Shops Leopard Opal Bead Cabochon Rare Black Basalt Mexican Pendant Hummingbird Stone Hidalgo Mexico Vesicular Opalo Negro One of a Kind Natural

Leopard Opal or Black Mexican Basalt opal is so Rare it is not widely known around the world like all other types of opal. Since the stone is new and it comes from only one mine in Mexico it is not very common and is very hard to find.

100% Black Basalt Mexican Fire Opal.
Size 30mm x 23mm x 7mm
weight - 45.850 carats
Mohs hardness: slightly less than 6
shape - geometric free form
hole size - 3mm
While this is a bead - it can also be used as a cabochon.



There is evidence that the Leopard Opal deposits were mined in the State of Hidalgo in pre-Columbian times, up to500 years ago.

The native Aztecs indigenous peoples who lived in this area of Mexico named the opal the ‘humming bird stone' because its shimmer resembles the shining feathers of a humming bird in Mexico.

Leopard Opal is a variety of opalized vesicular basalt or Matrix Opal where the vesicles in the basalt have been filled with precious opal showing a strong colour pattern. It comes from Hidalgo, Mexico

Leopard Opal was introduced to the gem world in 1996. Prior to 1996 Leopard Opal was known to only a select few individuals and had not been commercially available to the world markets. In the mid 1960s Leopard Opal was sold as Basalt Opal with modest acceptance by the North American gem and mineral community.

In Mexico it is erroneously referred to as Opalo Negro or Black Opal. This is a natural stone, it is untreated, it is not color enhanced, and it has not been heated, its density is lower than the Australian boulder opal stone.

Leopard Opal matrix is harder than other varieties of matrix opal shops and it has to be polished using diamond grit.

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