We all know that furthering your education can open up opportunities that you would not otherwise have. And there is no better way to further your career pospects than by earning a degree or taking college courses to refine and expand your skills. In fact studying for an online degree can revolutionize your future.

Unfortunately most people find it difficult to study when they need to earn money. So traditional college courses are not an option for many people. Or if they are, they are often much too expensive or time consuming.

Earning your degree online has changed all that. Distance education has been with us for many years, but development of internet has created an explosion in online study. Many people who have not been able to attend college to study for their degree now have chance to earn a degree from home.

Advantages of Online Study and Online Degrees

First, studying for an online degree is incredibly convenient. Your classroom is your home office or living room and you can work on your online degree any time of day or night -- on weekend, before breakfast or in middle of night.

The vivid array of colour in opal is from uniform alignment of silica particles. The size of particles determines colour as light refracts through it.

Unlike many other gemstones, opal doesn’t occur in lengthy veins or concentrations. Instead, small clusters may be spread over a vast area and divided into precious or gem quality and common. Opal is found in many varieties, but precious opal represents only a small percentage of total mined.

Black Opal:

Black opal is rarest and most valuable of all opals and is generally found as a bar of various colours in a dark body. In addition, there is also Semi black and black Crystal.

Black opals from Lightning Ridge, Mintabie and Andamooka in Australia account for 99.9% of all opals in world.

Boulder Opal:

Boulder opal, found in fields of Queensland, is classified as a solid opal and occurs as thin veins of precious opal in cracks and cavities of ironstone. During processing, stone is cut leaving natural host rock as backing. The opal occurs as either a solid piece of colour on top of ironstone or showing as flashing flecks of colour throughout stone.

Light Opal (White or Milky):

Light opal can be found in Coober Pedy, Andamooka and Mintabie in South Australia. A full range of colours can be found, with background colour either white or light blue.

Crystal Opal:

As name suggests, crystal opal has a brilliant, crystal appearance, with a translucent or transparent background. When viewed on a dark surface colours spring to life.

Picture Opals:

Picture opals are so called because their pattern forms an image of an object or person. A good imagination is sometimes required to visualise object/person.

Fire Opal:

The term “Fire opal” is commonly used to describe clear orange crystal opal that comes from Mexico, some of which have a play of colour, although many have just an orange or reddish base with no play of colour.

Opalised Fossils:

Buried in layers where opal mining occurs are remains of a world over a hundred million years old, brought to surface by miners searching for gemstones. These fossils include remains of dinosaurs, shells, mammals, plants and fish. Some of these fossils have been opalised, a process in which silica-laden waters have gradually replaced organic material.

Common Opal:

Common opal is classified as non-gem quality opal, mostly opaque and showing no play of colour.