Honduran opals, especially the ones known as "Black Seam Opals" are among the rarest in the world. The Honduran opal deposits of Erandique were already exploited by the Maya in pre hispanic times. The Maya named this magnificent stone with the same word they used to name the hummingbird, obviously due to the viviacious and beautiful variety of colors these particular stones are known for which do in some way compare to the colors of a hummingbird.
There are two main mines specialized in the extraction of opals in Honduras.
"El Tablon" mine produces Black Seam Opals, which are comparable to the Boulder Opal from Australia and are cut and polished leaving the natural black basalt base or matrix attached to it. It also produces Black Matrix Opals which is basically balck basalt rock studded with opal matterial.