Gemological Research Archive

Opal mining has a rich history in Queensland, dating back to the late 1800s. Here are some key events in the history of opal mining in Queensland: In 1872, a large opal deposit was discovered in White Cliffs, New South Wales. This sparked a wave of opal fever throughout Australia, including Queensland. In 1879, the … Read more

If you’re a gemstone enthusiast or a miner looking for a unique and valuable opportunity, you might want to consider prospecting for opal in Lightning Ridge, Australia. Lightning Ridge is home to some of the most sought-after and valuable opals in the world, making it a prime location for gemstone hunters. In this article, we’ll … Read more

From University of Queensland- report dated 1902 The Duck Creek Opal Field is in the Paroo Mineral District, and lies about 40 miles towards the north from Yowah. It is also on Yowah Creek near its head, and is most easily accessible from Eulo by road, a distance of about 76 miles. It is situated … Read more

Opalton, located almost 1500 kilometres from Brisbane, has featured on the hit television show, Outback Opal Hunters, since 2018 … and the town is keen to capitalise on the opportunity. A brand new Exhibition and Visitors Centre is in the design phase, and will give future visitors a real sense of the history and geology … Read more

The following- article has been compiled by T. H. Connah, M.Sc., Senior Geologist, Geological Survey of Queensland, from published and unpublished reports on the Opal areas of Western Queensland by officers of the Geological Survey of Queensland and Inspectors of Mines. INTRODUCTION The Opal Fields of Queensland are not worked out. Improved communications and methods … Read more

THE HONOURABLE THE MINISTER For  MlNES, BRISBANE. Geological Survey Office, Brisbane, 1st May, 1902. The Opalton Field, often called the Fermoy Field, is about 100 miles further north. The nearest raihvay terminus is Winton, from which the field is situated in a direct line 60 miles S.S.W., but it is almost just as easily reached … Read more

The Great Artesian Basin is where most Gem Opal is Found Australian opal is referred to as sedimentary opal because it forms in sedimentary rocks of the Mesozoic lost Eromanga Sea which became the Great Artesian Basin. Australian precious opals usually contain around 3-5% water and consist of small silica spheres arranged in a regular pattern.     Article below … Read more

Fossicking in Opalton A collection of articles, the first one is from ABC News The red, rugged country of the remote Queensland outback is a far cry from the white powdery slopes of the French Alps, but there’s nowhere else that Chamonix chairlift builder Remi Demazure would rather be. Key points: The remote locality of … Read more

The following is a summary of an article in the the newspaper “The Worker” of 1901 relating to the state of the opal industry in that year.   The Opal Industry In 1901,an employee of “The Worker” newspaper carried out an interview with a Mr K L Lindsay of Windorah regarding the opal industry at … Read more

Opalton Queensland Opalton Queensland is the largest opal field in Queensland by volume of opal produced. Opalton is still producing today. Home of Queensland’s spectacular boulder opal and  famous for the enormous quantity and quality of its opal. Nestled away 123 kilometres south-west of Winton, opals were first discovered here in 1888 and the first … Read more

Lightning Ridge Mining Getting started right with licenses and regulatory compliance. Lightning Ridge Mining is available to nearly everyone. You do not need to be Australian. You can mine opal on a tourist visa as a hobby for half of each year. The information below is from New South Wales Government Lightning Ridge courses and … Read more

Coober Pedy Mining History Coober Pedy is on the Stuart Highway in South Australia, about 850 kilometers north of Adelaide. Coober Pedy is known as the “Opal Capital of the World”. The town’s population is about 2,000 people and it is located in the far north of the state. Traditional Owners of Coober Pedy For … Read more

Australian Government | Opal – Australia’s National Gemstone Australia’s Opal fields are larger than all the Opal fields in the rest of the world combined. Types of Opals found in Australia Precious Opal displays play-of-colour Common Opal does not exhibit a play-of-colour (aka Potch Opal by Australian Miners). On 23 July 1993, the Governor-General, the … Read more

You can go to the opal fields and find opal in the tailings that have been missed by miners. From Australian Geographic OPAL – STUNNINGLY BEAUTIFUL and quintessentially Australian – is our national gem. Unique among its peers, precious opal is a glassy, translucent stone that refracts light in brilliant colours, which flash and change … Read more

Opal Fossils of Lightning Ridge Excerpt of an article from the Australian Opal Centre PRECIOUS RELICS FROM THE AGE OF DINOSAURS At the heart of the Australian Opal Centre is a magnificent collection of 100-million-year-old fossils, from the Early Cretaceous period. It was a time when dinosaurs and other ancient creatures lived where Lightning Ridge … Read more