When was mining founded in Nevada?

Mining first started in Nevada in the year 1849.  Mormon miners on their way to California, in order to get in on the gold rush, discovered "placer gold" in a stream flowing into the Carson River.  This gold deposit was near the present town of Dayton.  A decade later, in 1859, a major deposit of silver was discovered.  This became known as the Comstock Lode. With this discovery, mining in Nevada really ramped up, and over a billion dollars in gold and silver were pulled from the mines in the 20 years that followed the discovery of the Comstock Lode.  
It is possible that this question isn't asking about when mining began in Nevada.  It could be asking about when the first official mining association was founded.  That happened in 1912.  It was first called the Nevada Mine Operator's Association, but it eventually changed names to the Nevada Mining Association, and that is what it is still called today. 
http://www.nbmg.unr.edu/mining/MiningHistory.html