BOULDER OPALS - How to Find and Identify | Liz Kreate
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- čas přidán 5. 09. 2024
- Boulder Opals are the 2nd most expensive type of Opal next to Black Opal. Majority of the Boulder Opal fields are located in Queensland Australia. They are a bit more challenging to find compared to the other types, therefore knowing what to look for is key to a successful noodling trip. Pipe Opal, Matrix Opal,Nut Opal, Opalized Fossils are just a few names or types of Opals that came from this area.
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I love how the speaker knows her business but stays on a level we all can understand. A true sign of brilliance and knowledge of subject thanks for sharing.
Thank you so much Joseph for watching especially for commenting. Because of your comment, it made me watch my own video again and now I'm inspired to make another Opal video. Thanks again, stay safe and stay well. Cheers, Liz
@@LizKreate your welcome and stay safe Miss Liz .
Love your videos Liz. I have learned so much from you over the years by watching you at your craft and I just wanted to extend my gratitude and appreciation. Not a lot of people these days will share their craft as it’s their bread and butter so thank you.
Hi Liz, ever notice the dendrites on opal...my opinion is that a jolt of electricity plays a part, and cause the opalization (electricity causes the dendrites) when all the chemical/mineral requirements are met...
I found you for your brilliant succulents and I kept watching for your fossicking and prospecting. I spent a lot of time with my grandparents as a child and they collected rocks and such that I caught the bug. My grandmother specifically loved Apache tears but my granddaddy didn’t discriminate and collected in cracked geodes. He never split them because he always wanted to imagine the beauty inside. After they passed my sister in-law did something with them and now they’re lost forever but finding your channel I get to relive some of my favorite memories of my childhood. Thank you Liz.
Such beautiful creations.
Opals are my absolute favorite gem. I’d pick an opal over a diamond any day. I am in envy of you. 😘
Thanks for the video.
The Matrix with roundcircle is gorgeous...I love Opal with blue inside...❤❤❤
Thanks for watching and hope you enjoyed the video.
Hi Liz, I'm a french Canadian and I always cherished the opals...my preferred one is the black opal!!!
So, I would like to know if it's possible to buy from you some samples? You are so lucky to be able to go there and find them from the rough rock to the last stage by polishing them where each one reveals the treasure and heaven's beauty! ! I'm too sick to go there but I'm joining you in your quest spiritually! ! My name is Johanne Deschênes. Thanks for sharing all that worldwide.
These are probably my favourites, more so than gem opals I think. Such beautiful patterns and integration of colour. Gorgeous! Thankyou Liz :)
Nothing looks more impressive than a beautiful bright coloured crystal opal. Crystal is the best in my opinion.
Really loving the education and the wonderful specimens you show! What a life you and Wally have!
😯 You just showed me my favorite stone. I've never seen these! Absolutely astonishing!!
You and me both. Boulder Opal is my absolute favorite. Thanks for watching Lynn. Stay safe and healthy. Cheers, Liz
We have never searched for boulder opals, but have found colour at Coober Pedy, Lightning Ridge and Grawin over the years. Another enjoyable and interesting video Liz, thanks again.
Walter Kerr They can be challenging to find; but once you clean them up, the colours will keep your heart beating faster. Hope you get the chance to chase some boulder opals Walter. All the best, Liz
I really like how informative and helpful your videos are liz, My brother and I have recently taken quite an interest into prospecting and gem finding. I find your videos to be some of the most useful information I can find on the subject, and I cant wait for more content. but until then keep up the epic hunt for beautiful earth minerals, compounds and elements :D
Love your work
SirTodd OfHoward Thanks for the lovely comment SirTodd and I'm really glad that my videos are of some use to you and your brother. Happy Hunting and wishing you both all the best of luck. Cheers, Liz
Those boulder opals are less boring than the Lightning Ridge, and Coober Pedy.
I have been in Lightning Ridge, and Grawin, and since 3 months ago I'm in Coober Pedy.... seams like I have to go to Opalton in the future....
Thanks for teaching us...
Regards
Peridot is a stone that also does not derive its color from impurities. Wonderful video. Thank you.
***** Thanks for watching and commenting Joanne. I'm glad that you're enjoying our videos. Take care and wish you all the very best. Cheers, Liz
My favourite stone, breathtakingly beautiful. Thanks for the vid
Wow Liz did you cut those yourself? You really know exactly how to bring out the beauty in these stones.
BEAUTIFUL.!! They certaintly don't look like anything at first. You have the magic touch🌻
My biggest piece of Opal was @ 2/12 ft by 1 1/2 ft was the Fire 🔥 Opal with the bubbly pockets. These are very Rare and Would make a nice addition to any collection. Thanks, video was great and always a pleasure.
Extraordinary Liz! I learned more from this video than from months of research regarding opal formation
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching.
@@LizKreate my pleasure
I work with opals for my jewelry but the boulder opals are beautiful that you have shown. Thank you for your video.
Hi Linda, Glad you enjoyed the Boulder Opals. Some of them are for sale on my website lizkreate.com. All the best, Liz
Liz I've been watching you and wally go out on these australian gem and gold hunting trips and oh what a life you have how fun. I wish i could get to australia and go out with you it would be so fun for me. I visited hawaii and met a woman that beach combs and she showed me how to find oliveen and we had so much fun looking for great shells and oliveen. Thank you for sharing your opal and other rare finds it has been so fun watching i just wish i could do it with you .
Hi Liz this is naseer 4rm Pakistan you are one man army.you are so talented hats off!!! These are my ist comments but I am watching your jems since 5 to 6 months ago.
jawad ali Hi Naseer, Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. Glad to know you enjoyed the video. All the very best, LIz
WOW! just WOW! My son and I are amateur rock hunters. Thank you for doing these vids. Cheers
Liz Kreate I love your work and how you find gems all over the place
+Gerardo jr Godina Thanks for watching and commenting Gerardo. Glad you enjoyed the video. Cheers, Liz
Australia is a rock hounders paradise!!!
You have some very beautiful pieces there. Many people would have passed those up because they didn't look like much. Good eye for color.
Thanks for watching and commenting Richard. Goes to show that there's still plenty out there to be had. Cheers, Liz
Hey Liz, do you ever take groups out to dig for gemstones? I would love to go gem hunting and learn to grind them into useable pieces.
Diana Haley-Bond Hi Diana, I have a couple of videos under the "Lapidary Playlist" on how to process gemstones and will be uploading more in the future. We don't take out groups (other people) to prospect as we have a lot of friends and family that we already take and there's just unfortunately not enough time for others. Maybe one day when we retire, we can let those interested know where we are and they can follow us. :-) Wishing you all the very best, Liz
I would love to visit you in Australia and go boulder opal hunting with you!!
Chris Nossoughi i would love to as well. It seems like a lot of fun and looks as if you can find lots of stuff!
ME TOO!
I would need to be dragged out of those areas! Love it!
Thoroughly enjoyed your video. I recently started collecting boulder opal. Love seeing where it comes from thank you!
Hello Liz :-) I just found you in CZcams while going through the list of subs that I have and your video came as something I might be interested it and boy was CZcams right :-)
For the past few years I have been digging out my backyard by hand can not afford for someone to do it for me and I am so glad as I have found a iron/sandstone rock with opal in it.
I thought this was just a random piece but after watching your video I am not so sure :-) I found it when I was sifting the dirt from the pile so I can use the dirt for my garden beds and I have piled all the rock of to one side in my yard at the moment. It was in one of the many loads of dirt and rock that I was sifting when I found my piece of opal rock, it has a good vain in it and it sits in my side cabinet after I had painted some water based varnish on it :-) to make the colours pop. This was before I started to learn how to make jewellery :-) but even so I think I will leave it as it is :-) I know it's opal as I have a three piece set of white opal and one piece of black opal.
I will go back over that pile of rock before I use it for my concrete mix for the car port I think I will have to make sure there is no more in there :-) as it is I have been keeping some of the ironstone as I like the look of it and I am hoping it will polish up nicely for me to make some pendents.
Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge I know for one that I have learned so much more, and now I will keep a water spray bottle next to me while I am sifting the piles in the back yard :-)
And yep I have subscribed :-) I love what you did on the shales too :-)
Have a Great Day
Chow Angela
opal is my gem of the
month
october
Yes ..nice Liz i have aomething to show u here in the philippine i have gemstone found in southern samar phillipines ... More about 4 colores, when you put in the gastove shelline around 30 menutes never hot you can hold by your finger and one thing it never break ...thanks pls help to know about is
Thanks for your video. I won't be going out to look for boulder opals but you provided a lot of useful info.
How amazing!!!! It's my dream to go noodling for opals, they are my favorite stone ♥
carry an air can and spray it upside down to apply condensation to the opal to check and its very light
Opalized sandstone? Cool. Thank you Liz.
You’re welcome 😊
Liz it has just been so fun watching your videos i will probably never get to see australia so i am so happy to get to watch what you are doing through your video. How fun i love the hunt and prospecting but here in MI we just don't have anything like you are finding in australia Have fun
The pattern in the rock you open around 3:30 looks like an image of a baby in the womb attached with a blue umbilical cord. You can see what looks like an ear on the left and a hand grasping the cord on the left as well. Thought that was a beautiful pattern. I'm amazed at the interesting patterns that mimic real artwork in these rocks. :D
+Kris M We have the same imagination Kris. :-) That's what I thought as well. Cheers, Liz
+Kris M Someone is projecting her hormones me thinks!
Ha, ha I wish pesto12601. Done having my babies 18 years ago.
Kris M 3andins leahjar lkarima
I would love to get mine hands on some of those to play with. I have a gold claim in the mountains in Idaho and wanted to play a bit during off season.
Ahhhh Great video liz. I wish i could be out in the wild fossicking but I am stuck at school. When the holidays come up, I am going to go on an adventure to lightning ridge! :) Awesome Video!
lots of beautiful specimens, very nice
Thanks for this wonderful report, very helpful and informative. Opals are the most exciting stone - gifts from mother earth. Awesome and fascinating. Simply wonderful. Your video reminds me of great times in Australia. I was there for six months in 2012..Greetings from Austria. /Europe 🇦🇹💎🇦🇹👍🙏
These are some amazing specimen's, do u ever sell any? Or know anyone who sells pieces like these?
I don't sell any of our finds. There's plenty of them available on ebay. Just look up Boulder Opal Cabochons. Cheers
Very informative and beautiful specimens x
I so wish I lived in Australia to find these awesome gems I wish I had opals
I am a biginer and want to start doing what you do Liz Kreate
wow! lovin the blues and purple Magic Stones!
Lily Canales They are amazing gemstones. Thanks for the comment Lily. Cheers, Liz
I love opals more than any other stone especially the sunset opal
Those are absolutely beautiful! I have always loved opals. Thanks for sharing
Donna Day You're welcome Donna and thanks for commenting. Cheers, Liz
You are a great teacher, Liz. Thank you for a fascinating video. I love your adventures.
sally-ann Williams Thanks for the comment sally-ann. Glad that you're enjoying our videos. Cheers, Liz
+Liz Kreate how to tell if its a real quartz or fake???
When you wet them,they don't turn into gremlins,but pretty opals! LOL just found you're Chanel and after just couple videos I'm hooked to you're humour,knowledge,personality...I'm not even interested in rocks...LOL...of course love gemstones,opals,jewellery as any women,just was not geek for it...well,feel that something may stick to my brain from you,So subscribed and liking you're videos.All the best luck Liz-TY for videos,keep shining that bright personality of yours!
Amazing! I'm a rock hound fr Ontario Canada, I'm comming out to Australia this spring...thx for posting
Very beautiful i do not know opal has so many colours i am in Melbourne i want to buy some opal where are the jewelry store in Melbourne is it expensive
Liz your awesome and creative. I love all you videos. Best of luck!
+timthejewler Thanks for the kind comment Tim and glad you're enjoying my videos. Wishing you all the very best, Liz
Liz Kreate
have a single sister? :)
Diamond is nothing compared to opal, which is so fascinating opal is the best and most beautiful stone and everything else on the scale is just an example of natural beauty.
Oh my gosh! I am loving your videos so much! I'm learning heaps and you've got me very VERY interested in fossicking :D
Thanks Liz. Good vid. We are hoping to get to these areas later this year.
Wow super cool stuff! I love opals! 😊 very good video!
+Chris B Thanks for watching Chris. Cheers, Liz
Opals are my favourite!
Mine too!
Hello Liz, can you make a video on bornite (also known as peacock ore), or maybe labradorite? They are one of my favorite stones.
Robert Adan No promises Robert but I'll see what I can do. Thanks for watching. Cheers, Liz
Lindas
Ohh OPALS😍😍😍😘 they always steal my heart... thx for making such vedios of these creations of time
Very Beautiful Liz !
einsteindrieu Thanks for watching einsteindrieu and glad you enjoyed the Opals. Cheers, Liz
Amazing! Just love the idea of noodling for opal. Are There people who make a living from this?
I have begun cutting Boulder opal in the states after buying rough but my question is, how is the price determined? It seems like the ‘wild west’ when valuing Boulder opal. I try to use Etsy as a benchmark but unlike LR or CP, it is harder to value. I am assuming the more colors, the more valuable? I know the Yowah nut is highly prized because of the background/ pattern but I have hundreds of finished Boulder pieces and no idea how to really value them! Thanks and great video! James
It really depends on how the piece look. The more appealing to the eye, the higher the per/carat price. Base on my buying experience from direct sellers/miners....The price of boulder opal is based on carat weight. For example....a 10 carat finished cabochon with light opal veining can start from .50cents/carat up depending on color and desirability. The thickness and weight ratio plus look is the determining factor in pricing. A 10 carat/10mm size, grey base w/ light blue veins can be worth $5. The same size stone with dark base and more color(blue, green, yellow) can be worth $20. And if the same size with thicker color zones(red, green, blue, yellow, etc.) can be worth $2000.
In my opinion, we can charge whatever we want on anything....but it all depends on what someone else is willing to pay for it. Hope this helps. Wishing you all the very best. Cheers, Liz
Excellent video ! WOW ! Liz those are some beautiful opal and I loved this video and I will put this video on my favorites !
***** Glad you enjoyed the video William. :-) Cheers, Liz
My life finally got it's purpose... finding this sweet li'l treasures
Thanks for watching and commenting Prepe Lica. Hope you get the chance to go prospecting and find these beauties yourself. Cheers, LIz
how long does it take to find opal and is there any where untouched or has it been all touched and how far did you go to find any opal black and petrified opal im a big collector and was very interested in this vid. great vid
what does this mean and also good hunting.
Precious and valuable stones
Hi Liz I have never been to Australia seeing your video prospecting opal sapphire and jasper make me do interested to come to Australia learn prospecting and identifying different stones.Is it possible?Please let me know if it is possible and I will fly to Australia to see you thx Liz
Laydahati Njoto Hi Laydahati, We only do this as a hobby. We have a lot of friends that we promised to take prospecting but could never find the time to go with them. This is the reason I started posting our videos on CZcams. To give them ideas on how to find gold and gems on their own. With a little research, I'm sure you'll find a lot of professional tour operators on the net that can take you on a prospecting tour in Australia. Good luck and wish you all the very best. Cheers, Liz
great vid thanks Shiela
G'Day Liz We just returned from Opalton it has changed a bit from your photos we found Nipple Opal and Fairy opal 2/8/2020 > 18/8/2020
Good stuff! Glad you found some. Take care and stay healthy. Cheers, Liz
do you sell them?
Amazing video as always, Liz! May I ask what the music is called in your intro?
Robert Adan Thanks for watching and commenting Robert. The music is called "Happy Mandolin" from CZcams audio library. Cheers, Liz
Hi Liz..what r u???..superwomen..u r soo talented..wud love to do this gem search sometimes in life time...stay blessed
thanks for sharing sis.. now i know how so beautiful that stone..
+Cuba Lagi Thanks for watching and commenting Cuba. Cheers, Liz
Occasionally, when conditions are ideal, spheres of silica, contained in silica-rich solutions in the earth form and settle under gravity in a void to form layers of silica spheres. The solution is believed to have a rate of deposition of approximately one centimetre thickness in five million years at a depth of forty metres. If the process allows spheres to reach uniform size, then precious opal commences to form. For precious opal the sphere size ranges from approximately 150 to 400 nanometres producing a play of colour by diffraction in the visible light range of 400 to 700 nanometres.
Each local opal field or occurrence must have contained voids or porosity of some sort to provide a site for opal deposition. In volcanic rocks and adjacent environments the opal appears to fill only vughs and cracks whereas in sedimentary rocks there are a variety of voids created by the weathering process. Leaching of carbonate from boulders, nodules, many different fossils, along with the existing cracks, open centres of ironstone nodules and horizontal seams provide a myriad of moulds ready for the deposition of secondary minerals such as opal.
Much of the opal deposition is not precious. It is called “potch” by the miners, or common opal by the mineralogist, as it does not show a play of colour. Opaline silica not only fills the larger voids mentioned but also may fill the pore space in silt and sand size sediments cementing the grains together forming unique deposits, known as matrix, opalised sandstone or “concrete” which is a more conglomeratic unit near the base of early Cretaceous sediments.
The many variations in the types of opal depends on a number of factors. In particular, the climate provides alternating wet and dry periods, creating a rising or more importantly a falling water table which concentrates any silica in solution. The silica itself is formed either by volcanic origin or by deep weathering of Cretaceous clay sediments producing both silica and white kaolin often seen associated with the Australian opal fields. Special conditions must also prevail to slow down a falling water table in order to provide the unique situation for the production of its own variety of opal.
The chemical conditions responsible for producing opal are still being researched, however some maintain that there must be acidic conditions at some stage during the process to form silica spheres, possibly created by microbes.
While volcanic-hosted and other types of precious opal are found in Australia, virtually all economic production comes from sediment-hosted deposits associated with the Great Australian Basin. Australia has three major varieties of natural sediment-hosted precious opal - black opals from Lightning Ridge in New South Wales, white opals from South Australia, and Queensland boulder and matrix opal. :)
Thanks for the info.
Liz, if you find a big opal, is it more profitable to keep its size or it is better to cut it to smaller size?
A big clean opal is always better than a small one; but it's always best to cut a big one into smaller pieces if it has a lot of inclusions or imperfections. Cheers, Liz
I love your show also where can I find gemstones
Is Opal mining something done commonly in Australia? If so, Australia must be a nice place to visit to collect some opals someday (Also I changed my mind on the spiders thing)
- Wonderful vid, Liz - Most informative - Thank you so much - Looking forward to your next vid....
MsSephrena Thanks for watching and commenting MsSephrena and glad you like the video. All the best, Liz
very interesting Excellent Content coming to add with you I will leave my deserved like I was there
Thank you so much 👍
Do you take tours to those places? Im not a Aussie and I really wanna go there but my parents says that we definitely gonna get lost if there isn't a tour guide!
We only do this as a hobby. Most people will research places they've never been to first before getting there. The key to getting to these places that I've shown on my videos is research, and information are readily available on the net if one takes the time to look. Places in Australia are very easy to navigate and we Aussies are very helpful and friendly bunch. All the best, Liz
thanks! so is there any places that's less isolated? and do you know where to find a tour guide?
Muito legal seu canal parabéns pela informação muito obrigada fica com Deus
Hi Liz! I live in Newfoundland, where the second oldest rock in the world is.
Where can you buy the same rock pick you have in this video?
I am a fossil and rock enthusiast. I have a very small Geology background.
Please help me to find one of these picks. Thanks for your videos and your
time. Your videos are awesome!!!
Hi Rod, Thanks for watching and glad to know you're enjoying my videos. The pick we used is handmade by my husband Wal from car leaf springs. He cut and shape it using an angle grinder, welded on a piece of steel pipe and glued on a round rubber foam for the handle. Hope this helps. Cheers, Liz
lindas
Very informative. Thank you
One of these would be amazing to find.
Oh my... That is truly magnificent!
Baycon Sprinklez Glad you enjoyed the video and thanks again for watching. Cheers, Liz
It so very nice opal ..
Love your videos😃
Thank you for the education.
My pleasure and thanks for watching. Cheers, Liz
QUE COISA LINDAAAAA!!! MARAVILHOSAS ESSAS OPALAS!! TENHO ALGUMAS DE FOGO! AMO DE PAIXÃO ESSAS PEDRAS!!! VC LIZ E UMA MULHER DE MUITA SORTE! UMA MULHER DE FIBRA!!! PARABÉNS PELO SEU TRABALHO!!! DEUS VOS ABENÇOE!!!! BJSSSS
Hey Liz. What was that song at the beginning of your video?
live in new york is very spenser opal here.. i love live there , look for piking opal o gold gem mineral sale in new york lot money so ican
Hikaru tengo dis opacos hace muchísimo años guardados donde te podría mandar la foto
Did you find all of these in one day? Sorry if you said how long it had taken and I missed it.
Also does it ever rain there? Seems like it could be good to go there when rocks are wet.
korpakukac We spent 4 days here where we had a couple of days where it drizzled but not enough to get the opals wet. It's mostly dry in these parts but when it rains, road access is impossible in some areas. Cheers, Liz
beautiful stones for my hand made jewellery.