Opal Fossils
"Only one place on earth produces black opal fossils - Lightning Ridge in northern New South Wales, Australia. The fossils are usually exact replicas of plant, shell or bone material, and at times are composed of gem quality black opal, which is as valuable as diamonds and more beautiful."
"The opal sediments originated on the eastern extremity of the ancient supercontinent Gondwana. During the Early Cretaceous, 100-120 million years ago, plant and animal remains, later to be fossilised, were laid down in coastal streams and waterways on the edge of an inland sea.
This was a time of great evolutionary upheaval. The world's first flowering plants were appearing, as were some of the earliest birds. Dinosaurs were about to leap into evolutionary fast mode and to split into a myriad of new forms. Primitive mammals had been around for up to 100 million years and, as tiny mouse-like creatures, the pouched marsupials and our ancestors, the placental mammals were making their debut."
Opal has grown in a plethora of host fossils, including plants, small mammals, turtles, crocodiles, sea life, even dinosaurs!
Source: "Black Opal fossils of Lightning Ridge - Treasures from the Rainbow Billabong" Written and Illustrated by Elizabeth Smith
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parcel of rough and fossils inc. Belemnite fossil |
Fossilised opal shell |
Opal Information
Opal Galleries
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