Australian Opal

Australian Opal is the national gemstone of Australia and accounts for the bulk of the world’s commercial supply. Articles look at the difference between black opal mined at Lightning Ridge in New South Wales, white opal from Coober Pedy and Andamooka in South Australia, boulder opal from Queensland and crystal opal from Yowah and Koroit, the play of colour and how it is graded, the difference between solid opal, doublets and triplets and the long history of opal cutting in Adelaide. There are also notes on the small underground hotel rooms at Coober Pedy.