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The most common dendritic inclusions in these opals are metallic oxides like manganese and iron.ĭendritic opal’s body tone is typically white or yellowish-brown with a milky, opalescent sheen and resinous luster. These inclusion patterns have also led to the alternate names “moss opal” or “mossy opal.”įor reference, inclusions are any material that gets trapped in another mineral during the mineral’s formation. Let’s start on the geological side to see what exactly dendritic opal is.ĭendritic opal is a form of common opal (showing no play-of-color) characterized by inclusions that display mossy or branch-like patterns.
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Today, we’ll discuss dendritic opal meanings, history, and properties, both geological and spiritual. In the spiritual community, dendritic opals hold potent magical properties, often used for healing physical, emotional, and spiritual ailments. When an opal or any gemstone displays tree-like inclusion patterns, gemologists call it a “dendritic” variety of that stone. Gemologists use the word “dendrites” to refer to tree-like markings on a gemstone or rock. Generally speaking, what is a dendritic gemstone?īiologists know dendrites as the branching ends of nerve cells that communicate with other dendrites along synapses to pass messages through the body. One such gemstone is dendritic opal, a type of opal with dark inclusions that form stunning fern-like patterns across the stone’s surface. Gem-lovers may come across the term “dendritic” in a few gemstone varieties.
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