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Let's Rock => Opal => Topic started by: VegasJames on November 05, 2019, 06:43:44 PM

Title: More common opal from Nevada.
Post by: VegasJames on November 05, 2019, 06:43:44 PM
(https://live.staticflickr.com/4655/38896900754_a2513ea59d_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/22gbMrU)20180107_044622 (https://flic.kr/p/22gbMrU) by James Sloane (https://www.flickr.com/photos/143011703@N05/), on Flickr

(https://live.staticflickr.com/4701/38896903114_c84c231efd_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/22gbN9A)20180107_044408 (https://flic.kr/p/22gbN9A) by James Sloane (https://www.flickr.com/photos/143011703@N05/), on Flickr

(https://live.staticflickr.com/4626/25734526978_9d40e75ab3_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Fd5bi1)20180107_044215 (https://flic.kr/p/Fd5bi1) by James Sloane (https://www.flickr.com/photos/143011703@N05/), on Flickr

(https://live.staticflickr.com/4620/39605035861_930b95035d_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/23kLakT)20180106_131834 (https://flic.kr/p/23kLakT) by James Sloane (https://www.flickr.com/photos/143011703@N05/), on Flickr

(https://live.staticflickr.com/4652/38896906764_4fdc02cf6c_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/22gbPew)20180106_131044 (https://flic.kr/p/22gbPew) by James Sloane (https://www.flickr.com/photos/143011703@N05/), on Flickr

(https://live.staticflickr.com/4603/38709018815_cb52c585f2_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/21YzQG8)20180106_130852 (https://flic.kr/p/21YzQG8) by James Sloane (https://www.flickr.com/photos/143011703@N05/), on Flickr

(https://live.staticflickr.com/931/41509239351_afd02ce132_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/26f2GGx)20180413_143224 (https://flic.kr/p/26f2GGx) by James Sloane (https://www.flickr.com/photos/143011703@N05/), on Flickr

(https://live.staticflickr.com/833/40616072875_c03f3760a1_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/24T6Zqx)20180413_141515 (https://flic.kr/p/24T6Zqx) by James Sloane (https://www.flickr.com/photos/143011703@N05/), on Flickr

Title: Re: More comon opal from Nevada.
Post by: hummingbirdstones on November 06, 2019, 06:47:04 PM
 :drool:

Those are yummy!
Title: Re: More comon opal from Nevada.
Post by: lithicbeads on November 07, 2019, 01:12:17 PM
The first and fourth pieces are dead ringers for opal from the old pit on dodson road in eastern Washington.The head wall was 30 feet high with layers of opal about a foot high of one color and pattern followed by dozens more types. There was a surprising amount of agate mixed in . You had to hit the wall with a sledge and the sharp opal shards were brutal. When the quarry was abandoned  a corporation bought it and regraded it and hauled in dirt and made an apple orchard. The wonders they buried ! You have very nice rough there , good for you.
Title: Re: More comon opal from Nevada.
Post by: vitzitziltecpatl on November 07, 2019, 06:05:39 PM
We got a chunk of the gray opal in some rough from a friend of ours who used to live in SW Idaho. Always assumed it was from Nevada, but given where he lived (30 years ago) it could be from Washington.
Title: Re: More comon opal from Nevada.
Post by: VegasJames on November 07, 2019, 08:47:11 PM
Quote from: lithicbeads on November 07, 2019, 01:12:17 PM
The first and fourth pieces are dead ringers for opal from the old pit on dodson road in eastern Washington.The head wall was 30 feet high with layers of opal about a foot high of one color and pattern followed by dozens more types. There was a surprising amount of agate mixed in . You had to hit the wall with a sledge and the sharp opal shards were brutal. When the quarry was abandoned  a corporation bought it and regraded it and hauled in dirt and made an apple orchard. The wonders they buried ! You have very nice rough there , good for you.

Common opal is very abundant in Central Nevada and comes in a wide variety of colors. 

Some of it is in the transition from opal to jasper. Basically opal starts as a silica gel. As the molecules move closer together water gets squeezed out eventually forming opal. If the opal loses all of its water it converts in to chalcedony or chert.

There is a spot up in Lund, Nevada where I got some great pieces of an opal-agate mix.
Title: Re: More comon opal from Nevada.
Post by: VegasJames on November 07, 2019, 08:51:49 PM
Quote from: vitzitziltecpatl on November 07, 2019, 06:05:39 PM
We got a chunk of the gray opal in some rough from a friend of ours who used to live in SW Idaho. Always assumed it was from Nevada, but given where he lived (30 years ago) it could be from Washington.

I love the gray opals.
Title: Re: More comon opal from Nevada.
Post by: VegasJames on November 07, 2019, 09:11:03 PM
More common opal from Central Nevada:

(https://live.staticflickr.com/851/40616070685_c4c60e0585_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/24T6YLM)20180413_141554 (https://flic.kr/p/24T6YLM) by James Sloane (https://www.flickr.com/photos/143011703@N05/), on Flickr

(https://live.staticflickr.com/805/41401546831_897e6638ed_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/265vKsX)20180411_140316 (https://flic.kr/p/265vKsX) by James Sloane (https://www.flickr.com/photos/143011703@N05/), on Flickr

(https://live.staticflickr.com/883/41401545031_3469b061b6_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/265vJVV)20180411_135300 (https://flic.kr/p/265vJVV) by James Sloane (https://www.flickr.com/photos/143011703@N05/), on Flickr

(https://live.staticflickr.com/789/39592677740_f39bd6e066_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/23jEPGQ)20180411_135246 (https://flic.kr/p/23jEPGQ) by James Sloane (https://www.flickr.com/photos/143011703@N05/), on Flickr

(https://live.staticflickr.com/865/39592671640_f14598ae24_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/23jEMTE)20180411_135235 (https://flic.kr/p/23jEMTE) by James Sloane (https://www.flickr.com/photos/143011703@N05/), on Flickr

(https://live.staticflickr.com/791/40506010745_4b63393782_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/24HnTMB)20180411_135157 (https://flic.kr/p/24HnTMB) by James Sloane (https://www.flickr.com/photos/143011703@N05/), on Flickr
Title: Re: More common opal from Nevada.
Post by: ileney on November 18, 2019, 09:32:43 AM
These are beauties ... And so many!