Marvelous Multi-colored Tourmaline

Earth Minerals of Interest
Marvelous Multi-colored Tourmaline

Marvelous Multi-colored Tourmaline from Sapo Mine, Ferruginha, Conselheiro Pena, Doce valley, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Finding the Ocean Inside of a Giant Opal
Images by InnaGem

While Australia produces over 97% of the worlds supply of opal today, there was a rare find in the state of Oregon recently. It had been over a century since opal was found in the forested land, yet this stunning specimen was found there, and when combined with light creates what seems to be a magical underwater scene from the ocean. The gem, which is owned by Inna Gem, is named the Opal Butte, which is derived from the name of a mine that existed in 1890s Oregon. Regarding the Opal Butte mine, Nature of the Northwest says:

“It has been more than 100 years since opal was found in Oregon. When the discovery was made public in the 1890s miners flocked to Opal Butte… When it was discovered that the supply of material at Opal Butte was limited, commercial mining operations shut down and the site became the province of rockhounds… The land has changed hands a number of times in the past six years. The new land owners are no longer able to provide a site for digging.”

There may be more opal buried somewhere in the Oregonian areas for those seeking. This particular gem weighs 740 ct and measures 60 x 45 x 41 mm. Inna Gem is currently selling the gem for those parties interested.

By SHAWN SALEME on September 14, 2013

Images by InnaGem - SOURCE

FAIR USE NOTICE: This page contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Pegasus Research Consortium distributes this material without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. We believe this constitutes a fair use of any such copyrighted material as provided for in 17 U.S.C § 107. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.