The Ordinary Bloke’s Guide to Opals: Opal fields Part 5
Opal Fields [see www.opalmine.com-encyclopedia 'at the mines']
There are three major opal-producing areas in Australia. They are located in South Australia, New South Wales, and Queensland. Opal has also been found in small quantities in Western Australia in the Coolgardie region.
South Australia: Coober Pedy, (and associated fields nearby) Andamooka, Mintabie.
Coober Pedy from the air
- Map of Lightning Ridge Opal Fields from the brochure “Opals in NSW” by the dept of Mineral Resources – NSW
New South Wales : Lightning Ridge, (and Associated fields nearby, plus larger fields away from the town – Coocoran, Sheepyards, Glengarrie, Grawin, Carters Rush and Mehi.) White Cliffs, (virtually mined out)
Queensland: Quilpie, (and associated fields – Eromanga and Bull Creek) Winton, and associated fields) Kynuna, Opalton, Jundah and Yowah. (and associated fields – Black Gate, Duck Creek, Koroit and others.)
In Queensland mining is done more with a bulldozer and sledgehammer than with a pick. The dozer removes the overburden till the opal level is exposed, then the man on the sledgehammer breaks open the boulders and searches for color
