IDAHO OPAL MINES, INC.
ABOUT OUR COMPANY
We are Bob & Susan Thompson. We purchased the opal mining claim in 1991. After a couple of years of hard work developing the mine, we found an incredible amount of gem grade opal. In the winter of 1993, we found the market for our opal with the jewelry store and custom goldsmiths in Idaho. We were concentrating on the wholesale market to promote our opal. Then in the summer of 1993, we opened our first retail store in Dubois, Idaho, just off Interstate 15, and the exit for the rest area. We bought a used 28' trailer, replaced the inside with display cases and found a great location for selling opal jewelry retail at direct-from-the-mine prices. Then in 1997, we bought the old general store in Spencer, just 13 miles north of Dubois and off the Interstate. If you find yourself in the area, stop by to say hi! Our store name is "Opal Mountain Mine". Since the store is also the old Texaco gas station. We inherited one gas pump, which is very popular in this desolate area of the U.S. We say we are the only jewelry store in the world with a gas pump, but it does bring people in!
While Bob is working 7 days/week for 6 months at the mine, Susan has the store to run. We do all our own mining, cutting and jewelry setting, and are proud to offer a truly "Made in America" product. We take pride in our workmanship.
We spend May-October in Spencer, Idaho, and November-April in San Clemente, California. While in California, we do our cutting and jewelry setting. We wanted to show our opal to the world, so since 1995, we have been doing the gem show in Tucson, Arizona. We are at the Convention Center for 4 days the middle of February with the Tucson Gem & Mineral Society.
In 2005, we were honored to place several specimens of our opal at the Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History in Washington DC. We've come a long way since that little trailer in Dubois, Idaho!
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