Rough Opal

Here, you’ll learn about rough opal – that is, opal in its original state, before it’s been cut, and polished, and you’ll learn a bit about the cutting and polishing process.

OpalAuctions.com offers all kinds of opals including rough opal from a variety of regions (Black Opal Rough, Boulder Opal Rough, Coober Pedy Opal Rough, and Yowah Opal Rough.

Coober Pedy is called the “opal capitol of the world.”

According to the tourism board website for the region:

Opal was first found in Coober Pedy on the 1st of February 1915 and since then has been supplying the world with the majority of gem quality opal. Coober Pedy today relies as much on tourism as the opal mining industry to provide the community with employment and sustainability.

Coober Pedy has evolved in to one of the most unique places in Australia and perhaps the world. It is a cosmopolitan town with a population of 3,500 and over 45 different nationalities. The relaxed and friendly lifestyle of the town has made it a breeding ground for cultural tolerance, diversity and acceptance.

Coober Pedy is probably best known for its unique style of underground living. There is a range of underground accommodation (as well as above ground if you prefer). There are authentic underground homes to explore as well as underground museums, potteries, opal shops, an art gallery and, of course, opal mines.
Indeed, Coober Pedy has over 70 opal fields and is the largest opal mining area in the world.

The Yowah Opal field is locted approximately 600 miles west of Brisbane, Queensland.

It is known for its distinctive matrix opal, and its much sought after “Yowah Nut” opal.

The opal field itself is relatively small, about 2.5 square miles, in an extremely harsh and arid section of Queensland.