No town in Australia conjures up images of the outback like Coober Pedy, the famous opal-mining town where the searing heat drives residents underground. The town has plenty of accommodations that ...

An opal so fine it has been valued at over $1 million is about to go on public display for the first time. The Virgin Rainbow measures 63.3 by 14.3mm (2.5 by 0.56 inches).Photo Richard Lyons courtesy ...

Lightning Ridge Famous opal mining town Although there are lots of opal mining towns in Australia there are four which have become household names - Coober Pedy, Andamooka, White Cliffs and Lightning ...

Few realize that the world’s most famous black fire opal – the official Nevada State Gem – was discovered in Nevada’s remote Virgin Valley in 1918. Col. W.A. Roebling, a civil engineer who helped ...

There is an Aboriginal explanation for the opals in the area. According to legend a huge wheel of fire fell to earth and sprayed the countryside with brilliant coloured stones. The first European to ...