Hyalite Opal Specimen DX1364 Sale

Hyalite Opal Specimen DX1364

Hyalite Opal
Approx. Dimensions: 2.5 x 2 x 1″
Approx. Weight: 69 grams
Locality: San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Acrylic stand and putty not included

This specimen is shown under a short-wave UV light in the first photo, and a long-wave UV light in the second to last photo.

Hyalite Opal was first discovered by German geologist Abraham Gottlob Werner in the late 1700’s. He gave it the name hyalite from the Greek “hialos”, meaning glass. It has mostly the same composition as other precious opals in their mixture of water and silicon dioxide, but it differs in a few ways. Hyalite doesn’t have the same internal structure of tiny spheres of silicon dioxide that cause precious opals to have brilliant displays of color, so hyalite appears clear and glassy or milky white. The green fluorescence is caused by trace amounts of uranium, and can be viewed under both short and long wave ultraviolet light.