Nevada – FIRE OPAL & SANDSTONE

To illustrate the significance of both the Nevada official state gemstone and official state rock I need to tell you about the official state tartan (I’m seeing another blog emerging here). The tartan has a blue background with silver, red, yellow and white intersecting lines with the red representing the Virgin Valley black fire opal and the crossing of the yellow and red stripes representing the different colors of Nevada sandstone. Now that’s a noteworthy plaid.

Sandstone, found throughout the state as regular sandstone or as quartzite, is responsible for some of Nevada’s most spectacular landscapes.

In the spiritual arena Sandstone is associated with creativity. It also helps to strengthen the facets of interpersonal relationships. Sandstone encourages truth and advances clarity in thought and sight.

In the same way Sandstone is used as a building material and in the creation of decorative stones, tiles, and monuments, it is also used to build one’s reality and improve the foundation of relationships.

Adding Sandstone to my necklace will dampen bad temper and inhibit general grouchiness, improve water retention and assist in the restoration of weak fingernails and thinning hair.

Nevada's state precious gemstone is the Virgin Valley Black Fire Opal (turquoise is the Nevada state semi-precious gemstone but I‘ll leave that for another state post). The only place that the black fire opal is found in any significant quantity is in northern Nevada's Virgin Valley. This opal rivals most others because of its brilliant play of bright colors on a midnight background.

Legend has it that a black opal encased in gold worn near the heart is said to protect one from the evil eye and other dangers and protect travelers on far away journeys.
The fire opal is used to encourage spontaneous action and new ideas, stimulate enthusiasm and to act as a magnet to draw money and customers to a business.

The opal awakens one’s inner fire and is used as an energy amplifier. It gives the wearer the ability to act in a creative, artistic and passionate manner and encourages confidence and optimism.

Adding the black fire opal to my necklace (and you’ll need to look very hard to find the opal in this bead, but it’s there), can assist in the healing of intestine and adrenal gland ailments, blood disorders, depression and apathy. It will increase vitality and dispel fatigue.

A fifth grade class in Las Vegas lobbied for sandstone to become the official rock of Nevada in 1987. Also in 1987, Nevada adopted the Virgin Valley Black Fire Opal as the official precious gemstone.