Gemfield in Goldfield, Nevada

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.