For those who have not heard the South Australian Government is closing down the township of Mintabie.

Abdullah Chan was a dealer in rough opal. He spent his life buying and selling opal.

My mining partner Robert and his wife June had a lovely little toddler named Taran.

The Warden’s court is part of the judicial system. It hears disputes on mining matters and the decision of the court is final.

During my time at Mintabie Opal Fields crystal healing and crystal metaphysical work was just beginning to become popular.

Opal buyers came in all shapes, sizes and characters. At the peak of Mintabie’s glory days there was not a day go past without a stream of buyers calling in to our camp. These buyers were of all nationalities.

For several years of my mining at Mintabie Opal fields I had a Korean mining partner. He joined Robert and I when we decided to go opal mining on a full time basis.

Grasshopper is a sub field on the extremities of Mintabie Opal Field. It produced vast quantities of opal in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s.

We were working a claim at the back of Mintabie Opal Fields. It was in an isolated area and had no adjoining operating claims.

Sometimes when you are mining, a little bit of trace or a change in ground gets you so excited you become convinced you will soon be on to a big pocket.

For many years we had 3 claims about 100 meters from the water storage tank for Mintabie.

A particular obnoxious miner from Mintabie Opal fields was always after our claims. Andrew went to considerable lengths in attempts to get ground near us.