Absolute Opals & Gems Pty Ltd is a second generation mining enterprise. Here are some images of our mining activity:

The Prospecting Drill and the underground digger

We prospect for opal with a 9 inch auger drill. When promising material is discovered we drill a 3 foot diameter shaft down to a depth that bottoms on the opal bearing level. When, what appears to be payable material is found, we lower a mechanical digger down the shaft.

Truck and blower then into the Agies

The dirt is extracted by a “blower” which in reality is more akin to a giant vacuum cleaner. When the truck is full, it is taken to the “agitator”- a modified cement mixer- where the extracted dirt is washed for the duration of the mining week. Up to 10 truckloads of dirt go into each batch of wash, which wears down and accumulates into a concentrate by the end of the week.

Rough opals from the tailings

Then, we just manually sort through the washed clean concentrate called “tailings”, to pick out the gems, often none, but once every few years hard work is rewarded by discovering a pocket of truly beautiful gems!

Cutting and Polishing

Then it is off to the cutting and polishing room.