Ammolite
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Ammolite is an organic gemstone found primarily along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains of North America. It is commonly unearthed by natural erosion or through the process of various mining p
Unprocessed sample of ammolite; a "dragon skin" pattern is apparent
An iridescent ammonite from Madagascar
Korite's mechanized mining operations are fairly basic, involving the excavation of shallow pits with backhoes.
Another view of Korite's open-pit mining operations in Alberta, Canada.
Opal
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Opal is a hydrated amorphous form of silica; its water content may range from 3% to 21% by weight, but is usually between 6% and 10%. Due to the amorphous physical structure, it is classified as a min
Ammolite
…the unfamiliar. These include: labradorite (also known as spectrolite), an iridescent feldspar that may also be of Canadian origin; and broad-flash black opal. Neither are convincing substitutes, and the latter is actually of greater value than ammolite. Indeed, ammolite is often used as an imitation of black…
A rich seam of iridescent opal encased in matrix
Precious opal consists of a regular arrangement of silica nanospheres in closely packed planes (idealized diagram).
This precious rough opal from Coober Pedy, South Australia, displays nearly every color of the visible spectrum.
Common rough opal