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NARRATOR: On Outback Opal Hunters...

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Man, that's hard.

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..racing to break a month-long opal drought...

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Oh, you ! Ohhh!

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..the Bushmen's 50-50 partnership is on the line.

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I want to really do something to impress the partners.

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We  well need it at the moment.

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After weeks of delays,

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the Young Guns finally move onto their new claim.

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Ohhh! But gaining access for their heavy machinery

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becomes an epic dig all of its own.

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There's no shaft in that bit of dirt.

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It's like I  this whole thing up for us.

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And Pete and Sam's trusty Allawah claim finally runs dry...

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That's it. I've had enough of this. ..forcing them to scavenge

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through century-old mines

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for prized black opal.

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Oh, yeah, look at this!

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# ASH GRUNWALD: Money

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# Money

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# And fancy clothes #

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I don't know whether to love it or hate it.

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NARRATOR: 11 metres below the unforgiving ground

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of Ploughboys claim, 74-year-old Les Walsh...

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..and 59-year-old Rod Manning...

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And that's hard ground. , that's hard ground.

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..have hit concrete-like sandstone.

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Let's have a look.

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Yeah, we're really hoping that this turns into something up

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through here, because we need it at the moment.

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A new 50-50 partnership with mine owner Martin Hutchison

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is putting the Bushmen under increased pressure to find opal.

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Come on, you ! You've got to get better than this!

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I want to really do something to impress the partners.

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Every day, I tell them I'm close, I'm close, I'm close.

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And it's just not happening for us, you know?

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It's not doing us any favours, this not finding any colour.

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I mean, its faces are good,

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but it's all too thin.

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You can't do anything with it.

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So, we need stuff at least a quarter of an inch thick,

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with good colour bars in it.

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Until that happens, well, we're not going anywhere.

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Halfway through the season

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and big dreams of setting Les up for retirement

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have so far failed to deliver.

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Meagre opal finds and major machinery breakdowns...

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Ohhh, no!

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..have left them with little to show.

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You've got to halve it and then you've got to halve it again

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for me and Les. We need more.

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This season target is a  important one,

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because I really made my mind up that this year, you know,

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the old fella's got to, er, be sent off the right way.

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We're a bit, er, behind where we should be

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at this stage of the season, and it's no good

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just getting a stone or two here and there and a bit of trace.

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We need to find some decent opal here.

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So, hoping for a massive big pocket of beautiful colour.

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That's what we're hoping for.

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You know, you've got to put your mind back 120 million years, too.

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That's when it was formed, and it was formed by water.

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So, you've sort of got to be chasing

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where water had flown millions of years ago.

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So, you're looking for all the signs

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that water could've been carried down your face

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and what brought that water down

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in the first place.

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I reckon I've got a major fault coming in down the bottom here.

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Yeah. I suppose you could call it a little bit of detective work.

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It's here somewhere.

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It does feel like that sometimes.

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Making the mining even more challenging,

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their 50 square metre Ploughboys claim

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is proving to be the toughest they've ever tackled.

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The digging down here,

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it don't get any harder.

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You know, it's  hard on the digger.

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Tough on everything. Tough on us.

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But I've not seen ground as hard as this in a level.

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It's  hard stuff.

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Well, that's a bit disappointing, Les.

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Promises you the world and then doesn't deliver a  thing.

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But you can't give up.

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Got to keep on plodding on, because one day...

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Yeah, mate, one day.

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Oh, what happened here?

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What was that?

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We've got a missing tooth. What?

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Tooth broke off.

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Oh, bloody Norah, Les.

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It just tore out and cracked out.

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Does it ever end?

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No, it's getting worse.

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This week is all about getting into the new mine.

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The mine itself actually belonged to a man

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who pulled out a $100,000 find.

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So, yeah, we'll definitely be chasing more of that.

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NARRATOR: Hopes are running high for the Young Guns

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with their new claim - a 50 square metre proven mine

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that's been untouched for ten years.

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Well, this is the only way in and out of the mine.

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Yeah, this is it. One shaft. The whole area.

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Their first task is to get their essential mining equipment

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into the 14-metre-deep mine.

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Each of our pieces of machinery is over a tonne,

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so it's going to be a massive challenge.

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125. That's the box. How long's the digger?

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170. That's with the arm.

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Like, look at the size of the hole. I know.

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It'd only barely fit in the collar anyway,

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so we'd have to take the whole sides,

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this corner and that corner, all the way down.

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We're gonna have to stand on the edge and just jackhammer out the sides.

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But damn, like, that's gonna be dangerous, man. It's a big drop

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if something does go wrong. So, I'm looking down this hole

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and there's just no way the digger

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is going to fit through there, let alone the loader.

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In only their second season,

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the Young Guns have massively scaled up their operation.

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With the help of an investor,

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they've forked out $62,000 on machinery.

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But the bigger machines

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have come with bigger problems.

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Well... And there we go. That roof just moved.

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Their powerful new digger... Ooh.

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..exposed structural weaknesses in their World's End claim,

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forcing them to abandon it.

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What we need is a excavator, but...

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Your dad does have an excavator. I mean, I'd rather not ask him.

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He's always helping us. I know. I wouldn't either,

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but if we paid him fuel and everything?

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Oh, once again,

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another hiccup and we're going straight back to Graeme.

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We've got really no other choice. He's got the machinery

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and we've got the cash, so if we can strike a deal,

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it's definitely our best option.

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Our season earnings so far is at $37,000.

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We've still got a long way to go to make 100 grand.

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We're hoping this new mine is the one that's going to pay off for us.

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Hey, guys. How you going? Jaymin's father, Graeme,

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has mined in White Cliffs for 28 years.

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What are you guys doing down here? What's broken now?

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Nothing. We've, er... We have hit a bit of a problem, though.

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Yeah? We've come over to the, you know, the new mine,

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and, um, none of our gear is going to fit down the shaft.

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You'll have to just jackhammer it out bigger.

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I don't think we're going to be able to do that. So, what do you want from me?

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Ohhh! You want my machine

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to come and dig for you! It's not going to be cheap.

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The boys have set themselves up to run independently, you know?

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But they still keep coming back for help all the time.

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So, I mean, a bit of tough love doesn't hurt.

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Um, a bit of reality for them, really.

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You know, this will use up to 40 litres an hour of diesel,

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let alone all the other expenses.

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So, yeah, look, I'll do it for 300 bucks an hour.

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I mean, we don't really have a choice at this point. Like, we've got to take it. No choice!

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It's going to need to be a really big, long decline

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and that's going to costs in the thousands.

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The Young Guns want Graeme to dig a decline -

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a dirt ramp that will allow them

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to walk their machines into the mine.

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We want to be digging over here and this is where

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the X marks the spot one is.

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To minimise digging costs,

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they're aiming to hit an old vertical shaft,

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backfilled with loose dirt,

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which should be easier to excavate.

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Went underground and plotted a map

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of all our drives underground. The drive stops there.

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You reckon? Yes. If we get down there and find it's like,

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you know, five metres somewhere else...

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We're spending money for Graeme to come out here.

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If it doesn't hit straightaway, then we're in, you know, for a whole lot more.

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All right. Righto, guys, what have you got for me?

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JC will run you through it. He's done all the measuring. Yeah, we, um...

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surveyed underground and it came out

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exactly right there is the end of the drive.

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It all rests on you, JC.

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I-I'm like 100% sure

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that that's the shaft, it'll break straight in.

184
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Worst case scenario is I'm out

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and this decline is going to be completely in the wrong spot.

186
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We've got, um, much bigger stakes this season.

187
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Just having an investor changes the whole game.

188
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We need to be pulling out even more opal

189
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just to be covering costs.

190
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JC!

191
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Where's the shaft? Is it not, like, right under here?

192
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There's no shaft in that bit of dirt.

193
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That's, like, exactly where we measured to.

194
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If we were playing Battleships, that's a miss!

195
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Like this, this point right here...

196
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!

197
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Now that there's no shaft there and Graeme's saying to me,

198
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you know, "Where is it, JC?,"

199
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I feel like I've this whole thing up for us.

200
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So, what are you 100% sure on?

201
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I don't know how the shaft can't be there.

202
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We're on our way to our claim,

203
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which is about 25 Ks north of the Ridge.

204
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It's called Allawah. We had a nice stone come out

205
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a couple of months ago,

206
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but just absolutely nothing ever since.

207
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So, I've just about had enough of this claim. It's not paying.

208
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Sam's had to, er, take on a few more shifts at the club.

209
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He works as a bartender there.

210
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It puts a strain on his relationship with his partner.

211
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He works all day with me for nothing,

212
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then he's got to go to the pub, you know, straightaway and work till midnight.

213
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Allawah was good to us for a little bit.

214
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It produced a bit of opal, but ever since then,

215
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it's just gone dead. If we get another good hit,

216
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he might even be able to, you know, quit his other job.

217
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Righty-o, I'll see you down there. Yeah.

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NARRATOR: After three months without a payday,

219
00:12:00,880 --> 00:12:04,239
Pete Cooke and Sam Westra are on the verge of abandoning

220
00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:06,839
their 50 square metre Allawah claim -

221
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a mine they've worked for the last two years.

222
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We're over digging dead dirt

223
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and just pouring the diesel into it.

224
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So, we've come down here just to see

225
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if we can't fluke a bit before we try something new.

226
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Halfway through the season, they've found 49,000

227
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of their $100,000 season target.

228
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Started off pretty good, but it's just gone quiet.

229
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We need it to change. We've got to turn it around.

230
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Most of their $49,000 find

231
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has been poured into growing their mega wash plant operation,

232
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in the hope of processing dirt from other miners

233
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for a percentage of any opal found.

234
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But the return on investment to date...zero.

235
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You sort of wonder what you're doing sometimes,

236
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just keep throwing money after it.

237
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The digger just went off.

238
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I'll go up and have a look.

239
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Our power supply is, um, playing up.

240
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Residual current device is tripping out.

241
00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:10,839
Sam's just resetting it.

242
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There must be a short somewhere because it won't stay on.

243
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Can't go mining until we fix it, basically.

244
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Right.

245
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If the three phase isn't working,

246
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that's the end of mining for today.

247
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No, something's broken.

248
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OK.

249
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That's it. I've had enough of this. We'll go to another claim, mate.

250
00:13:38,040 --> 00:13:40,759
We've got that open cut in town that I want to try. Yeah.

251
00:13:40,840 --> 00:13:42,839
This ain't playing the game.

252
00:13:42,920 --> 00:13:45,479
It just shows you how a small problem can just...

253
00:13:45,560 --> 00:13:47,559
wreck your whole day.

254
00:13:55,480 --> 00:13:58,719
Yeah, it's busted that boot clean in half, Les.

255
00:13:58,800 --> 00:14:01,199
Yeah, yeah. Clean in half.

256
00:14:03,360 --> 00:14:07,879
Rod and Les have suffered a critical breakdown on their two-tonne digger.

257
00:14:07,960 --> 00:14:11,199
Well, that's not something I just have laying around, Les.

258
00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:13,279
It's not.

259
00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:16,879
Those teeth go into what we call boots that hold them in there.

260
00:14:16,960 --> 00:14:19,199
We've had that much pressure on the tooth

261
00:14:19,280 --> 00:14:21,519
that it's broken one of the boots in half.

262
00:14:23,480 --> 00:14:26,439
Les!  Watch those fingers, Les! Watch your fingers!

263
00:14:26,520 --> 00:14:28,639
Ohhh! Yeah, nearly broke two of them.

264
00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:32,039
Well, you've got... That's why they give you five of them.

265
00:14:32,120 --> 00:14:35,879
Oh, you ! Ohhh! !

266
00:14:35,960 --> 00:14:39,599
You old ! You done that deliberate. Ohhh!

267
00:14:39,680 --> 00:14:42,319
Where did you get it caught? tooth dropped on it.

268
00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:44,879
Whole  thing.

269
00:14:44,960 --> 00:14:48,119
It'll be up to Les to fix the digger tooth.

270
00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:52,239
With 40 years experience as a rigger

271
00:14:52,320 --> 00:14:55,439
and 20 years spent collecting scrap at his yard,

272
00:14:55,520 --> 00:14:58,399
he's the ideal man for the job.

273
00:14:58,480 --> 00:15:01,839
Last time you had that welder going here,

274
00:15:01,920 --> 00:15:04,759
it didn't end up real good, mate, so... It didn't.

275
00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:06,879
Do not blow yourself up.

276
00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:10,039
At the end of last season,

277
00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:12,159
Les suffered third-degree burns

278
00:15:12,240 --> 00:15:15,559
when a welding spark ignited a petrol cannister.

279
00:15:15,640 --> 00:15:18,279
I've got nothing around here to blow myself up with.

280
00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:20,359
Yeah? Oh, that's good.

281
00:15:20,440 --> 00:15:22,439
I learnt me lesson.

282
00:15:23,520 --> 00:15:26,839
While you're doing this, you know how Amanda has been annoying us

283
00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:30,479
to go and get a goat for the sausages? Yeah.

284
00:15:30,560 --> 00:15:33,159
I might go and try and roll a goat

285
00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:35,959
while you're doing this, eh? Yeah, righto. Yeah.

286
00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:38,719
Not a problem. All right, mate. Righto, catch you.

287
00:15:39,920 --> 00:15:42,879
Living 70 kilometres from the nearest shop,

288
00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:46,079
Rod supplements his meagre food supplies with goat -

289
00:15:46,160 --> 00:15:48,599
a feral pest introduced to Australia

290
00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:51,199
over 200 years ago.

291
00:15:51,280 --> 00:15:53,919
You live in the middle of nowhere, you know, like it's...

292
00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:56,479
it's hard to get meat and stuff like that.

293
00:15:56,560 --> 00:16:00,279
And there's heap of it running around out here.

294
00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:03,399
I don't enjoy killing things, but...

295
00:16:03,480 --> 00:16:05,639
I do enjoy eating.

296
00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:15,799
Right through there.

297
00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:18,799
Sweet.

298
00:16:28,840 --> 00:16:30,839
You !

299
00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:42,679
We could be looking just in... in this area here.

300
00:16:42,760 --> 00:16:46,359
JC has measured underground and tried to transfer it to the surface,

301
00:16:46,440 --> 00:16:48,719
but, you know, when we're scratching the top off,

302
00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:51,639
we're not finding the shaft he's claiming is there, you know?

303
00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:54,399
So, we might have to do a bit of a quick remeasure,

304
00:16:54,480 --> 00:16:58,039
just use a different technique. Usually that will get us close enough.

305
00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:00,119
measurements.

306
00:17:00,200 --> 00:17:02,639
NARRATOR: Based on JC's calculations,

307
00:17:02,720 --> 00:17:06,999
the Young Guns have been paying mentor Graeme $300 an hour

308
00:17:07,080 --> 00:17:09,079
to dig in the wrong spot.

309
00:17:09,160 --> 00:17:11,679
Righty-o! Coming.

310
00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:15,199
They're trying to cut a 14-metre decline

311
00:17:15,280 --> 00:17:17,279
into their new mine.

312
00:17:17,360 --> 00:17:20,119
Basically, where's my straight line?

313
00:17:20,200 --> 00:17:22,559
You know, I'm certain that I've measured it right.

314
00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:24,639
I don't know what this could be.

315
00:17:24,720 --> 00:17:26,879
What I need is for you to...

316
00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:29,919
..put your light on that there.

317
00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:32,279
When you go up? Yeah, I'm going to go up.

318
00:17:32,360 --> 00:17:34,919
And line it up from the top.

319
00:17:38,280 --> 00:17:41,119
The old school method, just pace it out by feet.

320
00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:46,879
Well...

321
00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:49,519
yeah, we're a little bit off. Where's the point?

322
00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:51,599
Not where you said.

323
00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:55,079
According to Graeme,

324
00:17:55,160 --> 00:17:57,999
JC is two metres too far south.

325
00:17:59,040 --> 00:18:02,039
Their target is an old vertical shaft.

326
00:18:03,240 --> 00:18:05,239
Backfilled with loose dirt,

327
00:18:05,320 --> 00:18:08,359
it should be easier to dig and connect directly

328
00:18:08,440 --> 00:18:10,439
to their underground mine.

329
00:18:12,600 --> 00:18:14,599
Oh, we've broken through!

330
00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:19,639
That must be it, then.

331
00:18:19,720 --> 00:18:23,119
Whoo! Breakthrough!

332
00:18:25,480 --> 00:18:28,679
Not going to take too much longer to get the rest of it done.

333
00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:35,959
Oh! Oi!

334
00:18:36,040 --> 00:18:39,919
Oi! Oh, for  sake!

335
00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:42,799
Oh, looks like we've just done a hose, by the look of it.

336
00:18:42,880 --> 00:18:45,239
A lot of oil.

337
00:18:45,320 --> 00:18:47,719
I mean, that's probably just wrecked a day.

338
00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:49,799
How's that happened?

339
00:18:49,880 --> 00:18:51,879
I mean, if it's a hose,

340
00:18:51,960 --> 00:18:55,159
I mean, we could be down for a week out here.

341
00:19:06,840 --> 00:19:08,839
!

342
00:19:10,120 --> 00:19:13,359
NARRATOR: On the hunt for wild goat to stock his pantry...

343
00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:15,439
Dud bullet.

344
00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:17,959
..Bushmen Rod Manning's list of breakdowns

345
00:19:18,040 --> 00:19:20,039
now extends to his rifle.

346
00:19:21,720 --> 00:19:23,879
Misfiring all the time doesn't help.

347
00:19:23,960 --> 00:19:26,359
Firing pin is not contacting properly.

348
00:19:29,680 --> 00:19:32,559
Oh, for  sake.

349
00:19:51,800 --> 00:19:54,359
They're good, eh? Yeah.

350
00:19:54,440 --> 00:19:57,679
Goat curry with sweet chilli. Oh, you ripper!

351
00:19:59,200 --> 00:20:01,199
Well, who'd ever thought you'd be here making

352
00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:04,559
bloody goat sausages, girl? I know. Eh?

353
00:20:04,640 --> 00:20:07,919
Life is definitely different now than what it was when I was younger.

354
00:20:08,000 --> 00:20:10,559
Until they met 23 years ago,

355
00:20:10,640 --> 00:20:13,239
Rod's wife Amanda lived a world away

356
00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:15,319
from the opal fields.

357
00:20:15,400 --> 00:20:18,359
My parents were, um, motel managers and resort managers.

358
00:20:18,440 --> 00:20:20,959
Gone from personal chefs to...

359
00:20:21,040 --> 00:20:23,159
Wasn't a personal chef, Rod.

360
00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:26,559
Did you or did you not have a chef? Yeah, my dad. No!

361
00:20:27,560 --> 00:20:30,839
Her parents thought she'd probably marry a...

362
00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:33,599
a millionaire or a...

363
00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:35,679
you know, someone important.

364
00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:40,039
When we got together, I guess it was a bit of a shock for everyone,

365
00:20:40,120 --> 00:20:42,639
you know, cos, like, Amanda was very much

366
00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:44,839
a city girl back then.

367
00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:48,479
And when I first came out here, they were a lot of things I didn't like.

368
00:20:48,560 --> 00:20:51,439
See, I grew up with toilets inside, not out.

369
00:20:52,480 --> 00:20:55,319
Yeah, I used to go down the mine with Rod all the time.

370
00:20:56,760 --> 00:20:58,879
We work good together. Yeah. You know?

371
00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:01,759
I'm sure she's probably the best wife I've ever had!

372
00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:11,439
The old fella's got us out of trouble yet again.

373
00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:14,279
NARRATOR: Thanks to Les' supply of scrap metal,

374
00:21:14,360 --> 00:21:17,559
he's welded a new boot for the digger's claw.

375
00:21:17,640 --> 00:21:19,799
Very good. Looks all right, too.

376
00:21:19,880 --> 00:21:21,879
Yeah, ready to go back underground.

377
00:21:23,240 --> 00:21:26,559
We've sort of got the old fella heading in the right direction now

378
00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:29,199
to be able to retire.

379
00:21:29,280 --> 00:21:31,319
So, we've just got to keep on digging,

380
00:21:31,400 --> 00:21:33,399
just got to find it for him.

381
00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:35,479
Righto, Les. That's it, mate.

382
00:21:35,560 --> 00:21:39,119
Right, crank her up. Let's get in and find out fortune, mate.

383
00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:41,239
You ready? Yeah, mate.

384
00:21:47,080 --> 00:21:49,119
Man, that's hard.

385
00:22:01,640 --> 00:22:05,359
Good to see, mate. We'll be, er, digging some gems in no time.

386
00:22:05,440 --> 00:22:07,439
That's it.

387
00:22:09,440 --> 00:22:11,719
NARRATOR: Desperate for a change of luck,

388
00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:14,279
Pete and Sam have ditched their Allawah claim

389
00:22:14,360 --> 00:22:16,359
for one of Pete's other leases -

390
00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:18,919
a 100-year-old open cut mine

391
00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:21,439
four kilometres from Lightning Ridge.

392
00:22:21,520 --> 00:22:25,079
Hopefully, our luck changes and we can actually move some dirt.

393
00:22:27,040 --> 00:22:30,399
But open cut mining requires heavy machinery,

394
00:22:30,480 --> 00:22:32,559
with high running costs.

395
00:22:32,640 --> 00:22:35,799
The area is called Old Nobbys and they've been mining here

396
00:22:35,880 --> 00:22:38,439
for over 100 years. And a lot of good opal

397
00:22:38,520 --> 00:22:40,919
came from this area, but it's mined out.

398
00:22:42,760 --> 00:22:45,799
It's too dangerous to go underground, so the only option now

399
00:22:45,880 --> 00:22:48,559
is to dig down through all the old workings and, um,

400
00:22:48,640 --> 00:22:50,879
see if the old timers left us anything.

401
00:22:55,080 --> 00:22:59,079
We're just going on spec. We don't know there's opal there.

402
00:22:59,160 --> 00:23:01,399
Of course, I'm hopeful. You've got to be hopeful

403
00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:03,879
or you wouldn't bloody even do it.

404
00:23:03,960 --> 00:23:05,959
We've got a 32-tonne excavator here

405
00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:09,679
with what we call a sieving bucket on it, or a skeleton bucket.

406
00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:11,839
So, it's got large holes in it

407
00:23:11,920 --> 00:23:14,799
to let the dirt through, but keep the real big rocks

408
00:23:14,880 --> 00:23:16,879
inside the bucket.

409
00:23:16,960 --> 00:23:21,199
We want to avoid the big clumps and this has the perfect attachment to do that.

410
00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:25,799
The mined earth has been exposed for decades

411
00:23:25,880 --> 00:23:29,399
to the intense 40-degree temperatures, baking it hard.

412
00:23:29,480 --> 00:23:31,999
The bigger the rock, the harder it is to clean

413
00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:34,239
in their agitator wash plant.

414
00:23:34,320 --> 00:23:38,399
We just want the nice 50 mil downsize material

415
00:23:38,480 --> 00:23:40,919
and that should wash pretty easy through our agi.

416
00:23:43,040 --> 00:23:46,599
Once sifted, the finer dirt is loaded into the truck

417
00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:48,679
with the regular bucket.

418
00:23:48,760 --> 00:23:51,959
Nice and quick. We do two loads in a couple of hours,

419
00:23:52,040 --> 00:23:54,839
instead of mining where you'd get one load in a day.

420
00:23:56,360 --> 00:23:58,919
Really hoping there's some gems in it

421
00:23:59,000 --> 00:24:01,079
and our luck changes a bit

422
00:24:01,160 --> 00:24:03,279
and we can walk away with a few dollars.

423
00:24:05,480 --> 00:24:08,559
What's that in there, Pete? An old drive, I think.

424
00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:11,399
Yeah? Let's have a look.

425
00:24:12,400 --> 00:24:16,039
Yeah, an old belly drive, mate, broken through in here.

426
00:24:16,120 --> 00:24:19,919
Yeah. She's a little bit... little bit risky, but...

427
00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:22,919
Well, you can have a quick look, I suppose.

428
00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:28,439
Well, these are the old drives that the old timers dug.

429
00:24:28,520 --> 00:24:31,839
Er, they call them belly drives for a very good reason -

430
00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:34,079
they're crawling around on their bellies.

431
00:24:34,160 --> 00:24:36,559
They've done a hell of a lot of work in there.

432
00:24:40,080 --> 00:24:42,079
Oh, yeah, look at this.

433
00:24:44,400 --> 00:24:48,079
Oh, what have you got there? An old pair of opal snips, mate.

434
00:24:48,160 --> 00:24:50,839
Bloody hell! Look at the rust on 'em!

435
00:24:50,920 --> 00:24:53,519
Look at this, an old spider!

436
00:24:53,600 --> 00:24:56,439
A what? Spider.

437
00:24:56,520 --> 00:24:59,679
They'd poke it in the wall, like that. Yeah.

438
00:24:59,760 --> 00:25:02,159
And a little candle there, and that's...

439
00:25:02,240 --> 00:25:04,439
that's all the melted wax. Look at that.

440
00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:08,439
Tough old buggers in them days, mate. They really earnt their opal. Yeah.

441
00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:10,799
I don't want to go in any further. It's a bit... No.

442
00:25:10,880 --> 00:25:13,679
Bit dodgy, mate, a bit dangerous. I think, um...

443
00:25:13,760 --> 00:25:16,319
I think we'll just use the machine from here. Yeah.

444
00:25:24,520 --> 00:25:26,719
I can feel it's damaged just there.

445
00:25:26,800 --> 00:25:29,279
The hose is split. It's a bloody nuisance.

446
00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:33,039
NARRATOR: Beset with problems at their new mine,

447
00:25:33,120 --> 00:25:36,079
the Young Guns' $300 an hour excavator

448
00:25:36,160 --> 00:25:38,679
has just blown a hydraulic hose.

449
00:25:40,200 --> 00:25:43,279
We're so close now. Like, we've broken through into the drive.

450
00:25:43,360 --> 00:25:45,639
We're pretty much ready to, you know, rip it back

451
00:25:45,720 --> 00:25:48,879
and get the ramp down there, so we can get all our gear underground.

452
00:25:48,960 --> 00:25:51,639
And then just to have this curve ball thrown at us.

453
00:25:53,040 --> 00:25:56,279
RON DOWTON : Yeah? How you going? OK.

454
00:25:56,360 --> 00:26:00,479
I've actually just blown a hose on the excavator. Um... Oh, Jesus!

455
00:26:00,560 --> 00:26:02,959
It's only an auxiliary hose, so it's doing nothing.

456
00:26:03,040 --> 00:26:05,519
So, I reckon you should be able to fix it for us.

457
00:26:06,720 --> 00:26:09,959
Five kilometres away, back in White Cliffs...

458
00:26:10,040 --> 00:26:12,519
..Graeme's father

459
00:26:12,600 --> 00:26:14,599
and Jaymin's grandfather Pop

460
00:26:14,680 --> 00:26:17,279
is a 47-year opal mining veteran

461
00:26:17,360 --> 00:26:19,559
and expert on bush repairs.

462
00:26:19,640 --> 00:26:22,999
Like a little metal plate to sit in over the top of that.

463
00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:27,199
We better put a bit of a nipple on it and locate it so it stays in the middle. That'd be a good idea.

464
00:26:27,280 --> 00:26:29,839
He's got all the equipment for doing just such a job.

465
00:26:29,920 --> 00:26:33,119
Take that in your hot little hand and I'll make room.

466
00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:38,359
The leak is in a backup auxiliary hose.

467
00:26:38,440 --> 00:26:40,759
Well, I hope this works.

468
00:26:40,840 --> 00:26:43,919
Graeme's solution is to bypass the hose

469
00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:45,999
with a simple plug.

470
00:26:46,080 --> 00:26:48,519
Oh, look at that. Like as if it was made for it, isn't it?

471
00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:51,159
We'll be working again in half an hour, 20 minutes.

472
00:26:51,240 --> 00:26:53,759
Thanks, Dad! See you, Pop! Thanks heaps, Pop.

473
00:26:54,960 --> 00:26:58,039
Oh, looking good. I mean, that's just fitted up nicely.

474
00:27:00,240 --> 00:27:02,239
It seems to be holding.

475
00:27:05,760 --> 00:27:08,799
After all the dramas we've had so far this season with breakdowns

476
00:27:08,880 --> 00:27:11,759
and things going wrong, it was good to see something get fixed

477
00:27:11,840 --> 00:27:13,839
the same day it was broken.

478
00:27:20,000 --> 00:27:22,319
There you go, boys! There we go!

479
00:27:22,400 --> 00:27:24,919
She's all done. Whoo!

480
00:27:25,000 --> 00:27:28,119
NARRATOR: The decline has taken five hours to dig

481
00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:31,319
and cost the Young Guns $1,500.

482
00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:33,999
But the excavator arm isn't long enough

483
00:27:34,080 --> 00:27:36,359
to dig out the final section.

484
00:27:36,440 --> 00:27:40,159
That needs to be at least seven-eight foot deeper.

485
00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:44,839
It's left to the boys to finish the job with hand tools.

486
00:27:47,320 --> 00:27:49,319
It's been a massive day for everyone.

487
00:27:49,400 --> 00:27:52,479
We're not really moving as fast as we'd like to.

488
00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:54,599
I'm not really sure what we're going to do,

489
00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:57,879
but we need to come up with a different strategy tomorrow.

490
00:28:13,600 --> 00:28:16,079
The area that Pete's pegged this new claim

491
00:28:16,160 --> 00:28:18,159
is a really good old area.

492
00:28:19,320 --> 00:28:22,839
The old time miners were only mining with a pick and a candle,

493
00:28:22,920 --> 00:28:25,479
so there could be a lot of opal they've missed.

494
00:28:27,240 --> 00:28:31,319
I really need a pay day to keep the spirits up.

495
00:28:31,400 --> 00:28:35,119
I hope to get three trucks into the agi today. That's my plan.

496
00:28:36,560 --> 00:28:40,239
We need to find a bit of opal. Um, it's been a long time

497
00:28:40,320 --> 00:28:42,519
between drinks.

498
00:28:42,600 --> 00:28:45,319
Pretty excited about tailing it all out.

499
00:28:48,920 --> 00:28:50,919
NARRATOR: Designed and built by Pete,

500
00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:53,639
the mega wash plant has a drive over hopper

501
00:28:53,720 --> 00:28:55,879
connecting to a moveable conveyor belt

502
00:28:55,960 --> 00:28:57,959
which carries the mined dirt

503
00:28:58,040 --> 00:29:00,119
to the waiting agitators.

504
00:29:00,200 --> 00:29:02,759
It's not working! Not working?

505
00:29:02,840 --> 00:29:05,359
The motor's running. I need you to have a look.

506
00:29:08,880 --> 00:29:10,879
Whoa!

507
00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:13,199
Yeah, it's jamming.

508
00:29:13,280 --> 00:29:16,799
Belt's not going around. This is ridiculous.

509
00:29:16,880 --> 00:29:18,919
It should just work. It's been working.

510
00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:21,999
If we can't get this fixed, I'll have to shovel

511
00:29:22,080 --> 00:29:24,119
all three trucks out.

512
00:29:25,640 --> 00:29:28,079
All right, we've got some of this, mate.

513
00:29:28,160 --> 00:29:32,639
A spray on adhesive should give the rubber belt more grip.

514
00:29:32,720 --> 00:29:36,599
The dirt's built up, the dust has built up underneath

515
00:29:36,680 --> 00:29:39,079
the roller and stopping it going around.

516
00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:45,679
Yes! Thank God!

517
00:29:47,200 --> 00:29:49,599
That's better. That's how it should work.

518
00:29:52,920 --> 00:29:55,839
We should be about to have the third truck going in by now.

519
00:29:55,920 --> 00:29:57,919
We're still on the first one.

520
00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:02,719
Now to feed the agis with 60 tonnes of mined earth,

521
00:30:02,800 --> 00:30:05,159
15 tonnes at a time -

522
00:30:05,240 --> 00:30:08,759
the exact same dirt that started an opal boom

523
00:30:08,840 --> 00:30:10,839
100 years ago.

524
00:30:11,760 --> 00:30:13,839
I've got high hopes for it, but...

525
00:30:13,920 --> 00:30:15,959
we won't know until we have a look.

526
00:30:28,560 --> 00:30:30,839
Whoa, whoa!

527
00:30:30,920 --> 00:30:34,679
That looks a good piece. It's got red and everything in it.

528
00:30:34,760 --> 00:30:37,959
NARRATOR: With their digger repaired, the Bushmen have finally hit

529
00:30:38,040 --> 00:30:40,199
promising opal trace.

530
00:30:40,280 --> 00:30:43,199
This one is going to tell us whether we're rich or not.

531
00:30:46,960 --> 00:30:48,959
Oh, hey!

532
00:30:49,040 --> 00:30:51,039
Oh, Les, Les, Les!

533
00:30:51,120 --> 00:30:54,559
It come... It come through? I think it's going to happen for us.

534
00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:03,199
Oh!

535
00:31:03,280 --> 00:31:05,319
Look at that!

536
00:31:05,400 --> 00:31:09,079
Look at the golds and the  reds!

537
00:31:09,160 --> 00:31:11,319
Haven't seen a piece that good for a long time.

538
00:31:11,400 --> 00:31:13,679
There's got to be a couple of grand in that, Les.

539
00:31:13,760 --> 00:31:15,839
Let's hope it continues, Les!

540
00:31:15,920 --> 00:31:17,919
Because it's big and it's cheesy!

541
00:31:21,520 --> 00:31:23,999
Whoa, whoa! Oh!

542
00:31:24,080 --> 00:31:27,839
I think you dropped a heap of stuff on the ground here, mate. Eh?

543
00:31:27,920 --> 00:31:30,639
Colour! Oh, there's a bit, look!

544
00:31:30,720 --> 00:31:32,879
Oh, yeah! Look at that! Oh, that's all right.

545
00:31:32,960 --> 00:31:34,959
Ooh, there's another bit!

546
00:31:35,040 --> 00:31:37,759
Pickle me grandmother, Les! Look at it! Yeah.

547
00:31:37,840 --> 00:31:41,719
Whoa! Ha-ha! That's good colour.

548
00:31:41,800 --> 00:31:45,079
I tell you what, Les, when you look in this bucket,

549
00:31:45,160 --> 00:31:47,759
I reckon there'd have to be...

550
00:31:47,840 --> 00:31:50,159
between 12 and 15 grand, wouldn't you?

551
00:31:50,240 --> 00:31:53,079
I'd reckon, yes, because that's worth a fair bit there.

552
00:31:53,160 --> 00:31:56,439
I know Brian's kicking about. I might see if he's interested in this, eh?

553
00:31:56,520 --> 00:31:58,999
OK, yeah. That sounds all right, yeah.

554
00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:01,159
We're pretty low on money,

555
00:32:01,240 --> 00:32:03,319
so that pocket just come in time.

556
00:32:06,120 --> 00:32:09,039
NARRATOR: Keen for a quick sale, the Bushmen arrange to meet

557
00:32:09,120 --> 00:32:11,359
local buyer Brian Gray.

558
00:32:12,880 --> 00:32:14,879
How are you blokes going? Hey, Brian.

559
00:32:14,960 --> 00:32:17,359
Brian does also do a bit of mining himself.

560
00:32:17,440 --> 00:32:19,479
But he got busted up pretty bad

561
00:32:19,560 --> 00:32:21,799
in a quad bike accident.

562
00:32:21,880 --> 00:32:25,159
So, he's not been able to mine for a couple of years

563
00:32:25,240 --> 00:32:27,239
or do anything.

564
00:32:27,320 --> 00:32:29,479
All he does is buys and sells,

565
00:32:29,560 --> 00:32:32,639
put it on the wheel and polish it up, and resell it.

566
00:32:34,760 --> 00:32:38,439
Rod and Les have crystal opal in the rough.

567
00:32:38,520 --> 00:32:40,519
Its colours are varied

568
00:32:40,600 --> 00:32:42,599
with attractive reds and yellows.

569
00:32:42,680 --> 00:32:45,879
Its weight, 650 grams.

570
00:32:45,960 --> 00:32:50,039
Oh, geez, I'd have to have 14-15 grand for them, so...

571
00:32:50,120 --> 00:32:52,439
Their partnership deal will see them

572
00:32:52,520 --> 00:32:54,959
get 50% of the sale.

573
00:32:55,040 --> 00:32:57,239
Negotiating with opal buyers

574
00:32:57,320 --> 00:32:59,359
is pretty much always the same.

575
00:32:59,440 --> 00:33:02,559
They're thieving that want everything for nothing.

576
00:33:02,640 --> 00:33:05,039
That's why I've got my lucky selling hat on.

577
00:33:06,200 --> 00:33:09,359
Surprise me. How much... How much money are you thinking

578
00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:11,799
of getting out of this, er...

579
00:33:11,880 --> 00:33:14,559
$22,000. Oh, really?

580
00:33:14,640 --> 00:33:16,639
And, of course, you're a good fella.

581
00:33:17,840 --> 00:33:20,479
I'm at about eight. Come on now, let's...

582
00:33:20,560 --> 00:33:22,799
Let's get a bit fair dinkum here.

583
00:33:22,880 --> 00:33:24,879
It's me you're talking to.

584
00:33:24,960 --> 00:33:27,599
Look at pieces like that. Look at the colour in that.

585
00:33:27,680 --> 00:33:29,679
I'll come down to 20.

586
00:33:29,760 --> 00:33:32,399
Work with me here.

587
00:33:32,480 --> 00:33:34,919
You know, like... What do you reckon, Les?

588
00:33:35,000 --> 00:33:37,799
18, Les? You happy to get 18?

589
00:33:38,720 --> 00:33:40,879
Yeah, that doesn't sound too bad.

590
00:33:40,960 --> 00:33:44,039
18 and that's it. I'm not going any lower, so...

591
00:33:44,120 --> 00:33:46,839
Will you take a cheque? No!

592
00:33:46,920 --> 00:33:48,919
No. No way!

593
00:33:49,000 --> 00:33:51,439
Say 16? No, let's say 18.

594
00:33:54,000 --> 00:33:57,279
They're all right. Right, 18? 18.

595
00:33:57,360 --> 00:34:00,479
Good on you. Les. No problem, mate.

596
00:34:00,560 --> 00:34:02,959
I didn't think we was going to get that much.

597
00:34:03,040 --> 00:34:07,159
I thought a few bucks less. But no, 18 grand was good.

598
00:34:07,240 --> 00:34:09,759
It's a special deal this week.

599
00:34:09,840 --> 00:34:12,839
There's some sausages for you. Some sausages, as well?

600
00:34:12,920 --> 00:34:15,079
Goat sausages. Wild goat sausages, mate.

601
00:34:15,160 --> 00:34:17,599
Jesus Christ. Wild goat sausages.

602
00:34:17,680 --> 00:34:20,319
All right, mate. Not a problem, mate.

603
00:34:20,400 --> 00:34:22,679
Thank you for that, and we'll catch you later on.

604
00:34:22,760 --> 00:34:26,399
I got a little bit more than I wanted, so I was real happy with it.

605
00:34:26,480 --> 00:34:29,359
Les and Rod's share of $9,000

606
00:34:29,440 --> 00:34:32,279
brings their total, at the season's halfway mark,

607
00:34:32,360 --> 00:34:34,719
to just over $50,000.

608
00:34:34,800 --> 00:34:37,879
Just going to keep us floating for a little bit longer,

609
00:34:37,960 --> 00:34:41,359
but we're...we're pushing hard to find that big pocket.

610
00:34:41,440 --> 00:34:44,479
That's getting better!

611
00:34:44,560 --> 00:34:46,999
I want to send Les off all right, you know?

612
00:34:47,080 --> 00:34:50,279
He's got to be starting to take it easy.

613
00:34:51,280 --> 00:34:54,039
It's there somewhere, and we'll get it.

614
00:35:03,200 --> 00:35:05,279
All right, boys.

615
00:35:05,360 --> 00:35:09,399
Here we go. Well, we've got a lot left to do.

616
00:35:09,480 --> 00:35:12,999
NARRATOR: Still struggling to open up access to their new claim,

617
00:35:13,080 --> 00:35:16,879
the Young Guns have been unable to mine all week.

618
00:35:16,960 --> 00:35:19,679
We need to find something, otherwise we're throwing money

619
00:35:19,760 --> 00:35:21,759
into this hole and not seeing any reward.

620
00:35:21,840 --> 00:35:24,159
There's some trace we can at least start digging,

621
00:35:24,240 --> 00:35:26,359
keep us all running for the next couple of days

622
00:35:26,440 --> 00:35:29,279
while we dig out this bloody ramp. Well, let's go. Let's do it.

623
00:35:29,360 --> 00:35:33,319
The entrance to the mine is only big enough carry in hand tools.

624
00:35:33,400 --> 00:35:35,399
Bloody jackhammers again.

625
00:35:35,480 --> 00:35:38,999
The plan is for JC and Noah to start hunting opal...

626
00:35:40,080 --> 00:35:44,239
..while Jaymin keeps opening up the decline access ramp.

627
00:35:44,320 --> 00:35:46,399
We've really got no other options.

628
00:35:46,480 --> 00:35:48,879
We need to see this mine paying us back a little bit.

629
00:35:48,960 --> 00:35:50,999
Yeah, mate. Oh!

630
00:35:52,400 --> 00:35:54,519
When we knew the other mine was finished up,

631
00:35:54,600 --> 00:35:57,119
we started scouting out other areas.

632
00:35:57,200 --> 00:36:00,039
Um, this was one of the mines that we ended up coming into,

633
00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:02,199
to see if it had potential, and...

634
00:36:02,280 --> 00:36:04,839
we found opal trace all through the walls.

635
00:36:04,920 --> 00:36:06,919
Right here. Look at that.

636
00:36:07,000 --> 00:36:09,319
Hopefully, this is the one that turns big.

637
00:36:22,720 --> 00:36:25,519
What's wrong? There.

638
00:36:25,600 --> 00:36:27,599
You got a bit? Yeah.

639
00:36:28,920 --> 00:36:31,399
Ooh! A little bit of flash, bit thicker.

640
00:36:31,480 --> 00:36:33,479
Yeah.

641
00:36:40,200 --> 00:36:42,199
Holy...

642
00:36:42,280 --> 00:36:44,319
What have you got? Dude, look at that!

643
00:36:44,400 --> 00:36:47,319
What have you got? Glow in the dark or something!

644
00:36:47,400 --> 00:36:49,399
That's like glow in the dark.

645
00:36:53,320 --> 00:36:55,799
Ohhh.

646
00:36:55,880 --> 00:36:58,839
That's a bloody stone right there.

647
00:36:59,880 --> 00:37:02,839
This is the mine. This is the Young Guns' ticket!

648
00:37:02,920 --> 00:37:05,999
What's going on? Are we rich yet? Oh, we're not rich, but...

649
00:37:06,080 --> 00:37:08,119
look at that bit.

650
00:37:08,200 --> 00:37:11,319
It's the best stuff in here so far. That's good. That's a good sign.

651
00:37:11,400 --> 00:37:13,839
Not a lot of value in what they've actually found,

652
00:37:13,920 --> 00:37:17,319
but they've found us the first point on the roadmap to opal.

653
00:37:17,400 --> 00:37:20,039
That's good. We can just move the digger straight in here

654
00:37:20,120 --> 00:37:23,079
as soon as we get that ramp done and just start working.

655
00:37:23,160 --> 00:37:25,439
I'm pretty stoked right now.

656
00:37:25,520 --> 00:37:27,519
This is the spot.

657
00:37:36,000 --> 00:37:38,199
This is the moment of truth.

658
00:37:38,280 --> 00:37:40,599
Come on, baby!

659
00:37:40,680 --> 00:37:43,439
I'm just hoping to see colour everywhere.

660
00:37:46,160 --> 00:37:49,079
From the 100-year-old open cut mine,

661
00:37:49,160 --> 00:37:52,479
Pete and Sam have washed 60 tonnes of opal dirt

662
00:37:52,560 --> 00:37:55,119
down to just four tonnes of stones.

663
00:37:55,200 --> 00:37:57,519
A few bits and pieces of opal come down.

664
00:37:58,720 --> 00:38:01,239
Even this piece might be a cutter. So, that's great.

665
00:38:01,320 --> 00:38:04,759
I can't wait to get this back into town, into our tail-out room.

666
00:38:05,960 --> 00:38:09,039
After three dismal months of losing money,

667
00:38:09,120 --> 00:38:11,519
their entire season could be decided

668
00:38:11,600 --> 00:38:13,959
by what's in these one-tonne bags.

669
00:38:21,720 --> 00:38:24,519
Plenty of material. Just potch everywhere.

670
00:38:26,360 --> 00:38:30,199
Just got to get that big one, mate. Where's the big one? Yeah, exactly.

671
00:38:31,480 --> 00:38:34,399
It's trying. It is. It's trying. Keep looking!

672
00:38:39,320 --> 00:38:42,399
What you got there? Oh!

673
00:38:42,480 --> 00:38:44,719
No, what have you got? Show me!

674
00:38:46,480 --> 00:38:48,919
Ha-ha! Oh, wow.

675
00:38:49,000 --> 00:38:50,999
Look at the red.

676
00:38:51,080 --> 00:38:53,079
There's a gem there, for sure.

677
00:38:53,160 --> 00:38:55,159
That's good.

678
00:38:57,800 --> 00:39:00,719
It's on, mate! It's on! It's on. Oh, look at that!

679
00:39:00,800 --> 00:39:03,599
We're on money, mate. This is fantastic.

680
00:39:03,680 --> 00:39:06,399
Just the start of something.

681
00:39:06,480 --> 00:39:08,599
Hang on. You got another?

682
00:39:08,680 --> 00:39:11,319
I think... I think we've got the granddaddy! Holy...

683
00:39:11,400 --> 00:39:13,479
Oh! Look at that! Whoa!

684
00:39:13,560 --> 00:39:16,039
Look at the size of it! Yeah.

685
00:39:16,120 --> 00:39:19,199
Oh. Look at... Ohhh!

686
00:39:21,200 --> 00:39:23,959
We've got what we call the king stone,

687
00:39:24,040 --> 00:39:26,079
the best stone in our parcel.

688
00:39:26,160 --> 00:39:29,119
And, you know, these come up two or three a lifetime,

689
00:39:29,200 --> 00:39:32,319
if you're lucky. Definitely it'll face this side. Blue side.

690
00:39:32,400 --> 00:39:34,439
Beautiful, big blue stone there. Yeah.

691
00:39:34,520 --> 00:39:36,959
But the other side has got a grey skin over it.

692
00:39:37,040 --> 00:39:40,439
I'm just a bit concerned about that grey...

693
00:39:40,520 --> 00:39:42,759
skin on top. Yeah.

694
00:39:42,840 --> 00:39:45,519
How far down it goes into the colour. Yeah.

695
00:39:45,600 --> 00:39:48,159
It's a bit of a problem, because I reckon

696
00:39:48,240 --> 00:39:52,359
we'll probably get an offer of ten grand or more for it, as it is.

697
00:39:52,440 --> 00:39:56,719
So, that's guaranteed money. Or we risk taking the top off it,

698
00:39:56,800 --> 00:40:00,199
and if it's full of sand or the holes go too deep,

699
00:40:00,280 --> 00:40:03,279
it could turn into just three or four, five grand.

700
00:40:04,960 --> 00:40:07,319
I think I'd rather take the risk, see if I can

701
00:40:07,400 --> 00:40:09,359
get a bit more than that for it.

702
00:40:09,440 --> 00:40:13,279
NARRATOR: To maximise their return, they're turning to Vicki Bokros...

703
00:40:13,360 --> 00:40:16,479
Hi, guys! Hi, Vicki, how you going? ..and Andrew Kemeny,

704
00:40:16,560 --> 00:40:18,639
who buy and cut stones.

705
00:40:18,720 --> 00:40:22,199
Andrew is renowned for his unusual technique

706
00:40:22,280 --> 00:40:24,439
of opal carving in freeform,

707
00:40:24,520 --> 00:40:27,639
using a precision rotary power tool.

708
00:40:27,720 --> 00:40:30,319
So, come and see Andrew, guys. Thank you.

709
00:40:30,400 --> 00:40:32,839
Andrew? Hello!

710
00:40:32,920 --> 00:40:35,959
Pete and Sam are here with some pretty nice opal.

711
00:40:36,040 --> 00:40:39,079
G'day, fellas, how you going? How you going, mate? Good, good.

712
00:40:39,160 --> 00:40:41,159
Let's have a look.

713
00:40:41,240 --> 00:40:45,399
Yeah, so the colour under that cap looks absolutely spectacular. Mm.

714
00:40:45,480 --> 00:40:48,479
And what we need to do is we need to very, very gently

715
00:40:48,560 --> 00:40:51,119
start taking some of that cap off. Yep.

716
00:40:57,360 --> 00:40:59,759
When that stone was getting carved,

717
00:40:59,840 --> 00:41:01,839
I was pretty nervous.

718
00:41:03,240 --> 00:41:06,279
There she comes already. Oh!

719
00:41:06,360 --> 00:41:08,559
I think once he just started revealing

720
00:41:08,640 --> 00:41:11,279
that colour underneath th-that scum,

721
00:41:11,360 --> 00:41:13,359
we just knew it was going to be a gem.

722
00:41:13,440 --> 00:41:15,439
Oh, wow. It's got a...

723
00:41:15,520 --> 00:41:19,079
It's just got amazing sort of those linear lines in there.

724
00:41:19,160 --> 00:41:21,359
They're just stunning. That's the thing.

725
00:41:21,440 --> 00:41:24,559
It's been underground 100 million years. Yeah. Mm.

726
00:41:24,640 --> 00:41:27,039
And if you didn't do that to it,

727
00:41:27,120 --> 00:41:29,119
it would never be seen.

728
00:41:31,880 --> 00:41:34,719
NARRATOR: Partly rubbed, this black opal nobby

729
00:41:34,800 --> 00:41:37,639
weighs nine grams or 45 carats.

730
00:41:37,720 --> 00:41:39,919
It's double-sided, adorned

731
00:41:40,000 --> 00:41:42,359
with brilliant blues and fiery reds -

732
00:41:42,440 --> 00:41:45,559
a rare and highly-prized find.

733
00:41:45,640 --> 00:41:47,639
That's incredible colour.

734
00:41:48,880 --> 00:41:51,759
Wow, some beautiful red! Yeah, yeah.

735
00:41:51,840 --> 00:41:53,839
Yeah, the blue... That's amazing.

736
00:41:53,920 --> 00:41:55,959
The blues on the back of it. Yeah.

737
00:41:56,040 --> 00:41:59,679
45 carats. Yeah, just under 45. Yep.

738
00:41:59,760 --> 00:42:01,759
What are you guys thinking?

739
00:42:02,680 --> 00:42:04,759
3,000 a carat. Yeah, right.

740
00:42:06,200 --> 00:42:09,159
Hope I'm not too cheap.

741
00:42:09,240 --> 00:42:12,039
You're never too cheap, Peter, Sam!

742
00:42:12,120 --> 00:42:14,119
Oh.

743
00:42:19,320 --> 00:42:21,719
Like, I've had a really good look at it.

744
00:42:21,800 --> 00:42:25,799
The best I could offer at this stage would be 55,000 for the piece.

745
00:42:26,920 --> 00:42:29,479
Wow, that's...that's a great offer.

746
00:42:29,560 --> 00:42:32,759
That's good. Yeah. Yep. And then you've got the other parcels.

747
00:42:32,840 --> 00:42:34,839
Yeah, those two there.

748
00:42:34,920 --> 00:42:37,239
One was ten and one was eight. Yeah. Yeah.

749
00:42:37,320 --> 00:42:39,439
You'd be looking at about, um...

750
00:42:39,520 --> 00:42:41,719
73,000 in total.

751
00:42:41,800 --> 00:42:43,799
Yeah. It's been great. Excellent.

752
00:42:43,880 --> 00:42:46,919
Vicki's offer gives a certain $73,000

753
00:42:47,000 --> 00:42:48,999
for this opal parcel,

754
00:42:49,080 --> 00:42:51,679
but Pete is holding off on accepting the offer.

755
00:42:51,760 --> 00:42:53,799
That's just the minimum I'm going to get.

756
00:42:53,880 --> 00:42:55,879
I believe I will get more than that.

757
00:42:55,960 --> 00:42:58,119
Yeah, I'm stoked. I am rapt.

758
00:42:59,600 --> 00:43:01,959
Seeing this sort of quality of material come out

759
00:43:02,040 --> 00:43:04,799
from a new claim, if it keeps producing like this,

760
00:43:04,880 --> 00:43:07,279
the sky's the limit.

761
00:43:07,360 --> 00:43:10,599
If it keeps going like that, I'll be able to retire at 22!

762
00:43:11,960 --> 00:43:15,919
This season we had a target of $100,000.

763
00:43:16,000 --> 00:43:18,759
We've smashed it. We have. We've got...

764
00:43:18,840 --> 00:43:21,119
122, I think.

765
00:43:21,200 --> 00:43:23,199
I'm very, very pleased with that.

766
00:43:23,280 --> 00:43:26,239
Such a buzz being on opal.

767
00:43:26,320 --> 00:43:28,439
It's just the best feeling you can have

768
00:43:28,520 --> 00:43:30,599
with your clothes on, I reckon.

769
00:43:48,600 --> 00:43:50,919
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770
00:43:51,000 --> 00:43:52,999
# Money

771
00:43:56,280 --> 00:43:58,279
# Money #

771
00:43:59,305 --> 00:44:59,824
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