TRIP OF THE WEEK:
Rich array of rocks and gems found in region
Searching for rocks throughout region a fun way to spend the day. Illustration by Mike Miller.
A rich storehouse of rocks and gemstones, Nevada's mineral diversity creates wonderful opportunities for rockhounds. For Southern Nevadans, neighboring portions of Arizona, California and Utah add to that variety. The region promises unlimited outings in search of interesting rocks.
Nevada remains best known for its turquoise, since a high percentage of all the turquoise mined in the world comes from deposits in the Silver State. Fire opals and garnets figure prominently among other well-known gemstones found in Nevada.
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Several areas in Nevada invite rockhounds to search for gemstones. Look for an intriguing side road off U.S. 95 between Goldfield and Tonopah that snakes toward a promising gem field. Collectors frequently find garnets in the popular Garnet Hill area near Ely off U.S. 6. In scattered locations across the state, rockhounds find droplets of volcanic glass or obsidian, often called Apache tears. Unique finds in Clark County include swirled quartz crystals known as chalcedony roses as they occur in layers like rose petals.
Rock collectors often start by picking up anything that catches the eye. Before long they want to know enough about rocks and minerals to identify common specimens in the field, information available in a well-illustrated field guide. Look for a guide small enough to fit in a backpack. Add a rock hammer to that backpack when you plan an outing.
Local bookstores and stores in National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management visitor centers offer a variety of such guide books. Often shelved nearby, other books appeal to prospectors or treasure hunters. A few of these retell tall tales or legends, but the more factual publications offer useful information, good illustrations in color, and maps suited to the casual collector.
Familiarize yourself with some of the bewildering variety of rocks, minerals and gemstones by touring labeled collections in local museums. Visit some of the area's rock shops with specimens for sale. Browse through books on the subject in Clark County libraries. When you get serious about rock hounding, sign up for a field trip or a beginning geology course at the community college or university.
Consider joining an organized group of rockhounds which hold regular meetings and plan field trips to gem collecting areas. These groups annually sponsor rock and gem shows where they display samples, demonstrate lapidary techniques and trade or sell specimens.
For more information, call the Boulder City Gem Club at 294-1022 or 293-7853, or the Southern Nevada Gem and Mineral Society at 838-0012. The Boulder City group meets the second Wednesday monthly except July and August at 7:30 p.m. in a community center at 1204 Sixth St. in Boulder City. The Southern Nevada society meets monthly on the first Monday at 7 p.m. at the senior center at 441 Bonanza Road.
Abiding by a few rules ensures rock hunters remain welcome on public lands. Individual collectors taking a few samples need no permits, but those collecting for commercial purposes fall under mining regulations. Private land and posting mining claims are off-limits to collectors. Use existing roads to get where you need to go as the desert bears the scars of off-road travel for many years. If you must open a gate to continue on your way, range courtesy dictates that you close it securely behind you. Take care where you place hands and feet when exploring among rocky outcroppings as snakes like to explore them, too.
Watch out for old diggings when you explore on foot. Unmarked and unfenced, many old mines and open shafts in Nevada's hinterlands pose hazards for the unwary. Never venture inside mines or down shafts where rotten timbers and unstable surfaces may await you.
Be prepared. Let someone at home know where you are headed and when you expect to return. Carry a cell phone and emergency numbers, drinking water, trail snacks, a jacket and a first aid kit. Make sure your vehicle has plenty of gas and a good spare. Pack it with extra water, food, small tools and a flashlight.
