Latest Visit To Goldfield, Nevada

Latest Doings in Goldfield, Nevada

Goldfield is getting a new gold mine! In my May, 2016 Rock&Gem article on Gemfield, I wrote that a new mine might be coming to Goldfield. It’s going to happen. This will be an open pit operation, not a hard rock mine.  This will bring some high paid jobs to the Goldfield/Tonopah area for at least several years. The pit may go down only three to five hundred feet according to one geologist I talked to.

People will notice fresh pavement and a realignment of I-95 just north of the city proper. That’s because the original mine owner paid tens of millions of dollars to Nevada to move the road! This better accommodates the mine’s plan of operations, the main pit to be extremely close to where old alignment was. There’s turbulence in the mining industry as always, I understand that ownership of the Gemfield Project has been sold three times since 2016. Gemfield Resources appears to be the current owner.

Perhaps to capture this new wave of construction, Valero in several months is opening a 24 hour travel plaza in Goldfield. That means Goldfield residents will finally have a gas station in town and a convenience store. Right now, the only source of food in Goldfield is the Dinky Diner restaurant, normal hours, and a General Store that is only open “sometimes” and has been for sale for at least two years. This travel plaza is significant because it will take big rigs, the next truck stop going south being at Armagosa Valley, 93 miles away.

I expect Goldfield to perhaps increase in residency between these two happenings but any new resident will still face a 5,500 foot altitude with temps in the low 20s in the winter, along with snow and the highway shutting down from time to time. Also, no medical services, with the only med clinic a half hour away in Tonopah. No area hospital, no emergency room. People are transported by vehicle to either Las Vegas or Reno for non-emergency problems, a true emergency requires a helicopter ride to whatever city will take them. That could be pricey. On the positive side, an improved water line is coming in as the result of the mine. This will make water more dependable in Goldfield.

Bryan Smalley at Hidden Treasures said that he recently had a very good month. William Vanderford at Vanderford’s Gold Strike, on the other hand, is rather desperate for money and has been having a terrible time getting by in this crisis. He only accepts cash because of credit card company minimum monthly fees and says no one traveling has cash or wants to spend it. There are no big banks in Goldfield and neither in Tonopah, although there is one small but true bank in Tonopah. I talked to a roadside vendor in Beatty and he says he loses 60% of his sales because he doesn’t take cash. Both are now thinking of using Square, that handheld card reader you see vendors at Rock Shows using. For now, for all of the Southwest, bring cash.

Sharon Artlip continues work on the Gemfield Gems Chalcedony Claims but is also helping renovate the International Car Forest of the Lost Church. This is an interesting and recent video on the Forest:

URL of the video is here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRKS1IWbOec 

The creators mention a lack of trash at the site, this is something Sharon and company have been working on. They’ve also been repainting offensive graffiti when it appears as well as sprucing up the place in general.

Oh, the creators of the video, Cory and Honey, mentioned hitting a bathroom before visiting the Forest. The Forest does have a porta-potty, however, the city of Goldfield maintains public bathrooms at First Street and I-95 on the west side of town. I-95 serves as the main street running through town. The bathrooms are in the Goldfield Visitor Center parking lot, the Center itself open only when volunteers man it. The bathrooms always seem open during the day. I’m not sure about if they are open at night or if they were open during the pandemic. The bathrooms have running water and the parking lot easily takes RVs. See details at the end of this post.

Goldfield Art & Business Services

306 Crook Avenue
P.O. Box 121
Goldfield, NV 89013
775-485-3789

37°42.560′ N 117°14.284′ W

https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Business-Service/Goldfield-Art-Business-Services-178494142352005/

Look for the “Gemfield Headquarters” sign at the top of this building. You can register to go out to the claims from here and you can also pay for whatever rocks you collected. A dollar a pound. Sharon Artlip has returned to this location and rocks from the claims are here along with old maps and documents and miscellany. As with everything in Goldfield, call to make sure they are open. Contact Goldfield’s Chamber of Commerce if necessary.

The Gemfield Gems Chalcedony Claims website is at the link below:

http://www.gemfieldnv.com

Hidden Treasures Trading Company
489 Bellevue Avenue
P.O. Box 512
Goldfield, NV 89013
775-485-3761 – Voice mail box is usually full
775-485-3485

37°42.220′ N 117°14.066′ W

https://www.facebook.com/HiddenTreasuresTradingCo/

[email protected]

One of my many posts on Hidden Treasures:

https://southwestrockhounding.com/2019/04/25/bryan-smalley-and-hidden-treasures-trading-company-in-goldfield-nevada/

Bryan Smalley runs one of the Southwest’s most eclectic rock and gift shops. He is expert on local rockhounding and accomplished at cutting and lapidary. He does knapping and can talk authoritatively on making flintlock strikers from locally collected chalcedony. It is sometimes difficult to find him at his shops, three buildings in total.

Ask locals where Bryan is if you can’t find him. Try the Dinky Diner. The friendly Goldfield citizens won’t mind your asking. Bryan has a minimal web presence since he focuses on finding rocks and cutting same. And making doors and entire buildings. Make sure to stop when investigating the Gemfield Gem claims. Tell him Tom said “Hi” and if you have a rock that needs cutting, ask him if he has the time. Oh, and buy something!

Bryan Polishing a Jade Piece from Thomas Farley on Vimeo.


Florence and Rustler #2 Mine Tours
Goldfield, NV

Call or text for information and reservations:

James Aurich: 702-622-0500
Jon Aurich: 702-622-1344

Guided surface and underground tours by appointment. The surface tour views head frames, hoist houses, the black shop and more. Great views of the surrounding country which are pockmarked with the craters of old mines. One mile from Goldfield on an easy dirt road. Private residence on site. Those with mobility issues should bring up their condition with the owners before visiting.

This page linked below contains photos and mine history. Information on the Florence exists in different places on the web, including Mindat.org.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/florence-mining-company-goldfield-4

Vanderford’s Gold Strike
William D. Vanderford, Consulting Geologist
775-485-3252

Mailing address:
P.O. Box 27
Goldfield, NV

Shop location:
Highway 95 on the west side of town.

Eclectic materials, well worth a stop. Rocks, mineral samples, more. Please bring cash, William is not accepting credit cards at this time. Some of his jewelry is rare and understandably expensive, he says many people walk away from a piece because they didn’t have enough cash. He stopped accepting plastic when the credit card companies started charging him extra for failing to meet a certain dollar level each month. These fees are murderous to small businesses and you will find that cash is still king all over the rural Southwest.

[email protected]

Old YouTube video but a good look at the store:

https://youtu.be/I0nFH0Lfh8Q

A single shot of Vanderford’s below:



The Dinky Diner
323 Crook Avenue
Goldfield, NV 89103
775-485-3231

37°42.453′ N 117°13.946′ W

Menu:

http://places.singleplatform.com/the-dinky-diner/menu?

Your place to eat in Goldfield. Skip a meal in Beatty or Tonopah and eat instead in Goldfield. It will be worth it. Only place in town to eat but this business does not take advantage of that, they try very hard. Small-town life; strike up a conversation with the next table. They will fix anything to go if you don’t have time to dine.

The Dinky is right on I-95 in Goldfield, essentially Main Street. You may miss it coming in from the south. Turn around where convenient but watch your speed and where you turn as an Esmeralda County Sheriff is often waiting to catch speeders. Slow down!

A few years ago, I stopped into Goldfield to research that Rock&Gem article I wrote about earlier. The waitress asked me what I was doing in town. I said I was meeting Sharon Artlip to discuss her chalcedony claims. “Oh, yes,” the waitress said, “Sharon said you were coming in.”

I recommend the BLT for lunch and the cheeseburger for dinner. 

“My mom and I own this business and we are just trying to serve awesome food. With a good environment and great people. Hours are 8 am to 4 pm, every day except Sundays when we close at 2 pm. Hope to see you soon!” Karie L.

Public Bathrooms and Goldfield Visitor Center

Bathrooms are in the Visitor Center parking lot which can easily take large RVs and has trash barrels. Running water in the bathrooms. The Visitor Center itself is often closed, volunteer staffed.

37°42.561′ W 117°14.263′ N



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Video of the Gemfield Gems Chalcedony Claim

The Gemfield Gems Chalcedony Claim north of Goldfield, Nevada. Multicolored rocks and possibly antelope. Certainly wild burro.

Official site: http://www.gemfieldnv.com/

Gemfield Gems Chalcedony Claim from Thomas Farley on Vimeo.


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Another Update on The Gemfield Gem Claims in Goldfield, Nevada

Update: June 19, 2023

Just got back from Goldfield, the claims are open, the Dinky Diner is open, Hidden Treasures is open. The other businesses are open or trying. Bring cash, small bills. Rocks still a dollar pound, you pick-em, pay for them in town. Honor system.

The owners of Wild Inspirations mentioned below have moved on and Sharon is back in that building.

Bryan Smalley is still manning the store, ask around town if he isn’t there. Customers continue coming in.  He might cut a rock for you if he isn’t too busy. Say please and tell him Thomas Farley sent you.

Bryan Cutting a Rock For Me from Thomas Farley on Vimeo.

Further Update: June 22, 2023 Latest Doings in Goldfield, Nevada

Goldfield is getting a new gold mine! In my May, 2016 Rock&Gem article on Gemfield, I wrote that a new mine might be coming to Goldfield. It’s going to happen. This will be an open pit operation, not a hard rock mine.  This will bring some high paid jobs to the Goldfield/Tonopah area for at least several years. The pit may go down only three to five hundred feet according to one geologist I talked to.

People will notice fresh pavement and a realignment of I-95 just north of the city proper. That’s because the original mine owner paid tens of millions of dollars to Nevada to move the road! This better accommodates the mine’s plan of operations, the main pit to be extremely close to where old alignment was. There’s turbulence in the mining industry as always, I understand that ownership of the Gemfield Project has been sold three times since 2016. Gemfield Resources appears to be the current owner.

Perhaps to capture this new wave of construction, Valero in several months is opening a 24 hour travel plaza in Goldfield. That means Goldfield residents will finally have a gas station in town and a convenience store. Right now, the only source of food in Goldfield is the Dinky Diner restaurant, normal hours, and a General Store that is only open “sometimes” and has been for sale for at least two years. This travel plaza is significant because it will take big rigs, the next truck stop going south being at Armagosa Valley, 93 miles away.

I expect Goldfield to perhaps increase in residency between these two happenings but any new resident will still face a 5,500 foot altitude with temps in the low 20s in the winter, along with snow and the highway shutting down from time to time. Also, no medical services, with the only med clinic a half hour away in Tonopah. No area hospital, no emergency room. People are transported by vehicle to either Las Vegas or Reno for non-emergency problems, a true emergency requires a helicopter ride to whatever city will take them. That could be pricey. On the positive side, an improved water line is coming in as the result of the mine. This will make water more dependable in Goldfield.

Bryan Smalley at Hidden Treasures said that he recently had a very good month. William Vanderford at Vanderford’s Gold Strike, on the other hand, is rather desperate for money and has been having a terrible time getting by in this crisis. He only accepts cash because of credit card company minimum monthly fees and says no one traveling has cash or wants to spend it. There are no big banks in Goldfield and neither in Tonopah, although there is one small but true bank in Tonopah. I talked to a roadside vendor in Beatty and he says he loses 60% of his sales because he doesn’t take cash. Both are now thinking of using Square, that handheld card reader you see vendors at Rock Shows using. For now, for all of the Southwest, bring cash.

Sharon Artlip continues work on the Gemfield Gems Chalcedony Claims but is also helping renovate the International Car Forest of the Lost Church. This is an interesting and recent video on the Forest:

URL of the video is here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRKS1IWbOec 

The creators mention a lack of trash at the site, this is something Sharon and company have been working on. They’ve also been repainting offensive graffiti when it appears as well as sprucing up the place in general.

Oh, the creators of the video, Cory and Honey, mentioned hitting a bathroom before visiting the Forest. The Forest does have a porta-potty, however, the city of Goldfield maintains public bathrooms at First Street and I-95 on the west side of town. I-95 serves as the main street running through town. The bathrooms are in the Goldfield Visitor Center parking lot, the Center itself open only when volunteers man it. The bathrooms always seem open during the day. I’m not sure about if they are open at night or if they were open during the pandemic. The bathrooms have running water and the parking lot easily takes RVs. See details at the end of this post.

Goldfield Art & Business Services

306 Crook Avenue
P.O. Box 121
Goldfield, NV 89013
775-485-3789

37°42.560′ N 117°14.284′ W

https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Business-Service/Goldfield-Art-Business-Services-178494142352005/

Look for the “Gemfield Headquarters” sign at the top of this building. You can register to go out to the claims from here and you can also pay for whatever rocks you collected. A dollar a pound. Sharon Artlip has returned to this location and rocks from the claims are here along with old maps and documents and miscellany. As with everything in Goldfield, call to make sure they are open. Contact Goldfield’s Chamber of Commerce if necessary.

The Gemfield Gems Chalcedony Claims website is at the link below:

http://www.gemfieldnv.com

Hidden Treasures Trading Company
489 Bellevue Avenue
P.O. Box 512
Goldfield, NV 89013
775-485-3761 – Voice mail box is usually full
775-485-3485

37°42.220′ N 117°14.066′ W

https://www.facebook.com/HiddenTreasuresTradingCo/

[email protected]

One of my many posts on Hidden Treasures:

https://southwestrockhounding.com/2019/04/25/bryan-smalley-and-hidden-treasures-trading-company-in-goldfield-nevada/

Bryan Smalley runs one of the Southwest’s most eclectic rock and gift shops. He is expert on local rockhounding and accomplished at cutting and lapidary. He does knapping and can talk authoritatively on making flintlock strikers from locally collected chalcedony. It is sometimes difficult to find him at his shops, three buildings in total.

Ask locals where Bryan is if you can’t find him. Try the Dinky Diner. The friendly Goldfield citizens won’t mind your asking. Bryan has a minimal web presence since he focuses on finding rocks and cutting same. And making doors and entire buildings. Make sure to stop when investigating the Gemfield Gem claims. Tell him Tom said “Hi” and if you have a rock that needs cutting, ask him if he has the time. Oh, and buy something!

Bryan Polishing a Jade Piece from Thomas Farley on Vimeo.


Florence and Rustler #2 Mine Tours
Goldfield, NV

Call or text for information and reservations:

James Aurich: 702-622-0500
Jon Aurich: 702-622-1344

Guided surface and underground tours by appointment. The surface tour views head frames, hoist houses, the black shop and more. Great views of the surrounding country which are pockmarked with the craters of old mines. One mile from Goldfield on an easy dirt road. Private residence on site. Those with mobility issues should bring up their condition with the owners before visiting.

This page linked below contains photos and mine history. Information on the Florence exists in different places on the web, including Mindat.org.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/florence-mining-company-goldfield-4

Vanderford’s Gold Strike
William D. Vanderford, Consulting Geologist
775-485-3252

Mailing address:
P.O. Box 27
Goldfield, NV

Shop location:
Highway 95 on the west side of town.

Eclectic materials, well worth a stop. Rocks, mineral samples, more. Please bring cash, William is not accepting credit cards at this time. Some of his jewelry is rare and understandably expensive, he says many people walk away from a piece because they didn’t have enough cash. He stopped accepting plastic when the credit card companies started charging him extra for failing to meet a certain dollar level each month. These fees are murderous to small businesses and you will find that cash is still king all over the rural Southwest.

[email protected]

Old YouTube video but a good look at the store:

https://youtu.be/I0nFH0Lfh8Q

A single shot of Vanderford’s below:



The Dinky Diner
323 Crook Avenue
Goldfield, NV 89103
775-485-3231

37°42.453′ N 117°13.946′ W

Menu:

http://places.singleplatform.com/the-dinky-diner/menu?

Your place to eat in Goldfield. Skip a meal in Beatty or Tonopah and eat instead in Goldfield. It will be worth it. Only place in town to eat but this business does not take advantage of that, they try very hard. Small-town life; strike up a conversation with the next table. They will fix anything to go if you don’t have time to dine.

The Dinky is right on I-95 in Goldfield, essentially Main Street. You may miss it coming in from the south. Turn around where convenient but watch your speed and where you turn as an Esmeralda County Sheriff is often waiting to catch speeders. Slow down!

A few years ago, I stopped into Goldfield to research that Rock&Gem article I wrote about earlier. The waitress asked me what I was doing in town. I said I was meeting Sharon Artlip to discuss her chalcedony claims. “Oh, yes,” the waitress said, “Sharon said you were coming in.”

I recommend the BLT for lunch and the cheeseburger for dinner. 

“My mom and I own this business and we are just trying to serve awesome food. With a good environment and great people. Hours are 8 am to 4 pm, every day except Sundays when we close at 2 pm. Hope to see you soon!” Karie L.

Public Bathrooms and Goldfield Visitor Center

Bathrooms are in the Visitor Center parking lot which can easily take large RVs and has trash barrels. Running water in the bathrooms. The Visitor Center itself is often closed, volunteer staffed.

37°42.561′ W 117°14.263′ N



https://www.instagram.com/tgfarley/
Follow me on Instagram: tgfarley

Original Post

Sharon Artlip has been in touch. She and her sister Nadiah Beekum own the Gemfield Gem claims in Goldfield, Nevada.

I’ve written quite a bit about the claims at this site and also in the May, 2016 issue of Rock&Gem Magazine. Another name for the claims now seems to be “The Rainbow Chalcedony Claims.”

Sharon writes that, “It has been a wonderful couple of years.  We are still having fun at Gemfield and always trying to improve it.  If you would like I will send you the current brochure.”

Rocks go for a dollar a pound. Everything is on the honor system. Register at one of several Goldfield businesses before going to the claim. Easy dirt road but not recommended for large RVs.

Wild burro country. Antelope, too.

Here’s a link below to the current brochure in .pdf:

2019-03-Gemfield Gem-Claims-History-pamphlet

This is a link to Sharon’s website supporting the claims:

http://www.gemfieldnv.com

And here’s a postcard photo of the claims. Click here or on the image for a much bigger view:

 

Sharon holding chalcedony in Goldfield, Nevada. She’s at Bryan Smalley’s Hidden Treasure Trading Company at 489 Bellevue Avenue.  Notice her truck’s new personalized license plates.

Follow me on Instagram: tgfarley

https://www.instagram.com/tgfarley/


What Does an Agate Look Like?

Agates occur in nearly every state, along with countries around the world. Their patterns are endless and often striking, sometimes unbelievable. Right now there is a great agate thread going on on the open Facebook group Rockhound Connection:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/169785333057/

Make sure to check out the posts. They are all variations of quartz.

As beautiful as some of these cut and polished specimens are, many beginners are confused as to what to look for. Although not always present, a certain translucence and a wavy character to the rock are good signs. Some agates are so outrageously striped that there is no doubt as to what they are.

Here is a video of an agate that I liked so much that I have never had the heart to cut it open. The second photograph shows another agate from the same location, one I cut into a slab with a rock saw.

Both of these rocks are for examples only, they did not come from the Southwest. But if you are ever in Northern California, you may want to check the riverbed of Cache Creek in Yolo County. Good luck.

https://www.yolocounty.org/general-government/general-government-departments/parks/parks-information/camp-haswell

Uncut agate. Click on image or text link below. (Movie)

Cache_Creek_Agate_green

Cut agate:

Update on The Gemfield Gem Claims in Goldfield, Nevada

Follow me on Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/tgfarley/

Update: October 20, 2022

I’ve been unable to visit Goldfield lately but things seem well from a distance. A gas station was being built when I last visited but I can’t determine that it has been finished. It will be a travel plaza as it was described to be. For now, gas up in Tonopah or Beatty. Top off your tank every chance you get in rural Nevada. The next gas station might be out of fuel. One more thing: Winter. It’s coming.

Goldfield is above 5,000 feet. Nights get cold and there will be snow, sometimes lots. Bring an ice scraper for those chilly mornings if you overnight in Goldfield or Tonopah. Better yet, cover your windshield with a tarp or a blanket or an old beach towel. No more scraping. And new wiper blades. Nothing worse than trying to see through a partially covered windshield with snow and ice. 

The Reno Gazette recently ran a piece on Goldfield. I found the writer’s tone and attitude disappointing. He repeatedly pointed out a lack of services in Goldfield with an utter disregard of the special life that’s led in the sage and the silence of the Great Basin,. I hurriedly wrote this response:

I’ve written extensively on Goldfield and visited many, many times. This writer has an attitude. You don’t cop an attitude in Goldfield. You smile, you wave at people when you are in town, and you act friendly.

The Dinky Diner is wonderful and  you will always get good food. The owners have struggled to keep their place open in the face of this pandemic and they deserve credit. A lot of credit.

Goldfield is actually eager for you to visit and wants your support. Just don’t bring that Big City attitude. Or you’ll be seen as another condescending, judging, where’s my Starbucks? kind of guy.

That doesn’t go in Goldfield where trust and respect are still honored and people know, care, and look out for each other. There’s no rioting in Goldfield and nobody destroys another person’s property for any reason, let alone to make a political statement. If you want that, stay in the Big City. 

Update: June 19, 2023

Just got back from Goldfield, the claims are open, the Dinky Diner is open, Hidden Treasures is open. The other businesses are open or trying. Bring cash, small bills. Rocks still a dollar pound, you pick-em, pay for them in town. Honor system.

The owners of Wild Inspirations mentioned below have moved on and Sharon is back in that building.

Bryan Smalley is still manning the store, ask around town if he isn’t there. Customers continue coming in.  He might cut a rock for you if he isn’t too busy. Say please and tell him Thomas Farley sent you.

Bryan Cutting a Rock For Me from Thomas Farley on Vimeo.

Original article:

My second article for Rock & Gem Magazine was on the Gemfield Gem claims outside of Goldfield, Nevada. The claims are a major source of fine chalcedony. Sharon Artlip, one of the two claim owners, now has a website for the property:

http://www.gemfieldnv.com

A month ago I visited Goldfield. I couldn’t connect with Sharon, who may have been out of town Sharon no longer operates Goldfield Art & Business Services out of the store on I-95.

Update: Sharon is back at her old store! Address and phone number below:

The present owners of the new store at that location, however, will accept your registration and rock fees. Their names are Sherri and Mike. They have a nice store with some maps and some rocks. When I was there they had locally mined pyrite. Stop in and check out a new business:

Wild Inspirations
306 Crook Avenue
P.O. Box 121
Goldfield, NV 89013

775-485-3789

This is the information site at the claims.

Also, when in Goldfield, never miss a chance to check in with Bryan Smalley at Hidden Treasures Trading Company. He may be hard to find away from his store, but ask locals where Bryan is. Try the Dinky Diner. He’s well worth tracking down to visit a one-of-a-kind rock shop:

https://www.facebook.com/HiddenTreasuresTradingCo/

489 S. Bellevue Avenue
Goldfield, Nevada

775-485-3761. Honestly, I have never been able to contact him on the phone.