Forums
New posts
Search forums
What's new
New posts
Latest activity
Members
Registered members
Current visitors
Charts
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
New posts
Search forums
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Gemstones, Minerals & Fossils
Gemstones and Minerals
New "Illegal Opal Fossicking" Signs. Lightning Ridge, N.S.W.
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Help Support Prospecting Australia:
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Message
<blockquote data-quote="user 4386" data-source="post: 650737" data-attributes="member: 4386"><p>There are several public noodling areas in Lightning Ridge, and immediately outside the town at Grawin there are 3 public dump sites (each is about the size of a football field).</p><p></p><p>Important to keep in mind that Lightning Ridge is still an active mining field, not just a tourist site, the value of just UNCUT opals each year still exceeding tourism (even though tourism may be its future). To put it in perspective, Lightning Ridge probably produces most of the value of NSW opals (probably tens of millions of dollars at least from Lightning Ridge e.g. in 2017 it is estimated that REPORTED uncut opal production of Australia was $80 million). The black opals of Lightning Ridge (and Mintabie and a small field at Coober Pedy) is far greater than the paler opals of White Cliffs (although I like White Cliffs and its people).</p><p></p><p>Most of the tourist income at Lightning Ridge probably involves people content to prospect the couple of dumps built just for that purpose within town, or to buy from dealers and tourist shops, although there are several other dumps in addition to Grawin (which is better for serious noodlers). The opal fossils and "pineapples" at White Cliffs fetch a good price, but won't be found noodling.</p><p></p><p>White Cliffs opal field is only about 4 sq km in total area. - just the town opal field (not including Coocoran, New Angledool, Grawin- Carters Rush etc) at Lightning Ridge is 65 sq km. Those outlying fields are more than double that again in area.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="user 4386, post: 650737, member: 4386"] There are several public noodling areas in Lightning Ridge, and immediately outside the town at Grawin there are 3 public dump sites (each is about the size of a football field). Important to keep in mind that Lightning Ridge is still an active mining field, not just a tourist site, the value of just UNCUT opals each year still exceeding tourism (even though tourism may be its future). To put it in perspective, Lightning Ridge probably produces most of the value of NSW opals (probably tens of millions of dollars at least from Lightning Ridge e.g. in 2017 it is estimated that REPORTED uncut opal production of Australia was $80 million). The black opals of Lightning Ridge (and Mintabie and a small field at Coober Pedy) is far greater than the paler opals of White Cliffs (although I like White Cliffs and its people). Most of the tourist income at Lightning Ridge probably involves people content to prospect the couple of dumps built just for that purpose within town, or to buy from dealers and tourist shops, although there are several other dumps in addition to Grawin (which is better for serious noodlers). The opal fossils and "pineapples" at White Cliffs fetch a good price, but won't be found noodling. White Cliffs opal field is only about 4 sq km in total area. - just the town opal field (not including Coocoran, New Angledool, Grawin- Carters Rush etc) at Lightning Ridge is 65 sq km. Those outlying fields are more than double that again in area. [/QUOTE]
Verification
Post reply
Gemstones, Minerals & Fossils
Gemstones and Minerals
New "Illegal Opal Fossicking" Signs. Lightning Ridge, N.S.W.
Top