🔎 UNIDENTIFIED WHAT IS THIS OPAL THING?

Hdgovroom

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Oct 26, 2021
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Charlie P. (NY)

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Welcome.

Looks to me like a piece of milky quartz rather than opal.
 

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research guy

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I’m not a geology expert of any kind. The larger specimen seems to be quartz, but I can see the small section within the mineral that looks like it could be opal.
 

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Hdgovroom

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Oct 26, 2021
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Believe me it’s opal. It’s polished from use only. I will take pictures outdoors and try to catch some color. There are actually beautiful colors under most of the white.
 

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Hdgovroom

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Oct 26, 2021
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I see why you believe this to be opal. My recommendation would be to take this to a gemologist, or even a local jeweler and have it evaluated.
The value as an opal is not important. I’m into Native American artifacts and am pretty sure that this was some kind of tool. For the first year I had it I didn’t realize it was opal. So let’s say it is not opal. Do you think it is a tool?
 

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Fat

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The value as an opal is not important. I’m into Native American artifacts and am pretty sure that this was some kind of tool. For the first year I had it I didn’t realize it was opal. So let’s say it is not opal. Do you think it is a tool?
...Not an artifact. It doesn’t show any sign of being modified by man...
 

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pepperj

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I couldn't really see it in the first thumbnail pictures, looked like quartz.
Then the second set it popped out a lot more.
So I can see what you are referring to it being an opal.
As far as it being a tool, I can't see it ever been worked by man.
Either way it a pretty cool recovery and I would like to hear from an expert on exactly what mineral it is.
Screen Shot 2021-10-28 at 7.27.31 AM.png
 

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Hdgovroom

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Oct 26, 2021
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I see why you believe this to be opal. My recommendation would be to take this to a gemologist, or even a local jeweler and have it evaluated.
I couldn't really see it in the first thumbnail pictures, looked like quartz.
Then the second set it popped out a lot more.
So I can see what you are referring to it being an opal.
As far as it being a tool, I can't see it ever been worked by man.
Either way it a pretty cool recovery and I would like to hear from an expert on exactly what mineral it is.
View attachment 1987692
I thought the point on the flat side looked like it had been worked but I am far from an expert. It does work great for scoring a straight line though. I will ask a jeweler what mineral it is and post his/her opinion.
 

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research guy

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in my opinion, it is not an artifact. But it is a really cool find. Many gem quality opals are worth far more than gold by weight. If you found that specimen in Washington, you may have hit a proverbial jackpot because it’s a very large intact specimen relatively speaking, and it seems to have at least some gem qualities. This is rare for washington opals.

Try reaching out to these people.

 

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Hdgovroom

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Oct 26, 2021
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Here’s a couple pictures that show the color better.
 

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Upvote 2
Oct 6, 2012
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That is a great find. I've been cutting precious opal and looking for precious opal in Washington state for over 50 years and never was lucky enough to find any with color in it. Where did you find this opal?
 

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