CATALOGUE

LAMBINA, AUSTRALIA

Alert: The Lambina field (pronounced "Lamina" in OZ) has grown in activity over the last ten years. We have bought Lambina opal over the last 10-12 years. Until recently, we liked what we got. Lambina has produced everything from grey base verticals to crystal, and now, some black opal. Recently, we were offered the memo of two parcels from the Hollywood mine area in Lambina. We liked what we saw until the facing/rubbing process. (The goal of the initial facing is to look for subsurface crazing, cracking, or spiderwebbing, etc.) Bottom line, we found crazing that grew as we watched it.

Associated with the crazing, we found white, "cottony" spiderwebbing. Just for perspective, the black spiderwebbing from Mintabie was stable and caused no problems in the 15 years +/- that we have sold it; however, the Lambina spiderwebbing is "cottony," for want of a better term. It appears in little white balls and in white lines. We speculate that this white cottony material is gypsum-rich and partially hydrated; hence the connection to crazing. We have not done the lab tests, but this is our speculation. this year we have seen no cotton. In fact, the opal is the cleanest we've seen.

Back to the facing process. We held the material for a week and no further changes were observed; however, I must say that we did not look too closely either. Why? Because once a parcel shows this kind of crazing, or any crazing for that matter, we do not put it into circulation or sell it, etc. We do go to the miner and activate our standing policy: take back this opal or lose our business FOREVER. Some miners take it back and some don't. Those who refuse, lose our business. This miner took back the opal in question and it was not for sale by us.

Lot 99-51 #'s 1 - 5 Lambina . Very large, handsized pieces of opal. Various prices depending on fire bar quality. White to semi-crystal bars.

L51XC393. Click on image for a closer look.

#1 - L51XC 393 grams = 13.8 ounces -11 cm (3-3/4") x 7.5 cm (3- 1/4") wide end, x 6 cm (2-1/4") narrow end. Bars up to 8mm thick and 4 other bars 3mm thick. $5,895.00

L51XC226. Click on image for a closer look.

#2 - L51XS 226 grams = 7.9± ounces 2½" x 4¼" x 1¼" thick). $3,390.

L51XC Slices. Click on image for a closer look.

#3 & 4 etc. - L51XCPieces from the original 369.3 gram piece. #3 = 95.9 grams x $26/gram = $2,493; #4 = 125.8 x $30/gram = $3,774. Both pieces have multiple bars. Colors are red and gold w/some large pattern flash. Be aware that some fire bars are subsidiary w/less dense fire patterns. Others available as shown. Call for price.

L99-57-XE Lambina. 31.5 gr - $748; 10 pcs. jelly / crystal, pin / column fire, yellowish base color like some Mexican opal. Chunky, great for cabs, beads, red / gold / green, some broad flash.

L99-55 Lambina 15.5 gr - $214.50

L99 54XD Lambina 10 gr
Etc., etc., etc., Really great VALUE.

LR2-110. Click on image for a closer view.

LR2-110 Medium sized, bluegreen or red predominant crystal. Tight pattern. Inlay or cabbing only 100 grams. $140 - 180/gram.

LRPC-115. Click on image for a closer view.

LRPC-115 Want some BIG pieces for carving, cabbing, slabbing, etc? Baseball sized or "smaller". Greyish base. Green & blue fire bars. $1.40 - 1.95/gram. Only 1 piece remains.

LRB7-111Jelly. Click on image for a closer view.

LRB7-111 Jelly - finally. Some green, red, mixed, etc. Clean. Great cutting. $30 - 60/gram. Only 217 grams available.

LROFF-118 Off cuts from miners. Grey base. These are pieces with odd color bars. All shapes and sizes. Only 1300 grams. Price =$0.60 - 1.50/gram. 1,000 grams = $950.00. Some still remain.