Andamooka matrix opal treatment.

G’day everyone, I hope you’re all well! In this video we’ll be learning what a “matrix” is when referring to geology, and how this relates to opal, what a “treatment” is and why we do it. While this video contains the use of chemicals, and all safety aspects were considered, this is NOT a complete “how to” guide and is NOT to be relied on, as some information may be missing. This video is for educational purposes only 😅. I hope you enjoy, thanks for your time. 🤪👍
My contact email: [e-mail]
My online store: theopalmills.com.au
The wheel I use: [e-mail]

[@PulitzerOpal]

Awesome, Phil! I just LOVE matrix. I learned to cut opal with matrix. I had 1 kg and I made hundreds of cabs with it. One of the most fantastic things about matrix ... it's like a Box of Chocolates - you never know what you're going to get. I need to get more of it! dp

[@theopalmills]

G’day Don, this lot is for a client, I’ll be cutting them also. I’m still looking for something to send you, we dug our first bit of crystal last weekend, hoping there’s a pocket coming up. 🤪👍

[@samanthasimental3788]

People are never happy. You are very transparent with everything you make

[@theopalmills]

🤪👍

[@ThatOpalGuy]

I love matrix. If it is sold as matrix people shouldn't complain.

[@ThatOpalGuy]

Great pieces. Thanks for showing the process and the results. Matrix deserves a LOT more love. It is just as beautiful as the other varieties of opal.

[@SuperBroncosguy]

I've often wondered who "invented" the treatment? Phenomenal opal!

[@theopalmills]

G’day mate, that would be historical if someone had invented it, I’d say it was more of a discovery, maybe incidentally smoke discoloured some fireplace rocks and someone was smart enough to understand how that happened, or, since dying clothes was already a thing someone thought “hey why not dye rocks?” and a bit of tinkering later after realising it’s the carbon that’s creating the desired effect, someone figured that sulphuric acid and sugar create that effect too, with great results. Either way I think it was being done to other stones before opal was discovered in Australia. 🤪👍

[@annblakeway7691]

An amazing display of intriguing rock opal. Looking forward to seeing the end results 😊

[@bentationfunkiloglio]

Had some really good color in some of those stones.

[@samanthasimental3788]

I would love to see you slice some of these. I find it interesting to see where the cuts are made.

[@samanthasimental3788]

Do you ever cut opal from other countries?

[@theopalmills]

These will make another appearance. By circumstance, I cut Australian opal, Global prospecting are sending me some Ethiopian opal to try. 🤪👍

[@samanthasimental3788]

Watching you looking at all the roughs reminds me when we were little in mexico and we would go exploring on a cluff by our house. Mom didnt have a clue. We could have fallen abd died. We did it all for pretty rocks 😂

[@theopalmills]

🤣 yeah, tunnel vision kicks in and everything else goes out the window, self preservation takes a back seat. 🤪👍

[@Algoldprospecting]

Wow man that’s a lot of opal. I’m not sure if I would get much done . I would be starring at it all day lol 😊

[@theopalmills]

Ikr? Like the Mirror of Erised. 🤣👍

[@jeffdillon-zg7oq]

Great video! Makes me want to give matrix a go. Thanks again as always Phil.

[@prospectvic]

Would love to see you slice some of them mate, alot of them look wicked, thanks for sharing the tutorial Phill.

[@theopalmills]

These will make another appearance. 🤪👍

[@A_Bone1972]

hey Phil, does the temperature of the sugar solution need to be considered at all? crazy how a commercial mindset vs a love of all things opal mindset seems to have affected the value and available material when it comes to treating matrix. as always, thank you for dropping more knowledge! 🍻 ✌️🐝➕

[@theopalmills]

G’day mate, I use a slow cooker, set to hot which just keeps it bubbling a bit more than a simmer, this will boil off a bit of water so then I add some top up water. 🤪👍

[@andypandyAU.6669]

Bloody beautiful job, such different pieces. I hope they all cut into some grouse pieces. I did manage to find some matrix out at Andamooka myself , not as good. But i am going to have a go at treating it myself. Do you treat before you cut all the time? Great job, just subbed as well. Wicked. Cheers Andy Poverty prospecting Australia

[@kevbruce9191]

Always great content. Thx Phil ❤

[@pkgoldopalhunting]

some good looking matrix mate

[@ROCKINWHEELERS]

They're Gorgeous

[@joekalmar1085]

that will be worth a few serious dollars phil

[@eddawilson244]

👏👏👏👌👌👌greetings from Germany ❤

[@markrio5053]

Hi I’m curious do you. Treat for other people I lived and mined Andamooka 35 years ago and have some matrix I got from stephens hill many years ago that I now want to get treated there already polished ,,carved. I’m looking to get these done If you can help please give me a shout cheers. Mark

[@410connects]

i have some bright red and green hard matrx in sugar solution as we speak

[@theopalmills]

Awesome, I hope it turns out with popping colours. 🤪👍

[@rotisumbuErikGemstone]

Sangat mempesona❤

[@azilelaufer9831]

Youre voice is very nice

[@Mass-jab-death-2025]

Thanks for so much info and stunning colour, my head is spinning with a million questions. How would someone get their hands on some treatable Andamooka matrix to experiment with? Where do you get the acid and how do you dispose of it and other chemicals when you are finished with them ?

[@theopalmills]

G’day mate, I would suggest a search on the chemicals, this will help make you familiar with some do’s and don’t’s, safety equipment required, how to neutralise, disposal would be down to your local council requirements. For legal reasons, I will not suggest anyone to try this based on my videos. 🤪👍

[@Dopey_opal]

Also, what concentration of acid Should I procure?

[@Dopey_opal]

How long should i let the stones bubble in the sugar water?

[@slavaglinovv6329]

Probably, I missed something. What was the point of dying big chunks of uncleaned matrix? Why didn't you slice the chunks into nice small forms and only then carbonize them?

[@theopalmills]

G’day mate, this was just a test treat to see how the matrix responded to being treated, and to highlight any colour which can help with deciding on how to slice. This was also just a good excuse to show the treatment process, as I get asked quite often. 🤪👍

[@slavaglinovv6329]

@@theopalmills 👍

[@argentux8919]

Had you ever try using Molasses instead of sugar?

[@theopalmills]

G’day mate, no I haven’t, I’m sure it’d work though. 🤪👍

[@thomascarpenter9462]

Is the treatment only skin deep like after you work it do you need too treat it again

[@theopalmills]

G’day mate, yes, sometimes superficial, but can go quite deep in some matrix, it depends on the porosity, some matrix is too saturated with opal to be able to take a treatment at all. It can also just be hard to force the sugars into the matrix, requiring longer and multiple treatments to set the carbon in. 🤪👍

[@thomascarpenter9462]

I know it’s off topic but do you think matrix or bolder matrix would be better for a dagger handle I have not had enough experience too know which would be stronger

[@camo6884]

What temperature are you treating them at ?

[@theopalmills]

G’day mate, I’m not sure of actual temperature, I use a slow cooker, set to hot which just keeps it bubbling a bit more than a simmer, this will boil off a bit of water so then I add some top up water. 🤪👍

[@camo6884]

😂all good , I can’t wait to try it my piece of matrix arrived yesterday, I hope it treats

[@Gyppo180]

What would be the value on the rough cut stone at 42:04

[@Gyppo180]

Can you cut it in the shape of a human heart?

[@theopalmills]

G’day mate, as is in the rough, from au$200-$400/oz. I’m not skilled enough to be able to carve a human heart out of opal, but I’m sure it could be done. 🤪👍

[@ccccarriemchardy9216]

Matrix is much more affordable than black opal. To those who cant tell the difference, you really need to do more homework before buying, stop believing that everything being sold is true at a steal price. Alot of people are also taken for Ethiopian opals dyed black. If its too good to be true, or you are unsure, don't buy it.

[@ThatOpalGuy]

Yeah, it is pretty obvious if you have even a basic knowledge of the types of Australian opal.

[@redeyestones3738]

Ya, thats not why he typed it. Yes its common knoeto people who know their opal. I think he was trying to keep people from making the same mistakes that they made when they first started. ​@ThatOpalGuy

[@tyler4761]

I mucked up cooked mine for 24 hours in sugar water 😂 Turned it into toffee 🤦‍♂️

[@theopalmills]

Doh!