Boulder Opal
Boulder Opal
Boulder opal from the Opalton mine is often characterized by many many veins of colorful, fiery opal running through the hard ironstone. Most boulder opal is mined in Australia where thin veins of opal form within the brown ironstone matrix, creating a wonderfully unique picture stone.
Boulder opal occurs in two main forms, ‘seam’ and ‘matrix’. When opal intrudes into cracks and seams in the host rock (usually ironstone), it is called SEAM boulder opal. Seam boulder opal is often ‘split’ along the seam so as to produce one or two faces of opal material.
The gemstone Opal is the official October birthstone as adopted by the American National Association of Jewelers in 1912. It is also the birth stone for the Zodiac sign of Libra.
Boulder opal is very durable due to the ironstone backing the opal forms on. Because water content within the opal is very low it almost never cracks or crazes as it ages.
It is believe that boulder opal is good to aids inner beauty, faithfulness, and eyesight and helps recall past lives.