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NARRATOR: On Outback Opal hunters...

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This is what I wanted to show you. 20-ton Hitachi excavator.

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..The Rookies face tension.

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Does it mean that you just wanna mine by yourself?

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And the new partner leads them on a wild goose chase.

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I just can't take it any more.

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Whoo-hoo! The Cooke Brothers season is off to a bad start...

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Pull the cable for  sake.

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..heading below ground for the first time in years.

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I really  it up that time, Ollie.

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And Col's Crew...

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..is called in on an emergency repair...

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The Opalton circus continues.

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..wrestling with a one-ton tyre chain.

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It's gonna go.

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# Money

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# And fancy clothes

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# Telling you what to do

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# The right way to live

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# And where to go #

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How are you going? How are you going? Good to see you.

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Together for the first time this season,

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Rookies, Dan and Justin haven't yet made a single cent

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of their combined $150,000 target.

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The opal they're chasing is Coober Pedy's white opal,

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first mined here in 1915 and worth up to $7,500 a gram.

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But there's trouble brewing between the mining partners.

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Justin has a lot more time to go mining

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and he'll be up in Coober Pedy a lot more.

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Family commitments mean Dan can only mine

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one week out of every six. All right. Here we go.

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But Justin isn't waiting.

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Gripped by opal fever he's staked a solo claim and brought his own excavator

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that isn't part of his deal with Dan.

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This is what I wanted to show you.

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Wow-de-dow! Look at that.

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20-ton Hitachi excavator.

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Good machine. I'm pretty happy with it.

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It's survived a month of me learning on it.

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I'm sure it will survive a bit longer.

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Wow, you certainly stepped it up a notch.

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I'm not sure how I feel about this claim

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that Justin has on his own.

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So you decided to go

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and buy an excavator for your own mining operation. Yeah?

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Yeah, as an individual you can do that.

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Of course, you can. Of course, you can.

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I'm just asking the question,

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are we still going to mine together in the future or

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does it mean that you just wanna mine by yourself?

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It is tricky now that Justin's got his own mining machinery, the excavator.

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Um, what's it gonna look like in the future for us?

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What do you think? I'm asking you.

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It's not like working on the same claim and I'm doing it by myself.

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No. I'm working on my own claim up here.

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Um, you know, because you can't come up.

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So, um, when I do come up every six weeks,

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what are we going to do?

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It comes down to the point whether you actually wanna be a hobby miner or real miner.

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That's the bottom line.

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You know, do we want to scavenge around for little bits that

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old miners left in the tunnels that they dug?

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Or do you wanna open up a new ground and become a proper miner

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and find potentially millions of dollars?

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We've done really well with underground mining so far.

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It is dangerous underground. And I just wanna eliminate those risks.

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I mean, the ball's in your court if you wanna mine above ground

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you've gotta get a machine otherwise you can't mine.

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OK. Question is though...

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..while I'm here now, what are we gonna do?

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How about this week, you know, we go underground

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and see what we can find?

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You know, we might be able to find 30, 40 grand for an excavator.

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Who knows? That'd be good. That'd be all right.

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Yeah, that's perfect. Why don't we do that?

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All right. Sounds cool.

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Opalton, remote Central Queensland.

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Just a handful of makeshift mining camps

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120kms from the nearest town.

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Here, temperatures can reach the high 40s.

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Far off the grid, its brutal conditions have beaten many miners.

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Its most recent victim is renowned opal miner, Col Duff,

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recuperating from a mosquito-borne virus that hospitalised him.

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They did a blood test and a bunch of tests

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and, yeah, it was confirmed to be Barmah Forest fever.

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And it's like a truck runs over you

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and every part of your body's hurting, you know, even your eyeballs.

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I've just gotta get better and then I can get serious.

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Without Col, partners Aaron and Greg, are pushing on.

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Pity Col wasn't here, eh? It makes a bit easier.

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But it doesn't matter you gotta keep going.

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They're digging Aaron's dad's old claim, Dragonfly,

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hunting boulder opal, worth up to $20,000 a gram.

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But, after six weeks of hard graft

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they've only made $2,000

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of this season's $120,000 target.

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I'll shave you that bottom down there first. Righto.

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It's just how it is. You can make plenty of money digging opal.

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It can also send you broke if you get it wrong too.

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Cos every day you work is a day you're going broker.

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That's a big rock, Greg. Yeah, we gotta keep an eye on them.

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Put it in the lucky bucket, mate. It's gonna go in the lucky bucket.

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It's a sign the claim might be about to deliver.

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But they've already promised to help a fellow miner.

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We're ready to go, mate? Yeah.

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We're gonna stop mining. We're gonna go and give our mate a hand

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cos he's gotta put these tyres on his dump truck. It's stopping him from mining.

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It's not ideal timing for us cos we wanna get through this ground.

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But we help each other out out here to get him digging too.

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They'll be heading 30kms into the bush

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to the camp of opal miner, Charlie Prodanov.

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Charlie's 50-ton dump truck has two one-ton tyres damaged beyond repair.

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Aaron and Greg have already picked up the replacement.

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We're gonna take 'em over there and give him a hand to put 'em on.

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Yeah, bring it over. Give it all, Greg!

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That'll do it, mate. She's not gonna go anyway. All right, Greg.

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But time helping Charlie... Taxi!

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..is precious time not spent hunting opal.

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And now they've got truck trouble of their own.

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Lightning Ridge, New South Wales.

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This is the hunting ground of brothers Mick and Pete Cooke.

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We never do it the standard way. We like trying to reinvent the wheel.

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Their prize, the most expensive opal in the world - black opal.

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The darker the background, the higher the value.

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The finest can be worth up to $25,000 a gram in the rough.

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500 times more than gold.

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Committed rust junkies, the brothers have been chasing opal together for 20 years.

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A lot more fun. Ah, yeah, it's more fun.

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In the hunt for new ways of digging opal,

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they've amassed three yards full of homemade contraptions.

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Just another project.

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Last season they fell well short of their target.

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Couple of 100 grand would've been nice.

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But I think we might've got a couple of hundred dollars really.

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We didn't make any money. It cost money.

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This season they're again aiming for $200,000.

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To hit their target they've decided to take a risk and dig underground.

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Three kilometres from town, they have a mine at Hidden Valley

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that Mick's convinced will deliver.

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I'm keen to get out to Hidden Valley. I think we might hit a pocket there.

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It's just a...just a gut feeling I've got.

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Quite confident, actually.

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Brother Pete is less hopeful.

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Yeah, well, you know, I'm not that confident, but what can you do?

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If we get down here and move some dirt we might be able to prove it otherwise.

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Let's hope so, eh? I know so. Have faith.

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The brother's last mined Hidden Valley six years ago with little success.

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But news has spread of recent finds in the area

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and the boys want to give it one more try.

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Joining the brothers this season is rookie and friend of the family

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19-year-old Sam Westra.

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I left my home town in northeast Victoria a couple of weeks ago

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cos I wasn't really enjoying what I was doing.

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I called up my parents and asked them what I should do from there

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and they said "Oh, well, Peter's in Lightning Ridge."

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They say that once you lick opal you'll never go back.

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Pete had a nice shiny bit with a bit of colour

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and he said, "Lick it and see what it looks like.

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So as soon as I put it in my mouth,

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yeah, just... Opal fever - you just can't get enough of it.

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See the green? Oh, that one's got some colour.

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You're up.

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First job, get the power going using their 20-year-old generator.

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Doesn't sound real flash, does it?

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Dang!

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Again.

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This is at the heart of the mine, it's the power plant.

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It gives you the lights, runs the power packs for the hydraulics.

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Without this you're going nowhere.

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We could have a look over there.

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Back on the hunt for the first time this season,

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Dan and Justin are in search of an underground mine.

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Look at it!

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Last season, abandoned mines netted them their biggest find.

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Is there more in the wall? You will not believe this!

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Really? Yeah!

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Underground mining is one of the most dangerous things you can do up here.

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You can have rock collapses, you can have things that wanna bite you.

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If something goes wrong, it'll go real wrong, real quick.

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Coober Pedy is peppered with thousands of abandoned mines.

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Before they peg a claim, the first challenge is to find mineshaft safe enough to enter.

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When you have a look at a shaft to go down,

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you make sure that you've got no loose earth around the top,

185
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otherwise you can slide in and that's it. You're dead.

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But the other thing you've gotta do is check with a mirror

187
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to look down to the bottom and see whether it opens up into actually the mine.

188
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Because there's no point just going down straight to a shaft and there's nothing there.

189
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You use a mirror to look down the shaft because you can't get a torch bright enough.

190
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That looks a bit better. Yeah, this is better.

191
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Do you wanna grab me belt? Yeah. I'll have a quick look.

192
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I've got you. All right, just wait, wait, wait. Whoa.

193
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Can you see anything? Yeah. Is it open? No.

194
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This one is a no-goer.

195
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With no suitable mines,

196
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the boys need a plan B.

197
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We've found holes, but we can't find safe enough ones to go down.

198
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Hey, we might go and see Jurgen and ask him, he knows 11 Mile.

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We really do need a bit of a helping hand, I think.

200
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Let's go and see if he's around. All right, let's do it.

201
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Last season, veteran miner, Jurgen Feldheim,

202
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lent The Rookies his unique hand-built drill

203
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that gave them their biggest find.

204
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Jurgen's been quite important to our opal mining career.

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He's given us tools, all of his equipment.

206
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He's given us, most importantly, his advice and his secrets in finding opal.

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That's priceless in my books.

208
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Ooh, crunchy.

209
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Jurgen's invited the boys to team up with him

210
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in one of his underground mines.

211
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Any opal found will be split 50/50.

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Some of the old miners said to us, you know, just be careful, opal can change things.

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At Jurgen's claim, The Rookies are faced with dangers of an unknown mine.

214
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It's belled out. Oh, yeah.

215
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What the...?

216
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I don't know. This one's all belled out

217
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and then goes in to the shaft. So there's a lot of loose rocks

218
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hanging in that top cavity just under the surface here.

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It's dangerous. Oh, well.

220
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The Cooke brothers are trying to reopen an underground mine

221
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they've not entered for six years.

222
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But they have a power problem.

223
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Their 20-year-old generator is struggling to start.

224
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Been sitting a while.

225
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We'll try jackhammer on it.

226
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Whoo-hoo! Put her on the metal make a bit of noise.

227
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The Cookes prefer to mine where it's safest - on the surface.

228
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But with no finds last season

229
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they're being forced underground.

230
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It can be deadly down there. Righto, brother. Come on down!

231
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There's lots of way you can get hurt or get killed.

232
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Haven't seen snakes or porcupines or lizards or anything down here.

233
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No skeletons.

234
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13 meters down, the brothers are out of their comfort zone.

235
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Little bit wary of that overhang there.

236
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And then just bits like this. Careful.

237
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Yeah, it's mixed up. We're gotta get through it.

238
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Still down here is their mining equipment,

239
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last used six years ago.

240
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OK, Bobcat.

241
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The hope is the dry, cool conditions

242
00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:37,839
have preserved the machines they need to dig.

243
00:16:37,920 --> 00:16:40,239
The gear's in surprisingly good condition.

244
00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:43,079
Having that big hole has probably given it good ventilation.

245
00:16:43,160 --> 00:16:46,879
So we haven't got the condensation and corrosion happening.

246
00:16:46,960 --> 00:16:50,079
Just got to hope the Bobcat and digger starts.

247
00:16:50,160 --> 00:16:51,959
Been a while. Yeah.

248
00:16:52,040 --> 00:16:56,439
The poor little beast's been sitting in hibernation for a while. It has.

249
00:16:56,520 --> 00:17:00,559
The Bobcat and digger were lowered down by crane years ago.

250
00:17:04,840 --> 00:17:07,599
Now to test it all still works.

251
00:17:08,760 --> 00:17:10,759
OK, everyone clear.

252
00:17:10,840 --> 00:17:13,599
Switch on. Switch on? Yeah.

253
00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:21,479
Hey-hey! Hooray! It lives. It lives!

254
00:17:22,600 --> 00:17:25,519
They need to clear away six years of debris

255
00:17:25,600 --> 00:17:28,799
that's collapsed from the unstable roof and walls.

256
00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:35,159
It's beautiful-looking dirt.

257
00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:37,479
That normally carries opal, dirt like that.

258
00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:50,239
I've got colour!  You got colour? I got red.

259
00:17:50,320 --> 00:17:52,319
Definitely see potch.

260
00:18:01,840 --> 00:18:04,879
I think it's more that gypsum, isn't it? Ah, bugger.

261
00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:08,199
See that's... We call it gypsum. Yeah, that looks like gypsum.

262
00:18:08,280 --> 00:18:13,239
Gypsum is a soft mineral mined to make fertilizer and construction materials.

263
00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:15,679
But to Mick and Pete it's useless.

264
00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:18,039
Disappointment. Keep digging.

265
00:18:18,120 --> 00:18:20,119
Time for some youth... See how you go.

266
00:18:20,200 --> 00:18:23,279
..and Sam's first turn at the face.

267
00:18:23,360 --> 00:18:25,879
He hasn't actually done any underground mining yet.

268
00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:30,479
A bit of fresh blood, a bit of enthusiasm and, you know,

269
00:18:30,560 --> 00:18:34,159
there's always that beginner's luck. Some of that might rub off on us.

270
00:18:36,840 --> 00:18:39,319
You just lock it in more if you keep doing that.

271
00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:45,719
Oi, you got him!

272
00:18:46,920 --> 00:18:49,559
went down like a bag of .

273
00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:54,999
The boys are carving through the mine.

274
00:18:55,080 --> 00:18:59,079
But the big machines mean they're also carving through their budget.

275
00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:03,839
Every week will cost them about $1,000 in diesel.

276
00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:08,479
Every day they don't find opal is a day they go deeper into debt.

277
00:19:08,560 --> 00:19:12,599
I've maxed out my credit card so, yeah, I would love to find some opal.

278
00:19:12,680 --> 00:19:15,559
I won't have to eat baked beans for months.

279
00:19:26,920 --> 00:19:30,239
Aaron and Greg's mercy mission to deliver a set of tyres

280
00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:33,079
to neighbouring miner Charlie has run dry.

281
00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:35,439
She's got no diesel in her.

282
00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:38,039
Yeah, the tank's out. The tank's empty.

283
00:19:38,120 --> 00:19:41,599
It didn't evaporate, did it? No, it didn't evaporate. No, it didn't.

284
00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:46,439
When we had the truck in town, it was full of diesel. Someone sucked the diesel out of it.

285
00:19:46,520 --> 00:19:50,119
The boys suspect their truck's been siphoned of fuel.

286
00:19:51,800 --> 00:19:53,799
You really can't trust people.

287
00:19:53,880 --> 00:19:57,639
We'll run back to the mine. We got half a drum there, we'll fill it up.

288
00:19:57,720 --> 00:20:00,479
It's now a 20km round trip

289
00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:04,199
to bring diesel from their camp. Did the right thing.

290
00:20:04,280 --> 00:20:07,279
That had heaps of diesel in it. I know.

291
00:20:07,360 --> 00:20:09,439
She won't go anywhere, mate. Nah.

292
00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:11,519
Righto, mate. Take it forward.

293
00:20:12,880 --> 00:20:14,759
Charlie will be going off his brain.

294
00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:17,039
"Where's them Aussies? Where's them Aussies?"

295
00:20:24,760 --> 00:20:27,719
It's all time they could be mining.

296
00:20:27,800 --> 00:20:30,319
Charlie probably thinks we're not turning up.

297
00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:33,319
I'm more pissed off about the diesel going missing.

298
00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:35,519
It's not as if we're like flowing in cash.

299
00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:38,079
She seemed pretty good, eh?

300
00:20:38,160 --> 00:20:40,239
Yeah. I'll give her a hit.

301
00:20:45,560 --> 00:20:49,599
What a beautiful truck. We'll get the show on the road.

302
00:20:51,120 --> 00:20:55,319
Two hours later, Aaron and Greg are finally on the move.

303
00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:57,799
We gotta help Charlie out.

304
00:20:57,880 --> 00:21:01,719
They can't really do their job until they get the tyres on.

305
00:21:06,120 --> 00:21:08,719
Milan!  How are you going?

306
00:21:10,120 --> 00:21:11,999
We've run out of diesel coming over.

307
00:21:12,080 --> 00:21:15,599
The tank was full in town. Someone must've drained it.

308
00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:22,719
Now they need to get the massive tyres off the back of the truck.

309
00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:29,879
For a job like this, a crane is needed.

310
00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:34,199
But without one, Charlie will have to do it the outback way.

311
00:21:34,280 --> 00:21:37,239
Watch out it don't snap that chain. Watch out, Aaron.

312
00:21:40,920 --> 00:21:43,399
It's going up. Beautiful.

313
00:21:46,080 --> 00:21:48,079
It's gonna go. It's gonna go.

314
00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:06,119
1,000kms southwest, Rookies Dan and Justin

315
00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:08,479
are about to enter for the first time

316
00:22:08,560 --> 00:22:12,039
an unknown mine and an unknown partnership

317
00:22:12,120 --> 00:22:14,439
with veteran Jurgen.

318
00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:18,599
Interesting hole this one. Little bit dangerous because it's sort of belled out.

319
00:22:18,680 --> 00:22:21,639
Old shafts are gonna be dodgy because they've had water damage.

320
00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:24,599
They've been dried out, they've been soaked, they've been...

321
00:22:24,680 --> 00:22:27,999
Lot of bad things can happen. Looks all right, not ideal though.

322
00:22:28,080 --> 00:22:30,519
I mean, we're out at 11 Mile

323
00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:34,159
and if Jurgen reckons it's all right we'll wing it.

324
00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:38,039
This one is the chosen one. So, fingers crossed.

325
00:22:38,120 --> 00:22:40,839
Old shafts are notoriously unstable.

326
00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:48,959
The purpose-built winch will lower them down the 26 metres to the mine floor.

327
00:22:49,040 --> 00:22:54,119
If it fails, this metal ladder will be their only lifeline back to the surface.

328
00:23:03,920 --> 00:23:06,039
Only one metre in diameter,

329
00:23:06,120 --> 00:23:09,919
the mine entrance is just big enough to fit one person.

330
00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:18,759
OK! Back in the office chair. It still fits.

331
00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:21,919
It's been about eight months since I've last been down a shaft,

332
00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:24,319
so I'm a bit rusty.

333
00:23:27,480 --> 00:23:31,239
Wow! This is... A lot of work has been done here. Yeah.

334
00:23:36,600 --> 00:23:39,479
At this point we're just, you know, very new to this mine

335
00:23:39,560 --> 00:23:42,279
and we're still sort of scratching here, having a look there

336
00:23:42,360 --> 00:23:45,119
and see what's going on in this mine.

337
00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:47,799
To help them see where the opal might be

338
00:23:47,880 --> 00:23:51,559
the miners use an ultraviolet light or black light.

339
00:23:53,680 --> 00:23:56,199
Soon Justin finds trace.

340
00:23:56,280 --> 00:23:58,519
We just spotted a little bit of opal up here.

341
00:23:58,600 --> 00:24:02,639
It's got a bit of colour. Let's see if I can just knock that in there.

342
00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:07,399
Oh, wow. Is that still attached?

343
00:24:07,480 --> 00:24:11,959
Yeah, it's a bigger piece. I'm gonna make the effort and actually dig it out.

344
00:24:12,040 --> 00:24:14,039
Righto. Let's rock'n'roll.

345
00:24:19,160 --> 00:24:21,799
OK, that's the first little...

346
00:24:21,880 --> 00:24:23,879
Give it to me.

347
00:24:25,240 --> 00:24:28,279
I can see a nice big chunk of red in there. This is good.

348
00:24:28,360 --> 00:24:30,359
It's an encouraging sign.

349
00:24:30,440 --> 00:24:33,359
Red is the rarest of opal colours.

350
00:24:40,920 --> 00:24:42,919
Come on, give me a hand.

351
00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:03,999
There we go. Here's a chunk.

352
00:25:04,080 --> 00:25:06,519
Oh, wow. Stay calm.

353
00:25:06,600 --> 00:25:10,759
Holy moly! Moly, moly!

354
00:25:10,840 --> 00:25:13,919
Let's have a look. Show me some colour. It's what we call...

355
00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:18,559
Whoo!

356
00:25:21,040 --> 00:25:22,959
Come here!

357
00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:28,199
Greg and Aaron's mercy mission

358
00:25:28,280 --> 00:25:31,559
helping mining neighbour Charlie is hanging in the balance.

359
00:25:31,640 --> 00:25:34,159
Watch out! Danger, danger.

360
00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:37,839
Charlie's dump truck needs two new one-ton tyres

361
00:25:37,920 --> 00:25:41,999
so he can get back mining. But Aaron and Greg have already lost

362
00:25:42,080 --> 00:25:46,039
over half a day's valuable mining time...and counting.

363
00:25:47,400 --> 00:25:50,319
Get out of the road. It's gonna go.

364
00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:53,119
It's gonna go. She's gone.

365
00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:56,719
Bam! Stay there, stay there, stay there.

366
00:25:56,800 --> 00:26:01,199
Nearly stayed there. Wild operator. Wild operator, all right.

367
00:26:01,280 --> 00:26:05,599
Chain slipped off the tooth. We just stay out of the way. Watch out. Watch out.

368
00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:08,399
Ready to get out the way any time. Yeah.

369
00:26:20,600 --> 00:26:22,679
Whoa! Whoa!

370
00:26:22,760 --> 00:26:27,919
Wild operator Charlie steps down to make way for Aaron in the backhoe.

371
00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:29,999
Let's work out how they go on.

372
00:26:30,080 --> 00:26:32,479
With a loading capacity of two tons...

373
00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:40,199
..it's Aaron's job to line up the two one-ton tyres... Keep coming.

374
00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:42,759
..on to 64cm wheel hubs.

375
00:26:42,840 --> 00:26:46,399
Gonna go up a bit. Gonna go up a bit. Up a fraction.

376
00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:48,479
But four different miners...

377
00:26:50,640 --> 00:26:54,199
..four different opinions on the best way to do it.

378
00:26:54,280 --> 00:26:57,839
Down! You have to turn the tyre once more.

379
00:26:57,920 --> 00:27:00,799
I got three telling me. Well, I'll get the crow bar.

380
00:27:02,200 --> 00:27:05,079
Keep coming. Get Charlie out of there.

381
00:27:05,160 --> 00:27:08,279
I think we're nearly there. Down!

382
00:27:10,560 --> 00:27:12,559
It's right down now. We're on the ground.

383
00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:15,519
It looks fairly good to me, Charlie. Right.

384
00:27:15,600 --> 00:27:18,719
Fine. Spot on. You reckon? 100%.

385
00:27:19,240 --> 00:27:23,559
Up? Yeah. She's up.

386
00:27:28,880 --> 00:27:31,639
More. More. Stop!

387
00:27:31,720 --> 00:27:34,439
She's in. Well, let me see. Yeah, we are in.

388
00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:38,879
It's taking a bit longer than we thought, but we're slowly getting there.

389
00:27:38,960 --> 00:27:44,839
Next a 19kg steel spacer goes on to separate the two tyres.

390
00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:49,279
We'll get back on opal tomorrow. Good to help our mates out.

391
00:27:58,320 --> 00:28:00,679
Yeah. How is that?

392
00:28:02,200 --> 00:28:06,479
At last... Happy, happy! ..Charlie can get back to moving dirt.

393
00:28:10,760 --> 00:28:14,999
But for Aaron and Greg, helping a neighbour in need has come at a cost.

394
00:28:18,520 --> 00:28:20,959
Thank you very much, gentlemen. No worries, mate.

395
00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:23,039
We're gonna get going too. Yeah.

396
00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:33,839
Back at their own mine site, the boys have time for one last dig of the day.

397
00:28:33,920 --> 00:28:36,039
Nice size rock here, Greg. Yeah?

398
00:28:38,840 --> 00:28:42,159
Just need one of them rocks to fill up, light up, we'll be right.

399
00:28:49,600 --> 00:28:51,599
It didn't get the nectar.

400
00:28:51,680 --> 00:28:54,559
I'll drop the rest of this face, eh? All right, mate.

401
00:29:10,400 --> 00:29:13,999
Aw! I can see colour from here. You can.

402
00:29:14,080 --> 00:29:16,839
Colour in the face. Colour in the face.

403
00:29:21,920 --> 00:29:24,919
Smell the musty air. Beautiful.

404
00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:27,279
For the first time in six years,

405
00:29:27,360 --> 00:29:31,159
mechanical maestros Pete and Mick are back underground

406
00:29:31,240 --> 00:29:33,759
digging out their abandoned mine.

407
00:29:33,840 --> 00:29:36,639
Yeah, I can't dig bugger all really. It's just...

408
00:29:36,720 --> 00:29:39,919
So really we want the bucket now. That's what the next stage is.

409
00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:43,079
To clear the mine, the brothers will need to lift out

410
00:29:43,160 --> 00:29:46,079
tons of dirt using a one-ton bucket

411
00:29:46,160 --> 00:29:48,159
that's 10 tons when full.

412
00:29:48,240 --> 00:29:51,799
We pull that up, then we slew it around. We put it over truck,

413
00:29:51,880 --> 00:29:55,399
empty the dirt and poke it back down the hole and fill it up again.

414
00:29:56,480 --> 00:30:00,839
But to lift it they'll need some heavy machinery back in Mick's shed

415
00:30:00,920 --> 00:30:02,919
three kilometres away.

416
00:30:03,000 --> 00:30:08,199
His 25-ton, 40-year-old crane Old Yeller.

417
00:30:10,280 --> 00:30:13,759
Just packing up the crane, so we can lift that big bucket.

418
00:30:13,840 --> 00:30:17,639
Cos nothing else will lift the big bucket.

419
00:30:17,720 --> 00:30:22,319
So this is this crazy-arse big bucket Bobcat mining scenario.

420
00:30:24,120 --> 00:30:28,719
But there's a problem. The crane isn't licensed for the main road.

421
00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:31,359
I'm not running it up this road.

422
00:30:31,440 --> 00:30:34,599
Yeah, I suppose it's double demerits. That's the thing and...

423
00:30:34,680 --> 00:30:37,679
The cops just went out there then, the Walgett coppers,

424
00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:40,719
so, hopefully, they're going to Walgett.  Yeah.

425
00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:46,159
It'll have to travel the three kilometres from Mick's shed to the mine, cross-country.

426
00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:49,199
What do you reckon? Rough track? I don't think it'll make it.

427
00:30:49,280 --> 00:30:53,999
Oh, that bad. Some big holes. We've only got one axle driving.

428
00:30:54,080 --> 00:30:56,679
Yeah. If one wheel starts spinning we're struck,

429
00:30:56,760 --> 00:30:59,439
it's rough as guts. You hardly get through in the car.

430
00:30:59,520 --> 00:31:03,039
Look, I wouldn't mind whipping across the road there.

431
00:31:03,120 --> 00:31:06,359
You can go from there to the pony club.

432
00:31:06,440 --> 00:31:09,119
Yeah, but there's lots of rough holes there too.

433
00:31:09,200 --> 00:31:12,479
I don't wanna get the  stuck. You won't get it stuck.

434
00:31:27,720 --> 00:31:30,239
Whoo-hoo!

435
00:31:31,120 --> 00:31:35,119
Mick's strategy - go fast, go hard,

436
00:31:35,200 --> 00:31:37,999
and whatever you do, don't stop.

437
00:32:01,000 --> 00:32:02,239
Whoa!

438
00:32:04,560 --> 00:32:06,559
I thought I would've got it then.

439
00:32:10,400 --> 00:32:12,599
Trying the impossible.

440
00:32:12,680 --> 00:32:16,279
I thought I would've got it with a bit of momentum but I bellied out.

441
00:32:16,360 --> 00:32:20,399
Stuck fast and not even halfway to the mine.

442
00:32:35,360 --> 00:32:37,239
Come here!

443
00:32:37,320 --> 00:32:40,519
26 metres below ground in Coober Pedy...

444
00:32:40,600 --> 00:32:42,599
BOTH: Yes! Let me have a look.

445
00:32:42,680 --> 00:32:45,759
..Justin, Dan, and new partner Jurgen

446
00:32:45,840 --> 00:32:49,039
have just discovered a good seam of white opal.

447
00:32:50,880 --> 00:32:54,319
Just above us is a couple of thousand dollars worth of rough opal.

448
00:32:54,400 --> 00:32:59,199
It's a grey base with beautiful reds and greens and all the nice colours. It's really exciting

449
00:32:59,280 --> 00:33:03,279
cos it's not over, you know, there could be more just sitting above us.

450
00:33:04,920 --> 00:33:08,239
The next step is to dig out the rest of the pocket.

451
00:33:16,880 --> 00:33:20,639
But Jurgen unexpectedly leads the boys away from it

452
00:33:20,720 --> 00:33:22,719
to a completely different spot.

453
00:33:35,800 --> 00:33:41,039
Finding opal can be quite complicated and it can change situations overnight.

454
00:33:43,360 --> 00:33:46,079
Dan returns to investigate the area

455
00:33:46,160 --> 00:33:48,799
around the original find.

456
00:33:48,880 --> 00:33:51,479
Justin has been held captive down there.

457
00:33:51,560 --> 00:33:54,919
I've just come up here to have a bit of a look.

458
00:33:57,560 --> 00:34:00,399
The frustration is starting to tell.

459
00:34:00,480 --> 00:34:03,359
I just can't take it any more. I mean, come on.

460
00:34:03,440 --> 00:34:05,919
We're grown men. Give me a break.

461
00:34:08,920 --> 00:34:12,719
Is there any colour coming out? No, not at the moment, unfortunately.

462
00:34:18,800 --> 00:34:21,199
Yeah, it's behind you? Yes.

463
00:34:24,680 --> 00:34:26,839
I found opal. He drilled it out.

464
00:34:26,920 --> 00:34:31,199
He's now saying, "There's none there, let's go somewhere else." But it's there.

465
00:34:31,280 --> 00:34:34,959
He probably intended to come back later and dig it out.

466
00:34:35,040 --> 00:34:37,039
I think this is the one. I'm not sure.

467
00:34:38,520 --> 00:34:41,519
I've got a massive load of tolerance and so has Dan.

468
00:34:41,600 --> 00:34:44,879
Today it was pushed to the absolute brink.

469
00:34:44,960 --> 00:34:49,239
With it looking like Jurgen has led them away from the best opal in the mine,

470
00:34:49,320 --> 00:34:52,359
The Rookies have just learned another valuable lesson.

471
00:34:52,440 --> 00:34:57,399
Number one rule is not to agree to work on someone else's claim

472
00:34:57,480 --> 00:35:00,359
cos when you find opal  can change.

473
00:35:00,440 --> 00:35:02,599
Friendships can break real quick.

474
00:35:07,760 --> 00:35:12,479
Six weeks into the season, Greg and Aaron have finally hit good opal.

475
00:35:12,560 --> 00:35:15,359
Aw! I can see colour from here. Good colour?

476
00:35:15,440 --> 00:35:17,519
Looks all right from here. I'll shut her down.

477
00:35:17,600 --> 00:35:19,079
Shut her down. Shut her down.

478
00:35:19,160 --> 00:35:23,679
Aw, here's a little bit of it. Oh, colour in the face.

479
00:35:23,760 --> 00:35:27,159
Oh, look at that. Aw, what a nice rock, mate.

480
00:35:27,240 --> 00:35:30,159
It's their first taste of real colour this season.

481
00:35:30,240 --> 00:35:32,679
Colour in the face. Colour in the hand. Look at that.

482
00:35:32,760 --> 00:35:37,199
That's a proper straw pattern. Yeah, mate. See, it's all like that.

483
00:35:37,280 --> 00:35:39,879
That is top gem crystal. Queensland.

484
00:35:39,960 --> 00:35:42,279
Straw pattern, Queensland boulder Opal.

485
00:35:42,360 --> 00:35:44,479
Opalton opal. You beauty.

486
00:35:44,560 --> 00:35:47,759
Oh, colour in the face! Look at that.

487
00:35:47,840 --> 00:35:50,159
It flaked off and there was another glitter.

488
00:35:50,240 --> 00:35:52,919
Yeah. Straw pattern today.

489
00:35:53,000 --> 00:35:56,759
Try and get the whole rock out in one hit.

490
00:35:56,840 --> 00:35:59,439
Knock her out, mate. Knock her out. Knock her out.

491
00:36:04,280 --> 00:36:06,759
Might be a bit... You ready?

492
00:36:17,840 --> 00:36:20,119
He's a right rock, look at the back of him.

493
00:36:20,360 --> 00:36:22,359
Got the pipes, got everything.

494
00:36:22,440 --> 00:36:26,039
No point rolling it over. We'll just... Yeah, I think so.

495
00:36:26,880 --> 00:36:28,879
That's that piece, yeah. Yeah.

496
00:36:29,760 --> 00:36:32,679
That's nice colour, eh? Every rock's one step closer

497
00:36:32,760 --> 00:36:35,559
to paying the bills. Getting ahead.

498
00:36:35,640 --> 00:36:37,759
That's it. Cool.

499
00:36:37,840 --> 00:36:39,839
Groovy.

500
00:36:39,920 --> 00:36:43,039
They'll take the rock back to camp and cut it open

501
00:36:43,120 --> 00:36:45,279
to see if there's more hidden inside

502
00:36:45,360 --> 00:36:47,839
Greg's a very good cutter, he's been cutting

503
00:36:47,920 --> 00:36:52,559
for 35 years - more, 40 years - that I know of.

504
00:36:52,640 --> 00:36:56,559
He was cutting when he was 16. I'm gonna chop him here.

505
00:36:56,640 --> 00:36:59,399
All right, mate.  Nice colour. Isn't it?

506
00:36:59,480 --> 00:37:03,439
Greg will use a masonry cutter with a diamond tip cutting blade.

507
00:37:03,520 --> 00:37:04,959
Real McCoy.

508
00:37:07,000 --> 00:37:09,239
Water will cool the blade.

509
00:37:11,040 --> 00:37:13,199
For Greg, this is the moment

510
00:37:13,280 --> 00:37:16,239
when the true value of a rock is revealed.

511
00:37:16,320 --> 00:37:19,959
I like cutting opal. You get to know

512
00:37:20,040 --> 00:37:23,039
exactly what you've found and what you've got to sell.

513
00:37:23,120 --> 00:37:27,119
If you sell it in the rough, you haven't got an idea what you're selling at all.

514
00:37:28,880 --> 00:37:33,439
Their hope is that the opal has produced not only on the surface

515
00:37:33,520 --> 00:37:35,719
but deep within the ironstone,

516
00:37:35,800 --> 00:37:38,559
making their find all the more valuable.

517
00:37:42,600 --> 00:37:46,159
The opal doesn't run all the way through.

518
00:37:46,240 --> 00:37:48,239
But what they have is stunning.

519
00:37:53,560 --> 00:37:56,559
It didn't travel far, actually, it travelled here.

520
00:37:56,640 --> 00:38:01,319
It's a strip of opal-bearing rock in there.

521
00:38:02,640 --> 00:38:06,519
It's gem quality crystal boulder opal,

522
00:38:06,600 --> 00:38:11,279
blue/green in colour with flashes of purple, yellow, orange and red.

523
00:38:11,920 --> 00:38:15,719
It's in the rough and they estimate they have 20 carats.

524
00:38:15,800 --> 00:38:19,759
Its approximate wholesale value is $8,000,

525
00:38:19,840 --> 00:38:21,839
bringing their total so far to...

526
00:38:22,920 --> 00:38:25,359
We'll do more sawing and go to the thinner blade.

527
00:38:25,440 --> 00:38:27,439
That's good enough for now anyway.

528
00:38:28,640 --> 00:38:30,959
And it's a beautiful colour.

529
00:38:31,040 --> 00:38:34,439
Can't be disappointed with that at all. All pretty good.

530
00:38:40,600 --> 00:38:43,959
Pete can give me a tow. Yeah, the way it's looking.

531
00:38:44,040 --> 00:38:49,119
The Cooke brothers' 25-ton crane, Old Yeller, is stuck fast

532
00:38:49,200 --> 00:38:51,439
three kilometres from their mine.

533
00:39:08,840 --> 00:39:11,959
It's not gonna work. I hate to say I told you so.

534
00:39:16,320 --> 00:39:18,319
Might have to do a backwards tow.

535
00:39:31,000 --> 00:39:34,519
Towing it out is just digging it in deeper.

536
00:39:34,600 --> 00:39:36,959
I really  up that time, Ollie.

537
00:39:37,040 --> 00:39:40,679
Manitou? We got no choice really, mate.

538
00:39:40,760 --> 00:39:44,119
Enter their three ton Manitou telehandler

539
00:39:44,200 --> 00:39:49,039
with its telescopic arm and three-and-a-half tons of pushing power.

540
00:39:49,120 --> 00:39:51,999
See if I can dig it under and push it up. See how we go.

541
00:40:09,600 --> 00:40:13,199
Nice. Bit like a big-arse loader.

542
00:40:14,240 --> 00:40:17,839
Yeah, well. What a circus.

543
00:40:18,400 --> 00:40:22,279
Uh, we got the crane stuck just sort of behind the industrial estate

544
00:40:22,360 --> 00:40:26,919
and we wondered if we can and borrow your Manitou to pull the that.

545
00:40:27,000 --> 00:40:31,839
My Manitou won't do it. Everyone in town does help each other. It's bloody amazing.

546
00:40:33,080 --> 00:40:36,399
Last resort and even bigger telehandler

547
00:40:36,480 --> 00:40:38,839
borrowed from a neighbouring miner.

548
00:40:40,600 --> 00:40:44,079
This one has over nine tons of grunt.

549
00:40:46,080 --> 00:40:48,119
With two hours already lost

550
00:40:48,200 --> 00:40:52,599
they need the crane free or they'll have wasted the entire day.

551
00:41:01,960 --> 00:41:03,999
Oh, yeah, piece of . Nothing to it

552
00:41:04,080 --> 00:41:06,559
when you've got the right equipment.

553
00:41:06,640 --> 00:41:11,439
That's good. We'll sally forth, venture on, see if we get stuck again.

554
00:41:13,040 --> 00:41:15,759
It's a victory today. But with a target of...

555
00:41:17,680 --> 00:41:20,039
..and not an opal yet to be seen,

556
00:41:20,120 --> 00:41:23,879
the brothers have got a massive challenge ahead.

557
00:41:29,720 --> 00:41:32,879
It's all a big mind game, opal mining.

558
00:41:32,960 --> 00:41:38,159
For the Rookies, the experiment of working with Jurgen is proving frustrating.

559
00:41:38,240 --> 00:41:40,239
Here. Here's a good spot. Here.

560
00:41:41,080 --> 00:41:43,959
I'm not sure whether he was trying to teach us

561
00:41:44,040 --> 00:41:46,479
or he just wanted to use us.

562
00:41:49,880 --> 00:41:53,919
Teaming up with a third party has taught them a hard lesson.

563
00:41:55,160 --> 00:41:57,279
What we learned out of that experience

564
00:41:57,360 --> 00:42:01,119
is that the more people are involved the more difficult it gets.

565
00:42:01,880 --> 00:42:05,999
That's why I'm for a 50/50 partnership with Justin

566
00:42:06,080 --> 00:42:09,359
and that's, in my view, the best way to move forward.

567
00:42:10,000 --> 00:42:13,719
Let's grab a bit of opal out. Let's clean him up.

568
00:42:13,800 --> 00:42:18,479
Back at the dugout, they examine their 50% share of the find.

569
00:42:18,560 --> 00:42:20,639
There's a few little bits in here.

570
00:42:23,160 --> 00:42:26,759
We got a couple of nice stones, so not a bad effort for a day's work.

571
00:42:26,840 --> 00:42:30,359
It's not our best find but good start to the season anyway. Yeah.

572
00:42:30,440 --> 00:42:33,679
The best thing about it is that we're back mining again together.

573
00:42:33,760 --> 00:42:36,839
Mm-hm. Good job, Muller. All right. Well done. All right.

574
00:42:36,920 --> 00:42:39,079
The opal that we found is pretty good opal.

575
00:42:39,160 --> 00:42:42,239
Nice colours in there, you know. Not a huge quantity.

576
00:42:42,320 --> 00:42:44,759
Let's go and see Johnny. What do you think?

577
00:42:44,840 --> 00:42:46,879
I reckon. See what he says. Let's do it.

578
00:42:47,640 --> 00:42:51,799
Legendary opal hunter John Dunstan is the Rookie's mentor

579
00:42:51,880 --> 00:42:53,959
and an experienced opal valuer.

580
00:42:54,040 --> 00:42:56,039
G'day, g'day. G'day, g'day!

581
00:42:56,120 --> 00:43:00,199
How are you going? Howdy. How's things? Good. Back again. Back again indeed.

582
00:43:00,280 --> 00:43:03,439
We did a bit mining earlier today and this is what we found.

583
00:43:03,520 --> 00:43:06,879
Oh, yeah. I think it's not a bad start to our mining season.

584
00:43:06,960 --> 00:43:09,919
Looks all right. Well, nothing wrong with this.

585
00:43:10,000 --> 00:43:13,799
Nice bit of colour here. Yeah. What do you think it's worth, John?

586
00:43:14,400 --> 00:43:18,119
I reckon you could probably get... maybe a thousand bucks.

587
00:43:18,200 --> 00:43:22,159
Yeah, right. That's all right. 700-800 for sure. Yeah.

588
00:43:22,240 --> 00:43:26,239
A thousand bucks. That's a good start, I reckon. Gotta be happy with that.

589
00:43:26,320 --> 00:43:29,279
Justin and Dan's opal is white opal,

590
00:43:29,360 --> 00:43:32,239
worth up to $1,500 a carat retail.

591
00:43:33,120 --> 00:43:35,599
It has flashes of blue, green and red.

592
00:43:35,680 --> 00:43:38,759
But it's in the rough and it weighs just two ounces

593
00:43:38,840 --> 00:43:40,839
making its value around...

594
00:43:41,760 --> 00:43:44,999
Back into the swing of things and started off the week pretty well.

595
00:43:45,080 --> 00:43:47,479
So what you need now is a bucketful.

596
00:43:47,560 --> 00:43:50,559
All right. Thanks, John. OK, boys. Good luck. No worries.

597
00:43:51,440 --> 00:43:55,079
While the Rookies are happy with their first haul of the season,

598
00:43:55,160 --> 00:43:58,559
with a target of $150,000

599
00:43:58,640 --> 00:44:00,959
there's still a long road ahead.

600
00:44:01,280 --> 00:44:03,279
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600
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