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Ama-Opal awuhlobo lwamatshe ayigugu aziwa ngamaphethini awo ahlukile nemibala egqamile. Zivame ukusetshenziselwa ubucwebe futhi zifunwa kakhulu ngabaqoqi. Uma unentshisekelo yokuthenga i-opal, ungase uzibuze ukuthi iyini i-opal yekhwalithi ephezulu kakhulu nokuthi unganquma kanjani inani le-opal.
Kunezici ezimbalwa ezinquma ikhwalithi ye-opal. Isici sokuqala nesibaluleke kakhulu umdlalo wombala. Ukudlala kombala kubhekisela endleleni ukukhanya okuphazanyiswa ngayo ama-sphere amancane e-silica akha i-opal. Ukudlala kombala kugqame futhi kuhlukahlukene, kulapho izinga le-opal liphezulu khona.
Esinye isici esinquma ikhwalithi ye-opal umbala womzimba. Umbala womzimba ubhekisela kumbala oyisisekelo we-opal, ongasukela kokumhlophe kuye kokumnyama. Ama-Opal anombala omhlophe or umbala womzimba okhanyayo ngokuvamile ubhekwa njengowekhwalithi ephezulu kunalawo anombala womzimba omnyama.
Ngaphezu kokudlala kombala nombala womzimba, usayizi, ukuma, nokucaca kwe-opal nakho kunomthelela kwikhwalithi yayo yonke. Ama-opals amakhulu, alinganayo anamabala ambalwa ngokuvamile anenani eliphakeme kakhulu kunama-opals amancane, anomumo ongajwayelekile anezinto ezibonakalayo.
Ngakho-ke, iyiphi i-opal yekhwalithi ephezulu kakhulu? Kunzima ukunquma i-opal eyodwa "yekhwalithi ephezulu kakhulu", njengoba inani le-opal liyi-subjective futhi lingancika ekuthandweni komuntu siqu. Kodwa-ke, ngokuvamile, ama-opals anomdlalo oqinile wombala, umbala womzimba okhanyayo, nezisihla ezimbalwa zibhekwa njengezinga eliphezulu kakhulu.
Kubalulekile ukuqaphela ukuthi akuwona wonke ama-opals ekhwalithi ephezulu adalwe alingana. Kunezinhlobo eziningana ezahlukene ze-opals, ngayinye enezici zayo ezihlukile. Amanye ama-opals aziswa kakhulu afaka:
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Ama-opal amnyama: Ama-opals amnyama aziwa ngombala wawo womzimba omnyama kanye nokudlala kombala okugqamile. Avame ukubhekwa njengohlobo olubaluleke kakhulu lwe-opal, futhi atholakala esifundeni se-Lightning Ridge yase-Australia.
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Ama-opals amhlophe: Ama-opals amhlophe anombala womzimba okhanyayo kanye nomdlalo othambile, owedlule we-pastel wombala. Zitholakala esifundeni sase-Australia i-Coober Pedy futhi zivame ukusetshenziswa ebucwebeni.
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Ama-fire opal: Ama-fire opal aziwa ngombala wawo ogqamile, osawolintshi-obomvu. Zitholakala eMexico futhi zaziswa kakhulu ngenxa yombala wazo ongandile nogqamile.
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Ama-Boulder opal: Ama-Boulder opal atholakala esifundeni sase-Australia saseQueensland futhi abonakala ngephethini yawo eyingqayizivele yombala eshumekwe ku-matrix ye-ironstone.
Sekukonke, i-opal yekhwalithi ephezulu kakhulu yileyo enomdlalo oqinile wombala, umbala womzimba okhanyayo, namabala ambalwa. Yize kungenzeka ukuthola ama-opals ekhwalithi ephezulu ngezinhlobo nezindawo ezahlukahlukene, kubalulekile ukwenza ucwaningo lwakho futhi usebenzisane nomthengisi othembekile ukuze uqinisekise ukuthi uthola itshe langempela, lekhwalithi ephezulu.