Mineral variety Healing crystal

Common Opal

✦ Stone of Quiet Comfort ✦

Also known as: Potch, Potch opal

Variety of Opal.

Common Opal specimen — Opal banded.jpg · Wikimedia Commons (see file page for author & license) · photo of parent mineral

📜 Key facts

Age	Varies widely
Origin & sources	Worldwide, wherever silica-rich water fills cavities.
Composition	Opal without play-of-colour (miners call it 'potch'). It comes in many colours. Opal is hydrated amorphous silica (SiO₂·nH₂O), Mohs 5.5–6.5.

How it forms

Silica-rich water seeped into cracks, cavities and fossils, then slowly evaporated. Tiny silica spheres settled out. In precious opal they are stacked in a neat, regular grid that diffracts light into play-of-colour. In common opal they are jumbled.

Mineral data: see Opal.

🌍 Where it's found

Type locality
Notable source / deposit
Country of origin

Marker positions are approximate (region or locality level). Type localities from Wikidata; notable sources curated by Crystopedia.

✨ Metaphysical & Folklore

These are traditional and folk beliefs from crystal lore. They are not scientific or medical claims – crystals are not a substitute for professional care.

Common opal (potch) is linked in lore to calm emotions and gentle comfort.