Opal – Australia’s National Gemstone Infographic

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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 o Precious Opal displays play-of-colour o Common Opal does not exhibit a play-of-colour (aka Potch Opal by Australian Miners).
• On 27 July 1993, the Governor-General, the Hon Bill Hayden AC, proclaimed the opal as Australia’s national gemstone.
• In Aboriginal dreamtime stories, the Opal was created when the colours of the rainbow touched the earth.
• Australia is the only place in the world where you can find Opalised animal fossils, there are also many examples of opalised plant fossils.
• In 1994 the Australian Women’s basketball team adopted the nickname “The Opals”.

Australia’s Iconic Opals

• 1915: Pride of Australia aka Red Emperor
  • Found 1915 at Lightning Ridge, NSW.
  • Shaped like Australia.
  • By 1954, it had toured at least five World Fairs as “the greatest opal of Australia”.
• 1938: Aurora Australis
  • Found 1938 at Lightning Ridge, NSW.
  • Considered the world’s most valuable black opal.
• 1946: Fire of Australia
  • Found 1946 in Coober Pedy, SA.
  • World’s finest uncut opal.
  • Weighs 998g – size of two cricket balls.
• 1986: Halley’s Comet o Found 1986 at Lightning Ridge, NSW.
  • Found about the time Halley’s Comet appeared in Australian skies.
  • Recorded as the world’s largest uncut opal.
• 1989: Galaxy Opal
  • Found 1989 in Jundah, QLD.
  • One of the largest and finest quality boulder opals ever mined. The Start of Opal Mining in Australia
• 1890 Precious opal mining begins in NSW.
• 1896 Precious opal mining begins in QLD.
• 1913 Precious opal mining begins in SA.
• 1926 Minnie Berrington was one of Australia’s first female opal miners.

Science Key Facts

• Chemistry: SiO2nH2O
• Hydrated Silica: Opal is a type of mineraloid
• In 1965 CSIRO scientists discovered that the voids between opal silica spheres caused light to be diffracted to create the play-of-colour, as seen in a rainbow.
• Opal has a play-of-colour due to millions of tiny silica spheres of different sizes. Image Source: M.Berrington – Emil Otto Hoppe Estate Collections, Opals – Geoscience Australia

Reference: Department of the Prime Minister & Cabinet, Geoscience Australia, Opals Down Under & SA Museum.