Hyalite Opal
$124.95
Item number:
1
Hyalite Opal From Guanajuato Mexico
Hyalite opal from Guanajuato, Mexico (primarily sourced from the San Felipe region) is highly prized by collectors for its pristine, glassy, botryoidal (grape-like) crystal formations. In daylight, it appears as clear or translucent bubble-like formations, but under UV light, it exhibits an intensely brilliant, glowing green fluorescence.
Key Characteristics
- Origin: San Felipe, Guanajuato.
- Appearance: Transparent, colorless, and glass-like, often occurring in bubbly clusters on top of a host rock or alongside minerals like topaz.
- Fluorescence: Emits a vivid neon-green glow under both longwave and shortwave UV light.
- The "Glow" Factor: This distinct fluorescence is caused by trace amounts of uranyl (uranium) impurities trapped in the hydrated silica structure.
- Safety: Because of the trace uranium, the stone is technically radioactive. However, background radiation levels are very low. Precautions—like wearing an N95 mask and using plenty of water—are only necessary if you are actively cutting, polishing, or grinding the rough material to prevent inhaling radioactive dust.