Mexican Cantera Opal Cabochon - Jalisco, Mexico Adamite The distinctive layers were formed

The distinctive layers were formed in ancient oceans as dissolved iron reacted with oxygen produced by early microorganisms (cyanobacteria)

where silica-rich fluids filled ancient gas bubbles in basaltic lava millions of years ago

Because this piece is kept in its raw state

and other materials

Mexican Cantera Opal Cabochon - Jalisco, Mexico Adamite The distinctive layers were formedIve always been fascinated by how certain minerals look when they are left partially embedded in their host rock, and this Mexican Cantera Opal Cabochon is a perfect example of that natural contrast. In Spanish, "Cantera" translates to quarry or stone, which refers to the pinkish tan rhyolite matrix that surrounds the precious opal. Instead of being cut out as a traditional gemstone, these specimens are shaped and polished so that the opal sits like a