Solid Australian opals are natural opal gemstones that have been mined straight from the ground as a rough piece of opal, which has then been cut and polished to perfection.
Most Australian opals are ethically mined by small teams in outback locations like Lightning Ridge or White Cliffs in NSW, Coober Pedy in South Australia, and Winton, Jundah and Opalton in Western Queensland.
Rough opal can take the form of a nobby, be found in a seam, or be uncovered in its ironstone host rock, as is the case with Queensland boulder opal.
Australia is the world’s leading producer of commercial, gem grade opal and is recognised as producing the finest opal in the world.