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[Phishisgroovin]

anyone ever do anything with TECOPA-OPAL from death valley california?

I have a jar of it in matrix, not sure what to do with it.

[Phishisgroovin]

i might get a medium hard wire wheel on my flex shaft and go outside and wittle the sandstone down a bit to see if i can expose some of the opals.
Sure is filled with alot of fire in the tiny bits i can see.

[hummingbirdstones]

I did a little searching and most of the information I've found is that the opal is fiery, but very small.  I think that's probably as good as it gets with that opal.  I would love to have a piece of it in my collection, though, as I don't have any from that location.  Would you be willing to trade for a piece of it?

[lithicbeads]

New to me. The net says it is in a matrix of altered tuff which looks right. A little iffy about the presence of fire in the opal.

[Phishisgroovin]

this stuff is full of fire. i took it out and under light it was flashing me like a perverted streaker!

[Phishisgroovin]

i feel like i need a coarse wire wheel and remove some of the sand stone and uncover the purtys for shelf bling bling.

[vitzitziltecpatl]

Hiya' Phish. Does this opal have small spots of play-of-color separated by matrix? If so, and it's like a sandstone matrix you might have to shape it, seal it, then do your final polish. What you'd have is a polished epoxy surface, but it could be a cool looking piece if there are enough opal "eyes" distributed through it.

[Phishisgroovin]

yeah, its small specks of firey opal in sandstone.
it will all need to be stabilized after exposing any nodules.