Waterholes pool

The first discovery of opal in Australia is attributed to the eccentric German geologist Professor Johannes munch. In 1840, he discovered a common Green Opal in angaston, about 80 kilometers north of Adelaide, the capital of South Australia. In 1868, the truly valuable opal was found in the listowell station, west of Queensland, south of braco. In 1871, the first registered opal mine in Australian history appeared in the southern town of quelpay, which was called "the proud mountain range" in history. This was also the real beginning of opal mining
in 1873, the precious opal was discovered in the mountains of Berkeley, which was soon known and called "Berkeley opal". These flat topped mountains are located 160 kilometers north of Yingda, tagomar, and to the east of listorville. It is also the birthplace of the BOLUO River, whose tributaries flow intermittently to the West. More opals were found extending nearly 100 kilometers north around kenana. Hobert bond, an entrepreneur, once tried to push opal to the international market, but it was not very successful. It was not until the late 1870s that Joe Brad, the pioneer of mining, mined the whole Opal and opal combined ore in stoney in the kebora mountains in the northwest of quel Pai and the south of widora, and then brought it to London in 1890 by Toure kurenswaite wallerston, which really started the development of opal instry in Australia
in 1894, Australia's first opal base for commercial mining was discovered. This remote opal base is located in the arid northwest of New South Wales, about 850 km from Sydney and 200 km northeast of the brocken mountains. Until 1899, vaeteclives graally became the main birthplace of opal in the world, procing light color opal, dark color Opal and crystal opal, which were sold at home and abroad. In 1899, opal purchasers from other countries came to Australia after a dangerous and long journey to buy opal from vaete cliffs. However, in 1914, with the outbreak of the first world station, commercial exploitation of opal almost stopped there
later, an important discovery was made in Leighton ningrich, where three-quarters of Australia's valuable dark opal was proced. At that time, a group of children playing by the Murray River inadvertently discovered that the opal base was in New South Wales, where opal mining has continued to this day
in 1915, the focus of opal's mining was shifted to South Australia, Australia. Willy Hutchison, a 14-year-old boy, made an important figure in the history of opal's discovery because of his accidental discovery in stratridge. As a result of this accidental discovery, a small town called "Cooper Pedy" was rapidly formed around, which was later known as the "capital of opal in the world". It is the largest opal mining base in the world at present. Because the local climate is very dry and hot, most of the miners who come from afar live in cave like houses. According to the local native language, Cooper Pedy means "white people in the cave". Cooper Pedy is located 838 kilometers north of Adelaide, the capital of South Australia, on the road of svelte. Another famous mining area is also in South Australia, called aimerokai. It is located 240 km northwest of Cooper Pedy and 520 km north of Adelaide. It was discovered by a mining expert in 1921. Mantabi, located on the West Bank of Torrens lake, is a mining area discovered in 1930 and the largest proction area in Australia from 1985 to 1989
the exploration of opal base has never stopped in Australia. The discovery of Corcoran to the west of Leighton ningrich, lambina and Heber to the north of South Australia has made Australia's opal mining instry enter into the 21st century
Australia's opal mining area
1. Quilpie
Quilpie is a famous town in opal. It is often mentioned as the hometown of "shuoshi opal" because it is the most important proction place of this type of opal in the world. It is 980 km west of Brisbane and 208 km west of Charleville. Quilpie is the business center of Quilpie county. The town's name comes from the Aboriginal word quilpeta, which means stone snipe. Quilpie was declared an officially recognized town on April 29, 1917. Quilpie is located along the famous Bullo River in Western Queensland. For example, sheep and cattle grazing, oil, gas and opal mining. In addition to these major instries, Quilpie county has a collection of enthusiastic and talented art communities< In 1875, Winton became a colony for the first time. The most famous event in the town was in 1895 when banjo Paterson wrote the song "waltzing Matilda" outside dagworth station in Winton. According to reports, the first performance of the ballad was on April 6 of the same year at the Gregory Hotel in the north of Winton. Winton is considered to be the "Hometown" of Australian jungle poetry, where the national literature award "Tramp Bronze Award" is held once a year. Qantas was founded in November 1920 in Winton. Its first board of directors was held in Winton club on February 21, 1921. During the Shearers' strike in the 1890s, 500 shearers camped out in the south of Winton, which became the starting point of the establishment of the Labor Party in the legal sense. Winton is in the center of Matilda village, with gorgeous colored canyons running through the huge Mitchell prairie. Tourists are often shocked by the huge natural unlating plains and terrain. A wide variety of animals and birds live in the area, and the best places to watch the twilight and dawn scenery are usually along the paths and rails
3. Opalton
opalton mining area is one of the largest opal sediment procing areas in Queensland. Located in the west of Queensland, it is a typical opal village, which provides visitors with the opportunity to experience the feelings of opal miners directly. Most of the mining activities in the mining area are limited, and can only carry out small-scale manual mining, but there are also some large operations using heavy machinery in the surrounding area. Opalton area attracts a large number of tourists every year. It is generally believed that opalton debris or iron ore footstones can be found from the surface or from the waste mp of the former mining area< 4. Yowah
the Yowah opal mining area, including the famous area called "Black Gate" nearby, is the southernmost opal mining center in West Queensland. It is widely welcomed by tourists and gold miners because its main roads and roads include shops, fuel, telephone, car park and permanent water supply. The Yowah gold panning area was established by the Ministry of mines and energy, the paroo County Council and landowners to provide travelers with necessities and gold panning entertainment. Yowah is about 160km west of Cunnamulla. There are two routes to reach: first, go to Thargomindah, turn right about 18km to West eulo on Yowah / toompine Road, and drive 48km along Alroy farm to Yowah Quilpie fork road. Continue to travel 23km to Yowah; The last 23 kilometers are unpaved roads; Second, drive 110km from Quilpie, cross toompine to eulo / Yowah fork, turn left, then drive about 56km along the main road to Yowah fork, and continue the last 23km as above
Yowah mining area is a precious opal in the solidification of siliceous iron ore, which is usually called Yowah nut. These opals range in diameter from 5 mm to 200 mm and have spherical or ellipsoidal shapes. Sometimes the core of these nuts is just precious opals. Nuts are found in iron sand formations (150 to 600 mm thick) 20 m deep underground and are usually connected with debris or clay balls
there are four active opal mining areas, Andamooka, Coober Pedy, lambina and mintabie in South Australia. According to the output, South Australia is the largest opal procing area, rich in White Opal and light opal
5. Coober Pedy
Coober Pedy proces more than half of White Opal in the world. Coober Pedy's opal mining area is located in the inland area of South Australia. The town is 750 km north of Adelaide. It is a rocky, treeless desert on the edge of the Stuart mountains. Many locals like to live in underground bunkers that are warm in winter and cool in summer. Due to the low rainfall and poor soil in this area, few plants survive. Opal there was discovered by a 14-year-old boy who was camping with his father's gold exploration team, and in 1916, it was established as the main mining area. After World War I, a large number of opal miners swarmed in, resulting in a substantial increase in proction, making Coober Pedy the largest opal procer in the world. The place is also known as "the capital of opal in the world"< In 1930, two ranchers from Andamooka discovered opal. Due to the harsh climatic conditions and the time of World War II, the mining process of the mining area was relatively slow. However, by 1962, it was estimated that 800 miners were engaged in opal mining. 520 km north of Adelaide, Andamooka miners excavate in shafts, pits and small tunnels within an area of about 52 square kilometers on the arcoona plateau. Opal mines the ancient seabed three to ten meters underground. Andamooka opal is considered the most stable opal in the world. The local climate is characterized by a semi desert environment, with warm days and cool nights between March and November
7. Mintabie
it is believed that mintabie's first opal was discovered in the 1920s. But because of the bad climate and water shortage in mintabie, mining is hindered. It was not until 1978, when a good opal appeared, that the area really began to be taken seriously. Mintabie is located 180 km south of the northern territory boundary and about 300 km north of Coober Pedy. In 1976, explosives and large machinery were brought to the mining area. During the first World War, most of the black opal sold by the Coober Pedy aborigines came from mintabie, 350 km northwest. In 1988, the local population was about 1500. Due to the decline in proction, the population today is about 300. In mintabie, most opal mining is carried out in the open air. The temperature of the four seasons in this area ranges from below zero to 40 degrees above zero
8. Lambina
the old miner said that ring the depression of the early 1930s, lambina opal was first discovered. In the late 1980s, with some valuable discoveries made by some miners in the seven waterholes mining area, a small change took place. Mining grew slowly before the mid-1990s. But in 1996, high quality gems were found there, and the demand was really stimulated. However, WIK, the local leader, decided to stop any new mining until December 1997, when the local leader formally claimed the entire mintabie area. Since then, negotiations have continued to allow mining between miners and local leaders. Lambina has a population of about 300
about 95% of opal proced in Australia is used in the global jewelry instry. Opal is also mined in small quantities in other countries, including Honras, Mexico, the former Czechoslovakia and Brazil. These opals are often different in appearance. The opal mining area in Australia is located in Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia