HALLEY’S COMET OPAL 163
A
ccording to Guinness
World Records, this
impressive rock, which
is roughly the size of a
man’s clenched fist, is the largest
uncut black opal in the world.
It was found in November 1986
by a group of five Australian
miners known as “the Lunatic
Hill Syndicate”. They named it
after the comet that was passing
through the southern skies at the
time of their discovery, which is
only visible from Earth every 75 years.
This nodule, or “nobby”, was found at
an open-cut mine near the outback town
of Lightning Ridge in New South Wales,
which boasts the largest deposits of black
opal on the planet. The syndicate consisted
of two brothers and a small company,
which provided financial backing as well
as the earth-moving equipment. They
operated at the Leaning Tree Claim on
Lunatic Hill. The hill’s curious nickname
dates back to the early days of mining on
the site. Most experienced prospectors
worked on the shallow flats
below it, making their finds just
a few feet below the surface.
Only a madman would start at
the top of the hill, they joked, as
he would need to dig a very long
way before discovering anything.
Nevertheless, a lone miner tried
it and his claim proved to be
the most successful of all. The
syndicate’s efforts certainly
vindicated their adoption of this
painstaking approach, as the
Halley’s Comet opal was eventually located
at a depth of 20m (66ft) below the surface.
Opals hold a special place in the
Australian psyche. It is the country’s
national gemstone and it features in
many legends that predate the arrival of
European settlers. Aboriginal mythology
relates how, in the Dreamtime, the Creator
came down to earth on a rainbow, bearing
his message of peace. Then, at the point
where his foot touched the ground, the
stones turned to opals, sparkling with
all the colours of the rainbow.
Key dates
1705–2013
1700
1900
1980
1990
2010
Early 1900s Australian
prospectors begin to mine
the site at Lunatic Hill
2013 The opal is auctioned
at Bonhams in Los Angeles
2000
... opal resembles a
fraction of the rainbow
softened by a milky cloud
Charles Blanc
Author
Halley’s Comet opal
Opal mine in rural Australia, showing the typical open-cut technique used
to mine opals, whereby material is extracted from the surface rather than from
deeper ground using tunnels
Halley’s Comet opal
at auction, Bonhams,
Los Angeles, USA
△ Full view of the Halley’s Comet opal
1705 The astronomer
Edmond Halley identifies
the comet that now
bears his name
1986 The opal is unearthed
on 3 November at
Lightning Ridge, in
New South Wales
1991 The nodule enters
Guinness World
Records as the largest
uncut black opal
English astronomer
Edmond Halley
1992–95 The Halley’s
Comet opal is displayed
at the Australian Mineral
Museum in Sydney
162-163_STO_Halleys_Comet_Opal.indd 163 18/05/2016 11:40