Opal industry needs a boost
December 17, 2003
As Christmas approaches and one of the worst years in opal mining history draws to a close, there is still hope on the horizon for many Lightning Ridge miners. The price of opal fell to its lowest level in decades due to both local and global factors.
Lightning Ridge Miners' Association secretary Maxine O'Brien said the opal industry was dragged down this year by the scarcity of opal and the failing world market.
"I think most of the miners have had a pretty tough year, because prices and production are down. It's mainly because of the world economy and particularly the Japanese market. It's getting tough to sell to Japan, or was tougher, but hopefully that will improve next year."
Ms O'Brien said with a few new ventures planned she was very hopeful next year the opal industry would reverse the downward trend and start to rise.
"Hopefully the market will pick up a bit next year. We hope to get more ground opened up next year. We hope to get opal prospecting area four opened up which will hopefully stimulate a bit more prospecting activity."
Opal prospecting area four includes all the area of the Ridge south of Grawin and Glengarry. Ms O'Brien said when this area is opened up miners will have to comply with more stringent safety and environmental standards. The mine managers' course which began this year is one of the new measures, along with the need for all miners to have a Mine Safety Management Plan.
"So while we're hopeful of getting more country opened up, the rules are going to be stricter in that country," said Ms O'Brien.
The LRMA is now awaiting a review of environmental factors to be carried out which may have an impact on future rehabilitation regimes. Ms O'Brien said the those involved in the opal industry were beginning to become more proactive in promoting their product through avenues such as the Australian Opal Exhibition and the Australian Jewellery Design awards.
The LRMA is also starting to produce some generic promotional material to further promote the product. Several film crews have also expressed an interest in Lightning Ridge and the opal industry throughout the year. Ms O'Brien said to really give a boost to the opal industry more needs to be done.
"We just have to get a few more fields discovered and a bit more production happening, that always seems to help prices as well. "It always seems to be that way with the opal industry, the more production the better the prices," she said. "You have to be hopeful, or you don't keep going."
Sources: Lightning Ridge News