Opal-AN

specimen number:
8821986

location:
Squaretop Mtn, Kaimkillenbun, Dalby, Queensland, Australia

description:
Colorless mostly gemmy botryoidal cluster of opal-an. Lightly fluorescent and in good condition.

Squaretop Mountain, located near Kaimkillenbun and Dalby in the Darling Downs region of Queensland, Australia, is a prominent local landmark with a history tied to early pastoral settlement and localized mineral collecting. Geologically, the area features volcanic and sedimentary formations associated with the Tertiary-aged Main Range volcanics, consisting of basaltic flows and related intrusive or weathering structures. Mineralogically, the mountain has gained fame among collectors as an uncommon Australian locality for hyalite, also known as opal-AN. Opal-AN is a specific form of hydrous silica characterized by an amorphous internal structure with short-range network ordering, typically deposited via low-temperature hydrothermal or groundwater solutions to form clear, globular, jelly-like crusts and botryoidal coatings that often exhibit a distinct green fluorescence under ultraviolet light.

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