Mexican Hyalite Opal Specimen DX320

Hyalite Opal Approx. Dimensions: 2.5 x 2 x 2" Approx. Weight: 107 grams Locality: San Luis Potosi, Mexico Acrylic stand and putty not included In the first photo, the specimen is shown under short wave UV light. The second photo is shown under a Convoy C8 Long Wave UV flashlight. Acrylic stand and putty are not included, but can be found in our accessories section. 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.