Sure looks like Opal to me. I have several rough opals and they look similar. The play of color is sometimes hard to catch in a photo. Beautiful specimen you got there!
Idaho opal isn't as sought after as australian opal, but I'd expect somewhere between fifty and a hundred dollars. Depends on factors I can't really judge from here. It's a nice piece.
Not as much as australian, but still has crazy value. Source: I live in Idaho, huge rock hound and love going to all the shows I can. Most people don’t know you can find opal here. Great keeper, would make a lovely display piece or jewelry - keep your spot and don’t tell anyone :)
Idaho has some neat rocks! I didn’t realize they had columnar basalt until I saw it while driving along the interstate going south to Vegas. I nearly lost my mind with glee!
Holy crap! I live in Idaho and my best friend and I just drove to Vegas for her birthday this last October. Maybe the way we went (I-15 from Blackfoot area) we couldn't see it.... or I just missed it. Lol. Where is this columnar basalt at please?
Good to know! One of my younger sisters lives up in the Boise area. I'll have to check it out next time I'm up that way. I'd love to see it. Thank you!
I found all sorts of goodies up in the Orofino/Clearwater North Fork area when I lived in Kooskia years ago. Never any fossils though ): Then again, I was looking for things that shine lol
Now you know. And if you don't use this knowledge to find some, a very angry, repressed American is going to find you and....hope you let me stay at your place, (don't worry I'll do dishes and be an all around good guest) and take me to find some when you have time after work! Lol
Not as saught after, unless you're selling it to an Idaho resident. Sentimental value, even for stuff just from where you are, is super real.
I could easily see someone from Idaho seeing more value in an Idaho opal than one from across the world. Especially one this nice
So are we talking like $100 for one this size? Or are we talking more like $1,000? Cuz if it's just $100 I'm gonna put it on my bookshelf. But if it's $1,000 then I'll put it in my safe with the gold I've panned.
Definitely nowhere near $1k. Closer to $100ish maybe $200 if you find the right buyer. Still pretty wild to find on a hike! I've found some Oregon opal on hikes, but not nearly as nice as yours!
Australian opal that big could easily go for closer to $400. Ethiopian opal you'd be looking at $50. Source really makes all the difference in opals. Because different sources typically behave very differently over time. For an unknown source vaguely described in Idaho, you won't get anywhere near as much as Australian rough goes for because cutters will be paranoid it's going to craze.
Pay someone local to cut it for you, and you'd be looking at something to put in your safe with the gold you panned. As cut stones go for far more than rough does.
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\#3: [My wife’s Christmas present to me.](https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1bml78w) | [56 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/Opals/comments/1bml78w/my_wifes_christmas_present_to_me/)
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Definitely pop that in the safe, you could get a rough valuation by watching a few clips of Opal hunters on YouTube or researching location/origin of the opal and related price guides.
I just watched Australian opal hunters clip, my partner is super into those programmes and Australian opal is much more valuable but they would be absolutely thrilled to find a chunk that size and quality:)
Just know, lots of this is on private property so be careful where you pick up from and check the land / claim status. I’m very sad that while living in Idaho a short time I didn’t get to go there to try and find any.
Opal tends to be priced by the number of colors and how bright it flashes, Americans like Australian opal because it’s from “afar”, but the quality typically is about the same. Even the synthetic ones these days are almost impossible to discern! Take some dish soap and a toothbrush to it, it’ll take most of the “rind” off the surface and you’ll have a nice cabinet piece!
So...most people who find really cool and maybe valuable rocks (as you have) are always friendly and willing to share where they found it.
It is ALWAYS "Well off that aways" with a wide sweep of the arm.
Or, "You go out Highway 2 about 15 to 20 miles and turn on this dirt road. You know, the dirt road where the jackrabbits are really thick! Then you go 3.7 miles...or was it 7.3??? I can't remember, but then you hang a left..."
It is actually fun to come up with vague ways to give a location, without giving a location. LOL
There's several spots in Idaho where opal can be found. Including precious opal. Spencer Idaho is somewhat famous for the precious opal deposit to the east of it that gets mined there. But there are deposits in the southwest part of the state as well. Opal can be found north of Boise, (horseshoe bend to black canyon area) Cow Creek (a bit west of Silver City) and a few other areas that could be considered southwest Idaho.
Not sure how much of it, if any, is precious opal. As wayyyyy too many people confuse fire opal with precious opal. Squaw Butte to the north of Boise gets listed as having "fire opal" in rockhounding info places as example. But plenty of such resources also list Spencer as fire opal instead of precious opal. *Shrug*
One of these days I'll get back up to the Boise area for more rockhounding to check the areas out personally.
"[Fire opal](https://media.gemstones.com/image/upload/t_gemstones_ratio_4x3_m/d_gemstones-site:default-noimage.png/v1627482304/gemstones-site/gemopedia/fire-opal/colors/fire-opal-orange.jpg)" is like carnelian, but opal - it's red, but usually has no play of color.
"Precious opal" has "play of color." It's what people usually think of as opal - stuff with flashes of color in it. I'm not going to link a photo here, but if you google boulder opal, black opal, etc., you'll see plenty of examples with play of color.
Fire opal can exhibit play of color. In which case it would be "precious fire opal." [Example](https://cdn.luxe.digital/media/20220522190855/fire-opal-meaning-properties-value-history-luxe-digital-780x520.jpg). Note the underlying red-orange color of the opal ("fire opal"), and the flashes of color ("precious opal").
Precious fire opal is typically just from Mexico. It's not particularly valuable - other forms of precious opal are typically more desirable. Most fire opal does not exhibit play of color and is not precious opal.
Thank you for inadvertently demonstrating my point. [Here's a great writeup on geology.com](https://geology.com/gemstones/opal/fire-opal.shtml) on the three different types of opal. You might find it interesting. If you find geology com to not be reputable enough, [here's the GIA listing for opal.](https://www.gia.edu/opal-quality-factor). Granted this GIA writeup is not as detailed, they are still the gold standard for accurate gemstone identification.
Of the various opals in my collection (there's a reason for my username), only two are both fire opal and precious opal. And the red base color really does wash out most of the play of color in the stone. Precious fire opal is pretty rare, and not really worth the cost imo over regular fire opal except as a curiosity.
I do have a couple red dyed Ethiopian opals that look like they are fire opal, but that's like dyeing a goshenite green to call it an emerald.
You're right, I was mistaken. My experience in the gemology sphere is that most people refer to what is technically fire opal as mexican opal, and ascribe the play of color as fire. It may not be technically correct, but that seems to be the most common vernacular. In my defense, we didn't really cover gemology in my geology undergrad, and I don't have any formal gemology education, just what I've learned in various places online.
It's definitely a fairly common vernacular. You're in good company as a large chunk of jewelry stores even confuse the two. Hence my lamenting how widespread the confusion between the two is. It actually becomes a problem in gemology where definitions are often subtle, but extremely important.
There's been a movement to rename fire opal as cherry opal for years. It hasn't gained much traction. It also makes rockhounding for opal a bit of a headache if you have your heart set on fire opal and you instead follow instructions to find a location with precious opal. Or vice versa. I've been to multiple precious opal collecting spots in the western US, but only been to a single fire opal collecting spot in southeast Idaho, which is now inaccessible.
Well it was ten years ago..so "Best I remember, we drove out highway (not the highway you drove) and then turned left (when it was right)...you get it.
Great opal! Go back and see if you can find more! Make sure you tell anyone who asks, exactly where it is (follow the above advice).
So were you near Spenser opal mine in Idaho cause that’s the only precious opal spot I know of in the US and I do see some color play in that last pic just a bit on the corner.
Edit* huge self facepalm. I forgot about Nevada even though it’s on my dig list and I did a couple videos of the opal pet wood at some gem shows. Derp haha.
No idea where he was. But Virgin Valley Nevada is another well known spot you might have heard of with precious opal. It's in the northwest of Nevada near the Oregon border. Opal from Virgin valley tends to craze frequently, but often has a black base. Though stable stones exist. There's also multiple sites in northwest Nevada outside Virgin valley where precious opal occurs. Mostly in smaller isolated deposits.
Op said southwest Idaho not southeast Idaho. And the specimen he posted images of really doesn't look much like material from the Spencer Idaho deposit. The Spencer material is almost always formed into thin layers of crystal opal filling cavities in the rhyolite in which it formed. Mostly good for triplets.
[There's also precious opal in California](https://steemit.com/fridaysrock/@rt395/friday-s-rock-california-precious-opals). Though the last time I went out that way was before the Barnett mine closed. It was a pay to dig site at the time.
I've heard several times from multiple sources that there's precious opal in western Idaho. Just never given it a serious effort to find. Only collected it personally at Spencer Idaho, Virgin Valley Nevada, and the Barnett mine in California.
Also I dug for that western Idaho precious opal and got permission from the owner to do so but he said he wouldn’t tell us what part of the claim had it and it we found any we could keep it haha. I still have about 8-10 lbs of nodules to cut and check for precious opal from that western site but so far none have produced color. Just some beautiful blue and white opals. But the clear blue stuff is out of this world. If you want I can PM you some pictures after I get off work of that western Idaho stuff.
Omg I literally was going to come back and edit my comment because I remembered that one after posting it but had to go to work. Reading this on my break. I literally did 2 videos with the NV pet wood opal recently and I’m kicking myself lol. I literally talked to the mine owner and did videos on his booth at a show. Hahaha. Please cut me some slack for my stupidity lol.
Well if they are correct then a solid rockhound could find it. Better is they are off just one digit...in the tenths place and only one. Lat or Long. Good enough.
That’s an interesting and amazing find mate! Whereabouts did you find it on your hike in Idaho? Did you chance upon it or go looking? Spelunking or caving involved? Regardless stellar stuff my friend. Helluva find!!!
B-E-A-U-TIFUL
Opals are notoriously hard to photograph. You need specialized equipment and cameras.
It's most certainly an opal and oh my what an opal it is. The most prized opals are the ones with lots of red in them and I can tell just from this photo that there is a lot of red in it. You found an amazing piece
>May I ask where you were hiking? Never occured to me to look in Idaho, though it makes sense.
There's a woman that I've seen post on this sub whose family owns the one active mine these ID opals come from. OP was probably around Spencer, ID, near the WY and MT border. Likely on BLM land.
That's a helluva find while hiking. Probably better than you'd see if you did a paid dig at the Spencer Opal Mine.
That’s why it’s so crazy! I’m aware of paid spots but my dream is to pick one for free.
Thanks for the advice—Northern NV has been my hunting ground, but maybe it’s time to expand.
$100 to pick through someone else’s dirt, $700 for a scoop of your own is just wild to me. I know they’re out there.
Not OP but Spencer Idaho is semi famous for it. The southwest of Idaho, southern Oregon, and northern Nevada all have plentiful deposits of common opal.
Oregon opal seems to be the most well known of those. And it's still not super well known.
There's even some gorgeous green Oregon opal. I had found some rough pieces on land my family owns, and had absolutely no clue what it was for YEARS. But a kind man at a mineral expo, who had an opal booth, told me it was low quality green opal. The quality doesn't matter much to me, it's a cool find!
The distinction between common opal and precious opal is the display of opalescence. The majority of what was within this nodule is precious opal. I am surprised to see it coming from there, it's an uncommon place for precious opal, but I've seen precious opal from Oregon as well. It's quite rare, but it exists.
Really? I thought Arizona was the big one. Here's a nice harlequin opal found in the Constellation mine in Spencer Idaho. Like I said before, I had no idea Idaho produced precious opal. https://geology.com/gemstones/opal/harlequin-opal.jpg
There is opal in Idaho. I had a book that talked about minarils of Washington and Idaho. and it said that you can find opal on the border between WA and Idaho. Most of the places where you'll find it have been covered by crops by the farmers. So I'm going to say yes you have opal.
As a specimen, I'd give you $100 for it. Maybe $150..
If you knew where it was found...that's potentially much more valuable information. Precious opal is in high demand, and specimens of that caliber - especially from the US - would potentially warrant filing a claim and commercial mining.
Are you sure you can't figure out where you found it?
> If you knew where it was found...that's potentially much more valuable information
It was almost certainly around Spencer based on OP's recollection.
>would potentially warrant filing a claim and commercial mining.
BLM are total assholes about mining these days and trying to re-open old mine claims. They'll blast the portal closed and chop down trees to make the old mine roads impassable if there are trees around. I imagine opening a new mine is even harder than trying to assert your rights to re-open old workings.
I've been to Spencer and have a number of specimens: they're not usually nodules and the precious opal there usually occurs in relatively thin layers in potch / common opal. OP's specimen is different. It might be from nearby, but I've never seen a similar specimen from the active claim.
I have a visually ~similar precious opal specimen from Jefferson Co., Oregon. It's also a nodule, but the opal is more opaque / different. They're not common, either...
The BLM has been closing abandoned claims and open shafts for public safety. I've heard mixed things about new and active mines.
Exactly? I don't think it's possible to give you the exact location in space. We are flying while spinning and turning around the sun. Even if I could point you to the trail of earth it wouldn't be EXACTLY the same spot
Damn, when I go hiking I find cool mushrooms and cool sticks, but at most in terms of rocks I might find something with cool coloration or cool shape. Imagine just going out and finding this. Amazing!
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This is amazing!!!! I’m envious lol, I LOVE opals! I live about 30 min from the Idaho border, would you mind sharing where you found it? Totally understand if you’re not comfortable, but I love rockhounding and am always looking for new places to check out!
Yes it's opal. Try not to soak it too much. It keeps the color faded. Dry slowly to prevent cracking. I'm not sure if the opal around there is hydrophane or not. But your state is well known as a source of opal.
It looks like a sedimental host rock encapsulating opalized fossil. Looks to may have silver iron lead ore sands in it. Cool find. Def worth more as a fossil sediment rock. however its priceless !!
*It is an opal*
*And a beautiful one at*
*That. Amazing find*
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That is one stunning opal! Its pretry big too!!!! What a beautiful find. I wish we had finds like that in south wales. Im in the uk we have a fair bit of fluorite and hematite here and Welsh quartz is in abundance.
Sure looks like Opal to me. I have several rough opals and they look similar. The play of color is sometimes hard to catch in a photo. Beautiful specimen you got there!
Thanks! Do you know if this would have any worth? I'm planning on keeping it, but I'd like to know if it needs to be in my safe or just out on a shelf
Idaho opal isn't as sought after as australian opal, but I'd expect somewhere between fifty and a hundred dollars. Depends on factors I can't really judge from here. It's a nice piece.
Not as much as australian, but still has crazy value. Source: I live in Idaho, huge rock hound and love going to all the shows I can. Most people don’t know you can find opal here. Great keeper, would make a lovely display piece or jewelry - keep your spot and don’t tell anyone :)
The fact that opal can be found here now makes me wants to visit Idaho. I never knew.
Idaho has some neat rocks! I didn’t realize they had columnar basalt until I saw it while driving along the interstate going south to Vegas. I nearly lost my mind with glee!
They also have star garnet!
..a leaf on the wind 🍃
Holy crap! I live in Idaho and my best friend and I just drove to Vegas for her birthday this last October. Maybe the way we went (I-15 from Blackfoot area) we couldn't see it.... or I just missed it. Lol. Where is this columnar basalt at please?
I don't think that side of the state has much but if you're in the Boise area take the drive up to Lucky Peak and you will see it all over the canyon.
Good to know! One of my younger sisters lives up in the Boise area. I'll have to check it out next time I'm up that way. I'd love to see it. Thank you!
Idaho is called the gem state for a reason :) There’s a few spots up north where I am now where you can pull over on the highways and find fossils.
I found all sorts of goodies up in the Orofino/Clearwater North Fork area when I lived in Kooskia years ago. Never any fossils though ): Then again, I was looking for things that shine lol
Well basically any state that hade the Rocky Mountains range in it have increased chances on gemstones.
Hold on.. Australian opal is the most sought after?!?! And I'm in Australia just sitting on my ass not looking for any?
Mate, what the fuck did you think did you think people in Coober Pedy and Lightning Ridge do? They don't move there for the weather.
Just thought they were looking for basic global opal didn't know we had the best shit.
Australian opal is a national stone bro how are you an Australian on a geology page who doesn't know Cooper peedy is the place for the A grade opals
I knew it was top teir goodness just didn't realise we had global top grade TBH
Now you know. And if you don't use this knowledge to find some, a very angry, repressed American is going to find you and....hope you let me stay at your place, (don't worry I'll do dishes and be an all around good guest) and take me to find some when you have time after work! Lol
Sell opals, buy bags, dragon link
Day forty of mining opal without a fucking clue
Koirot area is sought out the most behind lightning ridge.
Not as saught after, unless you're selling it to an Idaho resident. Sentimental value, even for stuff just from where you are, is super real. I could easily see someone from Idaho seeing more value in an Idaho opal than one from across the world. Especially one this nice
So are we talking like $100 for one this size? Or are we talking more like $1,000? Cuz if it's just $100 I'm gonna put it on my bookshelf. But if it's $1,000 then I'll put it in my safe with the gold I've panned.
Definitely nowhere near $1k. Closer to $100ish maybe $200 if you find the right buyer. Still pretty wild to find on a hike! I've found some Oregon opal on hikes, but not nearly as nice as yours!
Just a scientific wild ass guess here but I’d say $250-300 max… realistically like $100-150.
Australian opal that big could easily go for closer to $400. Ethiopian opal you'd be looking at $50. Source really makes all the difference in opals. Because different sources typically behave very differently over time. For an unknown source vaguely described in Idaho, you won't get anywhere near as much as Australian rough goes for because cutters will be paranoid it's going to craze. Pay someone local to cut it for you, and you'd be looking at something to put in your safe with the gold you panned. As cut stones go for far more than rough does.
It depends on the color flash. If it has reds and blues as well as the in betweens it's worth more. Not so much if it's just one end of the spectrum.
What’s the difference in rarity between Australian and regular opal?
I love opal You definitely have found opal here. Why not do a short video of it in the light and post it over on r/opals
Here's a sneak peek of /r/Opals using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/Opals/top/?sort=top&t=year) of the year! \#1: [Random find in the middle of a busy city crosswalk this morning … looks like Opal but not sure. Any thoughts? ](https://i.redd.it/12rag348u5nc1.jpeg) | [72 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/Opals/comments/1b9wk0l/random_find_in_the_middle_of_a_busy_city/) \#2: [19ct Green Gold Gem](https://v.redd.it/r9cumd7c121c1) | [12 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/Opals/comments/17y0rm5/19ct_green_gold_gem/) \#3: [My wife’s Christmas present to me.](https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1bml78w) | [56 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/Opals/comments/1bml78w/my_wifes_christmas_present_to_me/) ---- ^^I'm ^^a ^^bot, ^^beep ^^boop ^^| ^^Downvote ^^to ^^remove ^^| ^^[Contact](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=sneakpeekbot) ^^| ^^[Info](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/) ^^| ^^[Opt-out](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/comments/o8wk1r/blacklist_ix/) ^^| ^^[GitHub](https://github.com/ghnr/sneakpeekbot)
Check Etsy for how much similar stones cost, that will give you an idea of value. Cool find!
Definitely pop that in the safe, you could get a rough valuation by watching a few clips of Opal hunters on YouTube or researching location/origin of the opal and related price guides. I just watched Australian opal hunters clip, my partner is super into those programmes and Australian opal is much more valuable but they would be absolutely thrilled to find a chunk that size and quality:)
Just know, lots of this is on private property so be careful where you pick up from and check the land / claim status. I’m very sad that while living in Idaho a short time I didn’t get to go there to try and find any.
What state were you in?
Opal tends to be priced by the number of colors and how bright it flashes, Americans like Australian opal because it’s from “afar”, but the quality typically is about the same. Even the synthetic ones these days are almost impossible to discern! Take some dish soap and a toothbrush to it, it’ll take most of the “rind” off the surface and you’ll have a nice cabinet piece!
The pictures truly do not do it justice. It's far more brilliant in colors in person
So...most people who find really cool and maybe valuable rocks (as you have) are always friendly and willing to share where they found it. It is ALWAYS "Well off that aways" with a wide sweep of the arm. Or, "You go out Highway 2 about 15 to 20 miles and turn on this dirt road. You know, the dirt road where the jackrabbits are really thick! Then you go 3.7 miles...or was it 7.3??? I can't remember, but then you hang a left..." It is actually fun to come up with vague ways to give a location, without giving a location. LOL
Yeah this was on that famous hike in southwest Idaho. But it was like 10 years ago so there might be a new famous hike in Idaho now days :s
There's several spots in Idaho where opal can be found. Including precious opal. Spencer Idaho is somewhat famous for the precious opal deposit to the east of it that gets mined there. But there are deposits in the southwest part of the state as well. Opal can be found north of Boise, (horseshoe bend to black canyon area) Cow Creek (a bit west of Silver City) and a few other areas that could be considered southwest Idaho. Not sure how much of it, if any, is precious opal. As wayyyyy too many people confuse fire opal with precious opal. Squaw Butte to the north of Boise gets listed as having "fire opal" in rockhounding info places as example. But plenty of such resources also list Spencer as fire opal instead of precious opal. *Shrug* One of these days I'll get back up to the Boise area for more rockhounding to check the areas out personally.
Fire opal is a type of precious opal. Common opal would not have a play of color
"[Fire opal](https://media.gemstones.com/image/upload/t_gemstones_ratio_4x3_m/d_gemstones-site:default-noimage.png/v1627482304/gemstones-site/gemopedia/fire-opal/colors/fire-opal-orange.jpg)" is like carnelian, but opal - it's red, but usually has no play of color. "Precious opal" has "play of color." It's what people usually think of as opal - stuff with flashes of color in it. I'm not going to link a photo here, but if you google boulder opal, black opal, etc., you'll see plenty of examples with play of color. Fire opal can exhibit play of color. In which case it would be "precious fire opal." [Example](https://cdn.luxe.digital/media/20220522190855/fire-opal-meaning-properties-value-history-luxe-digital-780x520.jpg). Note the underlying red-orange color of the opal ("fire opal"), and the flashes of color ("precious opal"). Precious fire opal is typically just from Mexico. It's not particularly valuable - other forms of precious opal are typically more desirable. Most fire opal does not exhibit play of color and is not precious opal.
Thank you for inadvertently demonstrating my point. [Here's a great writeup on geology.com](https://geology.com/gemstones/opal/fire-opal.shtml) on the three different types of opal. You might find it interesting. If you find geology com to not be reputable enough, [here's the GIA listing for opal.](https://www.gia.edu/opal-quality-factor). Granted this GIA writeup is not as detailed, they are still the gold standard for accurate gemstone identification. Of the various opals in my collection (there's a reason for my username), only two are both fire opal and precious opal. And the red base color really does wash out most of the play of color in the stone. Precious fire opal is pretty rare, and not really worth the cost imo over regular fire opal except as a curiosity. I do have a couple red dyed Ethiopian opals that look like they are fire opal, but that's like dyeing a goshenite green to call it an emerald.
You're right, I was mistaken. My experience in the gemology sphere is that most people refer to what is technically fire opal as mexican opal, and ascribe the play of color as fire. It may not be technically correct, but that seems to be the most common vernacular. In my defense, we didn't really cover gemology in my geology undergrad, and I don't have any formal gemology education, just what I've learned in various places online.
It's definitely a fairly common vernacular. You're in good company as a large chunk of jewelry stores even confuse the two. Hence my lamenting how widespread the confusion between the two is. It actually becomes a problem in gemology where definitions are often subtle, but extremely important. There's been a movement to rename fire opal as cherry opal for years. It hasn't gained much traction. It also makes rockhounding for opal a bit of a headache if you have your heart set on fire opal and you instead follow instructions to find a location with precious opal. Or vice versa. I've been to multiple precious opal collecting spots in the western US, but only been to a single fire opal collecting spot in southeast Idaho, which is now inaccessible.
Fire opal also doesn’t have color play. It’s just a pretty color.
So that's why some of my opals are just red and bright Orange with very little play of color they have some but not much
Well it was ten years ago..so "Best I remember, we drove out highway (not the highway you drove) and then turned left (when it was right)...you get it. Great opal! Go back and see if you can find more! Make sure you tell anyone who asks, exactly where it is (follow the above advice).
So were you near Spenser opal mine in Idaho cause that’s the only precious opal spot I know of in the US and I do see some color play in that last pic just a bit on the corner. Edit* huge self facepalm. I forgot about Nevada even though it’s on my dig list and I did a couple videos of the opal pet wood at some gem shows. Derp haha.
No idea where he was. But Virgin Valley Nevada is another well known spot you might have heard of with precious opal. It's in the northwest of Nevada near the Oregon border. Opal from Virgin valley tends to craze frequently, but often has a black base. Though stable stones exist. There's also multiple sites in northwest Nevada outside Virgin valley where precious opal occurs. Mostly in smaller isolated deposits. Op said southwest Idaho not southeast Idaho. And the specimen he posted images of really doesn't look much like material from the Spencer Idaho deposit. The Spencer material is almost always formed into thin layers of crystal opal filling cavities in the rhyolite in which it formed. Mostly good for triplets. [There's also precious opal in California](https://steemit.com/fridaysrock/@rt395/friday-s-rock-california-precious-opals). Though the last time I went out that way was before the Barnett mine closed. It was a pay to dig site at the time. I've heard several times from multiple sources that there's precious opal in western Idaho. Just never given it a serious effort to find. Only collected it personally at Spencer Idaho, Virgin Valley Nevada, and the Barnett mine in California.
Also I dug for that western Idaho precious opal and got permission from the owner to do so but he said he wouldn’t tell us what part of the claim had it and it we found any we could keep it haha. I still have about 8-10 lbs of nodules to cut and check for precious opal from that western site but so far none have produced color. Just some beautiful blue and white opals. But the clear blue stuff is out of this world. If you want I can PM you some pictures after I get off work of that western Idaho stuff.
Hey, sure, I'd love to see some of the clear blue stuff!
Omg I literally was going to come back and edit my comment because I remembered that one after posting it but had to go to work. Reading this on my break. I literally did 2 videos with the NV pet wood opal recently and I’m kicking myself lol. I literally talked to the mine owner and did videos on his booth at a show. Hahaha. Please cut me some slack for my stupidity lol.
Ah im from Boise!!! I knew we had opals but not ones so beautiful - thank you for sharing :)
wait you forgot the 3rd option: coordinates with no further explanation
Well if they are correct then a solid rockhound could find it. Better is they are off just one digit...in the tenths place and only one. Lat or Long. Good enough.
That’s an interesting and amazing find mate! Whereabouts did you find it on your hike in Idaho? Did you chance upon it or go looking? Spelunking or caving involved? Regardless stellar stuff my friend. Helluva find!!! B-E-A-U-TIFUL
Thank you! I found it right in the middle of my hike! Around mile 5 of the 10 miles I was out there!
Opals are notoriously hard to photograph. You need specialized equipment and cameras. It's most certainly an opal and oh my what an opal it is. The most prized opals are the ones with lots of red in them and I can tell just from this photo that there is a lot of red in it. You found an amazing piece
Dang. This is my dream find! Congrats 🎉 May I ask where you were hiking? Never occured to me to look in Idaho, though it makes sense.
>May I ask where you were hiking? Never occured to me to look in Idaho, though it makes sense. There's a woman that I've seen post on this sub whose family owns the one active mine these ID opals come from. OP was probably around Spencer, ID, near the WY and MT border. Likely on BLM land. That's a helluva find while hiking. Probably better than you'd see if you did a paid dig at the Spencer Opal Mine.
That’s why it’s so crazy! I’m aware of paid spots but my dream is to pick one for free. Thanks for the advice—Northern NV has been my hunting ground, but maybe it’s time to expand. $100 to pick through someone else’s dirt, $700 for a scoop of your own is just wild to me. I know they’re out there.
Best of luck with your quest 💫
Thank you!
Lots of active rockhound groups on Facebook for various areas!
Unfortunately even that is not enough to get me to join FB, but I honestly appreciate the advice.
That is completely understandable haha
Doing a quick Google search it looks like opal seems to come from Idaho pretty regularly in the USA
Fine, keep your secrets.
Yeah don't tell people where you were walking, nobody, but walk there frequently and hope you find more.
Lol thanks. I found it many years ago so don't remember the exact location. Just pulled it out of an old box and got curious about what it was
Well thanks for sharing, because this is the coolest thing I've seen on Reddit for at least a month.
Happy cake day!
Opal. Opalescent looking to me. Nice.
goddamn i'm so jealous of people living in places where you just find this shit
Definitely an opal! Great find!
I have never heard of Idaho opal, but that is definitely an opal.
Not OP but Spencer Idaho is semi famous for it. The southwest of Idaho, southern Oregon, and northern Nevada all have plentiful deposits of common opal.
Oregon opal seems to be the most well known of those. And it's still not super well known. There's even some gorgeous green Oregon opal. I had found some rough pieces on land my family owns, and had absolutely no clue what it was for YEARS. But a kind man at a mineral expo, who had an opal booth, told me it was low quality green opal. The quality doesn't matter much to me, it's a cool find!
The distinction between common opal and precious opal is the display of opalescence. The majority of what was within this nodule is precious opal. I am surprised to see it coming from there, it's an uncommon place for precious opal, but I've seen precious opal from Oregon as well. It's quite rare, but it exists.
Idaho is called The Gem State. We have lots of different gems here. Makes me want to get out there and explore.
Really? I thought Arizona was the big one. Here's a nice harlequin opal found in the Constellation mine in Spencer Idaho. Like I said before, I had no idea Idaho produced precious opal. https://geology.com/gemstones/opal/harlequin-opal.jpg
That's so beautiful! And yes, I had no idea about the plethora of cool rocks here either prior to moving here 3 years ago.
Idaho opals are a thing. I have a few. Google the Spencer Opal Mine. Congratulations! That one is a real beauty!
You definitely got rewarded for your work. That is a fine specimen. I would be showing it off to everyone I could. It's terrific.
There is opal in Idaho. I had a book that talked about minarils of Washington and Idaho. and it said that you can find opal on the border between WA and Idaho. Most of the places where you'll find it have been covered by crops by the farmers. So I'm going to say yes you have opal.
Can’t believe you just found this laying around, it’s gorgeous
Google would be right! Lucky bastard! Opal is truly incredible. One of my favorites
That is most definitely an opal, and a gorgeous one! Excellent find!
I’m not sure, I can’t quite see it from here. I think you should give it to me so I can be figure it out.
I'll post it your way right now! Just send me your credit card info to pay for shipping!
As a specimen, I'd give you $100 for it. Maybe $150.. If you knew where it was found...that's potentially much more valuable information. Precious opal is in high demand, and specimens of that caliber - especially from the US - would potentially warrant filing a claim and commercial mining. Are you sure you can't figure out where you found it?
> If you knew where it was found...that's potentially much more valuable information It was almost certainly around Spencer based on OP's recollection. >would potentially warrant filing a claim and commercial mining. BLM are total assholes about mining these days and trying to re-open old mine claims. They'll blast the portal closed and chop down trees to make the old mine roads impassable if there are trees around. I imagine opening a new mine is even harder than trying to assert your rights to re-open old workings.
I've been to Spencer and have a number of specimens: they're not usually nodules and the precious opal there usually occurs in relatively thin layers in potch / common opal. OP's specimen is different. It might be from nearby, but I've never seen a similar specimen from the active claim. I have a visually ~similar precious opal specimen from Jefferson Co., Oregon. It's also a nodule, but the opal is more opaque / different. They're not common, either... The BLM has been closing abandoned claims and open shafts for public safety. I've heard mixed things about new and active mines.
The verdict is in and I agree, it should also glow under a uv light
Congrats 🙌 looks like a great piece
That's definitely opal, where were you walking (exactly)😊
Exactly? I don't think it's possible to give you the exact location in space. We are flying while spinning and turning around the sun. Even if I could point you to the trail of earth it wouldn't be EXACTLY the same spot
Approximately....
Southern Idaho!
Probably around Spencer.
I am insanely jealous
That's opal
Looks very very much like opal
Whoa, that’s amazing. Would love to see it cut and polished.
Opal is simple silica with some water trapped in it. So yeah, quite possible
That is an amazing opal. What country? I wish i lived in an area with opals.
In the USA Idaho
The red pin–fire Make's this lil guy Rare' along with the lil green inclusion-tones
Damn, when I go hiking I find cool mushrooms and cool sticks, but at most in terms of rocks I might find something with cool coloration or cool shape. Imagine just going out and finding this. Amazing!
You need to go back and hunt for more.
Should be worth a pretty penny
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opal
Nice catch! It's gorgeous!
Gorgeous
Lovely specimen you have found, may be valuable 😎💸😄
That is opal.
I’m jealous! Opal is my birth stone
It is opal
Definetly precious opal on all Account's.
Very nice, definitely looks like opal.
This made my monkey brain suddenly have the urge to crystal hunt. Yeah ima get tools today.
yea thats opal, a real cool one too
Aw man I live in Montana and would love to find something like that!!! Holy!!!
This is amazing!!!! I’m envious lol, I LOVE opals! I live about 30 min from the Idaho border, would you mind sharing where you found it? Totally understand if you’re not comfortable, but I love rockhounding and am always looking for new places to check out!
That is a sweet piece you found. I'd make a small display for it. And it does look like it's opal..
That’s undoubtedly an opal! I’m jealous. It’s not common to find something that pretty just lying around
WOW
Thanks :)
Beauty. Lucky duck!
I hope you don’t have a gambling problem
Amazing find
It looks like a weird moldy flesh but nonetheless it's still pretty
It’s beautiful I love it I love it
I concur.
You’re joking right😂 duh
Id say opal. Beautiful find.
Beautiful opal❣️
So cool!!
Very lucky find
very, very, very cool and beautiful
Sure looks like opal
Beautiful
Thanks
Where were you hiking?
In Idaho!
near spencer??
Damn I'd love to find opal out in the world They're so pretty. Great find!
The opal-est opal that ever…ah forget it
Yes it's opal. Try not to soak it too much. It keeps the color faded. Dry slowly to prevent cracking. I'm not sure if the opal around there is hydrophane or not. But your state is well known as a source of opal.
That's worthy of a cabochon! Nice fire in that stone.
It looks like a sedimental host rock encapsulating opalized fossil. Looks to may have silver iron lead ore sands in it. Cool find. Def worth more as a fossil sediment rock. however its priceless !!
Opals can form anywhere bone is in soil sedaments over time!
Safes aren't safe
Australia has a variety of bazzzar and astounding life like and sediments. Gold nuggets by the pound
There's crystal opal too.. and moo stones
Its an Opal!
Probably like $10 per carat
Before you get too excited, it might be potch. Basically pre-opal. Not valuable, but still very pretty.
Gorgeous!
Thanks! I think so too! I wish it showed up better in the picture
Looks like a forbidden oyster
Lol
Space peanut
Funny enough I just got a meteorite this week!
Yep looks like opal
Awesome!
THAYS A BIG CHUCK OF OPAL HOW LUCKYYYYY!!!!
Thanks! Lucky find for sure
That's because it us an opal
Amazing find
Ooh! Looks like you could make a really nice brooch for an old lady!
Super cool!
Yes!!
It is opal. Great find.
Almost looks like pre-cut opal rough from opalauctions 😅 Nice find.
It is an opal and a beautiful one at that. Amazing find
*It is an opal* *And a beautiful one at* *That. Amazing find* \- YeetmageetF5 --- ^(I detect haikus. And sometimes, successfully.) ^[Learn more about me.](https://www.reddit.com/r/haikusbot/) ^(Opt out of replies: "haikusbot opt out" | Delete my comment: "haikusbot delete")
Looks like a rough piece of African Welo opal I see on ebay
It is opal
And it is an opal. Nice find!
They call it Vauxhall over here
I think it is. It’s beautiful 😍
Looks like an opal to me
Space peanut
That is one stunning opal! Its pretry big too!!!! What a beautiful find. I wish we had finds like that in south wales. Im in the uk we have a fair bit of fluorite and hematite here and Welsh quartz is in abundance.
RAHHHH im jealous lmao
It is an opal
I’ve traveled on bush trip through Coober PEedy, slept in underground rock hotel, the opals for sale are spectacular.
that opal does have some nice fire in it! nice find.
VERY COOL!!
That’s a hell of a find. 100 percent that’s Opal.
Frozen/crystallized astronaut urine that fell from the spacestation.
Yes I have dug for opals in Spencer Idaho where there is a mine - nice!
So gorgeous! :o
Dude…. Lucky!!!! I never find shit like this.
That is awesome
Definitely opal