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All the United States Nevada Goldfield Gemfield
AO Edited

Gemfield

One of the best places to dig—some say on the planet—for six different types of chalcedony.

Goldfield, Nevada

Added By
Laura Kiniry
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One of the many kinds of gemstones you’ll find at Gemfield, a wonderland for rockhounders within Nevada’s Esmeralda County.   Courtesy of Travel Nevada
One of the many kinds of gemstones you’ll find at Gemfield, a wonderland for rockhounders within Nevada’s Esmeralda County.   Courtesy of Travel Nevada
A horned toad resting on some of Gemfield’s riches.   Sharon Artlip
A piece of bulls-eye chalcedony, one of six types of chalcedony found at Nevada’s Gemfield site.   Sharon Artlip
Looking out over the Gemfield dig site.   Sharon Artlip
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About

Nevada’s desert landscape is chock full of natural gemstone and minerals awaiting discovery, but when it comes to chalcedony, Gemfield is the cream of the crop. 

Located in western central Nevada, this public dig site is believed to hold the United States’ largest deposit of gemstone-quality chalcedony. This smooth, quartz stone—whose varieties include agate, jasper, and opalite—is prized for its hardness and luster and is ideal for polishing and for creating jewelry. 

Gemfield’s chalcedony appears in many shapes, patterns, and hues ranging from green to black and pale blue to pinkish-purple. With so many options to choose from, visitors can easily spend all day scouring the hillside for a prize gemstone.  

But Gemfield isn’t a one-hit wonder. The site is a rockhounder’s paradise and is prized for its vast mineral diversity within a relatively compact space. Along with chalcedony, Gemfield boasts deposits of turquoise, jasper, borax, silver, and even gold.

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Mining Geology Rocks Minerals Gems And Jewels

Know Before You Go

Gemfield is four miles northwest of Goldfield and 30 miles south of Tonopah, off Highway 95 along Gemfield Road. It’s open from sunrise to sunset daily, year-round. Digs run $1 per pound, cash only and paid on the honor system. Be sure to sign the visitor log at the entrance sign, which not only grants visitors permission to collect (the site is located on BLM property) but also serves as a liability release. 

There are no gas stations and/or restrooms in either Goldfield or near Gemfield, so plan accordingly. 

Be sure to stay on designated roads and avoid any fenced-off areas—these are old mine sites and are unsafe to enter.

Don’t forget your rockhounding tools, including a bucket for collecting, a rockhounding pick, spray bottle, trowel, and gloves. Once there, you’ll find a welcome kiosk detailing Gemfield’s various mineral deposits in the area and how to find them. 

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laurakiniry

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heshsf

  • heshsf

Published

January 1, 2024

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  • https://www.utahgemstonejewelers.com/enough_chalcedony/#:~:text=Known%20as%20%E2%80%9CGemfield%E2%80%9D%20the%20original,opalite%20within%20the%20claim%20area.
  • https://www.utahgemstonejewelers.com/enough_chalcedony/
  • http://www.gemfieldnv.com/
  • https://rockchasing.com/types-of-chalcedony/
  • https://www.utahgemstonejewelers.com/enough_chalcedony/
  • https://travelnevada.com/rockhounding-mining/gemfield/
  • https://rockchasing.com/gem-mining-in-nevada/#:~:text=Our%20state's%20parks%2C%20mines%2C%20quarries,explored%20in%20great%20depth%20below.
Gemfield
Four miles from Goldfield
Goldfield, Nevada, 89013
United States
37.739655, -117.295081
Visit Website
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