opal rough and specimens in rough cantera
( 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.


Gem Crystal Opals
& Jelly Opal

opalos gema cristal

Orange Fire Opal
Cabbing Rough

more info   
White Translucent
Opal Specimen

more info   
Rough Opal Lots
For Lapidary

opalo en bruto por lapidario
Multicolored Fire
Opal Stone

more info   
Deep Red Fire
Opal Raw Specimen

more info   
Blue Boulder Opal
Mexican Stone

more info   
Opal Glaze Cantera
Collector Rough

more info   
Orange Fire Opal
Glazed Cantera

more info   
Multicolor Fire Opal
Crystal Sample

more info   
Precious Opals
Display Rough

more info   
Precious Opal
Cab Specimen

more info   

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
Cabochons Around June Of 2008


PLEASE CHECK BACK OR SIGN UP FOR OUR OPAL MAILING LIST.

** Our inventory of opals is always changing, check back with us often
and be sure to sign up to be on our mailing list

    

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.

 

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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