Queensland opals still in demand internationally, local miners say

Opal miners in the state’s west say while rising costs of production and exploration are stifling their sector, the Queensland boulder opal still attracts international interest.

Gem traders from as far afield as Germany have been in western Queensland in July, buying stones for markets in Europe, Asia and the United States.

The boulder opal is unique to Queensland and is found in the opal fields from Yowah, west of Cunnamulla, up to Winton.

The rare Yowah opal nut is also sought-after and is found only in the Yowah region.

John Edwards is a retired plumber and describes himself as a “lifestyle” miner, working about 15 metres underground at Yowah.

He says it is the thrill of the chase that keeps him chipping away, but the number of opal miners is diminishing.

“There will always be people chasing opal, but there is less of it to find and it is getting much harder,” he said.

“Australia has vast quantities of opal yet unfound, but the costs of exploration outweighs the return on it, so at this stage we are limited to the smaller opal fields, which are naturally finding less and less.

“The markets are getting a lot harder and the costs are getting a lot harder.”

Raleigh Henderson heads up the Yowah Opal Miners group and he estimates the local industry has halved in the last decade.

“It’s cut back right throughout Queensland – the costs blew everyone out,” he said.

“Mining costs, EPA costs, rates, rents, but hopefully we are getting them back on track again.”

Mr Henderson says while there may be less production, there are still plenty of hidden gems under the surface, and they are valuable.

“They range from $1,000 to $20,000 around here,” he said.

The Yowah opal field dates back to the 1880s and is among the oldest in Australia.

While it is now just a tiny part of the national sector, the gemstone is still sort-after around the world.

Jurgen Schutz works with one of the world’s oldest opal companies and travels from Germany to buy stone.

He says the boulder opal is unique.

“It is one of a kind – every stone is different,” he said.

“It’s a stone for designers and people who like individual jewellery.

“The big market is the United States because of its huge population, also Europe and the new market is Asia.”

Mr Schutz says he worries about the declining number of opal miners in Queensland.

“If this continues and the last of the old-timers quit, then who is going to take the opal out?” he said.

“You know women – women are crazy for gemstones and it would be sad if opal was to disappear from the map of gemstones.”

But Mr Edwards says there is a future for opal mining in Queensland.

“There will always be people chasing opal, but there is less of it to find and it is getting much harder,” he said.

Queensland opals still in demand internationally, local miners say