1980s. Many large pockets of tourmaline have been discovered within the mine in the past couple of years.

Touring an Active Tourmaline Mine

Taking a tour of the mine is an amazing adventure into an underground world. If you’re very lucky they may have a new pocket that was discovered, where you can see the tourmaline and other minerals still sitting in their original matrix in the mine.

Since this is an operating tourmaline mine the tailings are constantly replenished. Although there are many wonderful minerals to be found in the tailings, due to modern mining techniques do not expect to find big chunks of tourmaline in the tailings.

Tourmaline can still be found in the tailings but it is general small and mostly clear to pink in color. The mine tour itself is well worth the visit and digging through the tailings is just an extra benefit.

Equipment Needed to Mine for Tourmaline

Here are a few things you may want to think about taking if you plan on going through the tailings at the Cryo-Genie mine. (Click on the links below to see what is available).

-Hat (the sun can be a little harsh out here)
-Sunscreen (once again the sun can be a little harsh)
-Knee Pads
-Box Screen Set (to help filter your dirt, one with ¼ inch holes may be best)
-5 Gallon bucket (to help move material for screening and washing)
-Small hand shovel (try to get one that is easy to use while kneeling)
-Rock hammer (useful if you plan on just digging a little or a lot)
-Heavy-duty rubber gloves (for washing your material; mineralized soil is hard on your hands)
-Food and Water (no food is available at the mine)

The Cryo-Genie Mine is open year round 7 days a week. You’ll need to call to make reservations, this is just to make sure you don’t try and show up when they are blasting in the mine.

Getting to the Cryo-Genie Tourmaline Mine

To visit the mine you’ll need to fly into San Diego, CA. You’ll definitely want to get a rental car since the mine is about 40 miles from the airport. You can stay at a hotel in Julian, CA about 15 miles from the mine.

Directions to the Cryo-Genie Tourmaline Mine

To get to the Cryo-Genie Mine from Julian take Interstate 79 North thru Warner Springs. Less then a mile past Warner Springs you’ll come to Lost Valley Rd on your right hand side. Follow Lost Valley for about 2.8 miles, look for a small parking area with a porta-pottey on your right. Park here and walk up the dirt road to the mine, or if equipped with 4 wheel drive you can drive up to the mine.

Contacting the Cryo-Genie Tourmaline Mine

For information about mining at the Cryo-Genie Mine contact:

Dave or Dana
714-336-4467

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The Hollywood Ranch near Sweet Home, OR is one of the best places for finding petrified wood in Oregon.

Finding Petrified Wood at the Hollywood Ranch

Digging for your petrified wood at the Hollywood Ranch is relatively easy, since they have areas where they have already dug trenches.

You simply pick where you think looks good and dig out the walls of the trench to see what you can find.

See some current prices on rough/uncut Petrified Wood here!

This is a great place for kids to come and dig. Children and grownups alike have a natural fascination for the idea that what they are pulling out of the ground was a living tree millions of years ago, and add in the idea that they are digging for a natural treasure. Now that is a recipe for fun with the entire family.

Unlike many fee for dig mines, at the Hollywood Ranch they only charge you for the material that you want to take with you, no entry fee or other fees involved.

If you dig up some petrified wood that you don’t want to take, or is just too big for you to take out, then just leave it there for the next person to discover. The current fee is $1.50 per pound with a minimum charge of $25.

Equipment to Hunt For Petrified Wood at the Hollywood Ranch

To do your digging at the Hollywood Ranch you can rent some of the basic tools from them or you can bring your own. Here’s a list of items you may want to consider. (Click on the links below to see whats available):

-Pick
-Small hand shovel
-Pry Bar
-Soil probe
-Rock hammer (useful if you plan on just digging a little or a lot)
-Heavy-duty gloves
-Food and Water
-Good footwear
-Knee Pads

Getting to the Hollywood Ranch

The Hollywood Ranch is open May-Oct, 8am-5pm, seven days a week.

To get to the Hollywood Ranch you’ll want to fly into Eugene, OR, and you’ll want to have a rental car waiting since the ranch is about 40 miles away.

You can set up your hotel in Eugene, OR although there are a few towns closer that do have some hotels in them, Eugene is your best bet if your looking for most of the chain hotels you’ll be familiar with.

Directions to the Hollywood Ranch

To get to the Hollywood Ranch from Eugene, OR:

Take Interstate 5 North for just over 22 miles. Take exit 216, this is state route 228 also called the Halsey-Sweet Home Hwy.

Turn right (east) onto this road. Follow the Halsey-Sweet Home Hwy for about 15 miles. On the right hand side you will see Old Holley Rd, turn right (south) onto this road.

Follow Old Holley Rd for just under 2 miles to the address of the mine below.

How to Contact the Hollywood Ranch

For questions about digging at the Hollywood Ranch contact:

Brad Newport 541-405-5990

26250 Old Holley Rd
Sweet Home, OR 97386

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Are you ready to go find a treasure that’s not only a fossil, but also a gemstone? One that not only can be very lucrative, but can also make a wonderful centerpiece, or be turned into a wide range of beautiful objects? Well then hunting for petrified wood may very well be the adventure you’ve been looking for.

See some current prices on rough/uncut Petrified Wood here!

How Is Petrified Wood Formed

Before you go out to get some of your own, you probably asking, “How is petrified wood formed?” The short answer, which is what you’re probably most interested in is….

That petrified wood is created when a tree falls to the ground and is quickly buried and thus protected from rotting. This can happen by falling into a stream and being quickly covered over by material in the stream, by a large volcanic eruption, or other quick moving geologic event. Then over millions of years minerals leech into it from the surrounding material and turn the wood to stone.

One of the most valued minerals in petrified wood is agate, and the higher the amount of agate present in it the more it can be worth.

Other highly valued specimens have opal inside of them. These are called conk wood, if you wish to learn more about this see our treasure hunting for opal page here.

The most wanted shape for petrified wood is called a “round”. This is circular, just like a tree trunk, which is exactly what it is. Rounds come in all sizes from only a few inches thick and a few inches long, up to 5 feet think and 7 feet long, or more.

Finding Petrified Wood in Oregon and Washington

The soil in which petrified wood forms in the states of Oregon and Washington are usually not exceptionally hard and are easily handled with a pick and shovel. A long handled pry bar is also a good idea to help break loose some of the larger chunks of petrified wood.

While doing the digging is not complicated the real key is to listen to how the pick sounds as you dig. When it hits a piece of petrified wood or stone it will make a very distinctive ping sound, after a few minutes you’ll know what I’m talking about.

When you hear that ping sound for the first time your heart will start racing and your curiosity will peek, because you never know what you might find under there, but you always hope its something wonderful and often your right.

Once you have your pieces you can leave them as is or you can add additional value by having them polished as a single piece, or for bigger pieces you can have them cut into slices, and then polished.

These slices can be worth anywhere from $20 to $40 each* or more depending on the amount of agate and the amount of interest in the slices. Knots in the wood add real interest to the piece and its very valuable.

When you take into account that a piece of petrified wood only 1 foot long can be cut into about 8 or more slices, and you can sell them for around $30 each*, I think you can see that a day of digging for petrified wood can be a very enriching proposition.

Places to Hunt for Petrified Wood in Oregon and Washington

If your interested in having your pieces cut and polished the folks at any one of these sites should be able to point you in the right direction.

Hollywood Ranch Sweet Home, OR

Mcdonald Ranch Ashwood, OR

Saddle Mountain WA

*Please understand the fact that although some gems are sold at a price like that, the odds are very much against a person not directly in the mining business ever even seeing a gem of that quality. Treasure hunting vacations are not about getting rich, they are not about the treasure you find in the ground, they are about the treasure you find in searching for the beauty that nature has to offer, and the treasure of enjoying time with family and friends. Enjoy your trip for these things and you will have a treasure hunting vacation of a lifetime.

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Are you ready to go on a vacation to find a little known gemstone that can put some real cash in your pocket, fetching from $20 to $1000 per carat* for cut gems? Then sunstone mining in Oregon may be the treasure hunting vacation for you.

See some current prices on rough/uncut Oregon Sunstone here!

Until the 1970’s Oregon sunstone was a nearly unheard of gem, as a mater of fact it wasn’t even acknowledged as a gem until then. Due to the sunstone deposits in the Plush, OR area, which brought large quantities of gem quality Oregon sunstone to the market, it finally got official recognition as a gemstone, and in 1987 it was named Oregon’s state gemstone.

What Does Oregon Sunstone Look Like

Oregon sunstone comes in many colors with the dichroic (changes color when moved side to side) red and green sunstone being the most valuable.

Shiller Sunstone

What sets Oregon sunstone apart from other gems in the same family is that many of them display a trait called schiller. This is a glint from within the stone when seen in the daylight.

So you’re wondering what causes this unique glint, well schiller is attributed to copper particles being aligned inside of the crystal matrix reflecting light.

This incorporation of copper is also what creates red sunstone. Oregon is one of the few places on Earth where this happens.

Places to Mine For Oregon Sunstone

Are you ready to get some of this amazing gemstone for yourself? Then you need to check out these premier free and fee for dig mines below to collect your Oregon Sunstone.

Spectrum Sunstone Mine Plush, OR

Dust Devil Mine Plush, OR

Sunstone Knoll Delta, UT

*Please understand the fact that although some gems are sold at a price like that, the odds are very much against a person not directly in the mining business ever even seeing a gem of that quality. Treasure hunting vacations are not about getting rich, they are not about the treasure you find in the ground, they are about the treasure you find in searching for the beauty that nature has to offer, and the treasure of enjoying time with family and friends. Enjoy your trip for these things and you will have a treasure hunting vacation of a lifetime.

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So, you’re ready to get some of your own Oregon sunstone. The Spectrum Sunstone Mine in Plush, OR may be just the site for you to make some wonderful finds.

See some current prices on rough/uncut Oregon Sunstone here!

Oregon Sunstone Mining at the Spectrum Sunstone Mine

Screening for Sunstone in the free pile

The Spectrum Mine has many other opportunities to participate in sunstone mining also. One of the best options is to use their High-Grade Conveyor Belt Run. For only $200 per hour you get to use the same system the commercial side of the mine uses.

Groups and families are allowed to use the High-Grade Conveyor Belt Run. In this hour you can go through up to 6 tons of the same ore the mine would have processed, and possibly pull off hundreds of carats worth of Oregon sunstone.

Another great option at the Spectrum Sunstone Mine is their High-Grade Condensed Commercial Ore Piles for $100, $150, or $200 per pile (depending on where the condensed ore came from in the mine) you, your family, and friends can search through your pile.

Finally if you really want a true hands-on experience at the Spectrum Sunstone Mine, you can participate in their High-Grade Pit Digging for only $100 to $200 per person or per sectioned off area, depending on where you want to mine, you are given access to the red and green sunstone mining area.

Going with this option is true hard rock mining so be prepared to work and get dirty to get your Oregon sunstone.

Equipment Needed For Oregon Sunstone Mining

For these adventures at the Spectrum Sunstone Mine you will want to be sure to bring your own tools (the mine doesn’t have any available), which may include, (Click on the links below to see whats available):

-Hat (the sun can be a little harsh out here)
-Sunscreen (once again the sun can be a little harsh)
-Knee Pads
-Safety glasses (sharp pieces of stone in you eye will ruin the day)
-Rock hammer (useful if you plan on just digging a little or a lot)
-Heavy-duty gloves (hard rock mining is very hard on the hands)
-Pry Bar (get one that is long and can be held in your hand comfortably)
-Pick
-Small hand shovel
-Box Screens
-Food and Water (no food is available at the mine)

Getting to the Spectrum Sunstone Mine

The Spectrum Sunstone Mine is open 1 May to 1 November 9:30am to 5:30 pm. Mining during the winter is by appointment only.

To collect some your own red or green sunstone you’ll need to fly into Klamath Falls, OR. Be sure to have a rental car waiting since the mine is 95 miles away.

If you’re looking to stay in a hotel you’ll want to make reservations in Lakeview, OR just be aware that the mine is still over 70 miles from here.

If you prefer the mine has camping available, and is in the process of building other accommodations.

Directions to the Spectrum Sunstone Mine

To get to the Spectrum Sunstone Mine from Lakeview, OR take highway 395 North to state highway 140, also called Warner Hwy, go right (east).

Follow state hwy 140 for about 8 miles.

After mile marker 15 you will see the Plush cut-off road, turn left (north) onto this road. Travel about 12 miles into the town of Plush, OR.

Once you’re in Plush find the Hart Mountain Store it’s right along the main road. Set your odometer to 0.0 miles.

Now follow County Rd. 3-10, which is also called Hogback Rd, go north on this road.

Around 5.2 miles the pavement ends and becomes a dirt road, no worries just keep on going.

Once you get to about 10.1 miles, you’ll turn right (east) onto County Rd. 3-11, this is also called Flagstaff Lake Road.

Go about 1/2 mile, your odometer should read around 10.7 there will be a road with no real name on the left, turn left (north) onto this road and follow it for about 8½ miles.

At 19.2 miles you should see the “Sunstone Area 5 miles” sign and a road, turn left (North) onto this road. Be aware that there are some sudden curves on this road so be careful.

You should start to see signs for other sunstone mines. The Spectrum Sunstone Mine is one of the furthest out.

After passing the Dust Devil Mine at about 24.1 miles, turn right (east) on the road going to the Sunstone Public Collection Area.

When your odometer gets to the 24.5-mile mark on your left, you should see a big tipi, which means you’re at the right place.

Keep in mind if you like the tipi you can rent it for the night to stay in for only $35 a night, and it has it’s own fire pit built in.

Contacting the Spectrum Sunstone Mine

For additional information or making reservations at the Spectrum Sunstone Mine contact:

Jessica Schenk 775-830-5797
Chris Rose 775-772-7724

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The Royal Peacock Mine is known for it’s wonderful black opal, and they allow anyone to come on a treasure hunting vacation to get some of their own from the plentiful opal deposits.

current prices on rough/uncut Opal from Nevada here!

current prices on rough/uncut Opal from around the world here!

Mining for Black Opal at the Royal Peacock Mine

For only $75 you can search through the tailing piles left around the mine. There are many gem quality opals still left in the tailings just waiting for you to find. Just be sure to keep a keen eye, and you should walk away with some wonderful finds.

If you feel like trying to make the really big find on your own, because you know it’s hard to leave with the big one in your pocket by going through other peoples waste material. Then staking a claim is the way to go, for $180 a day you can mine on the wall of the pit and stake your own claim there.

As long as you mark your spot and continue to return to it no one else will be allowed to mine that spot. So a good days worth of mining a spot won’t be lost the next day as long as you mark your spot.

Equipment Needed to Mine For Black Opal at the Royal Peacock Mine

So what equipment do you need to find some of the finest examples of black opal at the Royal Peacock Mine? Well here’s a little list. (Click on the links below to see whats available):

-Hat (the sun can be a little harsh out here)
-Sunscreen (once again the sun can be a little harsh)
-Knee Pads
-Safety glasses
-Rock hammer (useful if you plan on digging in the mine or the tailings)
-Heavy-duty gloves
- Miners Pick
-Small Pry Bar/Screw Driver (to help dig out pieces)
-Small hand shovel
-Food and Water (no food is available at the mine)
-Bucket
-Garden claw
-Small garden shovel

Getting to the Royal Peacock Mine

The Royal Peacock Mine is open 15 May to 15 October, 8am-4pm every day.

To travel to the Royal Peacock Opal Mine you’ll need to fly into Klamath Falls, OR. Be sure to have a rental car ready because it’s 160 miles to the mine.

The nearest hotel is in Denio, NV this is 37 miles from the mine.

A few options are available at the mine for overnight stays, including RV hookups, 3 furnished trailers, and many camping sites for tents. Call for reservations to stay at the mine.

Directions to the Royal Peacock Mine

To get to the Royal Peacock Opal mine from Denio, NV go south on state highway 292 to Denio Junction. This is he last place to get gas and supplies before the mine so plan accordingly.

Now take Highway 140 west about 25 miles to the Virgin Valley Ranch Rd turn off. You should see signs for both the Royal peacock and the Rainbow Ridge mines.

You’ll travel past the ranger station and campgrounds at Farina Ponds. Just after the campground there will be a Y in the road.

Take the right hand leg of the road, once again you should see a sign pointing you in the right direction, this road goes about 7 miles and ends at the mine.

Most of this trip is asphalt road except for the last 7 miles or so. The road is not hard to travel but good ground clearance would be helpful.

Contacting the Royal Peacock Mine

For additional information contact:

Walter Wilson at 775-272-3201 or email maestes@frontiernet.net

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