Opals are formed naturally and can be found in many different parts of Australia – but if 95% of the world’s Opal production comes from Australia, where exactly in Australia are these Opals from?
This is a question that we often get when we do Q and As on Instagram. As an Opal specialist, we pride ourselves in knowing that our Opals come from reputable mining areas. Because after all, this is one of the ways we know that a piece of Opal is genuine.
Much of our White Opals sold at Opal Gallery are sourced from Coober Pedy, South Australia.
Our Black Opals are sourced from Lightning Ridge in New South Wales.
And Boulder Opals are from Queensland.
But where else can these gemstones be mined from?
Australian Opals are mined in three states of Australia: South Australia, Queensland and New South Wales. But these Opals aren’t just found anywhere – they are found in some of the outback towns of the states.
Some of the most popular Opal towns include Coober Pedy, Mintabie, Andamooka, Lambina (South Australia), Winton, Opalton, Yowah (Queensland) and White Cliffs and Lightning Ridge (New South Wales).
We’ve travelled to Lightning Ridge in the past to learn more about Opals and how they are mined. If you ever get the chance to visit the town, we highly recommend it!
(Psst! Click on the photo to find out more about Lightning Ridge and how the town got its name!)
To find out more about Opals, including the three types of Opals that can be found in Australia, click here