Fire Opals World Class mined near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
We all know that Puerto Vallarta, Mexico is a popular destination resort and retirement haven. We also know that almost all cruise ships Vallarta, Mexico Riviera regular input port to provide visitors fun and exciting things to do, places to visit, to take side tours, beautiful beaches to enjoy, etc., but very few tourists learn about the area, local customs and history.
Puerto Vallarta is located in the State of Jalisco, the third state capital of Guadalajara, Mexico is the second largest city in Mexico great. The Guadalajara metropolitan area (including Zapopan, Tlaquepaque and Tonala) has a population of about 4,000,000 inhabitants, about the same size as Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. Puerto Vallarta is the second largest city in Jalisco with a population of 350,000 people, located in the foothills of the Sierra Madre, along the coast of the Bay of Banderas the Pacific Ocean.
At 3,000 meters, the Bay of Banderas, one of the deepest natural bays in the world with Sierra Madre Occidental to the north, Sierra Madre del Sur in the south and the Trans National Volcanic Axis Range to the east. These three mountain ranges converge on Banderas Bay, where more than 60 million years when dinosaurs roamed the earth importantly, these mountains were formed as the crust of the planet has changed forever. More recently, only about a million years during the Pleistocene period, volcanoes erupted in the area of exposure of a land rich in minerals that contain large deposits of gold, silver, lead, zinc, copper, tin
The word is derived opal opalus the Latin word (for a color change), and popularized the opal around 100 BC and valued this stone, above all other stones valuable believe that the holder of luck charm. Mexican fire opal, sometimes known as cherry opal, precious fire opal, sun opal, sunflower (in Spanish for sunflower), and Quetzalitzlipyollitli (stone of the bird of paradise) by the Aztecs, was used by the Mayans and Aztecs in the last millennium for ceremonial purposes and in various mosaics. Today, connoisseurs say that fire opals give courage, strength, willpower and energy the user, warm colors, red orange flame, would have a positive effect on psyche and convey a deep sense of warmth, peace and harmony.hundreds other minerals. As a result, Mexico became the world's largest producer of silver for centuries and only recently came to second place in the world. Much of the Mexican silver was mined in this region is 100 kilometers from Puerto Vallarta.
Because of the rich volcanic soil, all tequila in the world comes from this region of Jalisco. With plenty of tequila, there was also a state of mind for music and dance! Therefore, in this area within 100 miles of Vallarta, Mariachi music evolved (a symbol of the Mexican Revolution) and Mexican Hat Dance (the national dance of Mexico).
Much of the Vallarta region rich soil is also ideal for agriculture and location to be in the same latitude as Maui, Hawaii, the weather is perfect for growing many fruits and vegetables. An example is the handle, where Mexico is the third exporter of mango in the world.
Now we know that the area around Vallarta is rich in agricultural and mineral resources, we will go further. What happens is that over a dozen different minerals groups with hundreds of varieties in Mexico. For example, silicates single class, contains over 60 minerals different, such as jadeite, zircon, topaz, quartz, a subgroup that includes amethyst. The class consists bismutite carbonate, calcite, magnetite, dolomite, etc. while the sulfates class has gypsum barite cuprotungstite, etc., and many of these minerals are used for industrial applications. Finally, the class that contains mineraloids amber, obsidian and opal minerals that are frequently carved, ground, cut and polished works of art, jewelry, etc.
Many of these minerals, including most opals are formed during the Cretaceous period and brought to the surface of the Earth during the Pleistocene. Among the 25 varieties of opal, fire opal is opal, of course, the facets and fire opal deposits are the largest found in Mexico. One of the two largest sites for mining the Mexican fire opal, which is just the "national gemstone of Mexico" is located near Magdalena, Jalisco, a small town, about 100 km east of Puerto Vallarta that can be visited from PV during one of rounds of ten hours per day. Magdalena is a region rich in igneous rocks, obsidian, volcanic lava, and over 300 mines opal.
opals Mexican fire consist of silicon dioxide or silica spheres arranged in a pattern ordered iron oxide dispersed throughout. It is the oxide iron that gives the Mexican fire opal its distinctive brilliant color as the flame of a yellow, orange and red. The three most important characteristics of fire opal are body colors, transparency and play of colors (different colors from different angles). Plus the play of colors, the gemstone more valuable. Like most opals are faceted, generally appear as a cabochon. However, since fire opals are often naturally faceted they can be cut, polished and mounted in cabochons or faceted stones.
Opal is the birthstone for those born under the sign Aries and Libras rock. For those of us fortunate retirees who test Vallarta Books, we are able to obtain these spectacular birthstones practically in our backyard. For those of you visiting Vallarta and just want to have one of these gems, there are many fine jewelry stores in the city, some of which specialize in fire opals from Mexico.
Now you have a better appreciation of fire opals and where they come from, will have a reason to visit and / or retired to Puerto Vallarta, the destination of the most beautiful of the Riviera Maya, where fiery sunsets and opals abound brilliant.
Jim Scherrer has owned property in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for 25 years and have resided for the past eleven years. Mission his series of 45 articles related to retirement in Puerto Vallarta is to show recent changes that have taken place in Puerto Vallarta while dispelling misconceptions on living conditions in Mexico. For the entire series of articles on travel to and retirement in Vallarta, as well as pertinent Puerto Vallarta links, please visit Vallarta Real Estate "Buyers Agents Port and click Items.
About the Author
Jim Scherrer has owned property in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico for 25 years and resided there for the past eleven years. The mission of his series of 45 articles pertaining to retirement in Puerto Vallarta is to reveal the recent changes that have occurred in Vallarta while dispelling the misconceptions about living conditions in Mexico. For the full series of articles regarding travel to and retirement in Vallarta as well as pertinent Puerto Vallarta links, please visit us at Puerto Vallarta Real Estate Buyers‘ Agents
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