YELLOW DENDRITIC OPAL HOW TO

Common OpalĬommon opal ranges from white to pink to red to green. Many collectors go for both, and there’s a lot of variety within each group. What Types of Opal Are There?Īs noted above, there are two main varieties of opal. Opal is defined as amorphous, hydrated silica. The more fire, the more precious an opal usually is.īut despite the wide variety, the truth is that all opal is comprised of mostly the same stuff.

Precious opal, on the other hand, displays a fiery interior. Some common opal has a bit of clarity and inclusions like dendrites but it’s most often pretty solid. The colors tend to be muted, and there’s also a lot of white opals out there. 6%-10% is most common.Ĭommon opal is solid-colored, usually within the same hue. The moisture percentage ranges from 3% to 21%, but most are on the lower side.

Opal is deposited at low temperatures and pressures compared to crystalline forms of silica. Opal is actually amorphous, like glass, rather than a true crystal. Opals, as a mineral, are comprised of SiO₂(or silica) with a high percentage of water.

YELLOW DENDRITIC OPAL HOW TO

We’re going to give you a crash course in collectin opals, running from what they are to how to pick them out in the field. For collectors, the problem is where to begin. Even common opal, with its light, milky colors is an awesome mineral. Contained within their crystals are worlds of fire, colored patterns, and wonder.

Yellow dendritic opal