What is "cacholong"

Opal \O"pal\, n. [L. opalus: cf. Gr. ?, Skr. upala a rock, stone, precious stone: cf. F. opale.] (Min.) A mineral consisting, like quartz, of silica, but inferior to quartz in hardness and specific gravity.

Note: The precious opal presents a peculiar play of colors of delicate tints, and is highly esteemed as a gem. One kind, with a varied play of color in a reddish ground, is called the harlequin opal. The fire opal has colors like the red and yellow of flame. Common opal has a milky appearance. Menilite is a brown impure variety, occurring in concretions at Menilmontant, near Paris. Other varieties are cacholong, girasol, hyalite, and geyserite.

n. 1 (context mineral English) An opaque or milk-white chalcedony, a variety of quartz. 2 (context mineral English) A similar variety of opal.

Cacholong, also known as Kalmuck agate, is a form of common opal, although it is often mistaken for agate or chalcedony. A milky white colour with a Mohs hardness of about 6, it is used for carving, cameos, etc. Found in Austria, Czech Republic, Mongolia and Uzbekistan, its name possibly comes from a river in Uzbekistan.