The unique Opal Fossil Shell is just as we found it when mining one night recenlty on Bonito's Folly Feild in Coober Pedy. With very nice red colour showing we have contemplated removing the half shell from the host rock but in the end we decided best to stay just as we found it.  Opal Fossils such as Shells are thought to be up to 120 million years old so the fact they exist at all is amazing let alone they turn to opal and have colour in. By the way we never found the other half!!! Thats Opal mining for you.