Category: Mining Opal

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Opal Mining Strike

You can feel the ‘buzz in the air’  in this short video clip… Opal Mining Strike. Justin has just received news from his mining crew at Lightning Ridge that they have struck opal. Justin is on his way in his 4WD to see what his mining crew have found. The mining crew are ‘tailing out’ and are finding opal making it ‘a big strike’!! Justin is overwhelmed..you can actually feel the excitement…which sees Justin jumping around in joy…it’s not everyday this happens… Watch in awe as the agitator spills out rock with seams of opal. Whilst on the sorting table the crew get excited as Justin shows you in the rough…

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Opal Mines

There are many different opal fields in Australia. Most of the opal fields are in New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia. All of the opal fields produce white and crystal opal and only 2 opal fields produce black opal.  Lightning Ridge and Mintabie have produced black opal. Most opal found is in seam form in fissures or rock cavities. The only place in the world that produces nobby opal is Lightning Ridge. All of these opal mining fields are on the edge of an ancient inland sea. The edges along the shores are where the opal is found, that is why we have a lot of fossil opal –…

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Cooceran Opal Tour

Welcome back to Black Opal Direct! This week I want to take you to the heart of the opal country. To see where the best opal ever came from. As some of you may know the Cooceran opal field has been the best supplier of black opal in the world. Through the 80s and 90s, this place was a very busy mining field. Ad people from all over the world came to the Cooceran to try their luck in mining for the elusive black opal. Many people came but only a select few made it in the opal world. You have to be lucky to find the big patch where…

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