The discovery
of major opal fields in South Australia
did not come about until well after the
development of the New South Wales and Queensland
fields. The initial discovery at Coober
Pedy came, fortunately, at a time when opal
production at other major fields was declining,
and so gave a great impetus to the opal
mining industry. Many finds were made in
the State, all around the edges of the Great
Artesian Basin, but eventually only the
three major fields were developed: Coober
Pedy, Andamooka,
and Mintabie.
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