WRT Stonetree group ("Dominion Opal Mine"), Virgin Valley, Humboldt County, Nevada, USAi

Regional Level Types
WRT Stonetree group ("Dominion Opal Mine")	Group of Claims
Virgin Valley	Valley
Humboldt County	County
Nevada	State
USA	Country

A group of lode mining claims (precious opal).

The WRT Stonetree/Dominion Opal lode group deposit was first discovered prior to 1913 and was relocated by new mining claims in 2004.

The deposit is similar to the other known precious-opal bearing deposits in Virgin Valley. The mining claims are underlain by in-place, horizontal ash, tuff, and tuffaceous sandstone beds. The opal-bearing horizon can be traced and followed and averages more than 4 feet (1.2 m) thick and consists primarily of light-colored bentonite containing varying amounts of petrified wood, rhyolite pebbles, ash, and opal. Precious opals are usually found in the upper half of the horizon. The opal-bearing layer is continuous and in-place. The precious opals which are mined from this deposit are as bright as, if not brighter than, opals from the other area mines. The largest precious opal found on this group of claims was approximately four (4) pounds. Petrified wood is not mined on any of the claims but the precious opal is found in association with petrified wood.

The WRT Stonetree/Dominion Opal Group of lode mining claims includes, in addition to the WRT Stonetree Claim, the WRT Moonbeam's Child, WRT Pleasures, WRT Black Beauty, WRT Fireworks, WRT Cloud Nine, WRT Fiery Embers, WRT Fiddles & Diddles Opal, WRT Sacred Fire, and WRT Virgin Desert Flame. The claim group is approximately 206.6 acres, of which at least 183+ acres contains opal-bearing deposits and reserves. The 10 lode claims making up the group were sold by the Christopher Wentzell Revocable Trust to Alvin W. Wentzell Jr., in 2011 and 2012. Dominion Opal Mines (2018) was in charge of mining and assessment work operations through its agents. Officially known as the WRT Stonetree (aka Dominion Opal) Lode Mining Claim Group (individual BLM claim serial numbers NMC#865653 thru NMC#865662). Marketable amounts of precious opal have been recovered from the mines, and work continues on the claims (2017-2018). From 2013 to 2021 Alvin Wentzell Jr. sold several of the claims and retained the 3 best claims; in late November 2022 the remaining Wentzell claims were sold to Thomas Schaefer who now holds the core claims in the Dominion Opal/Stonetree Group. The Wentzell's retained the right to dig for 3 years.

Ownership is currently (Nov.2022) as follows:
THOMAS SCHAEFER (4 claims: WRT Pleasures, WRT Moonbeams Child, WRT Stonetree; WRT Black Beauty)(plus the Prisms Millsite several miles distant);
BARGER (1 claim: WRT Fireworks lode);
NEWMAN (1 claim: WRT Cloud Nine lode);
MACDONALD (1 claim: WRT Fiery Embers lode)(MacDonald also located 3 adjoining claims on the northeast side of the group).

Localities in this Region

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References