- Treasure, Truth and Trash

at the Comet

Koroit, Queensland, Australia

The adventure of mining and finding beautiful Koroit boulder opal is continuing at the Comet.  We have been working hard and have been smiling thanks to some of the treasure Mother Nature has given to us.

Although the opal has been here, where the Comet now is located, for millions of years, we only recently have become the stewards of this very special patch of ground.  This is our first full season mining at the Comet.  We are learning about the ground and the process.  We are working out many concerns and details relating to issues such as logistics, privacy, safety and security.  As a result of still working through these details, my posts here have been rather simple.  Please pardon my lack of detail.  In the future I hope to share far more.

The posts on this blog may be brief, rambling or poorly written, but they contain the truth and are rather literal.  These posts tend to be neither poetic nor subtle.  Whatever is found on this blog has been written by me, not Wittgenstein or Nostradamus.  There is little, if anything, to be read between the lines of what is written here.  If you insist on reading between the lines, you have my condolences.  You are wasting your time. 

As I mentioned, whatever has been written here on this blog, has been written by me.  This blog has existed for a few years.  Sometimes I may ramble on about my personal information or opinions.  Other times I may share information about the people I interact with, the people I work with or the people I am in partnership with.

If you are confused or have any questions about what you find here, please ask me.  If I have been unclear, have made a typo, misspelled or made a factual or grammatical error, please let me know. 

Please ask before you assume.  Please ask me and get the facts before you jump to any silly conclusions or engage in that foolish and too common activity of gossiping.  Gossip mostly is a waste of time and tends only to consist of little stories, containing little truth, which are consumed by little minds.

Too often on an opal field gossip and rumors are more colorful and more easily found than the opal that has been mined.

If you are unable to resist your foolish urge, please at least make the gossip creative, colorful and comical.

To update you on our current activity and plans, we are mining Koroit opal.  We are finding Koroit opal.  In the not too distant future we will be selling Koroit opal. 

As I mentioned above, in the future I hope to share far more.  Thank you for your patience and understanding.

a bearded dragon in Koroit

If you wish to contact me, please do so using the email address found on my website: www.koroit.com.  For technical reasons please do not leave comments or questions here on this blog.

Thank you!

- Back in Koroit, Digging and Finding

Koroit - Queensland, Australia

After a quick trip back to the USA I have returned to Koroit.  We have been mining at The Comet and, luckily, we have been finding color.  The Comet produces a variety of types of Koroit opal.  We have found a few types of opal including nuts and opalized wood.  The patterning and character of opalized wood can be incredibly beautiful.  It can make great cut stones as well as amazing specimens.

Again, in general, it appears that demand for Koroit opal is up and production is down.  The increase in demand for this material is easy to understand.  Koroit opal is beautiful and full of personality.  Now that we are working The Comet, the largest opal mine in Koroit, we will do our best to produce and help you to continue to enjoy Koroit boulder opal.

This is a great time of year to be in Koroit.  The weather is very comfortable with warm days and cool nights.  I have not seen any snakes . . . but I have only been back for a little less than a week.

For a variety of reasons, I am limited with what details I can share right now - some of the reasons are external, some internal, but don't worry, I'm fine.  Soon I hope to be sharing more information, photos and videos with you.

If you wish to contact me, please do so using the email address on my website www.koroit.com.  Please do not use the messaging system here on this blog.

Thank you

- A Major Mitchell's cockatoo having a snack in Koroit

 A few days from now, equipment, weather and bandwidth permitting, I hope to be sharing a few photos and maybe some better quality video of mining in Koroit and the neighborhood.

- A panoramic view of part of the Comet

- A day in Koroit

Today started with two fried eggs, bacon and toast, then a couple phone calls, one to the Department of Mines and one to the police department.  I helped grease an excavator, had lunch, then spent a couple hours swinging a sledge hammer breaking open a few large sandstone boulders.  Yes, we found a little bit of opal.  Some laundry was folded and almost put away.  Dinner consisted of steak, potatoes, carrots and pumpkin (Australian pumpkin is, I think, in American English, a kind of squash).  Thanks to a brand new SHURflo pump I was able to take a comfortable shower after dinner.  I have just found and completed a Weed Hygiene Declaration and may have a glass of whisky to celebrate.

- Good morning from Koroit

- Just a few more hours of driving until I get to Koroit

- A few more hours of driving and I'll be in Koroit

Gene McDevitt
727.742.5471
www.koroit.com

Sent from my iPhone

Goodbye USA

- Trying to get to Australia

The Comet in Koroit

As the sun was getting low Frank Timms and I wandered around The Comet last season.  It is a big mining lease.  It covers 36 hectares (a bit over 88 acres).

To Australia again -

Sorry to repeat myself, but it's been a while since I last said hello.  I promise I'll try to do a better job of staying in touch on this trip.

Last year's mining season in Koroit presented me with an unusual and unexpected opportunity.  Along with my friend Frank Timms, I decided to buy another opal mine in Koroit.  Frank and I will be working together and will be 50-50 partners in the new mine.

Frank and I purchased a mine known as The Comet.  Much of my time in Koroit last season was spent working out the logistics and paperwork of purchasing and transferring the mine.  Even though such administrative details would not have made the most thrilling blog posts, I'm sorry I was busy, posted nothing and left many of you in the dark.

This season I will be keeping you informed.  Many photos and videos along with information about life at The Comet and the treasure we find will be shared right here . . . I hope.

If you have any questions, comments or constructive criticism, please feel free to contact me using the email address found on my website: www.koroit.com.  Feel free to let me know what you enjoyed seeing or would like to see or if any of the photos or videos were particularly wonderful or foolish.  My internet access will be limited and I expect to be busy, so pardon me if I am unable to respond immediately.

Thank you