Mississippi Opal designated official state gemstone

Governor Tate Reeves has signed Senate Bill 2138, which designates the Mississippi Opal as the official state gemstone.

“The green Mississippi Opal is as beautiful as our state and it will be an excellent representation of our unique geological history,” said Governor Tate Reeves. “Thank you to our First Lady and the folks at the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality for working to elevate this issue. I was proud to sign this legislation.”

First Lady Elee Reeves

“There’s no doubt that Mississippi is home to lovely people, places, and natural resources,” said First Lady Elee Reeves. “I’m incredibly excited to have the Mississippi Opal as our official state gemstone. This gem is a perfect example of the beauty found in the state we love.”

The opal was formed by volcanic ash. It is the only naturally occurring gemstone in the state of Mississippi. It was discovered during routine geological mapping efforts of the Catahoula Formation in Claiborne County by the Office of Geology at the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality.

Additional information about the Mississippi Opal can be found here.

Mississippi Opal

Bob Bakken

Bob Bakken is the most recognized and most trusted name in DeSoto County news and sports reporting, as readers continue to express their appreciation for his accuracy and fairness in the stories he writes. Bob is also heard on 95.3 The Rebel twice a week with sports updates and high school football play-by-play broadcasts in the fall. A former newspaper editor and writer, his award-winning background also includes television news producing, sports media relations, and radio broadcasting.

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