Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Contact opal mines in Mexico and decide which one you want to dig in. Your hotel's concierge will have information on local mines, or you can plan in advance by searching online for mines near the town you will be staying in. There are approximately 300 mines in the state of Jalisco, including Santo Niño, La Lupita and more. Most mines are commercially owned, thereby making it illegal to dig for opals independently on private property. Also consider the location, as some mines are accessible only by car, and may be far from your accommodations.
Book a tour to familiarize yourself with the conditions in which the opal are produced. A tour service such as Opalos de México, based in Magdalena, Jalisco, can guide you to an open mine. An experienced miner will provide the necessary digging tools, educate you on how opals are formed and show you how to spot rocks that may contain opals. Tours can be booked by hourly or day rates, and cost anywhere from $60 to $200, depending on the company and length of time booked.
Pay a fee to the mine to dig for opals on its property. The mine will provide digging tools if you don't have your own. You can keep any opals you find, regardless of value.
Fill your bucket with water. Cleaning rocks as you go will help identify whether any of them are opals.
Put on knee pads and goggles to protect yourself from potentially sharp, flying rock.
Search for opals by sifting through piles of loose rock or chipping at the wall of the mine with your hammer or pickaxe. If you choose to search by breaking sections of the wall, start at eye level and work your way down.
Examine the rock you have broken for any pieces that look orange, red or sparkly, the trademarks of the fire opal. Rinse the rock in your bucket of water to further identify it.
Repeat the sifting, chipping and cleaning process until you find fire opals or your allotted time has expired.