How is an opal created?

How is an opal created?

Opal is comprised of tiny silica spheres, formed when silica-rich water seeps into deep cracks and voids in the Earth’s crust. It is separated into two groups, common opal (also known as potch) and precious opal (also known as noble opal).

How long does it take for an opal to form?

It’s believed that perhaps 30 million years ago, lots of silica was released into a solution which filled cracks in the rocks, layers in clay, and even some fossils. Some of them became precious opals. It takes about 5 to 6 million years to make a 1 cm opal to mature.

Is opal natural or man made?

Real opal vs lab created Synthetic, or ‘lab-produced’ opals possess nearly all the same chemical, physical and optical characteristics as genuine, mined opals. However, there does exist some lab opals that have been modified with additional materials and, chemically speaking, are not identical to natural opal.