I just saw a show about the Bonaza Opal mines can anyone tell me if Opal is first wood that then...?

Question

becomes petrofied? or something and then changes to the beautiful opal stone?

I always heard opals where bad luck to wear?Maybe this is a indian folk lore?

Thank you

Answer 1

Opals are not petrified. They are mineral deposits in rock that form the beautiful stone. Opal is very fragile, and is often sliced, then added a backing, covered by a crystal cap to protect it. It is considered bad luck to wear if it is not your birthstone by some cultures, others say that is you wear an Opal you best be true, or the Opal will work against you. I love the assorted colors and wear mine alot.

Answer 2

Opal, is fine grained amorphous oxidised silica, amorphous means that it has no specific crystal structure. That is why it reflects light in the way it does, for that brilliant fire! Opal does not have to replace wood, but often does. the wood gets buried and then rots away leaving a mould. the opal bearing fluid then fills the void and makes a cast of the wood. In Australia they once found a plesiosaur skeleton that had been replaced by opal! Very cool. they named him Eric.

Answer 3

Opal is a type of mineral (hydrated silicon dioxide). Sometimes it can form fossils -- when a tree is buried under mud, the wood sort of rots away and opal is formed in the space where the wood was. But opal can form anyplace there is a crack in rock.

Answer 4

Its a mineral made of hydrated silica. The "bad luck" conatation comes from a novel wrtitten in the 1400's where an Opal was responsible for various misdeeds. The superstition just took off from there. Its not bad luck at all.