Outback Opal Hunters Season 13 Episode 7

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Outback Opal Hunters Season 13 Episode 7 #PrimeUSTV   🎞 Please join  https://t.me/CinemaSeriesUSFilm

Transcript

00:00All right, you ready Luke? I'm gonna give it a go. Yeah, go on

00:11I'm trying to reverse out

00:14Me and Rory just went to reverse back the rig

00:18We've got bogs the dirt's just too loose and the tires are spinning

00:21I'm gonna have to get some more sticks see if I can get the tires to grip. Do you want to try this big one?

00:26Thank you

00:28So the tires are pretty much bald just trying to create enough traction for it to to grip and take off

00:41Hopefully that's enough grip for the tires to reverse back

00:45If not, we might have to get dad and mark and I don't really want to disturb them and what they're doing. So really hoping this works

00:58We'll have to call dad and mark I'd say can you get battery?

01:19Sure

01:25Hi dad, how you going

01:27Little problems like this take up minutes then hours and then yeah all of a sudden your whole day's spent trying to get out of a bog

01:34So, uh, yeah a bit annoyed at this point

01:38Could not believe that like it wasn't even wet

01:45Got mark on his loader gonna chain it up to this old rig and he's gonna pull it out

01:50Grawan New South Wales for over 30 years

01:58Opal miners in the region have relied on auger drills to fathom the rocky depths

02:04Now the cheels chiles chris son Rory daughter Luca and mine partner mark Bresson are attempting to find a new opal level at their turner's rush claim

02:18Yeah, sorry for taking up your afternoon mate you're all good mate

02:26We're all here to help each other buddy

02:29Their prospect drilling virgin ground we'll put the first hole about here to decide if they extend their open cut mine or abandon the claim

02:39You know if we don't drill anything up at all then there's not much point coming out here and digging it with the excavator

02:44In sydney chris's youngest son oscar is in charge of sales like you know the business is growing so quickly

02:54You know we've got that new collection and needs new opal to satisfy demanding clients oscar's given us this big task

03:02Our big goal this year is you know to do a chill opal summer collection

03:06I know he believes in us, but I can imagine he's um probably stressing out a little bit

03:09We'd want probably around 100 like really high quality beautiful stones to set into jewelry and give to our customers

03:17So there's a lot of work that goes behind that

03:24How we go with the drill over the next few days will sort of dictate the rest of our season really

03:31Essentially we've got two to three feet of gravel and we're looking at everything underneath the two foot of gravel

03:37So as the drills going down that sends the sample up through this rumbler

03:43Come through the rumbler all the fines drop out on the ground and and you're left with your sample at the back

03:49If we find color all well and good, but if not we're gonna have to find somewhere else to mine

03:53So fingers crossed we get onto some color over the next couple days

03:59The truck is the same age as me

04:01She's a 1970 model

04:03But mechanically she's a great old truck never lets me down i've had it for 15 years now

04:12We need some productive ground to keep up with our jewelry line and all the rest of it

04:16And obviously we need able to cover costs and make a living out of it

04:20So it's important that you know we can drill some color up here

04:23And if we if we don't then um yeah, it's going to be a pretty pretty lean looking year

04:28You could spend months digging somewhere and not find anything but with this rig pretty much a week on a claim

04:36You'll know whether it's worth going underground there and digging

04:43We've got potch there straight away

04:45That's a very good sign potch is essentially colorless opal so it's not worth as much as the colored stuff

04:51That's potch so that's what we're looking for but now we want the color

04:56Because i'll tell you what you drill color up out here it'll set our season up there's another bit look

05:02We need color we're not going to come out here and dig all this out if we don't drill color

05:09Pressure's on we need to come up with some oval

05:11Hey joe hey you're out and about the sun's coming out and i'm sitting in the shade what a

05:33You just look guilty we've been moving a hell of a lot of dirt so you're not finding opal jack

05:44So that's why you look guilty

05:46Maybe so what's that cost us that cut so far 35 40 a lot of money

05:52And it should be producing more what so you think we're missing it

05:56Yeah, obviously, I don't think we are

05:59So whose fault is it we got no money then

06:03I guess me yeah

06:07This is how it's going to work you've got to keep digging you need to work at night you need to get some money in

06:13Not night shift it is all right yeah, so you know forget to work

06:22Oh dear yeah, I thought one of us was going to go is he yeah well

06:25I thought it was going to be me to be quite honest

06:27Yeah, the newest one on the team and i'm thinking god he's going to follow me for sure we've got to bring opal back

06:33So let's get to it let's do it

06:40Put the iron over the shaft yep because we're meant to be getting a heap of rain tomorrow

06:44At their lunatic claim the misfits mining partners angel dempsey

06:49Just watch out for snakes too and izzy glenn are struggling to keep their opal operation alive

06:56Joe's the boss and our orders are to be out here at night and

07:05Find opal after a strong start to the season in their open-cut mine

07:11The team are now spending more money than they make the cuts so far

07:23You know it's cost us 40 grand close damn close if not a bit over it. There's a lot of money gone into it

07:29While their mentor and financier opal joe kalmar is battling illness. I've been out of picture for nearly three months

07:37It's down to angel and izzy alone to uncover any opal they can

07:43Our season target is 300 grand it's big ask

07:47But hopefully lunatic will produce for us and yeah, we'll get there smash it out

07:57To survive mining in today's world where the economy is you have to be in that top one percent

08:03Angel's been massively increasing her efforts. Maybe i'm laying her on a bit hard for her you know, but i think she'll be fine

08:14First thing i need to do is create a face with the excavator so we can work it nice clean virgin dirt

08:23Izzy it's my eyes you know i'm relying on her to spot the opal because worst case scenario we accidentally you

08:30know dig it out the ground and accidentally bury it again

08:36Looks like a good spot for the night

08:39Looking pretty good izzy

08:41I'm just getting our black light torches ready they're ultraviolet and there's only a couple of places in south australia

08:50which is and amica and cooperpedia where opal actually fluoresces under ultraviolet light

08:56So anything down there we're not going to miss it and we're going to make joe very very happy

09:07We're going to be able to see anything and everything that is glowing in that ground

09:13I'll get you to go we need to have a bit of a look there no worries

09:16I know the scoop you reckon hang on

09:27You want something woohoo i'm turning the machine off

09:34Oh no lilyse books

09:39oh see if that one's got color

09:42now from what I'm saying it's just potch damn it watch clothes just like opal but

09:54yeah you don't know if it's got color or not till you put it like a white light or

09:57a normal torch light on it it can be quite pretty but you know the world wants blue

10:02purples greens reds oh hello and one it might be pot show but what so thin it's

10:13look like it's leading us on a little bit it's teasing give us something how you

10:22feeling is he tired yeah this ground's getting a bit hard is he I have to get a

10:27picking up my spot hey Izzy is that a big star it's moving wow that is what the

10:37hell is that let's get up and look oh my god you see it that's definitely not

10:44human I don't know what that is the hairs on the back of my neck standing up well

10:48it's definitely not a shooting star that is freaky as hell like what is that it

10:55looks like it's coming towards us

11:03back to diggers Gully let's prove dad right yeah he always said there was lots

11:11more there we left a lot we just didn't quite have the gear I don't think we've

11:15got an excuse now we've got all the gear yeah we got your big excavator got the tip

11:19truck loader yep it's a bloody good combo you come down the tip truck and we'll get

11:26into it

11:27all right cool we'll go up the hill don't do it

11:32oh that's not good

11:38that was not a good noise it's a real pain in the butt because we've got so much work

11:48to do and we need to be moving dirt what's up what do you reckon it could be I don't have to

12:02have a crawl around so we can see we're gonna have to jack this cab up and have a look at what's

12:11uh what's gone wrong hopefully it's not something too serious in Coober Pedy South Australia the

12:20Opal lovers Dan Meesey and Renee Everest grab onto me have returned to diggers Gully a claim first

12:27explored by Dan's father in 2002

12:31diggers Gully is where dad and I working together found our first reasonable size money it's really

12:38important that we get the tip truck up and going we really want to prove Dan's dad right that there

12:43is more Opal here in diggers Gully definitely is this turbo I'm thinking two three grand a few weeks as

12:55well probably a couple of weeks our target this year is 300,000 we had the same target last year

13:02but we didn't make it but enough of this we have to make it this year otherwise I'll have to go back

13:07to Adelaide I can't seem to keep anything going I was thinking why don't you go for a bike ride with

13:13your mates yeah that could be a good idea go for a bike ride and have a bit of fun yeah good idea

13:19look it's pretty stressful having another machine go down but I'm going to go for a ride try and work

13:27out some of the frustration and have some fun okay guys so I'm thinking today we're going to go from

13:39here we go down to old 17 mile road go through all jocks old tunnels we'll go through the drives

13:44there make a little loop have some fun out there what do you reckon beautiful let's go eh wagons roll

14:01could be adventure ride is a group that I go riding with down again it's a great way to blast off

14:06some steam get rid of some frustration when things don't go right in mining I grew up in

14:13Koo Petey riding motorbikes all around the desert pretty awesome place to ride beautiful scenery then

14:20we've got the mine sites and the big dozer cuts motor mine jock he's got a big climb out at 17 mile

14:27two k's of tunnels and drives in it so definitely good hope will come out of here

14:43what a ride not it really much don't thirst me bit of a breather it's crazy I reckon I'm gonna have to

14:59have a little look around with the blacklight it's not like you is it there's some nice looking ground

15:03over here no worries we'll catch you later please I just can't help myself it's good looking ground I

15:20really gotta and he's looking pretty interesting it's like a bit of a dip in the level geez look at that

15:31that's good trace I think we've got to come back and have a look at that

15:37go get Renee bring the jack pick back at least knock some of that level down with the dipping

15:43um jock's claim but um I'll give jock a ring and just if we can't do a deal

15:50yeah that's nice blue material so not quite colour but that's worth a look at

15:56busting through that hard bit which is good at Turner's rush Rory and Luca Cheel are drilling for

16:15new opal bearing ground to determine if they should extend the team's open cut mine

16:21so we've dug up to there we want to know for sure it's worth digging the rest of this um this corner

16:30if there's no color it's not worth digging up so hopefully over the next few holes we can start

16:35to see a bit of color at the team's wash plant site Chris and Mark are upgrading a second agitator

16:43a converted cement mixer that washes the clay and dirt from mined rock to expose any opal

16:51an agitator makes life a little bit easier uh being out here using these machines um because

17:00you just don't know what opal you miss when you're digging you know especially when you're using

17:02machinery like ours you know like big excavator and especially you know super dig and stuff like that

17:08you know you can't see bits and stuff but there's so much you can miss also so these are a real asset

17:13to what we do in the industry we need to put a skin of concrete over this mesh and that'll protect

17:19the barrel and this barrel will see me out I'll be long gone and they'll still be using it

17:24paying the butt job to do so you know I feel sorry for Chris in there it's it's not the most

17:30comfortable of conditions to be working so hopefully in a week's time when we finish rendering this barrel

17:36um we'll have the two up and running

17:38I feel good actually because once it's done I'll never have to get back inside it ever again

17:47and it's gonna gonna double our production

17:49potch on the first hole that's pretty extraordinary luck but really yeah yeah people go hundreds and

17:58hundreds of holes without finding any potch but you know if we find find some color out here that

18:03pretty much sets us up for the rest of the season I reckon that'll do on that hole sis yeah pack it up

18:09move it over all good lift up

18:13I've done five already if I can get another 10 to 12 out I'll be happy

18:22so just anywhere around that area I think that's pretty good

18:28just tell me when to stop

18:33what's it stuck on

18:41corner

18:42put in a bog hole again so just gonna have to give me a few minutes to calm down

18:53just feeling a bit frustrated at the moment we just went to move the rig again and uh yeah got bogged

19:02in not too far away from where we did last time hi mate I've uh bloody bogged this thing again I'm

19:09gonna need you guys to pull me out oh yeah thanks mate sorry about that

19:16I'm just getting the chain ready for the um for the loader to pull this out

19:22just watch yourself down around that chain

19:39not moving now

19:48oh oh that's moving right that's moving

19:51what is that have you ever seen anything like that before is he no I have not

19:58well I just got the goosebumps

20:00there's a military air base not far from here

20:04who knows they could be doing something but you know we're in the middle of nowhere you expect to see

20:10wildlife and shooting stars but nothing moving like that in the sky that's I don't even know what

20:16that was oh let's get back to it let's get back to it I can't be worried about that

20:21with their mining operation losing money fast the misfits are working through

20:30the night to increase their chance of finding opal

20:33it is gone come back

20:43nothing

20:57there you are

21:07There you are.

21:17You home?

21:19Crikey, what are you doing here?

21:21Bringing your hot tea.

21:23Oh, very kind, but...

21:24You're sleeping as well.

21:26Well, we're digging all night and we're just following trays.

21:29It was mostly jackhammer and pick work.

21:31We were hoping it would produce something, but...

21:33My arms are about ready to fall off.

21:35Oh, well, I mean, you know, you're starting to smell off a bit.

21:39So, you know, might want to think about getting a shower or something.

21:43Go back to mining tonight?

21:45No, it could be the night.

21:46Well, fingers crossed you hit a bigger pocket, eh?

21:48We need it.

21:49All right.

21:59Oh, yeah, this is my kitchen.

22:02It's embarrassing.

22:03Kitchen slash work zone.

22:07You know, I got my bread, butter and Vegemite that I have for breakfast,

22:11a bit of toast, but, you know, I'm surrounded by bits and bobs of opal as well.

22:17It's got a lot of pressure, no knock-off.

22:20Live, eat and breathe opal.

22:21What's our plan tonight?

22:32We need the opal as big as possible.

22:35Yep.

22:35We don't want to be smashing it with the escalator.

22:37Basically, slow and steady, but don't miss nothing.

22:40Oh, where are you, opal?

22:54I'm on a nice little trace trail.

22:57We've got a bit of fault happening here, Izzy.

23:00We've got a little red fault here.

23:01I'm finding stuff down here.

23:02See, there's some trace there right now.

23:04So, hopefully, you're on a fault.

23:06So am I.

23:07Yeah.

23:07Right there.

23:08Yeah.

23:08So, hopefully, if we meet together in the middle, that's where the pocket should be.

23:12So, it might be deeper.

23:16Just take some out of there.

23:18All right.

23:19Where I am right now, I can just see the bucket.

23:22I'll light it up for you.

23:23I'm going to need you to go back just a little bit more with that bucket.

23:31Oh, Angel, stop.

23:32Stop.

23:33You all right with me?

23:36You need to get down here, mate.

23:38Look.

23:39Oh.

23:41Here I am.

23:42Here I am thinking you've just collapsed in front of the bucket.

23:47And, boy, you found a f***ing corner.

23:49I thought you were going to hit it.

23:51What a mixed emotions there.

23:52I was thinking I just f***ing crushed you.

23:56That's even got colour, eh?

23:57Come on.

23:59Oh.

24:00It's even got a bit of blue opal through it.

24:03Oh, look at that purple line.

24:05OK, I'm grateful you just dive-bombed in front of the bucket for this stone.

24:11A lot of people say it's not worth dying for opal.

24:14But I couldn't risk Angel breaking that rock.

24:18And we desperately need this find.

24:22This is a type of opal.

24:25It's only found in Andamuka.

24:26It's called Hard Matrix.

24:28It's been such a long time between finds, and we just found a beauty, so very happy.

24:32Woo!

24:33Oh, this has got to save us.

24:35This is worth some money.

24:37It's going to make Jo fricking smile.

24:40And we're not going to get fined.

24:42We're on it.

24:43Good job!

24:44Woo-hoo!

24:45Hopefully there's more where that comes from.

24:47Let's keep digging.

24:48What is he?

24:54With the black light, it glows pretty damn bright.

24:57God!

24:58Look at the glow!

25:00Let's see if it's got colour.

25:03Oh!

25:03Look at that!

25:05All the bits of colour there is little micro dots of crystal opal in there, so that's going

25:11to help pay the bills, and that's going to make Jo smile, you know?

25:15It might not be a full grin yet, but it's definitely going to take the pressure off us a little bit

25:19finding this little gem.

25:21Finding opal has just made my night.

25:23I'm sure it's made Angel's night, and we're going to just keep searching until we find more.

25:28Oh, Angel!

25:34Look at the bags!

25:36Oh my God!

25:38Look at the size of it!

25:46Hey!

25:47How'd your ride go?

25:48Yeah, pretty good.

25:49We've got to go digging.

25:51What do you mean?

25:51I found a spot.

25:53Injox claim down the drives.

25:55So do you reckon he'll let us go digging?

25:56Well, I'll give him a ring.

25:58I've got to dig it.

25:59It's too good.

26:05Hey, Jock, how are you going?

26:07Good, good.

26:08Good, mate.

26:08Hey, listen, mate, I went for a ride this morning with the Kupiti Adventure Riders.

26:12I want to thank you again for letting us ride through there.

26:15That's all right.

26:16I actually stopped for a little bit of a break and found a little corner I wouldn't mind

26:20having to dig in with Rene if we could come up with a deal.

26:23Maybe 50-50 is fair.

26:26Yeah, maybe that.

26:27Hopefully we do all right for both of us.

26:28Yeah, no problem.

26:29No problem.

26:40It's a win-win for Jock and us.

26:42Perfect for everyone.

26:43He can't dig the whole claim out.

26:44He's only got limited time.

26:45Let us go in there, have a fine, share the win.

26:48Perfect.

26:49It's pretty rough going down in here.

26:56There's a start.

26:57That's it.

26:57It's a bit of a rabbit, Warren.

27:03I think there's a couple of k's of tunnels here.

27:06Can you remember where you were this morning?

27:09No.

27:09It was...

27:10It's pretty scary in here, though.

27:12Like, we don't want to get lost.

27:14I think we're just driving around in circles, Dan.

27:17Yeah, it does feel like it.

27:18I think we've come here before.

27:22This is looking about right.

27:24All right.

27:25I reckon this is it.

27:26We're right there.

27:34See this here?

27:35See that dark mark?

27:39I reckon this is our best option here.

27:42I like how it's dipping there.

27:44And then we'll jackpick him out.

27:47All right.

27:47Well, I might have a bit more of a look around.

27:49Yeah, if you like.

27:50I think this is the spot, though.

27:53Dan and I, we're spending quite a lot of time together now

27:55that I'm living up here full-time.

27:58It's definitely tricky balance.

28:00You know, romantic life together and working life together.

28:03Both are important.

28:04I think we're doing quite well.

28:05A few bumps here and there.

28:06But, yeah, we're learning how to deal with it

28:08and doing quite well.

28:10Hey, Dan.

28:11I reckon I've found some opal.

28:15Yeah?

28:15Well, this is the spot, though.

28:17No, I reckon my spot's better than your spot.

28:20Yeah.

28:20Come and have a look.

28:22Look at that.

28:25Ooh.

28:25That's got a bit of green in it.

28:31Yeah, I reckon we should dig here.

28:32All right.

28:33I'll concede that.

28:35Renee's learned a huge amount

28:36from somebody who come from the Adelaide Hills,

28:38used to ride horses,

28:39never seen opal mining in the desert.

28:41She's done amazingly well.

28:43Jack picked this down.

28:44I wouldn't be surprised if somewhere it hits this, maybe.

28:47There's a pocket.

28:47Yeah.

28:48Well spotted.

28:49Yeah, righto, mate.

29:00Start going now.

29:01Nice and slow.

29:01They're just uncoupled.

29:21Righto, easy as that.

29:24Perfect, mate.

29:25Oh, well, thanks for that, mate.

29:27That's all right.

29:27Sorry I had to get you out of here.

29:29That's all right.

29:29At Turner's rush,

29:34the Cheels are drilling for traces of opal

29:37to decide if they should extend their open-cut mine

29:40or abandon the claim.

29:44We're good to go now.

29:45We'll punch out a few more holes.

29:47It's still very early on in the day,

29:49so hopefully you'll have a good afternoon.

29:54No, Podge?

29:55No, not so fast.

29:57Keep your eyes filled.

29:58Yeah.

30:11Some Podge.

30:13I wonder how they're going.

30:15And colour, mate.

30:17There you are, all.

30:18Oh, going good, mate.

30:19Yeah?

30:20Yeah, it just got under colour, actually,

30:21just as you guys are coming down.

30:23A little flicker of green in there.

30:25You see it?

30:25Oh, there.

30:26Oh.

30:27Oh, where is it?

30:28Oh.

30:28Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.

30:30That's what we're talking about.

30:31Nice.

30:32The drill's pulled up some really nice colour,

30:34so we're going to follow the direction of that colour now.

30:37And, yeah, cross fingers.

30:39Yeah, we get it.

30:41And, yeah, get this summer collection rocking.

30:44I think the best chance we've got for the rest of the season

30:46is probably that direction.

30:48We know we've got colour ahead of us.

30:55We did finish up on colour at the face,

30:58so you never know,

30:59we could hit a pretty good pocket in between.

31:01So we'll have to wait and see,

31:03but I think the signs are there.

31:07Out of that hole that the green come out of,

31:09we've now got blue and purple

31:11and see how it's starting to go on black.

31:14So that's a really, really good hole.

31:19Now, we're just loading this truck.

31:21We're doing it with the sieve bucket.

31:26As you can see,

31:27the hard lumps are just left in the sieve bucket.

31:32Filled one,

31:32just going to get another truck load

31:34and then take it up to the algae to wash.

31:36We need to get on to opal soon

31:40to hit our season target

31:41and to be able to knock it out of the park

31:43with this summer collection.

31:44I'm just going to undercut under that level

31:53where it's dipping

31:53back into this slippery back here

31:55and then we'll knock that level down.

31:58Knock the opal out.

31:58I'll get you to spot myself.

32:03The stakes this season are higher than ever, really.

32:06With Renee having to come into the team

32:08and prove herself as an opal miner

32:09and ask it to target so she can stay here.

32:11All right, let's go blacklight.

32:15Yep.

32:19Careful.

32:20It's definitely material top.

32:22Yeah, careful.

32:24Look, look at this.

32:27Oh, I hope that's colour.

32:29Oh, look at that.

32:30That's got red.

32:31Purple in there too.

32:33Yeah, a bit of purple, blue, green.

32:34Oh, this big chunk here.

32:36That's good for a mouth tumble.

32:37Oh, Dan.

32:40Stop doing that.

32:41Look how much better it looks.

32:42That is gross.

32:43Ugh.

32:44Oh.

32:44I mean, the colour's beautiful.

32:46How much better is it now?

32:47The mouth tumble's disgusting.

32:48You've got to have a go at it.

32:49No way.

32:50Lovely.

32:50That is gross.

32:51Who cares when it's opal that good?

32:57Let's load you up with that half a ton.

32:59We've spent quite a bit of money renovating the cutting room, so we really want to make use of it.

33:18So I've been doing quite a bit of cutting, so I've been doing quite a bit of cutting, and I'm really enjoying it.

33:26We've just been out to Jock's Plain, and we've found some beautiful opal.

33:30So I'm going to surprise Dan and cut and polish a piece of opal.

33:35I'm going to cut this one free form and try and follow the natural lines of the opal.

33:44I'm just adding a bit more wax onto the stick.

33:54Start to see the pretty colours coming through now.

33:58We've got greens, purples, we've got oranges.

34:11All right, so what have we got there, Dan?

34:12Well, I reckon I've classed that up, tops here, second, third.

34:18Yeah.

34:19I do have a little surprise for you.

34:22Empty box?

34:23No.

34:24Ooh.

34:24Cut and polished it.

34:25Wow.

34:28Nice polish.

34:30I did spend ages on it.

34:32Certainly value adds to our finder.

34:34We just sell it rough, we get a certain price.

34:36When Renee cuts it, makes it into something better, it's worth more.

34:39And what about selling it?

34:40Darryl mentioned the other day, he's looking for some bright crystal.

34:44It's a bit of a mixed parcel, but I think Darryl could be into it.

34:48You on Channel Air, Rory?

34:59Sure am, Dad.

35:00We'll put your truck in first.

35:02All right, I'll see you up at the Adji.

35:06We need to get this Adji spinning.

35:08That's the moneymaker for us.

35:09If we're going to make any money this week, it'll be here.

35:11The barrel's full, so we'll just let that wash down.

35:18Hopefully we've got some nice gems in there.

35:20Cross fingers.

35:29Here we go.

35:29Buster, get out of it.

35:37You're going to get here.

35:43Well, it's showing potential, but we still haven't got a...

35:46No.

35:46...a woo-hoo stone, have we?

35:47No, we haven't, mate.

35:50Close to a woo-hoo one.

35:51Just a little crystal.

35:52A few dollars in that one.

36:02Yeah.

36:06There's a stone there.

36:08See this red right around there?

36:10Yeah.

36:10Red there.

36:12Yeah.

36:13All adds up.

36:14Righto.

36:17A few rocks in there.

36:18The Cheels have black and crystal opal.

36:25Blue-green in colour, with flashes of purple and yellow.

36:29It's in the rough and weighs 250 grams.

36:35No Yahoo stones, but...

36:37No, no Yahoo stones.

36:42Yeah, nothing to jump up and down about, but still a nice, bright colour.

36:45What are you thinking, Dolly?

36:48Are you there?

36:50Oh, it's tough to say in the rough, isn't it?

36:56I don't know what your thoughts are, Mark,

36:58but I reckon potentially what's there,

37:02it could easily rub up $10,000 or $12,000.

37:04Yeah, I was thinking around that too, mate.

37:06Yeah.

37:09$12,000 fine is certainly good,

37:12but, you know, for the size of the operation,

37:13you kind of want a bit more than that.

37:17Well done, big fella.

37:18It's enough to keep us going

37:19with machinery, maintenance and fuel

37:21and put a little bit of food on the table

37:23for our families at the same time.

37:27Well, cheers to a good fleet, guys.

37:28Morning.

37:49Hey, Joe.

37:50What brings yous up?

37:52Basically the rain.

37:54Yeah, I know.

37:55There's no more mining now for a while.

37:57So, we've got something to show you.

38:01Yep.

38:02Look at our efforts of last night.

38:09Oh!

38:11Hi.

38:12She's a boulder.

38:13Matrix

38:14and opal seams.

38:18It's pretty cool.

38:19Yeah, that's a beautiful specimen.

38:21There's a bit of dollars there.

38:23There's some good colour in here.

38:25A lot of golds and greens in it.

38:32This is really pretty.

38:35Lots of golds, yellows, blues.

38:38Well, I'm feeling a lot better.

38:39So am I.

38:40Those are strong colours.

38:41The misfits have a large specimen of Andamooka hard matrix

38:48and a collection of smaller stones featuring gold, green and purple

38:53with a total weight of four kilograms.

38:57What do you think it's worth?

39:00Maybe ten, if you'd get a few stones out of that big chunker.

39:05I think it's an easier sell as a specimen to, you know, all these people that collect rocks

39:09and stuff.

39:09Yep.

39:10Yeah.

39:10You know, because I'll pay good money for that.

39:12Extreme bottom dollar value would be around, say, seven as a specimen, believe it or not.

39:20This one here, that's going to cut some stunning stones out of it.

39:24I think it's worth a bit more than ten angel.

39:27That's good.

39:30I'd say the whole lot.

39:31Probably around 14.

39:33You know?

39:33That's awesome.

39:34Awesome.

39:35You know, so it's not bad.

39:36Night work with the UV light paid off.

39:44I'm happy with this.

39:46Have a whole cuppa.

39:46Let's celebrate.

39:47Awesome.

39:48The girls have been doing really good.

39:50The angel's way better than what she was when she first started.

39:53And Izzy's, over the last couple of years, really coming online, you know, like really

39:57becoming, you know, reliable and dependable.

40:00Hot chocolate?

40:01Yeah, well, you might as well celebrate.

40:03Cheers.

40:04Cheers.

40:04Awesome hunting.

40:05I think we're extremely lucky that we found that hard matrix when we did.

40:10You know, one more day and this is what we would have ended up with.

40:14And we would have come back with nothing to show Joe.

40:17When he said it's a good 14 grand there, I was happy.

40:20We get to live another week out here, you know, living the dream over morning.

40:23This is a parcel, Daryl.

40:36We've got tops here, two ounces, one ounce of second, three ounces of third.

40:42Yep.

40:43And this actually is one of the stones Renee cut from that exact parcel.

40:46Yeah, so I cut that one.

40:47Yes, that's nice, isn't it?

40:50My cutting's getting better, isn't it?

40:52You surpassed me by a long shot.

40:53Eight carats, that cut stone.

40:59Daryl, the thing about that is obviously no risk in that.

41:02No, that's right.

41:03And the fats come from that, so there's, yeah.

41:05No.

41:06Oh, yeah.

41:06Daryl's actually a mate of ours and also a fellow opal miner, but he's got a fair network of buyers.

41:14I think he can move it fairly fast.

41:16And sometimes for us, us selling to miners, for them to move on is quicker for us too.

41:20Just get in, get out, keep going.

41:25Have a good look, see what you think.

41:26The opal lovers have crystal and white-based opal, with vivid hues of blue and purple.

41:37They're in the rough, except for a single rubbed stone.

41:41The whole parcel weighs 170 grams.

41:47So how much are you going to try and squeeze me for?

41:49So we were thinking nine, 9,000.

41:56You'll probably kick me, but I reckon I'd probably see five and a half.

42:05Is that all?

42:06Five and a half?

42:07Yeah, probably.

42:08Well, I know this one's no risk, because you can sell it.

42:11You start playing with this and whatnot, and there, there, there, it would end up with nothing.

42:15You know, I'm a marine scientist.

42:21It's probably a bit low, I know, but still, we've got to start somewhere.

42:25That's way too low.

42:26Hmm.

42:29Well, we'd come down to seven.

42:31Six.

42:33Six.

42:36What do you reckon about six, Dan?

42:38No.

42:40Too low.

42:41Best to do this is six and a half.

42:47Six and a half?

42:48Six and a half.

42:50All right.

42:50Yeah, we'll do six and a half.

42:51Thanks, Darren.

42:52No worries.

42:52Thanks, Dan.

42:54Yeah, look, we did okay.

42:56We've got six and a half grand there, so obviously Jock gets half of that for his deal.

43:01Still, we come out of it all right.

43:02It puts it towards the tip truck repairs, and really, $3,250 for a bike ride in the desert.

43:09It's pretty cool.

43:09Yeah, it's pretty cool.

43:10Yeah.

43:11Yeah.

43:12It's pretty cool.

43:13Yeah.

43:14Yeah.

43:15Yeah.

43:16Yeah.

43:17Yeah.

43:18Yeah.

43:19I'm doing really well with my cutting and polishing skills I've got now.

43:21You're doing a lot better, yeah?

43:22Yeah.

43:23Oh, cheers.

43:24Cheers.

43:25Cheers.

43:27Cheers, is it?

43:29Cheers.

43:30Cheers, is it?

43:35Yeah.

43:39Cheers.

43:42Cheers.

43:51Bye.

43:52Cheers.

43:52It's very cool.

43:52Everybody.

43:53Cheers.

43:53wir in the ocean, love firm, love, love, love, love, love.

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