OPPER
characteristic
Common colors: various body colors can appear, white body color can be called albumin, black, dark gray, blue, green, brown body color can be called black protein, orange, orange red, red body color can be called fire protein.
Gloss: glass to resin gloss
Cleavage: None
Optical rotation characteristics: homogeneous body
Polychromism: none
Ultraviolet light: black or white body color: no to medium white to light blue, green or yellow fluorescent, can have phosphorescence; fire protein: no to medium green brown, can have phosphorescence.
Absorption spectrum: Green opal can have 660nm, 470nm absorption line, other colors of Opal absorption spectrum is not obvious.
Magnification check: the color spots are irregularly shaped, the boundary is flat and fuzzy, and the surface has a silky appearance.
Special properties: Phosphorus optical rotation.
Special optical effects: color change effect, cat eye effect (rare).
Main producing area
Australian Opal Origin
The Opal produced in Australia is sometimes referred to as the “deposited gem” because it is mainly formed and produced in sedimentary rocks in the Mesozoic large artesian well basin. Presius Opal usually contains 6-10% moisture, and the small silicon particles it contains are arranged in a regular pattern. The specific gravity is mainly between 1.9 and 2.3 depending on the water content.
Australian opal species are more comprehensive (black opal, white opal, crystalline opal, fossils of animal and plant fossils, etc.), in which black opal has no hydration due to changes in conventional temperature and humidity due to the relatively stable water content. The change and deep body color can better set off the characteristics of Opal color-changing optical effects. At the same time, the number of black opal is extremely rare and the output of the main producing area is decreasing year by year. Therefore, it is recognized as the most appreciated and investment-oriented opal variety in the world.
North America, Mexico
Opal origins also have Mexico in North America, where the main production of fire opal, crystal opal, white opal, etc., water opal.
Brazilian origin.
Brazil in South America also produces opal.
African origin.
Mainly produced in Ethiopia, produced: black opal (mainly dark brown), fire opal, crystalline opal, white opal, water opal (opper for water absorption and dehydration ability).
Many years ago, 95% of Opal's origin was in Australia, while Opal, Mexico and Ethiopia, accounted for more than half of the global market.
classification
Opal is one of the most beautiful and precious gemstones in the world, with 95% of the world's opals produced in Australia. The chemical composition of Opal is SiO2 ̇nH2O (silica hydrate). According to the display of the opal body color, it can be divided into colorless, white, light gray, dark gray and black. Unlike other gems, Opal's fascinating colors are based on random “color-changing games” that present colors in the spectrum.
Opal is a gelatinous or liquid silica that remains in the formation cracks and caves and deposits into amorphous amorphous gemstones, which also contain animal and plant residues such as trees, carapace and bones. The moisture content in the high grade 5 opal can be as high as 10%.
We usually divide natural opals into two categories: “Pressius Opal” and “Ordinary Opal”. The color of Plesius Opal is bright and can show a full color effect, which is rare and precious. The color is dull and can not show the effect of color change is called ordinary opal. Ordinary opal is found all over the world and produced in small quantities.
95% of the opals mined in the Opal mining area are ordinary opals, usually only white, gray or black. They are only suitable as background linings for "Deborah Opal" and "Cui Bolai Opal". The remaining 5% has some color levels of opal, but 95% of them are just ordinary grades. In other words, only about 0.25% of the amount of mining can be called a truly valuable opal.
Presius Opal is defined as a silicon opal that will color the game. The term "color-changing game" is specifically designed to describe the magical color of precious opal. The Opal produced in Australia is sometimes referred to as the “deposited gem” because it is mainly formed and produced in sedimentary rocks in the Mesozoic large artesian well basin. Presius Opal usually contains 6-10% moisture, and the small silicon particles it contains are arranged in a regular pattern. The specific gravity is mainly between 1.9 and 2.3 depending on the water content.
During the silica condensation process, the water gradually decreases, the gel forms a spherical shape, and the spheroids naturally adhere to the small particles of silica. These amorphous silicon particles have a size of 1500 angstroms to 3,500 angstroms (1 angstrom is equal to one hundred millionth of a centimeter). Although these pellets are small, they are covered with opal interiors and are arranged in a very regular manner.
Since they are round spheres, there are small gaps in the structure (as if many marble spheres were placed in the container and the gap between them), these gaps are three-dimensionally arranged. The color of Opal is precisely due to the fact that these regularly arranged voids are generated by optical diffraction to decompose white light. When the silicon particles are relatively large, the voids will be relatively large, and red or orange diffracted rays will appear.
If the silicon particles are relatively small, the same voids will be smaller, and the blue-violet spectrum will be decomposed by diffraction.
The excessive color is like a rainbow change. The strongest light diffraction effect is the largest gap size, so the opal surface of the red color is often very bright, while the blue color is relatively dim.
Opal classification
Natural opal is a whole natural gemstone that has been mined directly and has not been artificially treated. What we call the original opal is the basis of natural opal.
After being cut, polished and polished, it becomes the whole natural opal that can be enjoyed. The original Opal is divided into the following categories:
1, black opal
In the shade of dark embryos, the color is bright, we call it black opal. Black Opal is the most famous, rarest and most expensive opal variety produced in Leiden Ning Rick, New South Wales, Australia. Black opal does not mean that it is completely black, but its opal body is darker than the opal with a lighter body tone.
2, white opal
Some people call it "milk opal." White Opal presents a light-colored embryonic hue, mainly produced in Coober Pedy, South Australia. White opal due to its embryo tonic ratio.
It is shallow, and the output is large and relatively common. White opal can't be as bright and contrasting as black opal. However, the high-quality white opal with very beautiful colors is also found.
3, crystal opal
The crystalline opal can be any of the above, except that its embryo body tone is transparent or translucent. You can even see other items behind you through the crystal opal. Crystal opal can have dark and light colored body tones, so we call them "crystal black opal" or "crystal white opal" depending on the shade of the body.
4, fire opal
Translucent to opaque varieties with no change or less color, generally orange, orange red, red, bright red is the most expensive in fire opal.
5, gravel opal
The gravel opal is attached to the inseparable iron ore by a color-capable opal, mainly produced in Queensland, Australia. This opal can only be cut together with iron ore. The thin color opal is wrapped on the surface of the iron ore. The color of the opal looks very beautiful due to the contrast of dark iron ore. Gravel opals come in different shapes and sizes, small as peas, and large ones with a family car. Sometimes the entire gravel opal has a natural split at the junction that divides it into two halves, and there are two opal surfaces that look polished. The thin surface layer of opal is often destroyed during the ore cutting process.
Second, processing or synthesis opal
1, synthetic opal
Silicon opal made in the laboratory and having the same structure as natural opal is called synthetic opal. The more well-known synthetic opal brand is Gilson Opal. The following points are the difference between natural and synthetic: * Synthetic opal usually shows unusually bright colors, and the color patches are often larger than natural opals.
* Synthetic Opal Color blocks of each color exhibit a regular snakeskin pattern.
* Synthetic Opal's production method can't reproduce the complex color changes of natural Opal, so the pattern transition is very unnatural.
* Synthetic opal density is low and porous
2, counterfeit opal
A colored metal mooring placed in a relatively clear hard plastic interlayer or epoxy resin is a counterfeit counterfeit that is easily identifiable.
3. Deborah Opal and Trimble Opal
This is a special hand-crafted gemstone, Deborah Opal is a very thin opal and black background lining (usually used in dark ordinary opal or light-colored ordinary opal black paint) adhesive Glued together. Because of its thinner opal, Trimble is also covered with a circular arc of transparent quartz or glass on the surface of Deborah Opal to magnify the pattern and protect the opal surface. Everyone usually uses them to imitate valuable black opals, which are beautiful but affordable.
* Deborah Opal is a thin double opal double-layered handmade opal bonded together with a black background lining as a base.
*Cui Bolai Opal is based on Deborah Opal and adds a circular arc of quartz or glass to make the color of the middle opal more beautiful. Deborah Opal and Trimble Opal are cheaper alternatives to Black Opal. The disadvantage is that they are glued together, and if they are repeatedly soaked in water, they will form a hazy surface.
Deborah Opal and Trimble
You should be familiar with what we call artificial gems, usually referred to as Deborah Opal and Trimble Opal. It is a natural silica stone glued on a black background lining to imitate the "original opal", so that the opal attached to the black background lining presents a more vivid color. Of course, its price is much cheaper than the original Opal, because it is actually only a small piece of real opal.
1. Deborah Opal: (double-layer opal)
Background linings can generally be used in black opal stone without color, other light colored ordinary opal spray paint, opaque black glass or hard plastic material.
A thin opal (usually crystal opal or white opal), although it can be of various thicknesses, but tends to be thicker than the opal contained in the Trimble, and the edge of the opal is rounded. The entire Deborah Opal Opal will have a rounded surface. You can look around it to identify Deborah Opal. If the two pieces mentioned above are glued together, you should see a straight seam line in colored opal and background lining. between.
2, Cui Bolai Opal: (Mezzanine Opal)
The black background lining is exactly the same as that used in Deborah Opal.
A very thin opal is set in it.
Very clear and transparent glass, quartz or plastic is ground into a circular cover on the surface, in which the opal is usually very thin, and the transparent circular arc covered on the surface makes the color magnified more beautifully, to some extent, the opal is also A kind of protection.
Since Tribele Opal has an arc-shaped cover that does not contain any opal, it is easy to identify. In addition, Cuibolai Opal has a glass light reflection compared with the surface of the stone. The reflection of light on the surface of the stone is more natural and soft. You can also identify the seam line next to Trimble's Opal. In addition, if the material of the background lining is black plastic, it looks different from the stone. However, most of us still use black ordinary opal and brown iron ore as background lining.
3. Preservation of Deborah Opal and Trimble
Because they are glued together, soaking in water for a long time can cause water to get in at the joint (this doesn't mean your opal will be scrapped because you drenched it once). If it is infiltrated by water, there will be fogging or graying on the surface of Deborah Opal and Trimble, so you should always pay attention to its changes and avoid your Deborah Opal or Trimble Opal. Infiltrated by water.
Please note that many of the instructions on Opal will confuse your concept. Most of what they say about opal is mostly for the original opal, not Deborah Opal and Trimble. Only Deborah Opal and Trimble Opal need to avoid water penetration and the original Opal does not. Deborah Opal and Trimble Opal can be cleaned with a soft cloth and a neutral wash, but do not immerse in water. In addition, any opal should avoid bleaching, chemicals and ultrasonic cleaning.
4. Common misunderstandings and correct concepts
Wrong concept right concept
Opal should always be soaked in water to prevent rupture. The original opal also needs to be treated with oil moisturizing friction to protect it from cracking. The original opal structure is non-porous and sealed, that is, it is immersed in water and oil. Or other liquids are meaningless. If you immerse Deborah Opal or Trimble Opal in water for a long time, it will be fogged and damaged.
Black opal is black (like black agate) Black opal is a dark opal of the embryo body, not that the whole gem is black.
Strong light will make Opal leg color Opal rely on diffracted white light to present color. It won't fade because of strong light.
Rubbing the opal with oil will make it damaged and lose color. Its practical oil rubbing opal is meaningless.
Rubbing with glycerin, toothpaste or soaking in water will make Opal regain its brilliance. The original Opal will eventually regain its brilliance due to the slight scratching of the surface during use (usually after many years of use)
Soaking the opal in a rose-red liquid will enhance its color. No meaning.
Light causes the color to pass through the interior of the opal. The color of the opal is due to the natural light diffraction effect.
Warming the opal by hand will enhance its brightness. Extreme heat and drought can cause opal to crack.
Valuable black opals can be more valuable than diamonds.
Opal value
The value of Opal depends on a number of factors: embryo body tone, brightness, pattern style, color layer thickness, flaws, and color-changing games, all of which play an important role in the valuation of Opal. Opal usually calculates the price in units of "carats". Other important factors include cutting, sanding, size and shape.
1, Embryo Body Tone
Embryo tonality is one of the most important factors in measuring Opal's value. The body tone is the overall tone and color of the entire opal, ranging from black to milky white. Opal, which usually has a black or dark body tone, is more valuable than light or creamy white. Black Opal is mostly produced in Leighton Nyinqi, New South Wales, Australia.
It is the most precious opal. The usual market price is about 15,000 Australian dollars per carat (about 100,000 yuan).
Sparkling opal often has a deeper body tone. The white opal has a light body color and a low value. In addition to the above analytical principles, the value of crystal opal is based on its transparency. Some crystal opals are called "black crystal opal" because of the deep and expensive color of the embryo.
2, Brightness
Brightness is primarily the brightness and clarity of the colors presented by Opal. When opal is observed from the front, the range of brightness of the color is divided into bright, bright, soft or dim.
Opal's color segments are composed of patterns, each of which is unique, and different color patterns also determine the value of opal. The beautiful patterns are called colorful, forged belts, straws, chaff, Chinese calligraphy, etc., and some irregular patterns will symbolize some wonderful things or like a painting, we will make it a good one. name.
The superior pattern will be very clear, including the sea of flowers, rotation, lightning and flame. The poor pattern is more blurred, like moss and grass.
4, Color Block
The thickness of the opal in the entire opal is related to the size and shape of the opal itself. Sparkling opal is only a very thin layer of opal due to geological formation, which is important to consider and calculate when measuring value. factor.
5, Change Color
Opal has a different color and brightness due to the diffraction of white light due to the structure of the silicon spheres contained therein. Red opal is usually more valuable than green opal, and green is more valuable than blue. Nature does not often produce red opal, which is rich in green and blue opal. The red color in the opal results from a relatively large arrangement of silicon grains in the internal microstructure of the opal, whereas the blue color is produced in a relatively small arrangement of silicon particles.
6, Defects
A variety of cockroaches will weaken the value of opal. There is almost no value in the apparent cracks on the surface of Opal. There are a lot of fine cracks on the surface of the opal will also become worthless. Bolt or other mineral impurities are sometimes found below or inside the colored opal, as well as in the background lining. Other defects such as inferior opal lines, gray lines and air bubbles. The color and pattern of high quality opal should be continuous and vary from angle to angle. When opal does not produce a changing surface, the color appears only from one angle or the base material such as iron ore passes through the surface of the stone and the stone is devalued.
7. Conclusion
All of the above factors are important factors in measuring the value of Opal. But experience is always irreplaceable. The truth is that there is no very standard way to calculate the value of opal in the world. Each opal has unique patterns, brightness and color. If you care about the value of Opal, you should always ask for Opal certification and ask some experienced friends. It is worth mentioning that the opal seen on the market is a piece of stone. The bottom of the white opal is lined with a layer of vinyl or black agate. The top is covered with a layer of glass or crystal. The opal is only thin. A thin piece. The evaluation should be fully considered and should be the quality certificate of the National Jewelry Association.
Buy common sense
Before you buy, make sure you see Deborah Opal, Trimble Opal or the original Opal. Deborah Opal and Trimble Opal will be very thin and really opal glued to the black background lining, making the Opal darker and brighter (simulating the expensive black opal). The advantage of buying Deborah Opal and Trimble Opal is the cheap price. But after all, the quality of the original Opal is completely different. Buying the original Opal can also be called long-term investment. After determining the original opal, you should carefully observe which category it belongs to:
1, Black Opal
The royals in Opal are usually very stable due to their shape and scarcity. The black opal's color change is mostly blue-green and deep purple, the lower part shows yellow and orange-red, and the rare one is bright red. Therefore, the color of black opal fire color is one of the main factors to determine its price. Secondly, due to the aesthetic preference of the public in Asia, the brightness of the black opal fire color has a great influence on its price.
The higher the brightness level, the higher the price of the geometric progression. In addition, the factors affecting the value of black opal are: whether there are slag affecting the stability of opal, the degree of scarcity of the pattern, and so on. In general, the reserves of black opal are far less than the reserves of gemstone emperor diamonds in the world, and the mining volume of mining areas is decreasing year by year.
Therefore, the price of black opal has been in a steady upward trend over the years. However, due to the lack of recognition of black opal in the world, its unit price is much lower than that of diamonds, red sapphires and so on.
2. Gravel opal
The sister gems of the black opal are little known, but they have the same beautiful colors. Because the silica is thinly wrapped in iron ore, the entire opal contains a lot of iron ore weight, so the price per carat of gravel opal is also cheaper than black opal. Smart merchants sell gravel opals in units of carats, and try to leave as much iron ore as possible on the back of the op to increase weight. Because it is based on the relationship of iron ore, the sparkling opal is harder than other opals.
3, White Opal
The color of the embryo body like milk is relatively common. Such the color of the embryo body usually makes the color contrast of Opal not obvious, but I have also seen the white opal with very bright colors.
4, Crystal Opal
Crystal opal above all kinds of opal has a translucent or transparent embryo body tone, if the crystal opal has a beautiful color, it is very expensive, such as "crystal black opal".
Pick an opal! They are all unique, just like different people. The bright red black body is the most valuable in color.
Red is the most expensive, then orange, yellow, green, and blue. The dazzling opal is the best, not too much attention to the color and body tone it presents.
You should ask for the sale of Opal to sign a Authenticity Guarantee (or Certificate of Authenticity) for your seller, not just to prove the value of the insurance company or the need to resell it, but rather that you should have such buying habits for both parties. Clear responsibility.
Although everyone is trying hard, so far there is no fixed formula in the world that can calculate the price of opal, and experience is always irreplaceable. You should always learn and practice more. In addition, buying from a business with a good reputation is a good idea.
If you check an opal, first make sure it is dry, then look carefully at the light to see if there is a crack in the opal surface. Don't confuse the difference between the crack and the natural line of the opal surface. The cracked gem has almost no value. . If Opal itself has any cracks, the seller who sells to you should be responsible for letting you know.
Maintaining Opal is actually very easy, as long as you have a little common sense.
1, the original opal maintenance of the original Opal is a relatively delicate gem, the hardness is equivalent to glass, so it is very important to treat your original opal to avoid damage, if you are prepared to deal with things that may damage your Europe You should first remove the worn opal jewelry (for example, you are going to work in the garden, move furniture, etc.). Many people mistakenly believe that the original opal can not be placed in the water, in fact, it is only for Deborah Opal and Trimble Opal. The original opal has no problem in the water. In fact, most opal itself contains a certain proportion of water.
In the event of extreme weather drought or rapid changes in temperature, some opal varieties occasionally rupture. So you should try to avoid extreme high temperatures (boiling water) and extreme drought (deserts) and drastic changes in temperature.
2. Deborah Opal and Trimble Opal
Unlike the original opal, the key to Deborah Opal and Trimble Opal is not to put it in the water. We repeat this in other chapters, which will cause your opal surface to fog.
3, Clean Opal
The original opal can be cleaned with warm water and detergent as well as a soft brush or soft cloth. Never use bleach. Deborah Opal and Trimble Opal can be wiped clean with a damp cloth and detergent, but never immerse in water.
Don't let anyone clean your opal with ultrasound, because strong microwaves can cause vibration to break the original opal. Ultrasonic cleaning also requires the opal to be placed in the water, which will allow your Deborah Opal and Trimble Opal to be infiltrated by water.
4, Storage Opal
If you need to put the opal for a short period of time, just put it in a soft cloth bag. If you need to store for a long time, you should use cotton or wool products to drop a little water and then wrap the original opal and put it in a plastic bag. This is mainly to prevent the adverse effects of dry weather on opal.
In the 1980s, many Japanese businessmen made major mistakes in the preservation of Opal. They stored the valuable black opals in a special dry box for a long time, and finally they were surprised to find that the black opal was chapped due to the lack of moisture for a long time.
Opal's discovery
The first time I discovered OPAL in Australia was attributed to the eccentric German geologist Professor Johannes Manch, who discovered more common in Angaston, about 80 km north of Adelaide, the capital of South Australia, Australia in 1840. Green opal. In 1868, the truly expensive opal was found in the west of Queensland, at the Listoville station south of Bleco. In 1871, the first registered opal mine in Australia's history was in the southern small town of Quel, which was historically known as the "proud mountain range", which is the real beginning of opal mining.
In 1873, the precious opal was discovered on the hills of the Berkro district, and was quickly known by the world and called it “Bercroo Opal”. These flat-topped mountains are located 160 km north of Tacoma Indah and Listo. The east side of Will. It is also the birthplace of the Bora River, and its tributaries flow intermittently to the west. More opal was found in the area extending nearly 100 kilometers north of Kenner. Entrepreneur Hobart Bond has worked hard to bring opal to the international market, but not very successful. Until the end of the 1970s, mining pioneer Joe Bled mined a whole opal and opal combined mine in the northeast of Quelpa and in the Kebola Mountains in southern Vidola. It was only in 1890 that it was brought to London by Touré Coulansweet Warreston to truly open up the Australian opal industry.
In 1894, Australia's first opal base for commercial mining was discovered. This remote Opal base is located in the arid northwest of New South Wales, approximately 850 km from Sydney and 200 km northeast of the Broken Mountains. Until 1899, Vaughan Crevers became the world's leading source of opal, producing light-colored opal, dark opal and crystal opal and sold both at home and abroad. In 1899, opal buyers from other countries came in and took a dangerous and long journey into the Australian outback to buy opal from Vaughan Crevers. However, in 1914, with the outbreak of the first world station, the commercial mining of Opal was almost stopped there.
One of the important discoveries later was in Leighton Ningruqi, where three-quarters of the precious dark opal in Australia was produced here. It was discovered by a group of children playing along the Murray River. This opal base is new. South Wales, where opal mining continues.
By 1915, the focus of Opal's mining had shifted to Australia's South Australia, and the casual discovery of a 14-year-old boy, Willy Hutchison, in Stuart, made him an important figure in the history of Opal discovery. As a result of this accidental discovery, a small town called Cooper Pedi was quickly formed, which was later called “the world’s opal capital”, where the world’s largest and largest opal Mining base. Because the local climate is very dry and hot, most of the miners who live far away live in cave-like houses, and the translation of Cooper Pedy according to the local indigenous language means “whites in the cave”. Cooper Pedy is located on the striate road 838 km north of Adelaide, the capital of South Australia. Another famous mining area is also in South Australia, called Amerokay. It is located 240 kilometers northwest of Cooper Pedy and 520 kilometers north of Adelaide. It was discovered by a mining expert in 1921. On the west coast of Lake Torrance, Mantaby was the mining area discovered in 1930 and the largest producer in Australia from 1985 to 1989.
The exploration of the Opal base has never stopped in Australia. The Corkron in the west of Leiden Ningruqi, the Lambina and Heber in the north of South Australia have found that the Australian opal mining industry continues to look good. century.
Australian Opal Mining Area
1, Quilpie
Quilpie is a town known for its opal. It is often mentioned as the hometown of “Shu Shi Opal” because the region is the most important producer of this type of opal in the world. It is located 980 km west of Brisbane and 208 km west of Charleville, Quilpie is the commercial center of Quilpie County. The name of the town originated from the indigenous text “Quilpeta” which means stone paralysis. Quilpie was declared an officially recognized town on April 29, 1917. Quilpie is located along the famous Bullo River in western Queensland. For example, sheep, cattle grazing, oil, gas and opal mining. In addition to these major industries, Quilpie County has an ardent and talented art community.
2, Winton
Originally known as the Pool of Water, Winton became the first colony in 1875. The most famous event in the town was in 1895, when Banjo Paterson wrote the song "Waltzing Matilda" outside the Dagworth station in Winton. According to reports, the first performance of the first folk song was the Gregory Hotel in the north of Winton on April 6 of the same year. Winton is considered the "hometown" of Australian jungle poetry, and the national literary award "Wanderer Bronze Award" is held there once a year. Australia's national airline (Qantas) was founded in Winton in November 1920, and its first board of directors was held at the Winton Club on February 21, 1921. During the strike of the shearers in the 1890s, 500 shearers camped in the south of Winton, which was the starting point for the establishment of the Labour Party in the legal sense. Winton is in the heart of the Matilda countryside, with a gorgeous colored canyon running through the huge Mitchell steppe. Visitors are often shocked by the vast natural rolling plains and terrain. A wide variety of animals and birds live in this area, and it is generally the best place to watch dusk and dawn on the side of the path and railroad tracks.
3, Opalton
The Opalton mine is one of Queensland's largest producers of opal deposits. Located in the western part of Queensland, it is a typical opal village that offers visitors the opportunity to experience the experience of the Opal miners directly. Mining activities on the mining area are mostly limited to small-scale artisanal mining, but there are also some large operations using heavy machinery that occur in the surrounding area. The Opalton region attracts a large number of visitors each year, and visitors generally believe that there can be found opal debris or iron ore bedrock from the surface or from the waste disposal site of the former mining area.
4, Yowah
The Yowah Opal Mine, which is known as the famous area known as the "Black Gate", is the southernmost opal mining centre in West Queensland. It is popular with tourists and gold diggers because of its main roads and shops, fuel, telephones, RV parks and permanent water supplies. The Yowah Gold Rush Zone was established by the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the Paroo County Council and landowners to provide essentials and gold rush for travelers. Yowah is about 160km west of Cunnamulla. There are 2 routes to get there: First, head to Thargomindah, turn right for about 18km to West Eulo on Yowah/Toompine Road, and follow Alroy Farm for 48km to Yowah-Quilpie. Continue 23km to Yowah; the last 23km is the unpaved road; the second is to drive 110km from Quilpie through Toompine to the Eulo/Yowah ramp, turn left and then follow this main road for about 56km to the Yowah ramp. Continue with the last 23km as written above.
The Yowah mine is a precious opal that produces siliceous iron ore coagulum and is often referred to as "Yowah Nut". These opal diameters range from about 5mm to 200mm and have a spherical or ellipsoidal shape. Sometimes the core of these nuts is just a precious opal. Nuts are found in iron sandstone formations (thicknesses from 150 to 600 mm) that are 20 m deep underground and are usually joined to mud or clay balls.
South Australia has four active Opal mines, Andamooka, Coober Pedy, Lambina and Mintabie. South Australia is the largest producer of opal, based on yield, and is rich in white opal and light opal.
5, Coober Pedy (Coober Pedy)
Coober Pedy produces more than half of the world's white opals. Coober Pedy's Opal mine is located in the hinterland of South Australia. The town is 750 km north of Adelaide and is a rocky, tree-free desert on the edge of the Stewart Mountains. Many locals like to live in underground bunkers that are warm in winter and cool in summer. Due to low rainfall and poor soil in the area, few plants survive. The Opal there was discovered by a 14-year-old boy who was camping with his father's gold prospecting team, and in 1916, the area that was the main mining area was established. After World War I, the influx of opal miners led to a significant increase in production, making Coober Pedy the world's largest opal producer. The place is also known as the "World Opal Capital".
6, Andamooka (Adamaka)
In 1930 two farm managers from the Andamooka station discovered the Opal. Due to the harsh climatic conditions and the time of World War II, the mining process was relatively slow, but by 1962 an estimated 800 miners were engaged in opal mining. 520 km north of Adelaide, Andamooka miners excavated in shafts, potholes, and small tunnels within an area of approximately 52 square kilometers on the Arcoona Plateau. Opal mines an ancient seabed from three to ten meters underground. Andamooka Opal is considered to be the most stable opal in the world. The local climate is characterized by a semi-desert environment, and between March and November is a warm day and a cool night with a pleasant climate.
7, Mintabie
I believe that Mintabie's first opal was discovered in the 1920s. But due to Mintabie's poor climate and lack of water resources hindered mining. It was not until 1978 that there was a good Opal that the area really began to be valued. Mintabie is located 180km south of the northern territorial border and approximately 300km north of Coober Pedy. In 1976, explosives and large machinery were brought to the mining area. During the First World War, the black opals sold by the Coober Pedy indigenous people mostly came from Mintabie, 350 km northwest. In 1988, the local population was about 1,500. Due to the decline in production, the population was about 300. In Mintabie, most of the opal mining takes place in the open air. The temperature of the four seasons in this area is below zero and between 40 degrees above zero.
8. Lambina
Old miners said that Lambina Opal was first discovered during the depression of the early 1930s. In the late 1980s, a small change occurred as some miners found some valuable discoveries in the Seven Waterholes excavation area. Mining grew slowly before the mid-1990s. But in 1996 high-quality gemstones were discovered there, and the demand was really spurred. However, before many of the requirements needed to be dealt with, Wik, the local leader decided to stop any new mining until December 1997, when the local leader officially proposed the entire Mintabie area. Since then, mining negotiations between miners and local leaders have continued. Lambina has a population of approximately 300 people.
About 95% of Australia's Opal is used in the global jewelry industry. Opal also has a small amount of mining in other countries including Honduras, Mexico, the former Czechoslovakia and Brazil, which are often different in appearance. Australia's Opal mines are located in Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia, and these mines surround the remains of the ancient "Big Artesian Basin". Found in South Australia's white/crystal opal, black opal in New South Wales, and boulder opal in Queensland are the most popular opal species. The rarest of these is the tubular opal produced by Jundah. The best time to visit the Opal mine is Australia's annual winter season from April to September. This is due to the rainy summer in Australia, which sometimes floods some areas of the road, so try to avoid visiting the mine in summer.
In terms of value, Leiden Ninrich, New South Wales, is a black opal-producing mine that produces the darkest and most expensive dark opal in color.
Unlike other opals, black opal contains dark carbon and iron oxide, making it the most popular opal in the world. Leyden Ning Ritchie is located approximately 768 km north of Sydney in the north of New South Wales. Leiden Ning Ritchie lives and works with approximately 3,000 permanent residents. Their work is mainly mining mining and related services. Leiden Ning Rick has more than 80,000 visitors a year, some for sightseeing, to see the true face of the inland mining towns, and some perhaps to find their wealth. The influx of tourists has made this once-broken town a proud hotel and hotel with countless opal souvenir shops and gift shops, as well as some beautifully decorated restaurants. Leiden Ningqi has a variety of wild animals including kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, needles, possums and a range of notable reptiles. The town also has rare Australian birds and you can personally approach a large number of animals.
In the late 1880s, in the Leiden Ninrich, the pasture supervisor Jack Murray, who lived in a nearby house, laid down the first shaft in about 1901 or 1902, and the opal was mined. After a while, a miner from the Gambian capital called Charlie arrived and began to sink the shaft.
Since Black Opal was first discovered, in Australia, Leighton Nyric has become synonymous with the Opal mines and has become a very curious place for visitors (especially during the annual goat competition). Leiden Ning Rick records the gritty life of Australian inland miners. The temptation of the town and the black opal is subtly summed up in the poems of Larry Hassan:
There is a ruined town, outside the western plains, Leiden Ning Rick, hot and sparse rain. There are no beautiful scenery, only the rough ridges. Nature created beautiful scenery but stayed in the black opal underground. If you have never seen a black opal, you have indeed missed a brilliant, she is gorgeous like a colorful mercury, the pattern flashes the night sky. Perhaps you have roamed the world and seen a lot, and the scenery in the mysterious opal will only appear in wonderful dreams.
The proud Leiden Ningqi has a large number of social and sports facilities, golf courses, pistol clubs and archery clubs, etc. The town's Opal Festival is held during the New South Wales school holidays in September and October. Other important annual events are the “World Opal and Gem Expo” in July and the “Big Goat Competition” in Easter.
Located in the northwestern part of New South Wales, Vait Klipford is Australia's first commercial opal mine. This mine is the main source of production in the past Opal international market. The uniqueness of the Vaughan Cliff Opal is due to its production of the world's first dark opal. Dark opal is much easier to evaluate, clean, and manufacture, so it's very popular. The Vait Klipford Opal mine is rich in shells, opal crystals, bones and crystals. In 1899, about 2,000 people lived within two miles of the area of the town of Vait Klipford. These pioneers live in more than 500 wooden or iron houses, as well as countless burlap and white cotton apartments made of bark or canvas. There was an underground restaurant, bakery and bar; but due to the lack of underground bunkers at the time, the miners lived mainly in the shaft. The Opal mined in Vaughan Cliffs has been supplying the market outside Australia for twenty-five years; after centuries of unfavorable superstitions against Opal, the "forgotten gem" - Opal, regained the world Pampering. In more than a century of history, Vait Klipford became an outdoor class for geologists, paleontology, government officials, and wealthy businessmen who pursued the opposite sex. In 1900, intense summer heat began to make the first miners live underground, and most of the residents followed suit. Until 1999, 90% of local residents lived in about 135 underground bunkers.
History background
Many citations and bibliographies prove that it has been loved and treasured by humans for centuries.
The learned Roman scholar Pliny described opal stone as "the fire of rubies, the bright purple of amethyst, and the sea green of emeralds. All colors are incredibly combined to shine." The Romans called opal stone The son of Cupid (Cupid Paederos is a beautiful angel in love) and respects it as a symbol of hope and purity. At that time, Opal Stone was thought to prevent the wearer from getting sick.
The Orientals respect the Opal Stone and regard it as a sacred gem representing the spirit of loyalty. Orpheus wrote that Opal Stone "filled the hearts of the gods with joy."
The Arabs believed that the opal stone fell from the gleaming universe, and that it gained its magical color. In ancient Greece, they were thought to have the power to foresee and foresee the aura of their masters. Queen Josephine had a gem called "Troy Burning", named after its dazzling color change. Afterwards, the praises of Opal Stone continued.
The great literati of Elizabeth I was among the most enthusiastic admirers.
Shakespeare wrote in The Twelfth Night: "This miracle is the queen of gems." The catalogue of treasures in "Marlowe's Treasures" begins this way: "Bag-shaped flame opal stone opal Stone, sapphire and amethyst; red zircon, topaz and grass green emerald..."
The artist Du Ble wrote a poetic description: "When the natural flowers are dotted, the rainbow is colored, and the bird's feathers are dyed, she casts the paint from the palette. In the opal stone."
In the nineteenth century, superstitions about opal stone began, and at the same time, Mr. Walter Stowe wrote a novel called "Angel of Geierstein", in this book, The heroine has an opal stone that reflects each of her emotions; when she is angry, the opal stone flashes red and immediately "burns into a pale gray" after her death.
As a result, some people began to believe that opal stone is unlucky.
Fortunately, because some famous people at that time became recognized as opal stone fans or they gave opal stone as a decent gift to each other, superstition disappeared. For example, Queen Victoria gave her five daughters a beautifully beautiful opal stone.
Related legend
The powers and diseases of sin in medieval superstitions come from colored stones. In the eleventh century, Pope Margaret of Rennes described Opal in this way: "It is the patron saint of the thief. On a cloudless night it gives the thief a keen sense of vision but blocks the eyes of others." The argument is to blame Opal for its sinful spirituality, which allows criminals to use it as a murderer, spy, and robber's amulet to harm society.
In the legend of the time, Opal contacted the misfortune. A goldsmith who made jewelry for the royal family suffered a disaster because of Opal. He accidentally damaged the expensive opal while making the opal jewelry. Louis VI felt that his behavior was unforgivable, so he ordered the cut. A hand used by goldsmiths to work. Since then, he and the same craftsmen who are also like him feel that it is the fault of Opal.
At the end of Walter Scott’s best-selling novel, St. Anne of Gilstein (1829), the concept of unfortunate propaganda was once again misunderstood, and the ending episode in the novel linked Opal to doom. The consequences at the time were unimaginable. In fact, most people did not read the third chapter of the novel carefully, but most people know the final plot of the novel - the heroine is given magic, when she touches the holy water, her chest opal lost the color, and finally She is dead.
The famous gemologist and businessman West Freize carefully examined the above article and pointed out the mistake in the novel in the Journey of Gems: the opal of the heroine actually belongs to her grandmother who has died in a foreign country, Opal. Discoloration is to remind the owner who owns it to prevent poisoning. Even though there are many scholars who are opal Zhao Xue, the value of Opal in that period has plummeted in just half a year, and the gem market in Europe has been sluggish for ten years. George F. Kenz said in "The Wonderful Knowledge of Beautiful Gems": "If you read Walt Scott's novels very carefully, you will have doubts about whether Opal brings bad luck. This wonderful novel, it In fact, there is no intention to link Opal and bad luck."
Some diamond merchants immediately felt the threat to the diamond business they depended on after they met the gorgeous opal in the nineteenth to the early twentieth century. Opal, with its bright colors, has always increased the threat of diverting consumer groups to the diamond trade. Many diamond traders protect their business by spreading the rumors of “Opper is linked to bad luck”.
On the other hand, opal is more delicate than diamonds. Perhaps because Opal needs to be more careful, it has a little more effort. In some people's eyes, it is also called bad luck.
In fact, in ancient Rome, gems were amulets to bring good luck. Opal symbolizes the rainbow and brings a bright future to the owner. Because its clear surface is a pure love, it is also referred to as "Cupid Stone." The earlier races used Opal to represent the tradition and quality of magical power. Opal can let its owners see the possibilities of the future. It is believed to have the same function as a mirror, can load emotions and wishes, release Repressed.
The earlier Greeks believed that Opal gave the power to be farsighted and predict the future. The Arabs believed that they came from heaven. In the Arab legend, Opal was thought to be able to feel the lightning in the sky through it. The Romans believed that Opal would bring hope and purity.
In the 7th century, everyone believed that Opal had magical power. At the end of the century, Shakespeare described Opal: "That is the queen of the magical gem." The Orientals talked about Opal and said it was the "an anchor of hope", and Opal was also honored as the birthstone of October.
Although some people in ancient times thought that Opal would bring bad luck, in fact, if you don’t own an opal, it’s a very unlucky thing. One person who agrees with this view is Darry Hammer, who is in Victoria. A famous opal store opened on the corner of the town. Darry won a lot of votes in the 1960s and 1970s, and he attributed the $200,000 won he won to the opal that brought him good luck. This is the representative gem of Libra.
Related terms
Original opal
The original Opal is the Chinese translation of English SOLID OPAL, which means the whole natural opal after cutting and polishing, including the color part and the background lining.
Embryo toning
Embryo opal refers to the overall background color of the original opal, English called BODY TONE.
Color changing game
Opal's surface color changes with light intensity and visual angle conversion, just like playing games in various colors together. English is called PLAY-OF-COLOUR. It is a phrase specifically created to describe the changing colors of Opal.
Plesius Opal
Presius Opal is a transliteration of the English PRECIOUS Opal, meaning precious or valuable opal.
Deborah Opal
Deborah Opal is the transliteration of English DOUBLETS Opal, Chinese is the meaning of double-layer opal
Trimble
Trimble Opal
It is the transliteration of English TRIPLET Opal, and Chinese is the meaning of a three-layered opal.
Background lining
Usually refers to the background part of the original Opal, Deborah Opal, and Trimble Opal used to set off the surface color opal, which is the natural ordinary opal.