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Honduran Opal

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Honduran Opals vary from milky-white to matrix based, formed mostly by volcanic eruptions in South America. Honduras has some of the oldest opal mines in the world, with the most famous opal mine in Tablon. Many farms subsidize their income from opal mining. The opal mines are found in volcanic black basalt. Honduras Black Matrix are naturally black, but some are treated by soaking in resin, similar to emeralds. This area covers a hill 3 miles long with large blocks volcanic black basalt that has to be chipped by experience operators to source the hidden opal colours which is found in horizontal bands in the basalt rock. Due to the porous nature of this opal it can be polished on a warm wheel and no need for water. Best results are obtained on hot wheel to have a high polish. Other areas have seam opal deposits which can be very thin and up to half inch in depth, these are milky white opals with dark base of basalt. Opals are also found in Las Colinas in steep mountain sides and also Andesite opals. Honduras is located between the South and North America, in the Central America. It was bordered by Nicaragua, El Salvador, Guatemala, and, it has two coast areas. Also, it is also enclosed by the steamy Caribbean and the colossal Pacific. Honduras is well-known for its archaeology; it compromises one of the Mayan’s world’s most attractive and best potted sites, Copán. From the multi-coloured Caribbean island of Honduras, it derived a captivating stone, which is the black opal. While you may not consider of Honduras as a significant source for opal, it has also the oldest recorded opal mines all over the world. As with opal, the patterns and colours of these stones are never precisely comparable. Honduran black opal has no exception at all. Since, it is distinctive and extremely collectible stone to add into your personal collection. Generally, it also produces dazzling jewellery because these stones can simply stand alone or be mixed with any other colours. The mining region itself is difficult to reach; the track to the high-location is just three feet wide. Once the opal rough is mined, it must be carried down the hillside by donkeys. If these stones reached out the cutter, it is produced into prominent cabochon stones since soft, smoothed surfaces that display its best colours.

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