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Outback Opal Hunters Season 13 Episode 3
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00:00All right, Lee, I'm pretty much set up up here, mate.
00:12All right, mate, I'll get out of your way.
00:20Roger's up there now, he's getting rid of all that junk, all those logs, all that stuff that we don't want.
00:25We're trying to get down to this bottom level down there.
00:34Opal rich goodness, hopefully.
00:36Guys, we're looking from down there, mate.
00:37Let's get to it.
00:46Look out!
00:47Stop, man!
00:55I stepped out of the way, so, but, you know, minutes ago I was under there.
01:10I'm glad that you stood back, eh?
01:12I'll reach around, I'll grab the rest of these logs out.
01:15Yeah.
01:16In Lightning Ridge, New South Wales, Slim Pickings are back at their government tank claim.
01:23Yeah, nice, white, nice, white.
01:28Mining partners Lee Hobden and Roger Williams are searching for opal left behind at this century-old dam and processing site.
01:40Dam was actually dug out years ago.
01:42It was the original water supply for Lightning Ridge.
01:45This is exactly where all the most beautiful opal was ever washed, so it's where we are.
01:50All this stuff underneath, that's the old-timers' silk.
01:54That's what we're after.
01:55Those old-timers could have missed some decent-sized stones as well.
01:59Last season, their search for opal in the old-timers' waste dirt was starting to pay off.
02:05Show me.
02:06Holy hell!
02:07That is gorgeous, man.
02:09Oi, oi, oi.
02:10But crippling water shortages.
02:12Doesn't look like we're getting any decent rain any time soon.
02:15Broken machinery.
02:17That's a big job.
02:18And agonising injury.
02:20You got to talk muscle or something.
02:23Left the team short of their $100,000 target.
02:26Last year, we're running at a loss, to tell you the truth.
02:29Didn't give us much to live on.
02:31You're still going to feed yourself.
02:32You're still going to put money into where you live.
02:34All these things add up.
02:36Lee was a little bit down.
02:38I had a little bit of savings there.
02:39So I gave Lee $5,000 towards George.
02:43This is George.
02:45It's a dry rumbler.
02:46They used to use dry rumblers here back in the day.
02:48Cost us $20,000.
02:49We're up the target.
02:50Another $20,000 to $120,000.
02:53Only because you've got George to compensate for that.
02:55The dry rumbler drastically reduces the amount of dirt to be washed.
03:02The waste dirt left behind from a century of mining is fed through a rotating mesh trommel, sieving out sand and dust.
03:11The remaining rocks are washed in an agitator, exposing any opal.
03:17It minimalises the water usage, because in these agitators, we're using quite a bit of water.
03:23That means if the dam dries up, it might be years down the track, not months.
03:31Opal mining started here in the early 1900s.
03:35It was a craze.
03:35Yeah, they went nuts.
03:36They put down mine shafts everywhere.
03:38The history of opal mining in my family is I'm third generation.
03:42My grandfather started it back in the 60s and 70s.
03:45In my family now, we all love it too.
03:46We love the lifestyle, but we love the opal as well.
03:50And it's pretty safe now, man.
03:52Come down and have a look.
03:56There's a little bit of material in it.
03:59Fine bits of colour.
04:00They actually moved all the old-timer silk, pushed it all up in here.
04:04Sealed up the top of here has actually got a little bit of trace and a bit of colour in it.
04:09That's what we want.
04:10We want colour.
04:12It just may be this whole hill and this whole overburden might just be worth washing.
04:19Can't wait to see this thing move.
04:21This old tractor, early 60s, Fiat four-cylinder, it's our power pack.
04:28It has a hydraulic tank and a hydraulic pump in the back of it.
04:33And once you put enough revs on, have the hydraulic oil flowing in,
04:36it should be able to run all three motors on George.
04:39We're about to fire it up just to see if she's going to kick over.
04:45Oh, did you have to hold that on there?
04:49Ready?
04:49Ready?
04:51Holy Jesus!
04:52Burned the whole terminal out.
04:54Yeah.
04:54F***.
04:56F***.
05:07Yeah, with the excavator being out of action because of that ram, you know,
05:10we're not finding opal.
05:12Feels like bloody months.
05:13It has been months.
05:14Gonna end up down here with a pick and shovel to try and make some money.
05:17The chrome on the big boom has actually got chunks missing out of it.
05:22So every time the chrome's going in and out, it's grabbing the seal and oil's just pissing
05:27out.
05:28We've had to take the f***ing ram off, send it back to Adelaide and, you know, new piston
05:32nut on the end.
05:33And, yeah, we're just waiting for it to come in on the truck.
05:38Well, hopefully he gets his arse gear and turns up soon, man.
05:41Who knows out here?
05:42You always get your bloody heart broken at some point.
05:46Oh, here he is.
05:47Yes, finally.
05:48Doesn't look like he's got anything.
05:50What's going on, Captain Sweatpants?
05:53Stupid ram.
05:54Shouldn't have gone to that stupid company in the first place.
05:56When they took the piston apart, they actually wrecked the nut.
06:00And now we can't get hold of one of those nuts to put the piston back together.
06:03The big one?
06:04The big one.
06:05The real big one.
06:06Far out.
06:07We really need the excavator.
06:08We are absolutely stuffed without it.
06:10So we're screwed then, huh?
06:12That nut's a thousand bucks on its own, probably, you know?
06:15Whether we can even get a nut for it, because it's that old.
06:18We might have to get one made.
06:20The Blacklighters.
06:22Team leader Mark Ianssen.
06:24Finance manager Rachel Ianssen.
06:26There's been one headache after another.
06:28Just...
06:29Bloody ram.
06:30Pain in the arse ram.
06:31And mine partners Paul Kuhn and John Nasser have had their operation grind to a halt.
06:39To tell you the honest truth, we're down for another couple of weeks.
06:42This is not going for two weeks, at least.
06:44Well, we can't be down for another two weeks.
06:47No, that's ridiculous.
06:47We need the money coming in.
06:51The team have only just resumed mining in Coober Pedy.
06:56After a near-death experience almost destroyed their opal dreams.
07:03Sort of smacked Mark in the head with the excavator and might have broken his jaw.
07:08Just tell Paul I love him.
07:10I love those guys, man.
07:11My injury last year shook me up a bit.
07:13They did a good job, me.
07:15They cut me here and stuck a big scalpel down and just leaving it all out, healed up.
07:21Seem all right.
07:22It's taken its toll on the kids as well.
07:24Well, they're quite concerned about us going back to opal mining and they think they might lose one of us.
07:32But there's got to be a resolution to it for the meantime.
07:35Surely, like, we can speak to Sneaky Pete and see if we can't hire his for a couple of weeks until ours gets fixed.
07:44All right.
07:45Talk to you after.
07:45See ya.
07:46See ya.
07:47See ya.
07:47Blackwater's target is 350.
07:53We pushed hard to get it last year and if we can get to that target again this year, we'd be pretty happy.
08:01But of course we want more.
08:02Like, the dream is to find millions.
08:04Like, we want a big pocket.
08:06We want a career-defining pocket.
08:08Hopefully, I can use a bit of lady luck.
08:11You reckon?
08:13Moral of the story is we can't do without an excavator rates.
08:15No, we can't.
08:16Whatever price he says for us to hire it, we're just going to have to pay it.
08:20Yeah.
08:25Hey, Pete.
08:26How you going, mate?
08:27What's happening with you fellas?
08:28We've got a bit of a favour to ask, Pete.
08:30Uh-oh.
08:31Uh-oh.
08:32We were wondering if we could hire one of your excavators.
08:34Oh, no, I don't hire anything out.
08:38No.
08:38Every time I've done that, something's...
08:41Buggered up.
08:41...gone down.
08:42Oh, I wish I could, but I've learnt from past experiences.
08:46Oh, sneaky Pete.
08:47No, he's not sneaky.
08:49He just looks sneaky.
08:50You never quite know what he's thinking.
08:52Yeah.
08:54Yeah, I've been mining opal for 45 years.
08:57Started off in Andamooka as a holiday and then 20 years ago I graduated up here.
09:04Yeah, well, look, I won't hire it out.
09:08I will contemplate selling it for the right price.
09:11Oh, I didn't even think about that.
09:13Then I'd have two excavators.
09:15No, you won't.
09:15You've got one down.
09:16One and a half.
09:17Yeah, one and a half.
09:18Yeah.
09:19It's a 20 tonner, as you know.
09:22Well, I hope you know.
09:23These rams have got a bit of a weep.
09:25Yeah.
09:25The aircon looks like it's working all right.
09:27Yeah, the doors are open.
09:28Yeah, the doors are open.
09:30The aircon's working.
09:30The windows are open.
09:31And to start it, I put this fencing wire in here.
09:35Oh, yeah.
09:35Put it up to the vent.
09:36This is Bush Mechanics at its best.
09:38With a little electrical tab on it.
09:40So when you want to shut it down, you push that in.
09:43When you want to start it, you just pull it forward.
09:45Pull it forward.
09:45And this locks it in position.
09:48Then she's ready to go.
09:54Yeah, jeez.
09:55The budget's pretty tight at the moment.
09:57Depend what you want for it, Pete.
09:58Well, I'm sort of at the market around 28.
10:01That's what I'm thinking.
10:03Gee, I'm grateful for the offer, Pete.
10:04But 28, that's a bit steep.
10:07That, you know, I don't think our budget's going to stretch that far.
10:10Well, what, 18?
10:12Yeah, no, that's still a bit tight for me.
10:14Yeah, right.
10:15You know, look, I might do it for 20,
10:18but if I ever have a breakdown or something happens,
10:22you owe me a favour.
10:23I'd always give you a favour, Pete, no matter what.
10:27It's a good luck machine.
10:29Good luck machine.
10:30All right, mate, you got yourself a deal.
10:33Oh, OK.
10:35We spent 20 grand in the time from getting from the car to here
10:38and going back, you know,
10:39so you never know in the opal industry what's around the corner
10:43and you never know when your money's going to be gone
10:45or when you're going to get some more money
10:47or, yeah, 20 grand gone.
10:49That's all I'll say.
10:51Oh, I don't know if I made a mistake or not.
10:55Serious.
10:56Yeah, it's got a few little quirks we'll put out of the test.
11:13Feels pretty good.
11:14Yeah?
11:14Yeah.
11:15She's a bit sloppy in the bucket.
11:17Yeah, don't bucket shame at Mark.
11:19Yeah, it's a bucket shaker, mate.
11:20She's, yeah.
11:21Oh, bloody oath.
11:22Back in the race.
11:23We're back in the game.
11:24Back in the game.
11:25Yes.
11:29New excavators in the hole,
11:32taking off the top level of the cut
11:33and, like, throwing it behind.
11:35Mark comes through, pushes it out of the way.
11:39Turning into an awesome job, man.
11:42What?
11:42Psycho.
11:44Excavator and bulldozer.
11:46Awesome team.
11:50No way.
11:51As soon as I get on any angle,
11:56it just dies.
11:58Stupid does just started running out of power,
12:01so I'm going up the hill
12:02and it just...
12:03dined on me.
12:04Let's see if she'll start.
12:25I've just got to
12:25prime the seal up a bit more.
12:30Come on, let's see.
12:31Oh, s**t!
12:56Paul!
12:57What's going on?
12:59Angel!
12:59What the hell?
13:03All of a sudden,
13:04I've just had this sinking feeling.
13:06Oh, at first,
13:06it just went like that.
13:10Yeah, look at that!
13:11Oh, my God!
13:13Wow.
13:14Yep, shaft.
13:15Unknown shaft.
13:16I don't know what's under there.
13:18You know, like,
13:19the old guys covered it.
13:20They didn't fill it in properly.
13:22That's probably about 50 years old.
13:24That's just too dangerous.
13:25You know,
13:25I could have rolled the machine just then.
13:27Well, we're going to have to fill it in.
13:31Well, I'll bring it back.
13:31See, I'll turn it around.
13:32We'll bury it.
13:34And hopefully,
13:35we won't see any more of that hole ever again.
13:37Andamooka,
13:49South Australia,
13:50population 262.
13:54This isolated outback town
13:56has been a magnet for opal miners
13:58since the 1930s.
14:00Big man should do it!
14:06The misfits,
14:08Angel Dempsey
14:09and mining partner,
14:10Izzy Glenn,
14:11have returned to their promising
14:13but unpredictable
14:14lunatic claim.
14:16What the hell?
14:17Wow!
14:18Oh, my God!
14:19I must have pushed it out with Betsy,
14:21but look at that.
14:23Green,
14:24purple.
14:25You know,
14:25if that was red crystal in there,
14:26bam,
14:27we're on the money.
14:28Lunatic is full of surprises.
14:30Our last season
14:31went pretty well
14:32for us misfits.
14:33We ended up
14:34smashing out
14:35our 200,000 target,
14:38which was excellent,
14:39you know.
14:39We knew this claim here
14:40at Lunatic was rich.
14:42Oh!
14:44Absolutely beautiful.
14:46For the opal we found
14:47last season,
14:48I was able to
14:49purchase my amazing house.
14:51Welcome to my
14:52Andamooka mansion.
14:53Check out your part, eh?
14:55Bloody chandeliers,
14:56I mean,
14:57that's a luxury in itself.
14:58But now,
15:00Angel and Izzy
15:01face the new season alone,
15:04after former partner
15:05Cody Polglaze
15:06moved his opal mining
15:08operation
15:08to Coober Pedy.
15:11Cody's not here,
15:12so we're a man
15:13down on the field.
15:15And mentor
15:15and financier,
15:17Opal Joe Calmar,
15:18has taken time out
15:20to deal with
15:20health problems.
15:21I've basically
15:22stepped back
15:23because my health's
15:24up a creek,
15:26too many strokes,
15:27and so I've stepped back
15:29and hoping
15:29that Angel
15:30can take over everything.
15:31I've been lucky enough
15:32that Joe has,
15:34you know,
15:34taught me a lot.
15:37I've proven to myself
15:39that I can find
15:40Opal now,
15:41so I can't wait
15:42what this season's
15:43going to bring in.
15:43We're currently
15:48doing a massive
15:49open cut
15:50at Lunatic
15:51and also got
15:52two underground
15:53shafts that we're
15:54mining.
15:56The open cut
15:57is what I'm
15:57most excited about
15:58because I can get
16:00every single bit
16:01of Opal out of the ground.
16:02With the shafts,
16:04you can only take
16:04a certain amount
16:05because you still need
16:06walls to hold up
16:06the dirt above your head.
16:09I reckon it's going
16:10to take me
16:10a good two,
16:11three seasons
16:12to finish
16:12this massive project.
16:14Providing that
16:15Betsy hangs in there.
16:18Old Betsy,
16:19being 52 years old,
16:21she's getting a bit
16:23behind on,
16:24you know,
16:25maintenance.
16:28I need to either
16:29refurbish old Betsy
16:31or buy a bigger one.
16:35So there's an old
16:36fella in town.
16:36He's currently
16:37restoring a bigger
16:38bulldozer.
16:39And once he's finished,
16:40he's going to be
16:40selling it.
16:41So I'm hoping
16:42that we can smash
16:44out our season
16:45target to be able
16:45to purchase it.
16:47Hopefully Betsy
16:47can hang in there
16:48until I can find
16:49this Opal.
16:49Because if she
16:50packs up before
16:51I find the Opal,
16:52what am I going to do?
16:53Shovel in Wilburrow?
16:54No.
16:55When I came to Andamooka,
17:04I knew nothing about
17:05Andamooka Opal.
17:06And I've learnt a lot.
17:09And spotting is my forte.
17:12While Angel's having a bit
17:14of a play with those
17:15that are at the moment,
17:16I'm just scouring the ground.
17:18Opal is very hard to see
17:20in the dirt here.
17:28Bone!
17:30But you never know
17:31out here,
17:32it could be fossilised,
17:33opalised.
17:35But yeah,
17:36still got a bit of hair
17:36on it,
17:37so I think we'll leave
17:38that one.
17:41What's going on?
17:43Hey, Izzy,
17:44something's not right
17:45with Batsy.
17:49Oh, boy.
17:51She's used quite
17:52the size of these
17:53as she's meant to.
17:57So it's pretty much
17:58too loose.
17:59It's actually melted away
18:00the old lead clamp
18:01that's on there.
18:02But I'm pretty sure
18:03we just flattened
18:03the battery,
18:04if not destroyed it.
18:07If we don't get
18:07this fixed now,
18:08we aren't getting
18:08any Opal today
18:09at all.
18:12Slim pickings
18:13are struggling
18:14to start
18:14the rusty
18:15four-cylinder tractor
18:16that powers
18:17their dry rumbler,
18:19George.
18:20We need a jump starter,
18:21so hopefully it works.
18:22Connect the jump starter
18:23on.
18:25Fingers crossed.
18:26Ready, mate?
18:27All right.
18:33Come on, girl.
18:35Woo-hoo!
18:35I'm about to fire up
18:45George for the first time.
18:47Fingers crossed.
18:48Here we go.
18:53Oh, yeah!
18:57This is going to be
18:58a great season, mate.
18:59It's going to be
18:59an awesome season.
19:01From the 1960s
19:07up to the 1990s,
19:08they were still
19:08using these
19:09wet puddlers.
19:11The mesh they used
19:11back then
19:12used to spit out
19:13cracking little gems.
19:14All I've done
19:15is put in
19:15smaller mesh,
19:16catching what's
19:17been left behind
19:18by the old-timers
19:18through their mesh
19:19system.
19:22It seems to be
19:23running all right.
19:24That's pretty good
19:24material.
19:25Yeah.
19:26I like it.
19:26That's perfect.
19:27We need to make
19:29some money, bro.
19:30George is operating
19:31production line.
19:38George is running
19:39great.
19:40We just need
19:41to adjust those
19:41motors and adjust
19:43how we use them.
19:48Watch out
19:49around the track
19:49for us, hopefully.
19:57stop, stop, stop,
20:07stop, stop, stop.
20:08We got smoke,
20:08we got smoke.
20:10Oh, what's up?
20:11Top and down.
20:12So what's this leak
20:31down here?
20:32That's coming
20:32out of the drive.
20:34That's an absolute
20:36job.
20:38Fuel filter,
20:39air filter,
20:41and we'll have to
20:41just go stage
20:42by stage.
20:43Stage by stage.
20:44But it's more
20:45than likely it's
20:45probably be the
20:46fuel filter.
20:47Seemed like that.
20:47Running out of
20:48legs.
20:49Yeah, because the
20:49motor would lose
20:50its ass.
20:51Could be the
20:51air filter too,
20:52you know?
20:53Yeah.
20:55At Servo Clay,
20:56the Blacklighter's
20:57operation has
20:58ground to a halt
20:59again after a
21:01sudden loss of
21:01power to their
21:0255-year-old
21:03bulldozer.
21:04We're trying to
21:05change some
21:06filters because we
21:07reckon that's what's
21:08wrong with the
21:09dozer, but we
21:11don't know what
21:11we're doing.
21:12That's the
21:12problem.
21:14Did we bring
21:15the book?
21:15No, we don't
21:16need the book.
21:18Yeah, well,
21:19let's do the air
21:20filter.
21:21Christ, yeah,
21:21look at that.
21:24That's the
21:25problem, man.
21:27She had no power
21:28because she had no
21:29oxygen.
21:29She had no oxygen,
21:31man.
21:31We'll change the
21:32fuel filters over
21:33and, oh, my God.
21:35Look at that.
21:36Does that look like
21:37fuel to anyone?
21:38Sure doesn't to
21:39me.
21:43Mark's going to
21:44have so much
21:45power, he's not
21:46going to know
21:46what to do.
21:49So you reckon
21:50those filters were
21:50full of gunk?
21:51Oh, they were
21:52blocked, man.
21:52They were blocked?
21:54More than blocked,
21:56man.
21:56It was, like,
21:57rooted.
21:59Kick it in the
21:59guts.
22:00Kick her in the
22:01guts.
22:03Rev her up.
22:03Sounds all right.
22:08So, let's get up
22:10there.
22:10I'll crank up the
22:10excavator and see
22:11how we're going.
22:15Dozer and
22:16excavator now
22:17operational, the
22:18blacklighters can
22:19resume clearing
22:20tons of waste
22:21dirt to reach
22:22virgin ground, an
22:24untouched level of
22:25opal-bearing rock
22:2610 metres below.
22:28Yeah, we've got
22:29some brown dirt
22:30coming up here.
22:30That's the actual
22:31top of the virgin.
22:32So that is, we're
22:34in virgin ground.
22:35You know, I reckon
22:36by tomorrow, lunch
22:37time, possibly be
22:38down there and
22:39hopefully finding
22:39some opals.
22:40I've got to get
23:01right away from
23:02this machine.
23:03Way too close,
23:04man.
23:04Yeah, normally I'd
23:07be down there
23:07right on the face
23:08checking alongside
23:09everything and make
23:11sure we don't miss
23:12a chip.
23:15But I just want to
23:16be outside of the
23:17machine's reach at
23:18all times.
23:19So if he spins
23:20around, doesn't know
23:20I'm here or
23:21something, he can't
23:22get me.
23:24You know, our
23:25progress is a little
23:26bit slow today, you
23:27know, with Mark not
23:28being down on the
23:28ground spotting for
23:30me, you know, checking
23:30again because, you
23:32know, what happened
23:32last year, we'll
23:33sort of try and keep
23:34a distance while
23:35someone's digging.
23:37We're just going to
23:38keep pressing on and
23:39get this wall back as
23:40far as we can to get
23:42down underneath because
23:43that's where the, you
23:44know, the nice colour's
23:45going to be.
23:48I've got to make sure I
23:50get on top of this
23:51stuff and put the
23:52accident, everything
23:53out of my head and
23:54just do the best for
23:54my team.
24:00Hey, Izzy.
24:06Yeah.
24:08I reckon the boots
24:10are a bit blunt.
24:11That would explain why
24:12she's struggling so
24:13much.
24:14That doesn't help,
24:15does it?
24:16In the Misfits' first
24:17dig of the season, the
24:19blunt ripper boots on
24:20their 52-year-old dozer
24:22Betsy are forcing the
24:24machine to consume too
24:25much diesel.
24:28The grand hero lunatic
24:30is really, really hard.
24:32We're going to be going
24:33through a ripper teeth
24:34like no one's business.
24:36I think we should put
24:37some new ones on, whack
24:38them out.
24:40Hopefully she'll cut it
24:41like butter then.
24:43There we go.
24:44There she goes.
24:50My end goal is to run
24:52my own operation out
24:53here, be totally
24:54independent from Jo.
24:56Alrighty.
24:57We do need to work
24:58harder this season,
25:00purely because I've got
25:01a bigger goal.
25:02I want to become
25:02financially free.
25:04Well, for me personally,
25:05if I don't find any
25:06opal, I'm going home
25:08and I'm going to let down
25:09a lot of kids because I
25:11need the money for the
25:12gym.
25:13And we're going to get
25:13the heart rate up.
25:16Just need enough money
25:17to be able to send the
25:18fighters over to the Golden
25:19Gloves in Queensland.
25:22It teaches them
25:23respect, discipline.
25:28I want to grab that
25:28other boot, isn't it?
25:29And we've got the first one
25:33going.
25:37How's that looking?
25:39You all ready for this
25:40one?
25:40Slide her on up.
25:44Shove them up a bit
25:45higher.
25:49I think we've got a
25:50problem here.
25:53Not going on.
25:54That's the problem with
25:56old machines, you know.
25:57It's hard to get parts
25:58for and they said this
25:59will fit.
26:01Well, obviously not.
26:05It delays us digging.
26:06You can't do it without
26:07them.
26:11Jumping out of that cab,
26:12seeing that smoke.
26:13I thought the thing was
26:14actually on fire.
26:16Oil's getting too
26:17bloody hot.
26:18We need to fix it.
26:19If we don't have this
26:21power pack going, we
26:22ain't getting no opal at
26:23all.
26:26We need an easy fix.
26:28Because this ain't going
26:28to be cheap.
26:29Getting a hydraulic
26:30cooling system, it's going
26:31to cost a few hundred
26:32bucks at least.
26:33Mate, we've got a dam
26:34full of water there.
26:35I'll put some sprays on.
26:36Keep it nice and cool.
26:40That's going to do.
26:42Just running a bit of
26:43water over it, mate.
26:45Let's get this last
26:46load in, mate.
26:46Oh, yeah.
26:49So we're just feeding the
26:52last load now.
26:59That's it.
26:59We're done.
27:01It'll be good to see
27:01what's in the barrel.
27:12Excited, mate?
27:12Yes.
27:14Yeah, I brought my son
27:15along with me today,
27:16Logan.
27:16He's really, really
27:17excited to get into the
27:18opal mining game.
27:20Jump in.
27:21Stick that key in.
27:22And here we go.
27:24Hopefully he's an up-and-coming
27:25opal miner.
27:26We don't have too many
27:27younger generation putting
27:28their hand up to be
27:29opal miners.
27:30I'm third generation
27:31miner myself.
27:32This is my home country.
27:34This is Gomorrah tribe land.
27:36I've got a family of six
27:38kids, a missus, and a
27:40granddaughter, so need to
27:42make this open game work
27:44for us.
27:45Yeah, we have to do that
27:46every single time.
27:46We've got to wash it out.
27:48Yeah, like, it's hard to be a
27:49mentor to your kids when all
27:51you do is your work and
27:52you're never, ever there.
27:53So having him out of your
27:54work with me, it's going to be
27:55absolutely awesome.
27:57It's really exciting because
27:58it's like, I don't usually
28:00come out with Dad and I get to
28:02see the whole process of how
28:04they mine and that, and it's
28:05really fun.
28:07Yeah, there could be an
28:08apprenticeship there for him
28:09if he wants.
28:10If he wants to be a keen
28:11opal miner, we're more than
28:12happy to teach him, that's
28:13for sure.
28:16We're on the opal!
28:17Yeah!
28:20We're on the money!
28:22Woo!
28:24Oh, yeah!
28:26Woo-hoo!
28:28Today, we are tailing out for
28:30the first time.
28:31Hopefully it's full of opal,
28:32and that's what we're looking
28:33for.
28:34Don't lose those jams,
28:35opal!
28:37Colour?
28:41Colour!
28:43Good to have Logan on
28:44board.
28:44He's a good little kid.
28:45He's got good eyes on him
28:46too.
28:47Oh, my God!
28:49What have you got?
28:50Look at that!
28:51Bloody hell!
28:52Keep on finding them.
28:53Mate, we might have to
28:54employ you a bit more.
28:55I charge a thousand bucks
28:56an hour.
28:58See anything that's
29:00cuttable?
29:01Robin, there.
29:05Look at this!
29:07Oh, yeah!
29:10Oh, yeah!
29:11I'm out there,
29:11brilliant!
29:13It's big.
29:14It's bright.
29:16It's beautiful.
29:18Oh, it's lit again!
29:19I dropped it.
29:20Oh?
29:21You lost it.
29:22I dropped it.
29:23Are you kidding me?
29:24Dad knocked it out of my
29:25hand.
29:26You hit my hand!
29:27Don't blame me for it.
29:28Yeah, for real.
29:28All right, so it's either
29:29gone out there or in there.
29:36I can't see it up here.
29:39You know, pretty close to
29:40a thousand dollar piece.
29:42Bit of a rookie mistake,
29:43really.
29:44You know, really don't want to
29:45be accidentally just throwing
29:46a thousand dollars away.
30:02Just little bits of trade.
30:05Yeah, well, you can see here,
30:06like, all the cavities where
30:07the water could run.
30:08Like, this is just full of
30:10little, you know, little thin,
30:11little seams.
30:13At their servo claim,
30:15the blacklighters are working
30:16a promising 10 metre deep
30:18opal level.
30:19Some of them are pretty
30:20thick, too, so a lot of
30:21water would have, you know,
30:22seeped in through the years.
30:25Millions of years ago,
30:27silica-rich water from the
30:29ancient Eromanga Sea
30:30drained into the earth,
30:32eventually hardening to form
30:34opal.
30:36Keep following it and hopefully
30:37it blobs out in some colour.
30:38That is actually all right.
30:42There's rain in there, yeah.
30:45Disappears as quick as this
30:46comes.
30:47Yeah, but, oi, oi,
30:49what's in front of us?
30:50Miles of virgin ground.
30:53We're going to have to check
30:54it all properly.
30:55If we process all this dirt
30:57here through the noodling
30:58machine, we might have a
31:00nice bag full.
31:01Yeah, so the boys brought
31:07some dirt over, so, you know,
31:08you put the dirt through and
31:09just hope for the best.
31:15Opal fluoresces under the
31:17blacklight.
31:17Oh, a bit chunky.
31:21I wonder if that guy's colour.
31:23Oh, so much better than
31:25mining for it.
31:26You always end up with a
31:31little bit of something at the
31:32end of the week.
31:33Oh, look at this guy.
31:36Woo-hoo!
31:41That bottom bit's trying to.
31:46Come on, thicken up your
31:47b****.
31:50Hang on, hang on.
31:51Yeah, here.
31:52Oh, it's getting thicker.
31:53It's getting thicker, yeah.
31:54That's where it is.
31:55Woo-hoo!
31:56Look at that.
31:57Look at that.
31:58And that's the opal.
32:00Why would we not bring a
32:01bucket, man?
32:02I don't know.
32:03It's like going fishing with
32:04our Nesky.
32:05Yeah.
32:06Who forgot the Nesky?
32:09Look at the size of that
32:11one was.
32:12Imagine what sort of shell
32:14that was.
32:15That was a creature, man.
32:17Millions of years ago, that
32:18was a freaking creature.
32:21That's a cockle shell that's
32:22formed inside there.
32:24There's another bit of one.
32:25There's probably a couple more
32:26in there.
32:28Three more bits.
32:29Oh, hello.
32:31Oh, yes!
32:33Come on!
32:40It's not quite lining up
32:42straight, so we're going to
32:43have to cut them off so we can
32:44slide it up further for the
32:46pin to go through.
32:46On paper, if you just knock the
32:50pins out, old boot falls off,
32:52put the new boot on, put a new
32:53pin in.
32:54Sounds easy.
32:55In an opal field, it's never
32:56that simple.
33:03Basically, Angel and I have got
33:04to do it all on our own.
33:05I'm far from being a mechanic.
33:09I can change a filter or stuff like
33:11that, but the stuff Angel does is
33:13beyond me.
33:15She's great with the machines.
33:17I do give a bit of muscle here and
33:18there if I can.
33:19Let's get out there.
33:23It's too loose.
33:24This is one of the old pins.
33:26I have to make a new one.
33:28I'm going to have to find some
33:30video bar, make some temporary
33:33pins.
33:35We'll hammer them in.
33:37Put her dancing shoes on now.
33:40Don't tell her who's boss.
33:42We just have to bend each side so
33:44it stays in there.
33:47Izzy and I, we make a good team.
33:49She doesn't take no for an answer.
33:51She's as stubborn as me.
33:52We'll get there.
33:56Come on.
33:56So that's what you need in an
33:58open-winding partner is someone
33:59that'll just get it done.
34:02You've got to man up in these
34:03situations or woman up, whatever
34:05you want to call it.
34:06Just deal with it.
34:10Happy with that.
34:17The dozer's hardened alloy steel
34:19ripper boots are finally fitted.
34:22Angel can now tear away another
34:24layer of the open-cut floor,
34:26while Izzy spots for opal colour.
34:36It's all about the hunt.
34:37The hunt for opal.
34:40You can find pretty red ones,
34:42green ones, purple ones, blue.
34:44And if you're really lucky,
34:46you get all of those colours
34:47combined.
34:48It's like finding a pot of gold
34:50at the end of the rainbow.
34:51The only difference is the rainbow
34:53is in your hand.
34:58Angel!
34:59Stop!
35:07Holy moly!
35:09Look at that!
35:11Have you got something?
35:13Look!
35:14Holy crookie!
35:16Oh my god, I'm shaking.
35:20Wow!
35:20Look at that blue.
35:22That is awesome!
35:23Oh my god.
35:24You know what's happened though?
35:26We've split it.
35:28I've sent the ripper right through
35:29the guts of this pocket.
35:30Oh no.
35:31There should be another piece there
35:32because it's in this middle ripper,
35:33hey?
35:33Oh, Izzy, Izzy, Izzy!
35:41Oh my god.
35:43Oh, look at that.
35:45That's what we want.
35:46All these breakdowns are worth it.
35:49Izzy, look at the colours.
35:51Oh, that is beautiful.
35:53Good job.
35:54Awesome!
35:54Awesome!
35:55Awesome!
36:03Logan's found a cracking piece
36:09and then he dropped it.
36:13It's actually probably
36:14the best piece of the day.
36:16Oh, there it is there.
36:17Yes!
36:18Yeah, that's about
36:19a thousand dollar piece, all right.
36:22Oh, you're lucky, son.
36:23Ha-ha-ha!
36:25If we're getting these all day long,
36:27we'll be smashing that target
36:28before long.
36:29What do you do when you get it?
36:31Straight in the jar!
36:32This is an awesome
36:34start of the season, bro.
36:35Yeah, George!
36:36Ha-ha!
36:37Man, George really produced, eh?
36:46And this one here
36:48is going to be
36:49a beautiful little ring stone.
36:50I'm just going to
36:50just shape it up a little bit
36:52and I'll just cut it
36:53down to a rough rub.
36:55That way, then,
36:55it gives the option
36:56for the overblier
36:57and the way they actually
36:59want to cut the stone themselves.
37:02Roger has prepared
37:03the team's opal find
37:05for an attempted sale
37:06to local dealer
37:08Sissy Gia.
37:10Well, I hope Sissy
37:10buys his parcel off us today.
37:13We need a little bit of money
37:14to keep the bank rolling, really.
37:16Oh, hell yeah.
37:19And we have arrived.
37:21So, what's the game plan, Rog?
37:27They cut up pretty nice.
37:28Yeah.
37:28So, I'm thinking
37:30we'll hit her for 3,000.
37:31I reckon we hit her for 4,000
37:33and she will knock us down.
37:37I won't take any less
37:38than two and a half
37:39for it, really,
37:39because after that
37:40we're giving the bloody thing away,
37:42aren't we?
37:43Morning.
37:43Morning, Sissy.
37:44Morning.
37:44You've got something for me today.
37:46You sure do.
37:47Oh, beautiful.
37:47All right.
37:48Good.
37:49All right.
37:50I've known Sissy for a long time,
37:51been selling for a long time to her.
37:53She's always been quite fair.
37:55She's one of the better opal buyers,
37:56that's for sure.
37:57This time around
37:58it's not as big
37:59as we normally sell you.
38:00I know you're after
38:01those bigger parcels from us.
38:02Colour's beautiful.
38:03Yeah, colour's beautiful.
38:05Okay, that was some nice pieces here.
38:08Jewelry stones.
38:09Jewelry stones.
38:09That's what it's all about.
38:10Slim pickings have
38:12crystal and black opal.
38:15Blue, green and orange
38:16with flashes of red,
38:18it's been partially rubbed
38:19and weighs five grams.
38:22Sissy, we're going to ask four grand.
38:24Four.
38:28There's some good pieces here,
38:30but not enough for four.
38:34What do you want to offer us?
38:36Two and a half.
38:37Two and a half.
38:38Yeah, that's a bit
38:40on the low side, isn't it?
38:41Three grand.
38:42We're coming down
38:42to $1,000.
38:44Three.
38:45If you do us a favour,
38:46we'll make sure
38:47that you get the first look
38:48at the next parcel.
38:49Give you the first look?
38:50Yep.
38:51First look.
38:51Okay, this time's three.
38:53$3,000?
38:53$3,000.
38:54Yep, done.
38:55Beautiful, done.
38:56It's so easy.
38:56Thanks, darling.
38:57Thanks, Sissy.
38:59Here's a small parcel today,
39:01but this big parcel
39:02potentially going to be
39:03found by Little Roger.
39:05I cannot wait
39:06to see the big parcel coming.
39:08What a great start
39:11to this season.
39:12George works.
39:13This is just the start.
39:19This younger generation,
39:21we need more of them.
39:22So, Logan,
39:23I know he loves it.
39:24What he wants to do
39:25in the future,
39:25that's up to him.
39:26But if he can squeeze in
39:27a little bit of open-minded,
39:28you know,
39:28I know Roger would be happy.
39:30Here you go, brother.
39:31Still got school,
39:32and that's,
39:32I'm not just going
39:33to pull him out,
39:34but it would be awesome
39:35to have him with us
39:36a lot more often.
39:39Head on up
39:39and give old George
39:40a bit of a christening, eh?
39:42Oh, ha, ha.
39:44What's going on here?
39:49Yee-hoo!
39:50Ha, ha, ha.
39:52How's that, boys?
39:53Good night, Rog.
39:54I hope you're hungry, Izzy.
40:07Oh, steak.
40:11Got a good feeling
40:12about this season.
40:13It was an awesome find.
40:15Yep.
40:15And hopefully,
40:16there is plenty more.
40:20Wonder how much it weighs.
40:21600 grams worth of opal.
40:26Not bad find in one hit.
40:29The collector will love
40:30this piece.
40:31It all meshes together.
40:33I just love it
40:34how he found all the pieces.
40:35It's beautiful.
40:36Oh, my God.
40:39The Misfits have a mix
40:40of crystal and matrix opal
40:42with colours of blue,
40:44green and purple.
40:46It's in the rough
40:46and weighs 600 grams.
40:50So how much do you reckon
40:51it's worth, Angel?
40:55That top bit,
40:57that's jewellery quality opal.
40:58Yep.
41:01That crystal's quite deep,
41:02isn't it?
41:04I'm pretty confident
41:05in saying I can get
41:0625 grand for it.
41:07I'm happy.
41:08Take pictures of it
41:09listed online.
41:10Beautiful.
41:11Find a buyer in no time.
41:12Doing it for the ladies.
41:14Yep.
41:18Profits have to go back
41:19towards the boxing gym.
41:21You know,
41:21trips away for the kids
41:23without the hope.
41:26You've got nothing.
41:29I've learnt a hell of a lot
41:30since, you know,
41:31Jo started mentoring me.
41:33And I'm taking that information
41:35and putting it into place
41:36and finding Opal with it.
41:37Well, here's to a job
41:38well done, Angel.
41:39Cheers.
41:40Dig in.
41:42Yum.
41:43Rach, this is what
41:57we need you to give us
41:58a price on.
41:59Tony, it'll face
42:02really nice.
42:04Beautiful colour.
42:05Yeah, I reckon you've got
42:06quite a few nice stones
42:07in there, actually.
42:08Oh, they're yum, eh?
42:09Have a look at Johnny's effort.
42:10There's a lot there, though, eh?
42:11He's done it right.
42:12He's done it right.
42:13He's done it right.
42:14He punts away.
42:16The blacklighters
42:17have crystal opal
42:18and opalised shells
42:20featuring the full spectrum
42:22of colours.
42:23It's in the rough
42:24and weighs 400 grams.
42:27I reckon you guys,
42:29for your mining efforts,
42:30are sitting at about
42:3114 grand for that.
42:33Oh, well,
42:33I've had another
42:34one or two on there.
42:35Yeah, we're going to
42:36clean this up.
42:36Yep, we'll face it.
42:37We'll get...
42:38I'm being conservative.
42:39And I think,
42:41John,
42:43I reckon we're looking
42:44at about 10 for that
42:45and about 5 for that.
42:47So he got 15.
42:48That's being conservative.
42:50And we got, what,
42:5114?
42:5229.
42:52That's my favourite number.
42:54That's my favourite number.
42:56Yes!
42:57All right!
43:02Well done, boys.
43:03Team bloody partners.
43:05Well, bloody good week.
43:12I'd have to say,
43:13we moved a s***load of dirt.
43:15I'm proud of you too,
43:16man, getting back in there.
43:18Hey, you were down there
43:19and, you know,
43:20checking.
43:21Got into it, yeah.
43:21That's it.
43:22I'm back on it.
43:22I'm back on the horse bully now.
43:24We're back 100%.
43:25And we're right on the level now.
43:27Setting up for something good.
43:27We're setting up
43:28for something special, yeah.
43:30Thanks, everyone.
43:30Legends.
43:31Bloody good week.
43:32Yes!
43:33Ha-ha!
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