How to Hunt for Opals
Once you've seen the fire inside of an opal, you are bound to be enchanted by the color and the beauty of this stone. There are some types of opal that do not have this inner fire, but the ones that do---black opal, crystal opal, fire opal, white opal and boulder opal among others---are highly prized and sought. If you'd like to own some of these beautiful stones, hunting for your own provides an exciting challenge.
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Things You'll Need
- Safety glasses
- Leather work gloves
- Pick
- Shovel
- Water spray bottle
- Small flashlight
- Bucket
Instructions
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Pick an opal mine (see Resources). Although there may be some undiscovered sites where you can find opals, most opal mines are owned, and if you intend to hunt for opals you need to go to one of these. Most opals in the U.S. are found in Nevada, Arizona Oregon and Louisiana. Consider mine accessibility; some mines can only be reached by a four-wheel-drive vehicle. Some mine operators provide transportation for an extra fee.
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A small pick will help you to find your opals. Gather your equipment for the hunt. Some mines provide tools for rent, while others require that you bring your own.
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Check with the mine operator to see how much of your find you will be allowed to keep. You may be able to keep whatever you find, but in most cases there is a limit. Since you will be paying anywhere from $40 to $200 per day (as of 2010) to hunt for opals, you want to be allowed to keep as much as possible.
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Work gloves help protect your hands. Find a likely spot at the mine and begin your hunt for opals. The approach you use varies from mine to mine. In some cases you dig into the ground or a hillside to find your opals; other mines have areas covered with loose rock, which you will want to rake together before you begin to sort through it. Wear gloves as you begin to handle the stones in your search for opals.
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A rough opal exposed. Hit interesting rocks with your hammer or pick. Chip away the exterior surface to see if an opal is lurking inside. Wear eye protection when chipping stone. When you've chipped away a layer, spray water on the exposed area to rinse off any dirt. Then examine your stone in the sunlight or with a small flashlight. Opals have bits of reflective color inside of them, referred to as fire because of the way it sparkles when viewed under a bright light. If you spot the inner fire, you've found an opal. If not, toss this rock to one side and move on to the next one. Keep all of your opals in your bucket so they don't get mixed back in with the worthless rocks.
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Tips & Warnings
You might be working in the hot sun, so take a hat or an umbrella to protect you from the heat and bring plenty of water to drink.
A cushion or a folding chair might also come in handy.
Many opal mines are located in rough terrain. Watch out for places where you could fall. Also beware of poisonous snakes, spiders and scorpions.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Precious Mexican Supreme Opal image by Mexgems from Fotolia.com hammer #2 image by Adam Borkowski from Fotolia.com gardening gloves image by Sandi Chetwynd from Fotolia.com opal image by Stephanie Bandmann from Fotolia.com
