Rare Opal to Debut at Australia Museum

• Updated On Mar 25, 2020

A rare opal which was discovered in Coober Pedy in South Australia will soon be displayed at the South Australian Museum. Interestingly, the Australian opal which had been called the Virgin Rainbow was discovered over a decade ago but it is only now that it will be open to public viewing.

The Virgin Rainbow is a 6 cm-long, 72-carat gemstone which was excavated in September 2003in Frank’s Folly mine by John Dunstan, a second-generation opal miner. According to Dunstan, the opal is one of the best qualities of opal he has seen in his career spanning three decades in opal mining. Dunstan said it is one of the rarest stone that has been discovered from the Coober Pedy. Highlighting the specialty of the opal, Dunstan said that it is composed of rare black crystal and glows in the dark.

Brian Oldman, the South Australian Museum director added to what Dunstan said. Hesaid that not only it isone of the finest stones to be found in that particular mine, but Virgin Rainbow is made of fine qualityopalised fossil and one of the only ones to have been found anywhere. Though the value of the gemstone is not yet revealed, it is speculated to cost a whopping $1 million. 

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• Rare Opal