Opal Mines In Australia [List]

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Australia’s Opal mines are so big that not even the rest of the Opal mines in the world combined could match their size. It is of no surprise that the Opal is Australia’s national gemstone. Australia produces about 90% of the world’s supply of Opal. Today, Australia’s Opal production has decreased due to increased fuel costs, restrictions on the use of explosives in mining and an out of date and antiquated mining laws. The most important Opal mining fields are: Mintabie, Lambina, Lightning Ridge, Winton, Quilpie and Coober Pedy.

Mintabie Opal Mines

Mintabie Opal Mines are one of the main sources of Black Opal along with Lightning Ridge. Mintabie is situated about 35 km west of Marla, or 350 km northwest of Coober Pedy. This mine field was discovered in the 1920s and it gained its status as a commercial field in the 1980s, due to an increase in good Opal production. In the 80’s, Mintabie was the main source of precious Opal in Australia and had a population of about 500 miners who worked and lived on the field.

Lightning Ridge Opal Mines

Located about 600 km north of Sydney, it is the world’s main source of Black Opal. The first finds of Opal in Lightning Ridge date back to the early 1870s. This Opal mining field gained its named due to a potent electrical storm that killed a man, a dog and 600 sheep while taking refuge on a ridge. Most of the Opal found in Lightning Ridge is Dark, Black and Crystal, and some opalized fossils. Opal found in this mining field is usually found in nodules called “nobbies”, which are considered to produce Opals of high quality. Mining may be done in the form of open cut on the famous Lunatic Hill, which covers a wide area and enables the removing and processing of Opal dirt.

Queensland Opal Mines

Queensland opal mining fields cover a large part of the state of Queensland and are the main source of the world’s supply of Boulder Opal. Boulder Opal is a unique type of Opal which is usually found attached to ironstone. Mining is usually done in the form of open cut operations. Some of the more important locations of Queensland fields are Eromanga, Jundah, Opalton, Koroit and Yowah.

Cooper Pedy Opal Mines

Coober Pedy is located 750 km north of Adelaide. Coober Pedy got its name from the Aboriginal words ‘kupa piti’, meaning “boy’s waterhole”. The “dugouts” are one of the more prominent aspects of this Opal mining field. The “dugouts” are underground homes where people live due to the high summer temperatures which sometimes exceed 50°C. Most of the Opal found is Crystal and Light Opal, and very little of the more dark hued Opals.

It is best to visit Opal fields during the months of April and September, avoiding summer due to the high temperatures and heavy rain.

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澳大利亞的蛋白石礦是如此之大，以至於世界上其他蛋白石礦的總和也無法與其規模相提並論。毫不奇怪，蛋白石是澳大利亞的國石。澳大利亞生產約 90% 的世界蛋白石供應量。今天，由於燃料成本增加、限制在採礦中使用炸藥以及過時和過時的採礦法，澳大利亞的蛋白石產量有所下降。最重要的蛋白石礦區是：Mintabie、Lambina、Lightning Ridge、Winton、Quilpie 和 Coober Pedy。

明塔比蛋白石礦

Mintabie Opal Mines是 Black Opal 和 Lightning Ridge 的主要來源之一。 Mintabie 位於 Marla 以西約 35 公里處，或 Coober Pedy 西北 350 公里處。這個礦區是在 1920 年代發現的，由於優質蛋白石產量的增加，它在 1980 年代獲得了商業領域的地位。在 80 年代，Mintabie 是澳大利亞珍貴蛋白石的主要來源，有大約 500 名礦工在該領域工作和生活。

閃電嶺蛋白石礦

它位於悉尼以北約 600 公里處，是世界上黑歐泊的主要來源。閃電嶺中蛋白石的首次發現可以追溯到 1870 年代初。這個蛋白石礦場因強烈的電風暴而得名，該風暴在山脊上避難時殺死了一名男子、一隻狗和 600 隻羊。在閃電嶺發現的蛋白石大部分是暗色、黑色和水晶，還有一些蛋白石化石。在該礦區發現的蛋白石通常存在於稱為“nobbies”的結核中，這些結核被認為可以生產高質量的蛋白石。可以在著名的 Lunatic Hill 上以露天開采的形式進行採礦，該山覆蓋範圍廣，可以去除和處理蛋白石污垢。

昆士蘭蛋白石礦

昆士蘭蛋白石礦區覆蓋了昆士蘭州的大部分地區，是全球博爾德蛋白石供應的主要來源。博爾德蛋白石是一種獨特的蛋白石，通常附著在鐵礦石上。採礦通常以露天開採作業的形式進行。昆士蘭油田的一些更重要的位置是 Eromanga、Jundah、Opalton、Koroit 和 Yowah。

庫珀佩迪蛋白石礦

庫伯佩迪位於阿德萊德以北 750 公里處。 Coober Pedy 的名字來源於土著語“kupa piti”，意思是“男孩的水坑”。 “防空洞”是這個蛋白石採礦領域更突出的方面之一。 “防空洞”是人們居住的地下房屋，因為夏季高溫有時會超過 50°C。發現的大部分蛋白石是水晶和淺蛋白石，很少有顏色較深的蛋白石。

最好在 4 月和 9 月期間訪問蛋白石領域，避免夏季高溫和大雨。