OPAL MINING

Justin Lang is a dedicated opal miner based in Coober Pedy, South Australia, the opal capital of the world. He began his career over a decade ago working underground, using traditional hand tools to follow narrow opal seams through deep, sandstone shafts. While rewarding, underground mining is physically demanding and often limited in scope.

Today, Justin focuses on open cut mining, a more modern and large-scale method that allows for safer and more efficient exploration. This approach uses heavy machinery to remove large amounts of overburden—earth and rock covering the opal-bearing layers—and expose wider sections of ground in the search for opal. Open cut mining not only increases the chances of finding opal but also allows miners to access ground that may have been overlooked or unreachable through underground methods.

Justin’s deep understanding of Coober Pedy’s terrain, combined with his years of hands-on experience, allows him to responsibly and skillfully uncover these natural treasures. His transition from underground mining to open cut not only reflects the evolution of opal mining techniques, but also his dedication to both the craft and the land. Through his work, Justin continues to reveal the vibrant, otherworldly beauty of Coober Pedy opals—each one a unique piece of Australia’s geological and cultural heritage.