Fire Opal

How is opal mined?

Opal:

Opal has been a mystery for centuries. No two opals look alike. The word ‘opal’ was derived from a Greek word opallos, meaning “to see changes of color”. Opal is derived as a precious gemstone which is formed from non-crystalline silica gel. It consists of 6 to 10 per cent water and small silica spheres are arranged in a regular pattern. It generally measures 5.5 to 6.5 on MOH’s hardness scale with diamonds measuring 9 to 10 and pearls 4 to 5. It is a birthstone for October.

Opal dates back to 1849 where it was found at a cattle station named Tarrawilla, near Angaston some 80 km outside Adelaide in Australia. Nearly 95% of the opal is found in Australia. A small number is found in other countries like Mexico, Brazil and USA. There are three major opal mining regions in Australia that produce different types of opal.

White opal also known as “milk” opal is found in and around the towns of Coober Pedy, Mintabie and Andamooka in South Australia. The most famous opal is the black opal which is found in Lightning Ridge in the state of New South Wales. Boulder Opal is found in Central Queensland, Quilpie, Winton and Opalton. Other opals include Light Opal, Doublet, Triplet, Common, Synthetic and Imitation.

Most of the opal deposits are found in New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland. At present, mining of opal is done in the following areas and each produces solid Opal with specific characteristics and color patterns.

Lightning Ridge, NSW, is famous for glorious black opal. This town is situated 770 kilometers northwest of Sydney. Black opal was first discovered at Lighting Ridge in the late 1880’s.

White Cliffs is Australia’s oldest commercial opal field. This is situated around 295 kilometres northeast of Broken Hill. Opal was first mined at White Cliffs about 1889. For nearly 30 years, White Cliff opal fields produced opal for the world market.

The real development of Queensland’s vast opal deposits began in 1873 with the discovery of fine quality opal north of Thargomindah. Opal mines are concentrated in certain regions like Yowah, Quilpie, Eromanga and Jundah.

Coober Pedy is famous for White or milky opals. At present, opal fields encompass an area of approximately 45 kilometres. Andamooka is found southwest of Coober Pedy in harsh desert country. Andamooka is one of Australia’s most famous opal fields, having produced some of the most beautiful pieces of opal. The opal fields in and around Andamooka produce top gem, crystal, light opal and some dark opal.

Opal usually occurs in both sedimentary and volcanic rocks. There are various methods of opal mining.

Methods of opal mining

Sink a shaft:

The simplest form of opal mining is by shaft sinking with a pick and shovel. A shaft is sunk straight down until some promising “opal dirt” is discovered. Length of the shaft could be as short as three metres or as long as 20 metres. A handpick or screwdriver is used to extract any opal found, due to the frailty of the stone.

Open cut mining:

Open cut method is done by the use of heavy machinery to remove large amounts of opal dirt from closer to the surface for inspection. This method is more expensive and is mostly used to search for boulder opal in Central Queensland.

Noodling:

Many locals search through heaps of discarded mullock for pieces of precious opal. An abandoned open-cut mine is another good place for a noodler, using a rake and sieve for tools. Some have taken to large scale machine noodling by allowing large amounts of opal dirt travel on a conveyer belt under ultra-violet light, which detects the precious opal.

Puddling and Rumbling:

A Puddler is a large mesh-lined drum attached to a motor. This device rotates and turns the clay into sludge as water is pumped into the drum. The sludge escapes through the mesh. A related technique is dry rumbling.

About the Author

Bryan Peter is a Copywriter of Opal Mining We provide latest updates in the mining industry, the rich information in this site gives valuable inputs with regards to types of metals, minerals & precious stones and their properties. For more information visit: Underground Mining contact him at brayan.peter@gmail.com

average price of a mexican fire opal?

i paid $45 for an orange ring in an old antique shop and i am not sure what those usually run for so i need the average price. please.

Sometimes the value is in the setting and not the stone.

FINDING GOLD VII – Tracing Fire Opals To Their Source Vein

Red Fire Opal Silver Gemstone Ring #7 4g $3.94

BLUE FIRE OPAL Silver Gemstone Ring SZ #8 $4.25

Blue Fire Opal Silver Gemstone Pendants 0.9″ 3g $2.05

White Topaz / Blue FIRE OPAL Silver Gemstone Earrings 1.3″ 3g $3.24

Blue Topaz / Yellow Fire Opal Silver Gemstone Ring US Sz #8/ 4g $7.00

White FIRE OPAL Silver Gemstone Ring SZ #7、4g $3.36

Pink Topaz / Blue Fire Opal Silver Gemstone Ring SZ #8 5g $4.41

Blue Fire Opal Silver Gemstone Ring SZ #9 7g $4.00

Pink Fire Opal Silver Gemstone Pendants 1″ 6g $2.25

RARE FIRE OPAL .925 SILVER EARRINGS 1 1/2″ $7.99

Red Fire Opal Silver Gemstone Ring #8 4g $5.62

RARE FIRE OPAL .925 SILVER RING SIZE 7 3/4 $8.50

White Fire Opal Silver Gemstone Ring #7 、4g $2.52

Red Fire Opal Silver Gemstone Man Ring US Sz #8 9g $5.00

RARE MEXICAN FIRE OPAL .925 SILVER RING SIZE 9 $9.49

Lee Hiller Designs Mix Match Décor – Bricks – Fire Opal – Mugs Bricks – Fire Opal Mug is new. Why drink coffee out of an ordinary mug when an imprinted mug is so much cooler? Microwave safe, FDA approved. Image is printed on both sides of the mug. Dishwasher use is not recommended….

Lee Hiller Designs Mix Match Décor – Bricks – Fire Opal – Tile Napkin Holders Bricks – Fire Opal Tile Napkin Holder is measuring 6w x 6h x 4d. Made from high quality solid maple wood with satin finish and two 4.25 commercial grade mirror gloss ceramic tiles. Holds napkins, mail, letters or files. In addition, customized engraving, on the face of the item, is available on request….

Lee Hiller Designs Mix Match Décor – Bricks – Fire Opal – Trivets Bricks – Fire Opal Trivet is measuring 8w x 8h x .75d. Made of solid wood with padding on back that protects your furniture. Framed trivet comes with 6w x 6h ceramic gloss tile attached to the wood frame….

Opal Fire $2.80 The new age music family is about to receive a wake up call, and his name is Omar. Challenging the notion that New Age is best suited for elevators and long naps, this multicultural prodigy gives the genre a fresh beat. Omar is a classically trained pianist who owns a gift for composing intriguing melodies that dance in your head long after the music has stopped. The son of a U.N. diplomat, Omar…

Opal Fire $8.99 …

Kraus GV-400-14-CH 14-Inch Fire Opal Glass Vessel Sink with PU-MR, Chrome $290.00 Product is manufactured by KRAUS. In Accordance with Industry Codes and Standards for USA and Canada, all Kraus Glass Lavatory Sinks are Certified and Listed by UPC, cUPC, CSA, IAPMO, ANSI and SCC. Sink is made from 0.5-inch (12mm) thick tempered glass. Sink features polished glass interior and textured exterior. Sink measures 14 inches in diameter and 5.5 inches high. Standard drain opening is 1….

Fire Pit Fire Glass (4 lb. bag) – Opal/Onyx $38.60 Glass Fire Crystals (4 lb. bag). These Glass Fire Crystals can be added to any Crystal Fire or Venturi Flame Firepit burner for added ambiance, or change of colors. Dimensions: 1″L x 1″W x 0.5″H; 4 lb. Bag….

Kraus C-GVR-400-RE-10CH Fire Opal Rectangular Glass Vessel Sink and Waterfall Faucet, Chrome $249.95 Finish:Chrome This Fire Opal Rectangular Glass Sink & Waterfall Faucet combination is both stylish & exquisite.It will turn an ordinary bathroom into a lavish & trendy space. The vessel sink creates a perfect harmony of elegance & modern design. Single Lever Deck-mounted Vessel Faucet Constructed from solid brass Features a glass disc Mounting hardware: Included Hot and Cold Waterlines: Incl…

City on Fire $6.26 Studio: Buena Vista Home Video Release Date: 08/02/2005 Run time: 105 minutes Rating: R…

Dragon On Fire $6.31 A man is framed for the theft of stolen diamonds from a powerful crime boss and seeks help from a pair of martial arts experts. Together the trio prove that the theft was set up by a rival gangleader, leading to all-out war. An all-star cast that includes Dragon Lee, Bruce Lea, and Bruce Li is featured. 90 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital stereo; theatrical trailers….