Andamooka Matrix Opal Treatment! 

The matrix is silicified kaolinite clay... opal is precipitated by the presence of iron oxide in the sulfide solutions responsible for secondary mineralization... iron oxide makes light opal, iron sulfide makes black opal... all the body colors are a mixture of the two... and copper here in Arizona and New Mexico... The kaolinite clay started out as volcanic ash form the eastern mountain range along the coast... it fell into the inland sea, which is now the great basin in the outback of Australia... it has the largest reservoir of fresh water in the world... all the opal fields are along the periphery.... volcanic ash is small to microscopic crystals of plageoclase feldspar, notably labradorite.... weathering removes the light metals sodium and calcium... leaving the alumino/silicate clay.... two layers, aluminum oxide, and silicone dioxide.... during opalization the aluminum oxide is stripped away leaving the silica with a charge deficit, which attracts the iron oxide/sulfide molecules.... and the single layer collapses in on itself to make a single sphere.... it happens really fast... couple of days for black opal, three days for light opal.... I will have clay to finish my research... and I will publish then

I would love to see an instructional video of the treatment process! Very impressive results!!!

I've never had much interest in Andamooka Matrix Opal, but these are _fabulous_ and I have a new appreciation! Thank you for sharing your knowledge and talent.

That is the most astounding opal coloration I have ever seen. Thank you for sharing it with us.

This is by far the best matrix opal i have ever seen, very nice material thanks for sharing

The shots of lavender fire in the cream stone alone is strikingly beautiful...wow

OMG!!!!! Stunning. Thanks for sharing, that was a real treat.

This has to be the most beautiful matrix opal I have ever seen! Thank you for sharing.

These are breathtaking, even the larger pieces you said didn't treat well are amazing.

The colors are so incredibly beautiful. The dark background shows such a deep matrix. Love your videos!

OMG that is the most beautiful stone i ever saw !!! what color my god !!

I lived in Coober Pedy met a lot of people that were opal cutters but you're analysis of opal is really awesome thank you for showing your skills love and light to you brother

I came back to see these beauties again. My jaw dropped. I just finished a painting that looks like your opals. What lovely timing. 💖🌈🙂

Incredible pieces!! BEAUTIFUL!!

Stunningly beautiful chemical transformation of opal and fascinating to see the magnificent beauty of the vibrant colours. Many thanks for sharing.

Wonderful handling of this beautiful material !

It's very frustrating to see how many people sell this globally to customers as "untreated". I wish more people like you explained and declared treatments to viewers and customers.

Breathtaking! While watching this, looking at the opal pretreatment, I was reminded of something. I couldn't put my finger on it, but as I watched the areas colorshift and the pattern I figured it out! A long time ago, when my dad was really into making his own jewelry by carving bone and stones, he'd get freebies and deals at the local rock shop because the owner loved his stuff so much. One of the freebies was a slab about 3 by 4 inches of a really cool dark iridescent stuff. When my dad gave me his old tools and materials this rainbow slab was one of my favorites and when I asked he couldn't tell me what stone it was. This was so long ago and I've been searching to find anything that looks like it to no avail. Now I friggin know! And it looks like the Honduran matrix opal so I'm guessing that's what it is. So thanks for that!

You're underestimating yourself and what youve done! Even the not so good ones are awesome! OMG! To go from the one color to the rainbow is amazing! Patent you're process immediately!

Wow, thank u for pointing me to this. This is what Matt Powers gave me to practice cut with. I had a bunch of the clear stuff after cutting I threw in the aquarium lol. I had no idea About the treatment. Matt was on a TV show selling Opals is how I met him. He told me so many stories about going To Australia and contacts he had. Once I heard how sick he was I figured I got ripped off. He really sold me some great rough. After the first of the year I email you and buy some of the material if you sell it to get my skills back before even touching that expensive black. I least I was smart enough not to ruin it. Thank you for pointing me to this. I got upset with cutting, because in my little town Jewerly store I go to, they tried to sell some for me and told me they could not give good opals away in this part of the country. So I got discouraged that my hobby would never make money.

Breathtaking. So beautiful!

That's an impressive change. Very nice!

Absolutely GORGEOUS!!!

This opal is new to me. It's incredibly beautiful.

I have not seen better treated Andamooka matrix, nor have I seen better Andamooka matrix. You are a clever boy. Thats as good as the ridge for color, if it was LR, it would be 5k a carat. AND to think it looks 100 x better in the flesh! Well done.

I think by far best video ever from you is on the bubble opal. Like i never knew. Crazy crazy pretty and nothing i have ever seen. Besides the fact you tell us what its all about. Ya know great videos all round.

Just an awesome job. Even the not so well treated one looks nice. Cant wait to try this.

A wonderful instructional video. I have been cutting exotic agates and jaspers for years, but am new to the more delicate art of opal work. Still learning about the many kinds of materials but you explain your topic so well. Thanks.

Fantastic! Even the 1st tests are great

Simply stunning , the process to bring out the beauty fascinates me , would love to see how it's done , tfs

Thank you! Wonderfully informative. Liked, Subscribed.

Gorgeous stones. Treated and untreated.

There isn't a pc that you say didn't treat that well, that I wouldn't love to own! What beautiful stones!

Very stunning colour. Good collection u have there.

So so beautiful. Thank you far explaining things.

Been 20 years since I set in 18k anything like this. They were free form just over hundred carat. And made really nice pieces. And I haven't seen anything like it since then

Love Black Opal… and these pieces are heavenly!!

An amazing transformation!

They all looked beautiful to me, even the ones that didn't take the solution. My favorite was the very dark one with green specs. Thanks for the video. It is very cool to see what goes into making gem stones!

I would seriously buy jewelry with just the raw, polished material.

Its so beautiful wish i could own one in the future

Incredibly stunning!!! Wow where can I get just 1 slice of these??

Supper mater material and treatment,are and of those stones for sale anywhere,or the rough? Great work.

This is really beautiful

Wow!!!!! Sooo beautiful!!

Nope I missed this one it is fascinating thank you for showing me this one the stripes wow

the opal looks like galaxy in the night sky

I would love to try making some of this.

I think I love treated matrix opal the most!

Does the enhanced colour of treated opal deteriorate over time? It is really beautiful colour that's for sure!

The matrix i have you get an up side with the brightest play of color and the sides are not as dramatic. Definitely orient your rough for play of color not biggest slabs before lumbering and always before treating or you wont know which end is up, if not marked beforehand. You can test penetration by drying the rough in air and seeing if it evaporates even or off the dots first. The dots that dry fast will dye black and what doesnt dry might not treat well.

Amazing! :) Thank You!

Black then the green is my favorite!

That’s beautiful sir. How much does one of those stones sell for? Absolutely beautiful!

Wow, OMGOSH. My eyes love this.

Very Beautiful and interesting 👏

GORGEOUS!

Very beautiful OPAL 😍

did you continue cutting perpendicular to the seams for the rest of the stone or did you make some straight red ones?

thanku for this,I thought the colours were natural and I've considered buying them off eBay,now I'll stick to real certified gems

I've been buying Ethiopian rough opal from ebay, just scraps really. I can't afford the beautiful stuff you have. You're very lucky.

Beautiful!

really nice thank you!

Absolutely beautiful

I'm from Indonesia. I have kalimaya banten. That's so nice brooo...

Wow! It is magical. The finest job in treating opal matrix...do you heat the stones in an oven or by what means?

Espetacular maravilha da natureza 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

John Cooper I think I have a block of this material. Is it relatively light weight when compared to other rocks? I'm not an expert, so just asking.

So beautiful!

Very beautiful!

stunning thank you!

Beautiful and interesting

I have two opals from Australia. One is a black opal with beautiful colours

Even the stuff that "didn't treat so well" is gorgeous.

Out of this world pieces. SB management. Wilma SB

Gostei muito dó seu canal é sou garimpeiro é descobri muito coisa interessante pedra de raio fugorito é ó trás mais

Thanks for your knowledge and information. What is the dilution of sugar and sulfuric acid mixtures and what temp do you heat at? Is it heated in a oven? Do you have to shape before treatment? Good on you mate.

That’s amazing- i have some black opal i managed to dry out w/ either peroxide or alchahol or both and i need to re-hydrate them - i’d like tour advice before i do something else stupid- anyway to contact you?

beautiful opal!

would you tell me the treatment?chemical, processing time, and how to treat it(is it boiled or burned or.......). please...........

Man...i was just reading through these comments here and i just had to say that im in heaven! 😍😏😍 seeing a few of you guys, (who've obviously been around and in this line of work for years already, and clearly know what youre talking about) just casually talking shop...was soo juicy and informative for a baby rock geek like myself! 😎 It was such a priveledge just to be able to watch this video and read through the comments. I was taking notes & soaking up the knowledge like a sponge. LOVED this video. 🙏Thank you so much for making it and sharing your knowledge & expertise with us! Oh & btw, i clicked the subscribe button about 8 seconds into the video! You had me at the words, "treated matrix opal" Hahaha. 😁😁😁

Opals are my absolute favorite stone plus there my mom's birthstone I would love To buy black opal For my ring.. Do you sell them???

Beautiful stones!

love these videos ❤❤❤❤

Hi....where is possible to buy this kind of stones? Are in average expensive? Hope in your information. Thank you

I'd love to make a hand Fab mount. Something worthy of my time

Sir. i have blackopal andamoka stone from australia. measuring 66.19 crat. but the results are still less shiny. how to shine and what to do. Thank you sir. I am from Indonesia, Surabaya

Did you ever cut more of this ? 😻

MARAVILHOSAS !

Beautiful.

Gorgeous gems

I bought some local but they look translucent until you get them in the right light and with something behind them then they show a lot of color will doing a treatment on it help bring them colors out

Hi, can you please make a video how are they made ?

Wow that looks insane

These are perfect to me.

That last piece is 😍😍😍😍😍

So Beautiful

May I ask, I appreciate your busy but hope you'll reply, is there a particular name for the kind of matrix opal that is more towards the pixelated look (you had one that was not the colors I liked that you had difficulty getting focused in and said "it is kind of hard to appreciate") ?

I wish you could make a video of the treatment =]

WOW... the matrix opal in the beginning of the video is amazing.... I want :)