Discover The Mysteries Of Opalised Belemnites
Today we are going to talk about Belemnites. It’s not often that we get to talk about something so exciting! Though Belemnites are normally formed from various minerals of the ground, we are going to talk about Belemnites that have been formed by opal replacement.
How Does Opal Form?
We know that opal forms in sedimentary rock, especially the ninety five percent of the world's opal that comes from Australia. It is exclusively found in the Great Artesian Basin. This basin formed historically as the waters from the area receded back into the ocean and now lie well under the ground, roughly 80 feet down on average, across the Great Artesian Basin. We know that occasionally, bone, wood, shell, and even dinosaur bone was fossilised by various minerals, but very rarely by opal replacement.
What Makes Australian Opal Cutters' Collection Special?
At Australian Opal Cutters, we are excited to introduce our special collection of Belemnites, meticulously gathered over many years. These unique specimens are formed by opal and originate from the hard part of ancient squids. When these squids died in the receding waters of the Great Artesian Basin, mud and sand covered their remains, eventually disintegrating and leaving cavities underground. Over time, hydrated silica, or opal in gel form, permeated these spaces, creating stunning opalised Belemnites. Our collection showcases the incredible natural beauty and fascinating history of these opal formations.
Why Is Hydrated Silica A Mystery?
Science is still seeking the answer to how this hydrated silica actually forms in the ground. As it is permeating into these cracks and crevices, it occasionally makes a hole where a squid bone, piece of wood or a shell has disintegrated, leaving a gap under the ground. Though carbonated minerals usually fill these holes, occasionally the hydrated silica of the opal has filled the hole and solidified. This is a rare occurrence. As a result, there is the potential for the opal miner to find an opal fossil, an opalised Belemnite. An opalised Belemnite is the hard part of the squid bone that has been replaced, not by calcium carbonite, but by opal.
Nature has this exquisite tale to tell which Australian Opal Cutters is about to reveal. There are some amazing tales about the waters combining with these various chemicals that form, in this case, hydrated silica, and magically filling or replacing the gaps left by the Belemnites. We do not know how opal forms in the ground; it's a complete mystery. What is not a mystery is the fact that they do exist and have been found.
Come See Our Opalised Belemnites Today!
Australian Opal Cutters has been fortunate enough over the years to be able to collect, cut and polish them to reveal the amazing mystery of opalised Belemnite fossils. We are about to release our complete showcase of Belemnites. I'll let you in on a secret: some of them have brilliant rainbow colours of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet in magnificent combinations and variations to form the amazing aspect of rainbow opal in fossils.
