OPAL FACTS

Discover the Beauty and Brilliance of Australian Opals

Opal is one of the 6 most precious and valuable gemstones found in the world sharing it’s prestigious beauty with diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and pearls.
Opal is the only gemstone which can display all the colours of the rainbow ranging from violet, indigo, green, yellow, orange and red.

Joseph Taranto- CEO of The Opal Miner

Opal is truly a gemstone of exceptional beauty and value, sharing its prestigious status with diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and pearls. Its unique play of colors and iridescence makes it a highly sought-after gemstone among collectors and jewelry enthusiasts.

Opals come in a wide range of colors, from vibrant pinks and blues to fiery oranges and greens, making each stone truly one-of-a-kind. Its rarity and scarcity also contribute to its value, as opals are predominantly found in limited locations around the world. Whether set in a ring, necklace, or earrings, opals add a touch of elegance and sophistication to any piece of jewelry, making them a true treasure to behold.

MINING INFORMATION

Queensland has a number of public fossicking areas these include Opalton, Toompine ( Duck Creek Station) and Yowah You are welcome to fossick in these designated areas however you will require a Fossicking Permit these are available from a number of outlets throughout Queensland. In Winton they can be purchased from Opalton Bushpark or The Waltzing Matilda Centre in the Winton Town Centre.

Most Opal mining areas in Queensland have been mind at various times for over 100 Years and consequently there are numerous old workings when travelling to these areas be very mindful of the ground around you and beware of these old workings that may include deep shafts or holes and trenches. Keep your health and safety in these areas paramount at all times.

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Characteristics

One of the most striking characteristics of opal is it’s “play of colour” in which the grains in the pattern of the opal display a spectral hue which can include one or more or all of the above colours that strikingly change hue as the stone is viewed or tilted on different angles.

COLOUR

The magnificent change in colour the opal displays is caused by light waves diffracting off the tiny spheres packed within the microstructure of the gem. The smaller spheres will diffract the colour blue, moving up the spectral hue to the largest sphere diffracting red the rarest colour found in precious opal.

Important

Characteristics of opal include the base colour, patterns, brightness, making each stone unique.The finest of opals are known to exceed the value of diamonds and emeralds per carat. Over 95% of the world’s precious opal comes from Australia.

HISTORY

The history of Australian opals includesthe discovery of the first opals, the development of the opal industry, and the rise of Australia as the world's leading producer of opal:

  • Discovery
    German geologist Johannes Menge discovered the first common opals in Australia in 1849 near Angaston, South Australia. 
  • Development
    Opal was first mined commercially in 1875 at Listowel Downs, Queensland. In 1889, Tully Cornwaith Wollaston became the father of the Australian opal industry by trading and marketing Australian opals in London. 
  • World's leading producer
    Australia became the world's leading producer of opal, supplying more than 90% of the world's supply. 
  • Major opal deposits
    The main opal deposits are in New South Wales, Queensland, and South Australia: