Washington's Forgotten Opal | Full Documentary

Join me for a mini documentary exploring the history behind the first commercial opal mine in the United States. We'll explore why there's opal in Washington, how it forms, and what rockhounds look for today on the hunt for Washington's Forgotten Opal. Run time: 27 minutes.
Thanks to collaborators ‪@CurrentlyRockhounding‬, ‪@spenceropalminesllc4416‬, ‪@RufotrisRootedRockhound‬, and ‪@IceAgeFloodscapes‬.
Check out the Spencer Opal Mines: www.spenceropa...
Etsy: donohuelabs.et...
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[@DonohueLabs]

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[@gwynnfarrell1856]

I stomped around the Pullman area as a student in the mid 1970's and never heard a thing about opal, not even from a geology major friend. My grandparents were rockhounds and found a good amount of Ellensburg blue agates but I don't think they ever looked for opal. So this excellent documentary is an eye opener. It's also a beautiful look at the Palouse. Thank you for an interesting look at some eastern Washington history!

[@theoriginalpauly]

When I went to WSU my best friend looked at rocks for a major. The only local rockhounding he ever mentioned was a crystal formation just across the border... beryl, maybe? No opal.

[@DonohueLabs]

I didn't want to get into it, but we have an older family friend who has also been farming the Palouse all their lives, including some land maybe a couple miles from Barbara, and they'd never heard of the opal mine before, either. It really was a flash in the pan.

[@DonohueLabs]

I think there's beryl and mica and some other stuff northeast of Moscow, but most of it is private property now unfortunately.

[@savannah505]

@@DonohueLabs I'm wondering why you never mentioned Virgin Valley opal in Nevada. I've dug there twice, the first time, my friend and I struck beautiful opal on day 3. This was back in the mid 80's, and my friend was in the hole digging while I was sorting the material coming off when he struck a piece. It was a fossilized branch about 6 inches long and 1 inch in diameter. He struck it in the very center of it's length, I couldn't have cut it in half more perfectly with a saw if found in it's length without breaking it. So we each had a perfect piece and it was beautiful. Coffee black with the brightest play of color like the rainbow. I had it appraised at the time by a jeweler in Seattle (Fox jewelers) and they were the highest end jewelers in Seattle. They appraised it at $86,000 for my half alone. Now I live in Florida, ain't no opal here to dig. lol. But I do travel to India and have brought back beautiful Ethiopian opal. Thanks for the very interesting history of Washington opal, never knew about it.

[@ronpflugrath2712]

Fossilized corral in floriduh fire opal in nevada

[@erroneous6947]

I’m a geologist. I appreciate the technical accuracy. Good video.

[@DonohueLabs]

Thanks much! My background is also geology so I didn't want to screw that part up!

[@jamesanonymous2343]

HELLO, I'M NOT A GEOLOGIST, WHAT DO YOU INTEND TO DO ABOUT ME ?????

[@pauljefferies2091]

My grandfather had a fruit jar of harlequin opals that came up out of a gold mine in Republic Washington. I remember I used to turn the jar and look at all the incredible colors! After my grandfather died my parents had an outside estate sale and someone broke into the house and stole the jar along with a bunch of other things. Great video!

[@nonsequitor]

Sorry for the loss. Stuff like that really stings.

[@kevinfoster1213]

I never knew about opals in Washington and I grew up in Spokane. This video was fun to watch.. thanks

[@shellyboggs9093]

I have lived in Washington so long I am recognizing the different areas the Colombia river, Colfax area, ect

[@CurrentlyRockhounding]

That was very well produced! I can't wait to see your next documentary.

[@DonohueLabs]

Thanks so much! What should I interview you about next?

[@jamesprentice5503]

A good documentary on the first Opal mine in the USA!

[@snowdayninja]

KZbin algorithm knows exactly what I want to see. This is fantastic content!

[@DonohueLabs]

All hail our algorithmic overlords. Glad they brought you here!

[@whiteeaglestudios]

This is a great presentation! I once looked at an old (early 1900's) government publication citing that precious opal could be found in Moses Coulee. I would love to find that location today.

[@greybone777]

I've spent days exploring Moses Coulee. I guess I wasn't looking for opals.

[@GrannysGarage333]

I loved this!! As a life long rock hound it’s exciting to think there is always a possibility!! Great documentary!!!

[@ROCKINWHEELERS]

I noticed that in the Rockhounding World as well as The Lapidary World There are Groups that have their own groups which is understandable, then there are those that will blatantly Disrespect/Ignore on purpose. Then I became truly aware of Shaddy/Scrupulous Individuals That Numerous Persons have spoken negatively about. Then you experience what they have said and when it happens to you one knows what they are speaking off. Which of course affects all other TRUE ARTIST. Karen- A Podcast I now Subscribed too, informed me that she herself was Taken for $2,000.00. She gave me excellent advice. A lesson Greatly Learned. Your segment reminded me of; THAT EVEN A FAMILY MEMBER IS ALSO NOT TO BE TRUSTED, as I had previously mention Regarding my Wifes Black Opals.

[@randylabarge3298]

Well done, Patrick. I appreciate all the detail as well as the background.

[@TRUTHorDie]

Excellent Rockumentary!

[@TreDeuce-qw3kv]

There was or still is an Opal mine in the Ochocos of Oregon. We visited in the 90's, but have no recollection of how to get there or its name. I think it was near Mitchell and certainly east of Prineville. It was interesting to see the various Flood Basalt's graphics and particularly the basalt floods into Silver Falls area which is an interesting hike down through the many basalt and other material(s) layers and being able to walk behind the falls. There used to be an annual rock carving/sculpting event at the Silver Falls facility. They may still hold this event which I attended several times.

[@nunabusiness9002]

I found one of these in a pile of gravel at a jobsite I was working...crazy cool gem!

[@UncleBildo]

Very interesting. I know we have a buttload of the common opal, never knew there was any of the good stuff around. A friend has dragged several boulders of common opal in to add to his yard. Thanks for the vid, good job! Love learning more regional geology.

[@DonohueLabs]

Very cool, common opal can be pretty as well.

[@Zulwind]

Videos like this are good because it keeps the dream of exploration alive.

[@BrienWood7.3]

Great video! Nice to see Jared and his wealth of good info! Nicely done video, it was really interesting.

[@CarolSchenkl]

Opals are so beautiful.

[@davec9244]

VERY good job, thank you. I guess I won't be running out to start looking for Opal right away. Please ALL stay safe looking

[@DonohueLabs]

There are much better things to do with your time, for sure.

[@thepivotytv82]

What an incredible video. Thank you for putting this together.

[@DonohueLabs]

Glad you enjoyed it! It was a lot of fun.

[@theoriginalpauly]

This is a really interesting story about what a "rush" normally looks like. How disruptive...

[@DonohueLabs]

I wonder how many other failed rushes there were back in the day.

[@erroneous6947]

@@DonohueLabs look at what happened after the diamond discovery in South Africa. Pretty wild. Also the gold rush went around the world for a time. First Australia then California then the Yukon. Don’t remember what came after. Cool video.

[@Fishtory]

Excellent video and research. Thank you

[@vetsfreepress2144]

Very nice piece. Great work.

[@Kenriots]

This video was very informative, thankyou.

[@pascalswager9100]

Get after it guys! My pop had an opal mine in lightening ridge, heaps of black opal in the Family. Unfortunately My Uncle drowned in one of his mines there at 4yo. Interesting video ❤ from 🇦🇺

[@sonyaalgosaibi5840]

I enjoyed the video, i see more in the future? thanks for sharing Patrick

[@DonohueLabs]

More to come! At some point...just got to find the right stories.

[@susanpatterson7088]

very good, informative and fun to watch.

[@dustinfindsrocks]

Way to go Patrick! Excellent video ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@DonohueLabs]

Thanks!

[@Rocktwister]

So very well done! Thank you for doing all the hard work so we could enjoy it!

[@largent45]

That was so awesome Patrick! Wonderful job! And Jared too! Very interesting!

[@DonohueLabs]

Glad you liked it! It was a lot of fun to put together.

[@earthartgems]

A very well done Patrick. I subscribed after watching only a few minutes. Your channel deserves way more traffic than it is getting.

[@DonohueLabs]

Glad you liked it! I appreciate the kind words, and have been subscribed to your channel for a while now as well.

[@earthartgems]

@@DonohueLabs Really? Thanks! Small world. I finished this video today. Loved how it ended.

[@redrockranchspotlights]

Great Video! Mustve been days of editing...respect! Subscribed'

[@KindraShalynnHaimberger]

I live in Walla Walla and have always wanted to go to Nevada for their public opal mine dig sites.

[@jscottchrist5178]

Great video! Im new to hounding. Late bloomer at 65. My dentist went the dig opals in Oregon for a fee. $600 for dump load. He said the opals will dry out and crack. Aussie opals are already dry. BTW..thanks Jared for this link.

[@DonohueLabs]

Yes you really have to be careful about opal. $600 sure is a lot. My understanding is the Spencer Opal doesn't craze, but I haven't done testing on the material I collected while there.

[@feelinghealingfrequences7179]

water opal just keep it in water always

[@kaydavis8872]

Most interesting. Loved the presentation and learned a lot about the area of Washington we live in.

[@DonohueLabs]

Glad to hear it! I couldn't have done it without all the help in the credits.

[@MJCain-ye1uo]

EXCELLENT video!!! Great Job!! I really really enjoy your videos & learn a lot from them. Thank you 😊

[@hardluckclub7271]

what a fantastic doc! i’ve mined sunstones, and opals and had a blast doing it. fascinating to learn of opals in my state but wrong side of the mountains😂

[@DonohueLabs]

Glad you enjoyed it! I'm curious what hidden gems might have been lost on your side of the mountains.

[@hardluckclub7271]

the one cool thing i found all by myself was up near the town of enumclaw. there was a old mine and town by the name of franklin. if you hike to it, there’s a horizontal mine shaft that goes down close to 1200’ and behind it in the rock bank there what looks like shale but upon close inspection it’s all fossilized leaves. there’s tons of it❤

[@mikethompson8707]

Great movie well produced. Very informative

[@DonohueLabs]

Thanks!

[@rotisumbuErikGemstone]

Sangat mempesona dan berkilau❤

[@RufotrisRootedRockhound]

Wow I knew it would be a good show BUT HOLY COW!! That was great! That was a legit documentary and amazing work Patrick! 🤘

[@DonohueLabs]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@opalusmaximus7713]

Pretty accurate information. I can appreciate the good representation of this beautiful gemstone To add a bit: Australian precious opal is the only opal in its class as an amorphous mineraloid And can form in sandstone yes, but also ironstone and sea or plant fossils as well. Clearly, my favorite gemstone 😅

[@DonohueLabs]

Thanks for sharing! Yes, opal is more complex than I'd originally thought.

[@canadiangemstones7636]

All opal is amorphous, not just Australian.

[@TheSilmarillian]

Hello from Lightning Ridge NSW Australia the home of the black opal.

[@robinclemmons7712]

I appreciate the nod to Arlo Guthrie’s Alice’s Restaurant: “Remember opal? This is a documentary about opal.”

[@DonohueLabs]

Haha I'm glad at least one person made the connection!

[@glennaw1547]

Enjoyed this documentary. Also nice to see Jerod.

[@Ran_G]

A real cool and interesting docu. Thanks.

[@Lichlord]

Leo Mortensen was great on these topics. I learned a ton.

[@Kiwiliciousishness]

Great work putting everything together Patrick

[@th8298]

I am here in washington as well... and I have found beautiful opal AND gems that I have no idea what they are.

[@Rygar777_]

Seriously grateful! ❤❤

[@songbirdscreations-MargaretS]

Great documentary!

[@DonohueLabs]

Thank you!

[@colinrandall8195]

Well done, thanks

[@dwightvoeks9970]

Excellent! Very well done 👍

[@nonsequitor]

Great video, great featuring with Currently Rockhounding 😃👍👍👍

[@JnVrockhounding]

Awesome and very informative video. Fantastic work Patrick.

[@DonohueLabs]

Many thanks!

[@craigdutton6072]

That was interesting 😎I live not far from lightning ⚡️ ridge in Australia 🇦🇺 it’s made many a family very successful today 🎉💪🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺

[@thegatesofdawn...1386]

Great video, thank you.

[@michaelhoran407]

Excellent documentary.

[@vadenk4433]

Fascinating stuff!

[@TheAdventureCloset]

This is professional to the max, Patrick. Excellent documentary. Wow!

[@TBI-Firefighter-451]

Eastern Oregon is another good Opal hunting spot too

[@davidpattullo4881]

Thank you Patrick. Love the history, very well done!

[@DonohueLabs]

Many thanks!

[@406findings]

You killed it with this one!! Great video Patrick 🍻

[@bobs-rocks]

Great presentation documentary. Wish there were more of them out here that are properly researched and presented. Thanks Patrick for your diligence!

[@DonohueLabs]

Many thanks! I've watched a documentary or two in my time, and was trying to live up to some of the shows I'd seen in the past.

[@williamogilvie6909]

Very interesting. I can't blame the farmer's for discouraging prospectors. They have rich soil, farming has its own risks without people wanting to excavate, etc.

[@GeologyDude]

This was very impressive. Awesome video! Much appreciated!

[@DonohueLabs]

My pleasure! And thank you for watching the premiere with us all.

[@dmtcall]

5:15...best description ever

[@DonohueLabs]

Leo is incredibly knowledgable and a clear communicator. If you haven't seen it, Lapidary Dave did an interview with him a few months ago at a gem show. Well worth a watch.

[@ONAFIXEDINCOMEAlley-fz8tg]

Dave does a good job on his interviews.

[@Notapplicable935]

Looking forward to this ...

[@aborch7]

Awesome video! I was excited to see @CurrentlyRockhounding & am excited to see more from *you* as well! :)

[@TheBlondegedu]

The guy at 5:30 did a fantastic explanation.

[@bryanbradford2742]

Excellent video - thank you

[@RockyMountainBear]

Wow! 👏 👏 👏Bravo 👏 👏 👏 Encore! We want more! Video is topnotch. Information is VERY interesting. Was this the first opal ever discovered? It seems like all the claim jumpers had heard of it before, but I don't have a clue when precious opal was originally discovered. Thanks, Patrick.

[@DonohueLabs]

At least Mexican and Australian* precious opal had been previously found. *I said in the documentary it was before lightning ridge, which is true, but precious opal from elsewhere in Australia had been found previously.

[@candace8527]

Such a interesting story except for the thief. At least you have the memory 💞

[@brandonfisher639]

Excellent mini doc! very informative with extremely knowledgeable subjects interviewed. i liked the pragmatic disposition of the opal specialists. great historical footage included as well.

[@SueBrownMorris]

Way to go leo good information

[@syndahra]

Along with learning more about my favorite gemstone, this also explains to me something I never understood which was my mom's fascination with opals. I had no idea there was any opal discoveries in America let alone the state I was born in. Thank you for such an engaging video.

[@ieatcaribou7852]

I LOVE opal. Been cutting it for awhile and am always learning. Unfortunately I didn’t see any harlequin opals in the Spencer’s part of the video. Of course it could’ve been the video wasn’t close/crisp enough to genuinely tell). Great video though, I enjoy learning about opal anytime I can. You did this video justice.

[@cooksopals]

@Patrick great video. I personally am good friends with Lapidary Dave and we have done a couple videos specifically on Opal. The Harlequin pattern is one of the most rare patterns there is next to the script pattern. There are over a dozen patterns with pinfire being the most common. The chance of that opal shop having a Harlequin is slim to none. They are probably a Floral pattern which is commonly confused for Harlequin. Just for clarification, precious opal is a tight formation of silica molecules of the same size tightly packed together which allows light to pass through them and refract out presenting the colors we see with our eyes. Common opal is also a tight formation of silica molecules of varying sizes which don’t allow the light to refract hence the solid color we see.

[@Muonium1]

Surprisingly, it was not understood until the mid 90s that opals are actually 3 dimensional photonic crystals. When dyed, an opal can be used to induce directional stimulated emission of light, or laser radiation. In time, the more sophisticated and subtle nanoscale engineering of such structures may allow for the creation of computer chips which operate purely on the manipulation of photons in such photonic crystals rather than electrons.

[@DonohueLabs]

Interesting!

[@davidhakes3884]

Great Doc. Jeweler approved.

[@ROCKINWHEELERS]

WOW 17:30 INTO VIDEO, SHE MENTIONED A VERY DISRESPECTFUL ROCKKOUND, SO SAD THIS HAPPENED TO HER.

[@DonohueLabs]

I think many of those types hear opal and see dollar signs.

[@erroneous6947]

@@DonohueLabs this is why paleontologists hide their fossil sites. They sometimes rebury them.

[@BurninGems]

Great documentary of the opal. Thank you for making it.

[@bradpnw1897]

Great video.

[@terrapinrocks]

Great video! Vesicles are an indicator I use as well and a great display of them can be seen in my Red October 2 pit. I also agree about the CT-AG difference and believe Juniper Mountain down here in Southern Oregon is all CT (so far). Have you read any of the articles talking about how uranium may play a role in the development of play-of-color?

[@DonohueLabs]

I saw something about U, but it was too in the weeds to dig into for this. Certainly an interesting prospect. There's a lot of uranium in northeast Washington, maybe somebody should start looking for opals there!

[@pigeonbloodruby5330]

This is going to be awesome!

[@DonohueLabs]

Thanks for watching the premiere with us!

[@bhutjolokia6990]

Nice video, never heard of this opal and I have been cutting opal for over 3 years. I do have some beautiful spencer opal. Thanks for sharing!!👍😎👻🌶️

[@Katutubo28]

Thank you for the information brether

[@ldean2731]

Super cool. Great Documentary!

[@-hw-]

good video

[@AJShiningThreads]

Fabulous ❤❤

[@raygay3375]

I truly enjoyed this video. There seem to be more and more people becoming interested in the mineral and rock culture. I’m not much for all the hype, but if you’re willing to work hard, the beauty beneath the land can be found and enjoyed. There’s not any real way you “get-rich-quick”, but the GAMBLER in all of us seems to enjoy the chase. I love rock hounding, and I am thrilled when I find something beautiful in the effort. But I think that I enjoy getting out into nature and appreciating the peace that I find during my little adventures.

[@Cohowarren]

I had a great piece of opalized wood. A professor asked if he could take it to a gem show. I said fine. I never saw it again and he denied I ever gave it to him. Oh well...

[@nssmith2000]

What's his name

[@Parentalslayer]

tell us his name

[@bradpnw1897]

What an ass.

[@danieljohnson7638]

We want his name

[@danieljohnson7638]

Do tell !!! You might save someone a lot of grief not dealing with this loser professor of deception.

[@lesliepropheter5040]

Great story thx for the history lesson. Love opals

[@mr.kiggleshasanopinion1713]

LOVE opal

[@JPeters-x8l]

I live near Nye Beach Oregon one of my most favorite spots for blue agate hunting on the Oregon coast is just North of Strawberry hill and south of Seal Rock. About 25 years ago I happened to be on that beach during a winter storm and I found a few dozen fossilized clam shells. I love them because I never know whats inside the shell until its shell is removed. I often find spiral agate shells I have come across several that have light blue opalite interior. I was surprised one day after tumbling a batch of clam shells that one showed signs of a opal interior. We took it to a gemologist and he removed the remaining shell to expose a green to blue flash with spotty red flashes in the light. We had him keep as much of the shell shape as possible. 105 ct opal clam shell. I had it wrapped in a 18k wire frame and gave it to my mom. Ive never hunted Eastern Oregon or Washington for opal. When I was attending University of Washington State, I took several several geology courses and one professor explained that the Mesoula floods were caused by ice dams that held back huge amounts of water during the glacial toungs that were common during the last iceage 3-5 million years ago that would race down the Columbia gorge and what carved out the basalt layers of the gorge, the floods brought material from soutrhern Canada, Eastern Washington, Idaho and the Snake River valley. I have often found partial agate limb casts, pieces of fossile bones and fossilized shark teeth at the beach.

[@MiningAmerica]

I’d be happy to work with you in the future.

[@DonohueLabs]

Hey Caleko, thanks for watching! Love your Mining America series, looking forward to seeing the next stage of your journey.

[@SoBayK80]

In nearby Moscow, ID is Gem State Crystals, purveyors of gorgeous local opals.

[@davidbrandenburg8029]

Colorado has some nice Opals

[@davec9244]

you me, I will be watching you!