Gemstone: Black Opal - 47.10 Cts. Mintabie opal field...

Gemstone: Black Opal - 47.10 Cts. Mintabie opal field (Old field), Mintabie North West Province South Australia Australia Australia is the foremost producer of Black Opals in the world, and the Mintabie region of South Australia is one of the world's most remote regions producing these rare Opals. The Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY lands) peoples were the first to sell Black Opals from the Mintabie area in the early 1900s. Still, the remote locality, harsh conditions, and hardness of the host sandstone precluded any serious production until the 1970s, when large machinery was introduced into the area. At that time, the full potential of the Mintabie Opal fields could be realized. This bright rare Black Opal is an elongated oval cabochon from the Mintabie area — it has a low dome with predominantly green pinfire flashes along with the rest of the visible spectrum when moved. The 'fire' shows equally from all directions, and the background color is dark gray. There are minimal inclusions of the host rock (potch) on the backside, but they are not visible from the front as the stone is opaque. This fine, large gemstone is in overall excellent condition, has a nice even polish and shape, weighs a sizable 47.1 carats, and has a rich historic locality. Measurements: 45.44 x 22.14 x 6.85 mm, 47.10 cts. Provenance: The Edgehill Collection HID09710052018 © 2022 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved