Reprinted from The Ridge News, November 26, 2004
     by Jenny Galbraith

Hopes for a boost to the ailing opal industry were raised this week after news of efforts to better promote opal in China.

According to long-time opal buyer Abdula Chan, China is an untapped market which could be the solution to the recent downturn in the opal industry.

Mr Chan has been involved in the opal industry for more than 40 years and said he had never seen it as bad as it was now.

But he hopes to change all that by actively promoting opal in China and increasing the interest of opal in the country.

"I think the Chinese market could be very big," he said.

"If China starts to buy opal, there will not be enough opal to supply it... the market would be bigger than Japan and everyone else put together, because China is so big."

Mr Chan already has the support of Gemmological Association of China and the Chinese University of Geosciences, where he plans to teach students about opal and the industry.

As part of the course students will visit Lightning Ridge to get a first-hand look at opal mining and how the industry operates.

Students will then take their knowledge back to China and become actively involved in the buying and selling of opal, and through the university start up opal stores.

Mr Chan believes through this system of educating the Chinese people about opal, demand will increase rapidly and China could become the biggest opal market in the world.

He wants more interaction between Australia and China by sending opal industry delegates to China to meet those involved and to increase knowledge of the industry in China.

He will also seek to establish opal clubs in China similar to ones in the USA to boost interest in the gem.

Mr Chan said there was already some opal in China but more needed to be known about the stone before they were willing to invest in it.

Opal miner Harry Hensen said through the efforts of Mr Chan the future looked stronger for the opal industry in Lightning Ridge and other parts of the country.

"There is opal being sold in China but they're not trying to market it on a big scale.

"That's why the Chinese opal market hasn't really kicked off, it hasn't really been promoted and no one's really put their shoulder into helping the industry.

"He's trying to get the whole thing in motion to help the whole industry and get opal into China."

Lightning Ridge Miners' Association secretary Maxine O'Brien said the opening up of a new market would bring huge benefits to the opal industry.

"If the Chinese like opal I think it's an excellent idea."

"As long as miners stick together and don't undervalue their product it will be very beneficial.

"We haven't discussed it as a whole board as yet... but we're generally supportive and we'll try and work something which is mutually beneficial."