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Royal Peacock Opal Mine


JBMugu

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Hello,

 

I thought I would share my experience on the latest trip to the Royal Peacock Opal Mine. I wanted to get a away from work and the house and there isnt a quiter place you could find. I was walking along the opal bearing bank when something caught my eye. Most people like to pick a place an dig all day, im more lazy and I like to walk the bank and look for the easy to reach stuff. I saw what looked like a tooth and proceeded to pull out a camelid jaw section (I think) that had two teeth in it! I was super happy with that find because finding a tooth is somewhat rare. I started to dig around in the bank and I found quite a bit more of the jaw. Here are the pictures.

 

It was one of the best fossils that the owners of the mine had seen so I gave it to them to put in the display at the gift shop. I figured that more people could enjoy it that way rather than sitting in my house. I always wanted to find a nice jaw so I guess I can cross that one off the list. If your ever in Northern Nevada you can stop by the Peacock and check it out. Thanks for looking

 

Jesse

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Wow! 

Great finds!  

Good on ya.  ;) 

    Tim    -  VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER

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"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."

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Awesome find Jesse, I'm with Eric too. Look like peccary to me as well:fistbump:

Every once in a great while it's not just a big rock down there!

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I was surprised that a peccary jaw could be found in an opal mine. Research on how opals form gave me the understanding needed to correlate the two. I am now a more educated man thanks to your post!!! A few questions for you. Are fossils frequently found at the mine? Is this a spot you would definitely recommend if one is to visit Nevada?? Now that I am retired, I have the ability to travel a bit more, IF the stock market doesn't crash!! LOL Maybe I should invest in an opal mine instead of the stock market. At least I would have fun with my investment vs headaches with the Dow.

 

 Mike

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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6 hours ago, Al Dente said:

The teeth don’t look like camel. Maybe peccary?

I would agree, the molars look right.

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2 hours ago, minnbuckeye said:

I was surprised that a peccary jaw could be found in an opal mine. Research on how opals form gave me the understanding needed to correlate the two. I am now a more educated man thanks to your post!!! A few questions for you. Are fossils frequently found at the mine? Is this a spot you would definitely recommend if one is to visit Nevada?? Now that I am retired, I have the ability to travel a bit more, IF the stock market doesn't crash!! LOL Maybe I should invest in an opal mine instead of the stock market. At least I would have fun with my investment vs headaches with the Dow.

 

 Mike

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mike,

 

Fossils are frequently found at the mine. Most are wood and pine cones but there is definitely some mammal material found as well. If you are really lucky the mammal fossils will have precious opal infill. I found a bone this year where the spongy bone was filled with precious opal! The mine owner also has a ridiculous collection of native american artifacts that have been found over the years.

 

This is a spot I would recommend on visiting, I try to go at least once a year. It is a remote location in the Sheldon Wildlife Refuge - 90 miles from a gas station, but they have an RV park with cabins and showers (I like the cabin). It is a really quite place to relax and explore for fossils and minerals. I would recommend going early or late in the season as it gets really hot mid summer, and they close for the winter. If you want to PM me I can send you a link to a video my wife made for the mine.

 

Jesse

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8 hours ago, Al Dente said:

The teeth don’t look like camel. Maybe peccary?

I agree the teeth do look like a peccary. The mine owners thought camel but I think peccary is a better fit. There appears to be tusk remnants on both the upper and lower jaw sections. 

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2 hours ago, caldigger said:

I would agree, the molars look right.

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Doren,

Thanks for the picture it looks like a match to me. If you get a chance you should check this place out. Its just like digging at STH there is  a nice layer. Most people struggle but after digging enough in Bakersfield this place is easy! Its where I get my summer fossil fix.

 

JEsse

 

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23 hours ago, JBMugu said:

I thought I would share my experience on the latest trip to the Royal Peacock Opal Mine.

Congratulations!

Thanks for sharing this fantastic find.

 

Darwin said: " Man sprang from monkeys."

Will Rogers said: " Some of them didn't spring far enough."

 

My Fossil collection - My Mineral collection

My favorite thread on TFF.

 

 

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On 9/12/2019 at 6:39 PM, PaleoNoel said:

That's an awesome find! From your other posts i've seen it seems like an awesome place to hunt!

I think it is, if your ever out that way I would stop in.

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