The Opal Fire at Lightning Ridge
July 4, 2024

The Opal Fire at Lightning Ridge

Yeah, I’ve heard of this place

Where no one fights to put out the fire

So strange – they just let the fire burn…

Brilliant pin-points in the sky

Blinding rushes of color

Don’t stand too close, unless you want to be consumed

Endlessly wandering through the blazing floral gardens

What a maze! Ha!  More like Amazing!

The sturdy flag patterns are always at attention

Ready to go into battle to keep the fires burning

For the honor of their country’s colors

Straight lines in nature you say?

Ha! You must be balmy mate!

Had too much of the drink tonight?

Uttering bloody rubbish again?

Hey, you better watch out!

We might throw you into the opal fire at Lightning Ridge

Where there is NO escape from the bloody red embers

I’ve heard The Opal Hunter has been there years a plenty

Many a story to tell.

So please Opal Hunter, tell us more about the opal fire at Lightning Ridge.

When I sold my old house about 11 years ago, I naturally moved to a new house, but I had to move to a different city.  That meant I had to change my TV cable carrier.  I had to sign up with a dish cable carrier which I never had before.  After I got used to all these new channels, I started exploring new channels which I didn’t have before.  I came across a jewelry channel that was very interesting.  I was never interested in jewelry before, but now I couldn’t stop watching the beautiful gemstones.

I began to learn about the different gemstone categories:  Beryl, Garnet, Sapphire, Ruby, Tourmaline, Turquoise, Quartz, Topaz, Diamond, and Opal.  This is just a sampling, there are more categories, but these are the ones that most people are familiar with.  Did you know that Tourmaline is the Official Gemstone of the United State of America?  It comes in all colors of the rainbow.  You probably think I forgot Emerald, but I did not.  Emerald is a type of Beryl which is one of the categories above.  Emerald is usually green, but it also comes in red, yes red emerald.  It was found in the Wah Wah Mountains of Utah and was originally called Bixbite, but that was changed to red beryl later.  There was only a very small amount of this red beryl found and most of it is held by collectors.  This gemstone is just as rare as Ruby.  Some other rare gemstones are Grape colored and Blue colored Garnets. Another rare gemstone is the Padparascha Sapphire. Of course, the Burma Ruby makes this list. So does the gorgeous “Pool Water Blue” Paraiba Tourmaline.  Sleeping Beauty Turquoise’s mine in Arizona has been closed for many years.  Imperial Topaz is also very difficult to find.  My favorite, Cognac Diamond’s mine has been closed also.  Ethiopian and Black Opal are also hard to come by for good quality opals.

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