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Opal: Africa, Australia, Ethiopia, Serbia, Tanzania, Turkey and other locations
Current inventory:  3 gems
 

Australian Opal

Chemistry:  SiO2 + 5-10% nH2O

Prehistoric Discovery;   IMA status: Valid (pre-IMA; Grandfathered).
Opalus was the ancient Latin name probably derived from the Sanskrit word upala, meaning precious stone. The Greek word opallios literally means "to see a change of color."

 

Classification

   

   

Mineral Classification:

Oxides

Strunz 8th Ed. ID:

4/D.01-80

 

4 : Oxides & Hydroxides
D : Oxides with metal : oxygen = 1:2 (MO2 and related compounds)
01 : Quartz group

 

 

Crystal Data

   

   

Crystallography:

Amorphous  (no crystalline forms)

Crystal Habit:

Amorphous - (no crystalline forms) Habits include Massive; Concretions; Botryoidal; Stalactitic; Reniform - "kidney like" in shape (e.g. Hematite); cavity fillings (e.g. in fractures and geodes); replacement of other minerals or wood.

 

 

Physical Properties

   

 

Cleavage:

None (amorphous)

Fracture:

Conchoidal

Tenacity:

Brittle

Moh's Hardness:

5.5 - 6.0

Density:

1.90 - 2.30 (g/cm3)

Radioactivity:

Not Radioactive

 

 

Optical Properties

   

   

Color:

Colorless, white, yellow, orange, red, yellowish brown, greenish, blue, gray, black, violet.

Transparency:

Transparent to Translucent to Opaque

Luster:

Vitreous, Waxy, Pearly, Dull

Refractive Index:

1.43 Isotropic

Birefringence:

0.00 (Isotropic)

Dispersion:

Weak

Pleochroism:

Distinct; red, orange, yellow, green, blue

 

 

Occurances

   

   

Geological Setting:

Sedimentary and secondary from the alteration of high silica igneous extrusive rocks.

Type Locality:

n/a

Year Discovered:

Prehistoric discovery

View mineral photos:

Opal Mineral Photos and Locations

 

 

More Information

   

   

 

Mindat.org
Webmineral.com

 

 


This page contains Opal gems from Africa, Australia, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Serbia, Tanzania, Turkey and other locations. For more general information on Opals and Opals from other locations around the world, please visit our main Opal page.
 

  
Opal gems for sale: 

OPALTU-003

Gem:

Opal - Turkey

Stock #:

OPAL-O-003-TU

Weight:

0.955 ct

Size:

9.35 x 5.77 x 3.87 mm

Shape:

Cushion

Color:

Creamy White

Clarity:

Sleepy - Translucent - SI

Origin:

Turkey

Treatment:

None (natural)

Price:

$35.00

Pictures are of the actual gem offered for sale.
Gem images are magnified to show detail.

OPALTU-003

A beautiful gem from an unusual location. This is the only Opal I have seen from Turkey in a very long time. It is well cut with a sleepy appearance with a few very small mineral specks.


OpalSE-004

Gem:

Opal - Serbia

Stock #:

OPAL-O-004

Weight:

0.567 ct

Size:

7.07 x 5.06 x 3.79 mm

Shape:

Oval

Color:

Very pale green

Clarity:

Translucent - SI

Origin:

Serbia

Treatment:

None (natural)

Price:

$19.00

Pictures are of the actual gem offered for sale.
Gem images are magnified to show detail.

OpalSE-004

A small beauty from another unusual location.


OpalAF-005

Gem:

Opal - Africa

Stock #:

OPAL-O-005-AF

Weight:

1.362 ct

Size:

10.86 x 6.91 x 4.70 mm

Shape:

Fancy - Geometric

Color:

Pale green

Clarity:

Translucent

Origin:

Africa

Treatment:

None (natural)

Price:

$38.00

Pictures are of the actual gem offered for sale.
Gem images are magnified to show detail.

OpalAF-005

 


 

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