( b r u t o d e l ó p
a l o
y e s p e c í m e n e s
e n c a n t e r a )
Handpicked by our miner friends, this excellect high quality opal rough in cantera makes for some great display specimens, some pieces can also be cut and polished to make high grade crystal gem and cantera cabochons. We are also offering high grade and commercial grade opal rough in cantera for the lapidarist, jeweler or the gemstone collector that wants a valuable quality gem stone investment.
Thirty years ago opals were available in large quantities with super 'play of color' in almost every stone, over the years these exquisite pieces have disappeared as the opals were over-mined by the locals. Now high fire opal are not only in demand worldwide, but large specimens of opal and the quality of fire is getting harder to find. For every 100 kilos mined today, only a kilo or two is found to be of excellent quality material, this is what we at Mexico Gemstones have been selling online for the past three years... only the best opal available from the town of "La Trinidad" in Tequisquiapan. We purchase direct from a few select miners that we have befriended over the past couple of years, these are honest hardworking men that have been working the mines in the hills above their town for the past 35 years or more by hand. In fact until about five years ago, all rough was brought down the hills by man or by burro - alot of these miners today, still make the 3 km trip (each way) by foot almost every day of the year.
ALL
SPECIMENS ARE PHOTOGRAPHED WET. 
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| R O U G H O P A L L O T S I N C A N T E R A
We
Are Expecting A New Supply Of Quality Opal **
Our inventory of opals is always changing, check back with us often
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The oldest mine in Queretaro is Santa Maria del Iris this mine was opened around 1870 and has been reopened at least 28 times. At the moment there are about a 100 mines in the regions around Queretaro, but most of them are now closed. The best quality of opals came from Santa Maria del Iris, followed by La Hacienda la Esperanza, Fuentezuelas, La Carbonera and La Trinidad. The important deposits in the state of Jalisco were not discovered until the late 1950's. In the year of 1957, Alfonso Ramirez (of Queretaro) accidentally discovered the first opal mine in Jalisco - La Unica, located on the outer area of the volcano of Tequila, near the Huitzicilapan farm in Magdalena. By 1960 there were around 500 known opal mines in this region alone.
Other regions in the country that also produce opals of a lesser quality are Guerrero, that produces an opaque opal similar to the opals from Australia, some of these opals are carefully treated with heat to improve their colors - so be wary of high quality opals from this area. There are also opal mines in Morelos, Durango, Chihuahua, Baja California, Guanajato, Puebla, Michoacan, and Estado de Mexico (...the state of Mexico).
Our inventory of opals is always changing, check back with us often and be sure to sign up to be on our mailing list.
INFORMATION
YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE BUYING ROUGH OPAL
(please follow the link and read) |
We
can special order high quality opal rough in larger quantities
of over one kilo.
Email us with your wants and we can get you special hand-picked lotes (lots).
From the same mines, consisting of the same opal rough material
that the polished stones
on these pages were mined.
We have more
fire opal cabs and raw opals available at our eBay
store.
Colima México C.P. 28010
Email: piedras@mexicogemstones.com
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