Wollo opals - A powerful source from Ethiopia.

http://gemstone.org/webincolor/Summer2011/index.html

We are just back from Tsehay Mewcha after our scientific expedition with the Universities of Nantes and Addis Ababa.

Article issued in the AFG magazine (French Association of Gemology) December 2010 N° 174

Purchase the magazine :
AFG 7, rue Cadet 75009 Paris
tel : +331 42 46 78 46 fax : +33 1 40 22 09 77
Lysiane Borioli gemmes7@wanadoo.fr

WOLLO OPAL , ETHIOPIA : A SOURCE OF MINING CAPACITY !

Authors :
Francesco Mazzero¹, Christian Désagulier ², Benjamin Rondeau³, Dereje Ayalew⁴, Genet Ezezew⁵, Thomas Cenki⁶, Eyassu Bekele 7

WOLLO OPAL , ETHIOPIA : A SOURCE OF MINING CAPACITY !

INTRODUCTION
Noble opal (fig.1) has been mined since March 2008 in several deposits near Wegel Tena (fig.2) in the province of Wollo (also written as Welo or Wello) in Ethiopia. A first article, describing the deposit, its mining conditions and the opals found there, was published in the Revue de l’Association Française de Gemmologie ( French Gemology Association Journal) (N° 167 – Mazzero et al.2009). Since then, several publications have detailed the physicochemical properties of these opals (Rondeau et al., 2009, 2010a, b).Others will come out (Rondeau et al. 2011). The present article gives an account of a scientific expedition to this deposit organized and financed both by Opalinda/Eyaopal companies and Nantes University. The objectives were : providing information about the exploitation of this deposit, which seems very promising, and understanding the geological formation of opals.

Wegel Tena is not far from Lalibela and the monolithic churches.

In mid April 2009, we did our first exploration, descending in the opal bearing Tsehay Mewcha cliffs, in Wollo or Welo province. There, over 100 minors in 2 cooperatives of locals allowed by the government to mine opal were working. Full info on this volcanic rock opal in the Summer 2010 issue of GEMS & GEMOLOGY

Purchase the 15 pages pdf :
http://www.gia.edu/research-resources/gems-gemology/gemsgemologycurrentissue.html
Abstract :
http://www.gia.edu/research-resources/gems-gemology/issues/summer2010-contents/summer2010-rondeau.html

OPALIZED FOSSILS

Fossils of plants, vegetals tubes, are found in the ignimbrite level. This opalized wood is a crystal opal with red play of colour. Might say that opal formed during a period of teasing volcanism, in pounds and forests.

May 10TH 2010

We mourn the 7 dead Ethiopian miners who lost their lives in a single accident at the Wegel Tena opal field. Small-scale Ethiopian miners sometimes don’t employ best method and equipment in the mining process. These miners carry out extensive excavations work to locate the precious stone from their respective blocks.

By Francesco Mazzero
Issued in A.F.G. magazine n°148 October 2003
Translation by Danielle Cenki

Addis Ababa to Tarma Ber

A feeling of space, a slight exhilaration which enhances vision … an experience I already know, that of the high plateau.

www.eric-humbert.com
Jeweler in Strasbourg

www.louis-joaillier.fr
Jeweler in Nancy

http://www.cliclasp.com/
Anna Tabakhova Paris
French contemporary jewelry

www.jewelercentral.com
Comprehensive Directory of Jewelers Nationwide.

www.jewelry5.com
Jewelry Web Portal Directory

www.jewelrymagazine.com
Jewelery worlwide.

www.directoryjewelry.com
www.directoryjewelry.com

www.jewelrypopular.com
Portail bijoux et pierres.

www.glda.com
Las Vegas "2005" Gem and Jewelry Show

www.minerapole.com
Website of the international show in Sainte Marie aux mines.

www.mineralientage.de
München show.

www.ricestone.com
Boxes and jewel-cases, items for jewellers, mineralogy and collectors.

http://atelierholographique.neuf.fr
Light diffraction, interferencial colors, holography.
www.atholpar.com

http://www.atoptics.co.uk/
Light and atmosphere.

www.spaceweather.com
News and informations about the Sun-Earth environment.

www-ipcms.u-strasbg.fr/gonlo/fgon-fr.html
Slowing down the light in opal.

www.aps.org/meet/CENT99/vpr/layfb14-09.html
How to slow down photons using a gemstone.

www.geoforum.fr
Géoforum est un espace de discussions consacré aux Sciences de la Terre dont la volcanologie, au Patrimoine géologique, à la vie associative autour de la géologie ou aux manifestations géologiques.

www.geowiki.fr
GéoWiki est une encyclopédie dédiée à la géologie, minéralogie, paléontologie, volcanologie et autres Sciences de la Terre.

www.geminterest.com
Ce site internet est dédié a l'étude des pierres et plus particulièrement à la gemmologie.

www.mindat.org
Mindat.org is the largest mineral database and mineralogy reference website on the internet. This site contains worldwide data on minerals, mineral collecting, mineral localities and other mineralogical information.

Basel. April 25 to May 2.

Booth 3.1/B19

Opalinda - brand with Michael Youssoufian

Booth 3.0/A05

Opalinda - brand with Abouchar SA

Hong Kong Jewellery & Gem Fair September 2013

11-15, Sep 2013

ICA pavillon location Hall 8, Asia World Expo, HK

Booth N° 8G-29

MINERALIENTAGE MÜNCHEN

October 25-27

www.mineralientage.de

Feb 4, thru Feb 9, 2014 GJX INTERNATIONAL PAVILLION Booth n° 3011

OPALINDA & EYAOPAL at GJX.
Eyassu Bekele  Thomas Cenki and Francesco Mazzero will display a large collection of Wollo, (Welo) cut opals.
Big and rare stones will be the hit.

Opal at its best!