[Rockhounds] opalite vs. not

[Carol Carter-Wientjes]

Hello rock friends,

 How can you tell if a rock material is an opalite? I got a nodule that I'm reasonably sure is a nice solid opalite inside, the miner thinks not (based on an "official X-ray"). Where you chip off a piece from the rough the surface of the rock is very shiny. It also polished up easily when I carved a piece. What are some other clues to help decide?

Rock mysteries are so much fun! CaroL

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