This collector's item is a superb and aesthetically pleasing mineral specimen, exhibiting the typical characteristics of pink opal with cinnabar inclusions.
The fine, delicate pink of the opal contrasts beautifully with the lighter, almost whitish-cream areas. The tiny, dark red to deep red dots and phenocrysts in the center of the piece represent the cinnabar inclusions. This combination is an absolute rarity from the Glass Butte in Lake County, Oregon. In this local deposit, which is approximately 5 to 6 million years old, cinnabar was even commercially mined in the past as a mercury ore from the brecciated opalite zones. For a hand specimen of this size, the distribution of colors and the raw, untouched surface texture are very remarkable.
In crystal healing, the pink opal is considered a powerful heart opener, believed to heal emotional wounds, promote serenity, and alleviate shyness. The cinnabar it contains is traditionally associated in esotericism with dynamism, vitality, and the transformation of blocked energies. Due to its cinnabar content (a mercury sulfide), this piece should not be used to make gemstone elixirs or worn directly against the skin for extended periods.
