Posted on 12/30/2025 11:42:21 AM PST by Red Badger
In narrow, hand-dug tunnels carved into the mountainside, villagers have uncovered a natural opal wonder that's turning heads in the global gem trade.
At almost 10,000 feet above sea level, villagers in northern Ethiopia have uncovered a seam of pure black opal buried within hand-dug tunnels. The site, hidden in Wollo Province’s rugged terrain, is quickly drawing attention for the exceptional quality of its stones.
This unexpected find is not only rare due to the gem’s natural dark body color, but also because it comes from small-scale, artisanal efforts rather than industrial operations. As demand rises for untreated black opals, these Ethiopian stones are already finding their way into global markets and labs.
A Naturally Dark And Durable Gemstone The black opals from Stayish are distinct from others mined in Ethiopia. According to Dr. Lore Kiefert, chief gemologist at Gübelin Gem Lab, these stones show a natural dark bodycolor that runs through the entire gem, unlike treated stones that darken only at the surface. Her team used X-ray fluorescence to detect barium levels ranging up to 1,000 ppm in the samples, helping to confirm the material’s geological signature.
a. Rough opals; b. Cutting machine; c. Polished opals; d. Finished stone on display. Credit: Journal of Energy and Natural Resources
Unlike the hydrophane white opals from Wegel Tena, which are porous and absorb water, the Stayish black opals resist moisture and are generally more stable when set in jewelry. Their surfaces remain clean, with no staining or residue, which helps distinguish them from stones altered using smoke or acid-sugar treatments. In cross-section, the play-of-color stones often show alternating bands of black and gray common gemstone, surrounding bright color patches.
Tunnels Carved By Hand, Not Machines
Mining operations in Wollo are fully artisanal. Families dig by hand, using pickaxes to trace the clay horizon, and extract rock one bucket at a time. According to Earth.com, when miners spot flashes of color in the wall, they switch to smaller chisels and water to avoid damaging the gem during removal.
Crystal opal from Wollo. Credit: Journal of Energy and Natural Resources
Tunnel ceilings are often low, supported by wooden props placed by eye and experience. Without machinery, crews depend entirely on manual labor, typically returning to farming during the rainy season and working the tunnels in the dry months. This cycle defines the rhythm of mining life in the highlands, where a single opal nodule might pay for school fees or farming equipment.
Confusion in the Gem trade
The market for Ethiopian black opals is booming, but so is the confusion about what’s natural and what’s been altered. As mentioned in a report published by GIA (Gemological Institute of America), many hydrophane opals are treated, with smoke, dyes, or sugar-acid solutions, and then passed off as black opals, even though they behave differently and don’t have the same structure.
VIDEO AT LINK.........
🟥 Welo Opal
sourced from the Wollo Province in northern Ethiopia's volcanic highlands, is a hydrophane variety of precious opal (SiO₂·nH₂O) renowned for its striking play-of-color, iridescent flashes of red, green, blue, violet, and more.
❤️ 🔁 #WeloOpal #EthiopianGems… pic.twitter.com/W4v8KoTw4J— Geology Bits of Knowledge (@geologyBits) September 20, 2025
But, the precious stones from Stayish are different, they have a natural dark bodycolor throughout and barely absorb water. That’s why more buyers are turning to lab tests, checking water resistance, and asking for clear details about the stone’s origin and any treatments it may have had.
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FWIW, Ethiopia is a majority Christian nation................
Vintage "moon opal" engagement ring.
How do these black opals compare to those from Lightning Ridge? (Australia)
I don’t know. I’d never even heard of them before today!............
Maps indicate that Wollo Province is the area of the volcano that recently blew up?
They found an Opel GT?
My step-dad had one!....................
I had an Opel GT - cool car!
King Solomon’s (opal) mines.
👍👍👍
Jews went and got all the Ethiopian Jews and took them to Israel.
Black opals aren’t really black, they are very colorful, but dark, but they are VERY EXPENSIVE!
The backing on the black opals is indeed black, as I brought a couple from Lightning Ridge back with me from my 1989 trip to Australia.
What’s the price range on high quality black opals?
Can they be made synthetically? Many (most?) gemstones can be nowadays.
d. Looks like a designer ankle monitor.
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