Ausstellungen / News

Opalausstellungen von Australgem:

Zurzeit an keiner Ausstellung

Meine letzte Einkaufsreise führte mich nach Lightning Ridge, der Wiege der australischen Schwarzopale. Seit meinem letzten Besuch vor ein paar Jahren hat sich einiges verändert im Ort. Wie mir Opalminer und Händler mitteilten, ist die Ausbeute an Schwarzopalen gering. Nach letzten Meldungen haben die schweren Regenfälle zu Ueberschwemmungen in den Mienen-feldern geführt. Mining ist an vielen Orten momentan nicht möglich.
Dies gilt auch schon seit längerer Zeit für die Opal-Minen in Queensland, in der Region um Quilpie bleiben die schweren Maschinen im Schlamm stecken.

Grosser Boulderopalfund in Quilpie
A QUILPIE man has discovered a boulder opal expected to rival the $1.2 million Galaxy opal found in 1989.Opal Miners Queensland president Greg McKay was with miner Allan Kisiel when he cut open the boulder five weeks ago to expose the 11x9c m gemstone. "There was elation. It's not every day that you get a piece of that quality and size," Mr McKay said. Mr Kisiel, who has been mining for 25 years, excavated the stone in about 18m of sandstone on his leased claim on cattle land about 265km northwest of Quilpie. He has already sold it to a private cutter for an undisclosed price. "The money side is important but not that important," he said. "I enjoy searching for treasures of the earth, which is opals." He intends to continue mining after celebrating his good fortune. "I might splash it around and go for a holiday," he said, when asked how he would spend his windfall. The Galaxy opal, unearthed in Jundah, was about the same size as this one, Mr McKay said. By Tuck Thompson November 05, 2006.