The federal mineral record holds 15,408 entries for Nevada — 7,546 mines that shipped ore, 2,461 prospects that never became mines, 4,135 recorded occurrences. Below it: 5 places where you can legally collect.
Mineral history, not an invitation. This mineral history comes from a federal record of historic mines, prospects, and occurrences. It is not a list of places to collect. Historic mine sites are usually on private land, under active mining claims, or unsafe to enter — and often all three. The places you can actually collect are in the legal-access directory below.
The commodities that drew miners and prospectors to Nevada, by number of historic records:
Gold · 7,787Silver · 7,102Copper · 3,536Lead · 3,053Zinc · 1,552Tungsten · 1,400Mercury · 948Antimony · 864
Records from the USGS Mineral Resources Data System, a legacy federal database last revised August 2022 and no longer updated.
Hours, fees, and access rules change. Verify with the operator or land agency before you go.
NV
precious opalfire opalopalized wood
Fee dig · Fee, seasonal · Weekends only, Friday through Sunday, opening Memorial Day weekend (Saturday, May 23 in 2026) and closing after Labor Day weekend (closed from Tuesday, September 8 until the 2027 season), plus the Mondays of Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Labor Day. Hours 8 am to 4 pm. Phone (775) 941-0111 in season, (775) 969-3616 year-round.
Checked against its source August 16, 2026
NV
almandine garnetrhyolite
BLM collecting area · Free · Best late spring through fall. The site sits around 7,000 feet, so snow and mud can close the graded access road in winter and early spring. BLM notes no water is available at any time of year.
Checked against its source August 16, 2026
Otteson Brothers Turquoise Mining Tours
NV
turquoiseroyston turquoisevariscite
Fee dig · Fee · Tours run year round, Monday through Saturday, weather permitting and excluding holidays. Morning tours start at 8 am and afternoon tours at 1 pm; the all-day tour is listed as 8:00 am to 2:00 pm.
Checked against its source August 16, 2026
NV
black fire opalprecious opalopalized wood
Fee dig · Fee, seasonal · 2026 season May 1 through September 27, 8 am to 4 pm, closed Wednesdays and Thursdays. Be at the mine at 8 am — the cutoff for tailings digging is 9 am. Reservations for virgin loads opened February 15, 2026. The operators warn the roads become impassable quickly when it rains and the mine closes in really wet conditions.
Checked against its source August 16, 2026
NV
black fire opalprecious opalopalized wood
Fee dig · Fee, seasonal · 2026 season May 1 through October 18, seven days a week, 8 am to 4 pm, weather permitting. Virgin Valley is remote high desert; the mine is the nearest anything and Denio is a small outpost.
Checked against its source August 16, 2026
GoldSilverCopperQuartz CrystalsGarnetsFluoriteBerylOpalGemstones
Yes — at places that allow it. This page lists 5 in Nevada: fee digs, designated collecting areas, and official localities, each checked against its source. Everywhere else, legality depends on who owns the land and what rules apply. Before any trip: check land ownership and current mining claims, get permission, respect closures, and never enter old mine workings.
Treat Nevada's historic mines as history, not destinations. Most sit on private land or active mining claims, and old workings are dangerous even to walk. The mineral record on this page tells you what the ground holds — the directory tells you where you are welcome to look for it.