web shop, online opal store

Files

EXPLORING OPAL BEARING CLIFFS AT TSEHAY MEWCHA IN WOLLO, WELO, PROVINCE
Arriving at Tsehay Mewcha ( Sun Gate). 3200m on the Abyssinian high plateau. Not a desert at all!

In mid April 2009, we did our first exploration, descending in the opal bearing Tsehay Mewcha cliffs, in Wollo or Welo province. There, over 100 minors in 2 cooperatives of locals allowed by the government to mine opal were working. An experience! Soon photos. But full info on this volcanic rock opal in next GEM & GEMOLOGY.

HERE A TRAGEDY : MINING THERE IS DANGEROUS. OVER 10 LOCALS LOST THEIR LIVE IN FEW MONTHS, CRUSHED BY ROCKS. BECAUSE THEY DIGG WITHOUT  BASIC SAFETY METHODS. WE IMEDIATELY STARTED AN ACTION WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE ETHIOPIAN MINISTRY OF MINES AND ENERGY TO PREVENT THESE ACCIDENTS. MINING SHOULD BE STOPPED AS LONG AS SECURE BEHAVIOURS ARE NOT REACHED.


Opal is mined all along the first horizontal line (vire) (from bottom) in the cliff. The top is 3200 m high.


Zooming in a nice Wollo white opal parcel ...

 
DISCOVERING OPAL DEPOSITS OF SHEWA IN ETHIOPIA

By Francesco Mazzero
Issued in A.F.G. magazine n°148 October 2003
Translation by Danielle Cenki

Addis Ababa to Tarma Ber

A feeling of space, a slight exhilaration which enhances vision … an experience I already know, that of the high plateau.

Read more...
 
ROUGH ETHIOPIAN OPALS
blue opal nodule from Mezezo Blue crust on Mezezo brown opal nodule
Read more...
 
STABILITY ABOUT ETHIOPIAN OPALS


White opal filling an old crack. A natural repair.
Photos by Jean-Pierre Gauthier and Francesco.

Read more...

Links

DESIGNERS

www.eric-humbert.com
Jeweler in Strasbourg

www.louis-joaillier.fr
Jeweler in Nancy

 
PORTAILS

www.jewelercentral.com
Comprehensive Directory of Jewelers Nationwide.

www.jewelry5.com
Jewelry Web Portal Directory

www.jewelrymagazine.com
Jewelery worlwide.

www.directoryjewelry.com
www.directoryjewelry.com

www.jewelrypopular.com
Portail bijoux et pierres.

 
SHOWS

www.glda.com
Las Vegas "2005" Gem and Jewelry Show

www.minerapole.com
Website of the international show in Sainte Marie aux mines.

www.mineralientage.de
München show.

 
HARDWARE

www.ricestone.com
Boxes and jewel-cases, items for jewellers, mineralogy and collectors.

 
LIGHT

http://atelierholographique.neuf.fr
Light diffraction, interferencial colors, holography.
www.atholpar.com

www.sundog.clara.co.uk
Light and atmosphere.

www.spaceweather.com
News and informations about the Sun-Earth environment.

www-ipcms.u-strasbg.fr/gonlo/fgon-fr.html
Slowing down the light in opal.

www.aps.org/meet/CENT99/vpr/layfb14-09.html
How to slow down photons using a gemstone.

 
GEOLOGY, MINERALOGY, GEMOLOGY

www.geopolis-fr.com
Geology, mineralogy, fossils, volcanos, meteorites.

www.geminterest.com
World of gemology.

www.mindat.org

 
logo
France    English

News

SAINTE-MARIE 2009 OPALINDA & EYAOPAL WILL SHOW NEW FINDING FROM WELO.

Opalinda and Eyaopal are showing precious opal from the Wollo ,or Welo, new finding.
 
OPAL AT ITS BEST

New white and crystal Ethiopian opal are CT opals. Jean Pierre Gier (STRAGEM cutter) says that it has the same hardness as Brazilian opal. This new opal shows "Ethiopian fire" on a Brazilian opal like body.

 

Agenda

SAINTE MARIE 2009

June 25th to 28th in Sainte-Marie aux Mines.
Salle polyvalente.


Crystal Wollo, or Welo opal.

 
TUCSON SHOW 2009

Feb 3rd, through Feb 8th, 2009
J.W. Marriott Star Pass Resort / booth n°729

OPALINDA & EYAOPAL at GLDA SHOW.
Eyassu Bekele and Francesco Mazzero will display hydropane cut opals and specimens from Mezezo plus new white and crystal Ethiopian opal from Welo, or Wollo.

Opal at its best!

 

 

Opals from planet Earth

Discover precious opals from Ethiopia

Opals from Mezezo have been well-known for more than 10 years for their amazingly sparkling brown and hydrophane varieties. Other deposits (re)discovered more recently yield precious opals : white, fire, crystal and sometimes black ones, all of exceptional quality. Beside reminding detractors of their unfairness, Ethiopia enters the small circle of countries producing gem opals.

 
Image of the day

ethiopian opal
Magnificent 9,13 carats Wollo opal.

opal rough from Welo or Wollo.
Precious opal in his hand at Tsehay Mewcha,
Wegel T'ena, Wollo, or Welo, Ethiopia.


Promising rough? Squares are 5mm as usualy.


Wollo, Welo, white opal rough. 3 cm. The heart
shows orange body color as it is often the case.

 

 

 

 
Mining at Tsehay Mewcha

opal miner in Tsehay Mewcha
Mining white opal down the cliffs at 2900m.
Near Wegel T'ena, Wollo or Welo province.

 
bonus

 Welo or Wollo opal
   Welo opal with bright yellow-gold play of colors

Mezezo opal nodule over portugese bridge waterfall
    Thin crust of blue opal on brown opal nodule.


COPYRIGHT 2008    OPALINDA/GEMOA SARL 
ALL RIGHT RESERVED