Black opal is from Lightning Ridge, Australia. Solid natural black opals are the rarest opals in the world as each opal is so unique when formed, it is very rare to get 2 opals the same colour and brightness. Red fire is the rarest colour followed by orange then greens and blues. Opal varies in different shades and patterns also making this one of the most unique gems in the world. The more cabochon the stone and more unique pattern, like harlequin or mackerel, the more expensive the opal. black opal is also graded in colour density N1, N5, N5 being the darkest and N1 the lightest. Black opals are among the best gemstone investments. Source your black opals direct from opal miners and opal wholesalers and dealers for your single gem opal or parcel black opals from lightning ridge Australia The Lightning Ridge opal show, home of the black opal is held every august with every second year a jewellery competition and are building a Opal and Fossil Center Only a few black opal mines are open cut as very expensive most miners are worked by teams in traditional methods but with vacuum blowers agitators and jack hammers. Old opal fields have been worked out like in Cochran and Glengarry but theres are still miners looking for opal pockets of that elusive black opal gem!