Dear Opalstop members,

Some highlights this month:

• * MINING UPDATE
• * NEW WEBSITE ADDITIONS
• * 15% DISCOUNT FOR MEMBERS

Welcome to our newsletter for the month of June. This month we have an update on our mining activities, some special promotions we have on the website at the moment and some great discount offers for opalstop members. There is also news on new features that we have added to the website to make browsing our range of opal products much easier.

As previously mentioned in our May newsletter we are working some old mines in the "3 mile flats" area of Lightning Ridge and when we left you at the end of April we had unearthed some good traces of opal from the old mines. The mining continued throughout May as we pushed further into the unexplored regions of the mines and although the going was tough and not much dirt was moved and washed, we are pleased to report that some very good quality opal was found during May.

This was a tremendous boost to morale and justified our decision to persevere with these old mines. The finds are not significant, or nearly as large as we have encountered in the past but opal in Lightning Ridge and for that matter in the rest of Australia is becoming increasingly hard to find.

With the petrol prices going through the roof, and especially in the bush where it sometimes reaches AUS$1.50 a litre, miners are not finding a great deal at the moment to justify running all their machinery. This might not sound like much to our UK readers for a litre of fuel, but with blowers, diggers, trucks and puddlers running, sometimes the daily fuel bill can reach $250.00. And if you are not finding much opal this can be a real problem.

So hang onto your opals folks, as with not many coming out of the ground we could see the old supply and demand kick in shortly with the price of opal making some ground. Just my theory, but people will always want opal and if there is less around then the price should go up. We are seeing signs of this in Lightning Ridge already with the buyers getting frustrated that they can't find the quality that used to be readily available and when it does come to market it is snapped up pretty quick.

Some of our opal finds during May were sold immediately into the market as rough opal, while other nobbies are being cut and polished as we speak and will be sold to buyers who are ever present in Lightning Ridge. These buyers move these stones to all corners of the globe or even to local destinations such as Sydney or Melbourne to be sold on to collectors, jewellery manufacturers or direct to the tourist market. We will also be placing some quality gems on the website to give our visitors the opportunity to view our finds and maybe even purchase a gem of their own. So please look for these new additions in the coming weeks under the "loose opal" section.

WHAT'S NEW ON THE WEBSITE?

We are constantly striving to make the website a better experience for all, and during May we have added a great new feature to the site. Now it is possible to view all items on the one page and the same can be done with each category. This will give you an instant visual comparison of all the items making it much easier to choose a favourite.

To view all the items we have for sale simply click on "view all items" in the category section  or alternatively go to your desired category and click on "display all in this category". Then click on any image for more details.

JUNE SPECIALS.

For the entire month of June we will be offering all Opalstop members a massive 15% off any item on our website. This offer also includes items on the specials page. To receive your 15% discount you will need to use a special code only issued to Opalstop members.

When you have selected your item and added it to the shopping cart, you will see the "checkout" button as usual. Before the "checkout" button you will notice an area called "additional options". In this area you simply type in the discount code given below and it will be automatically deducted at checkout. Don't forget that you will need to log in with email address and password before checkout. So tell your friends to join up and they will also be eligible for all the great benefits we will be offering.

Opalstop members 15% discount code:   osa1506 [Remember you must be a member to use this discount - Create your account now ]

Another great special we have until further notice is our new ironstone and opal pendant offer. When you buy one of our stone and opal pendants for AUS$80.00 you will receive another one similar which is in line with our free gift offer. A virtual 2 for 1 offer, and with your members 15% discount and free shipping this is unbeatable value. Please see our shop front and specials page for this great offer.

Many thanks for reading once again and please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any queries regarding our current promotions.

Regards,

Darryl and the team at the Opalstop

The Opalstop newsletter is only sent to registered Opalstop customers who have elected to receive it. You can register for the newsletter by completing the registration form, (no purchase necessary).