Are Lightning Ridge opals valuable?
Black opals, such as those from Lightning Ridge, are generally considered the most valuable because the rest of the vibrant spectrum colors and their patterns show better with the black background.
How much is Lightning Ridge opal worth?
Black Opal Value Australian Black Opal from Lightning Ridge is held in high esteem and serve as the yardstick by which all other opals are measured. Black Opal prices vary from roughly $30 per half carat, up to $1,500 per carat.
Does Lightning Ridge have opals?
Lightning Ridge is famous for producing black opal, the darkest and most valuable form of opal. White Cliffs is known for seam opal which is usually white (milk) opal or crystal opal. The Lightning Ridge opal mining fields are synonymous with world famous gem quality black opals.
Which opals are the most valuable?
Black opal is the most prized opal and may realise prices over AUD $15,000 a carat. Boulder opals also have a dark body tone. White opals have a light body tone and are generally the least valuable form of opal.
Where is the best place to find opals?
It’s clear that Nevada is the best place to find opal in the US, thanks to the world-famous Virgin Valley opal, a remote, fruitful mining district supplying some of the world’s finest black opals.
Is opal easy to find?
It isn’t easy, as a fossicker, to find an opal nowadays but it is not impossible. You are going to need some luck and a lot of patience, but it can be done. It is not much use wandering over the mullock heaps on the opal fields as many thousands of people have already done this.
Is opal mined in Australia?
Opal is found around the world (Brazil, Mexico, Honduras and the western US) however Australia produces 95% of the world’s precious opal and it is our official national gemstone. (see Google Arts and Culture – Australian opals). Opal was first mined commercially at Listowel Downs in Queensland in 1875 and later at White Cliffs in NSW.
Who is Genesis Opals in Australia?
Genesis opals is owned and managed by Jacky and Elisabeth Delarue. We are a French husband and wife team, cutting opal in Australia, and involved in the Australian opal industry for over 30 years. We used to operate our own opal mines at Opalton, 125 km South West of Winton, the World Capital of Boulder Opal, in the Queensland Outback, Australia, until May 2014.
What is an Australian opal?
Australian opal is referred to as “sedimentary opal” because it is hosted predominantly by sedimentary rocks of the Mesozoic Great Artesian Basin . Australian precious opals usually contain around 5-6% water and consists of small silica spheres arranged in a regular pattern.