Hello mate,
I am a amateur opal fiend and the below advice is from my own personal experiance. I do not proclaim to be a opal god or claim to be the keeper of all knowledge.
I rocked up to the fields after a sapphire trip got rained out and have been on it since then.
I have written this for people who may also be interested. Sorry if you already know.
Noodling tips building on the above.
1. Look for potch on the pile. Potch is the prime indicator if you are on the right trail to the colour.
2. Bring a water squirt bottle. Opal in its raw stare will show up much better wet. When you are sorting through the pile squirt every piece of potch you find. I found my first stone with this method.
3. Just remember the pile is a mullock dump. Its miners run out that they have already sifted and sorted through. This means as opposed to real fossicking you are not looking for pockets or seams.
4. Noodling is about persistence and luck, there is a very high chance you will find nothing and there is a equally high chance you might find something. Even miners have the same odds. Black opal is very very very rare.
5. Some places in town offer noodling on their tours, some are better than others. I suggest if you are 100% new to the opal game. Go on a undeground mine tour and ask the mine owner questions. How its found where its formed etc get your head around it then go out. Its what i did!
6. Black opal is one of the most expensive rarest gems on earth. You are essenaitally looking for something that can be more expensive than diamonds. Really appreciate that fact and know that any find no matter the size is something no where else in the world has naturally.
Just a couple of pointers about the fields in general.
1. The Grawin, Sheepyard etc fields are an active mine fields. Shafts, trucks and scrap metal are all over the place. Be careful.
2. The fields work on a claim basis 50x50 from memory. These areas are marked by posts on the edge of the claims are and easy to miss. Do not wander or "explore" anywhere other than the dumps advised. These are recognised by law as rights to land and minerals below.
3. The dumps are not endorsed fossicking areas due to legal reasons of liability. However, from my experience it is accepted. Just if a truck does go to dump stay far clear until the truck has done its job and dont disshevle the pile so much it blocks the access route.
4. Some people use the opal fields as there main source of income. As such they take it very seriously. Unfortunately people in the past have done the wrong thing. Show respect.
5. Be totaly aware that this, in my opinion is the hardest form of fossicking. But totally totally worth it 100%.
Message me direct for more info. (And anyone else who is interested) I love the stuff.
I will be drive though the ridge mid july 2016 happy to help.
Jukey.
