World Of Gems Conference 2017 Proceedings Book

WORLD OF GEMS CONFERENCE V - 49 - SEPTEMBER 2017 O pal was proclaimed Australia’s national gemstone on 27 July 1993 and it is a powerful symbol of Australia’s arid lands and culture. In indigenous stories, a rainbow cre- ated the colours of the opal when it touched the earth. A new story is now unfolding as science is uncovering the secrets opal pseudomorphs which capture in incredible detail the marine creatures that inhabited the Eromanga Sea 60- 120 million years ago. Opal pseudomorphs are even challenging our understanding of opal formation. The importance of this work has not been lost on the opal com- munity in Australia or the Australian Govern- ment. Both are working collaboratively to acquire, study and preserve opal fossils of sig- nificance. Unique to Australia, these opal fossils from the Cretaceous, 60-120 million years ago not only teach us about the ecosystems but also challenge our understanding of opal formation. CONCLUSION With the level of opal mining on a dramatic de- cline, the chances of locating these rare and beautiful Australian opal fossils will become virtu- ally non-existent.The opal community in Australia is working collaboratively with government and private donors to secure as many of the remain- ing opal fossils of significance as possible for per- manent exhibition in Australian museums. u AUSTRALIAN OPAL FOSSILS: A WINDOW INTO THE CRETACEOUS NCJV: National Council of Jewellery Valuers of Australia Information compiled by Nicholas Kollias, NCJV SA97-69, FGAA, courtesy of South Australian Museum. AUSTRALIAN OPAL FOSSILS POSTER ABSTRACT PHOTO 1. Examples of the variety of Australian opalised fossils. Image courtesy of South Australian Museum. PHOTO 2. The Virgin Rainbow. Image courtesy of South Australian Museum.