"Outback Opal Hunters" Battling Back

1 00:00:01,448 --> 00:00:03,068 Narrator: ON "OUTBACK OPAL HUNTERS"... 2 00:00:03,103 --> 00:00:04,551 OH! OH, MY GOD. 3 00:00:04,586 --> 00:00:06,724 Narrator: ...THE FIRE CREW'S SEASON'S ON A KNIFE EDGE... 4 00:00:06,758 --> 00:00:08,413 I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT I SMASHED IT. 5 00:00:08,448 --> 00:00:11,241 ...AS THEY STRUGGLE TO UNEARTH A RECORD-BREAKING OPAL HAUL. 6 00:00:11,275 --> 00:00:13,862 Pete: OH, A NICE CRACK. LOOK AT THAT. 7 00:00:13,896 --> 00:00:15,413 LOOK AT THAT. 8 00:00:15,448 --> 00:00:17,137 THE WORLD HASN'T SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS. 9 00:00:18,724 --> 00:00:21,896 Narrator: WITH CASH DWINDLING, THE OPAL QUEEN DIGS UNDERGROUND... 10 00:00:21,931 --> 00:00:24,482 Kelly: ALL IT'S DOING AT THE MOMENT IS COSTING MONEY. 11 00:00:24,517 --> 00:00:27,586 Narrator: ...BATTLING ROCK-HARD WALLS ALONE ON A DESPERATE HUNT. 12 00:00:27,620 --> 00:00:29,689 YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THE SIZE OF YOUR FINGERNAIL. 13 00:00:29,724 --> 00:00:31,724 IT COULD BE WORTH $10,000. 14 00:00:31,758 --> 00:00:34,172 WHOO-HOO! OPAL -- THAT'S AWESOME. 15 00:00:34,206 --> 00:00:37,896 Narrator: AND THE BOULDER BOYS ABANDON THEIR BUSTED DRILL... 16 00:00:37,931 --> 00:00:40,000 WHAT'S HAPPENED IS, THIS CLUTCH HAS WORN OUT. 17 00:00:40,034 --> 00:00:43,103 Narrator: ...AND HUNT FOR SURFACE OPAL ONE ROCK AT A TIME. 18 00:00:43,137 --> 00:00:46,689 BOYS, COME HAVE A LOOK AT THIS.WOW, LOOK AT THAT. 19 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:54,074 Do you want subtitles for any video? -=[ ai.OpenSubtitles.com ]=- 20 00:01:09,068 --> 00:01:12,034 --Captions by VITAC-- www.vitac.com 21 00:01:12,068 --> 00:01:15,068 CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS 22 00:01:17,448 --> 00:01:20,344 IN THE ARID WESTERN AUSTRALIAN OUTBACK, 23 00:01:20,379 --> 00:01:24,586 THE BRUTAL 50-DEGREE HEAT OF SUMMER IS FAST APPROACHING 24 00:01:24,620 --> 00:01:27,931 AND, WITH IT, THE END OF THE OPAL MINING SEASON. 25 00:01:27,965 --> 00:01:31,758 THE FIRE CREW ARE ON A LAST DESPERATE HUNT FOR OPAL. 26 00:01:31,793 --> 00:01:34,448 Adam: GOT A FEW DAYS LEFT. IT'S OUR LAST CHANCE TO DO IT. 27 00:01:34,482 --> 00:01:36,137 IF WE'RE GOING TO DO IT, WE GOT TO DO IT NOW. 28 00:01:36,172 --> 00:01:40,275 Narrator: FIREFIGHTER ADAM PIROMANSKI AND PARTNER CASSIDY RICKETTS 29 00:01:40,310 --> 00:01:42,724 ARE HOPING TO SET THEMSELVES UP FOR THE FUTURE. 30 00:01:42,758 --> 00:01:45,413 WE RISKED ALL OUR SORT OF SAVINGS 31 00:01:45,448 --> 00:01:47,965 FOR THE POTENTIAL OF FINDING SOMETHING. 32 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:49,655 IF WE FIND OPAL OUT THERE, 33 00:01:49,689 --> 00:01:51,275 THAT MEANS THAT THE GAMBLE THAT WE'RE TAKING 34 00:01:51,310 --> 00:01:52,862 IS GOING TO PAY OFF. 35 00:01:52,896 --> 00:01:54,448 BECAUSE CAREFUL OF THE ANTS BECAUSE THEY CRAWLED 36 00:01:54,482 --> 00:01:56,241 IN MY GLOVE, AND THEY BITE. 37 00:01:56,275 --> 00:02:00,379 Narrator: VETERAN PROSPECTORS PETE AND VIKKI PIROMANSKI 38 00:02:00,413 --> 00:02:01,724 ARE ADAM'S PARENTS. 39 00:02:01,758 --> 00:02:04,482 DID YOU REMEMBER MY TOBACCO?YES. 40 00:02:04,517 --> 00:02:07,275 THEY'RE ABOUT TO WRAP UP THEIR FIRST SEASON 41 00:02:07,310 --> 00:02:09,965 HUNTING FIRE OPAL AS A FAMILY BUSINESS. 42 00:02:10,000 --> 00:02:11,517 Adam: IT'S BEEN A BIT OF A ROLLER COASTER, HASN'T IT? 43 00:02:11,551 --> 00:02:13,827 WE'VE HAD OUR GOOD DAYS, BAD DAYS. 44 00:02:13,862 --> 00:02:15,758 LOOK AT THAT.Vikki: OH! 45 00:02:15,793 --> 00:02:18,034 BEAUTY! WHOO! 46 00:02:18,068 --> 00:02:21,413 Narrator: SIX MONTHS AGO, IN A REMOTE LOCATION, 47 00:02:21,448 --> 00:02:24,206 THEY HIT A POCKET OF YELLOW FIRE OPAL 48 00:02:24,241 --> 00:02:27,103 WORTH $30,000... 49 00:02:27,137 --> 00:02:29,034 OR SO THEY HOPED. 50 00:02:29,068 --> 00:02:32,172 Adam: WE DIDN'T HAVE AS MUCH STONE AS WE THOUGHT WE HAD, 51 00:02:32,206 --> 00:02:34,068 AND AFTER CLEANING IT UP, YOU KNOW... 52 00:02:34,103 --> 00:02:35,275 Pete: THAT'S ALL WE GOT OUT OF IT. 53 00:02:35,310 --> 00:02:36,896 THAT'S IT. OOH. 54 00:02:36,931 --> 00:02:38,862 IT'S NOT AS MUCH AS WE THOUGHT. 55 00:02:38,896 --> 00:02:41,137 Narrator: THE ROUGH OPAL WAS OF HIGH QUALITY, 56 00:02:41,172 --> 00:02:44,034 BUT ADAM HAS JUST MADE A DISASTROUS DISCOVERY. 57 00:02:44,068 --> 00:02:46,344 THIS PIECE HERE, YOU LOOK INTO IT, 58 00:02:46,379 --> 00:02:48,827 THERE'S LITTLE HAIRLINE FRACTURES IN IT, 59 00:02:48,862 --> 00:02:51,275 AND THAT JUST BREAKS YOUR HEART, YOU KNOW? 60 00:02:53,482 --> 00:02:55,103 Narrator: FORMED DEEP UNDERGROUND 61 00:02:55,137 --> 00:02:57,379 IN GRANITE MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO, 62 00:02:57,413 --> 00:03:00,172 FIRE OPAL IS CREATED UNDER PRESSURE. 63 00:03:00,206 --> 00:03:02,827 IT EXPANDS WHEN FREED FROM THE ROCK, 64 00:03:02,862 --> 00:03:07,000 AND 60% OF THE FIRE CREW'S HAUL HAS CRACKED. 65 00:03:09,586 --> 00:03:12,413 THE FAMILY ARE SUDDENLY BEHIND THEIR TARGET 66 00:03:12,448 --> 00:03:14,655 WITH THE SEASON NEARLY OVER. 67 00:03:16,862 --> 00:03:20,068 I THINK WE SHOULD BE GOING BACK THERE BECAUSE I -- 68 00:03:20,103 --> 00:03:22,827 NO! NO, NO!I... 69 00:03:22,862 --> 00:03:24,724 NOW, LOOK. LOOK, LOOK, LOOK.NO. 70 00:03:24,758 --> 00:03:26,724 I RECKON THERE'S A LOT MORE OPAL STILL THERE. 71 00:03:26,758 --> 00:03:28,896 IT'S GOING TO COST US ABOUT AT LEAST, MINIMAL, 5 GRAND 72 00:03:28,931 --> 00:03:30,137 TO GO OUT THERE. 73 00:03:30,172 --> 00:03:32,172 I JUST THINK IT'S TOO AMAZING 74 00:03:32,206 --> 00:03:34,241 TO NOT GO BACK OUT THERE AND GIVE IT ONE MORE SHOT. 75 00:03:34,275 --> 00:03:35,862 WE KNOW WHERE IT IS. 76 00:03:35,896 --> 00:03:38,965 WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE WASTING FUEL AND TIME LOOKING FOR IT. 77 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:41,172 GET ORGANIZED.VOTE, VOTE. 78 00:03:41,206 --> 00:03:45,206 HANDS UP TO GO TO... 79 00:03:46,551 --> 00:03:47,724 GOT IT. 80 00:03:49,137 --> 00:03:51,827 Cassidy: FOR US, WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS 81 00:03:51,862 --> 00:03:53,931 TO SEE IF IT IS WORTH IT. WE'RE A YOUNG COUPLE. 82 00:03:53,965 --> 00:03:56,896 WE'VE GOT MASSIVE BILLS, YOU KNOW, STARTING OUR LIVES. 83 00:03:56,931 --> 00:03:58,862 60% OF WASTAGE, IF THAT'S THE NORM, 84 00:03:58,896 --> 00:04:01,793 THEN WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO FIND A FRICKING LOAD OF OPAL 85 00:04:01,827 --> 00:04:03,448 THIS TIME OUT THERE TO MAKE IT WORTH IT. 86 00:04:03,482 --> 00:04:05,620 WE REALLY DO. 87 00:04:08,275 --> 00:04:10,586 Narrator: 70 KILOMETERS FROM LAVERTON 88 00:04:10,620 --> 00:04:13,448 IS THE FIRE CREW'S OFF-THE-GRID BASE CAMP, 89 00:04:13,482 --> 00:04:16,034 BUT THE LOCATION OF THEIR ORIGINAL FIND 90 00:04:16,068 --> 00:04:19,068 IS 50 KILOMETERS DEEPER INTO THE OUTBACK, 91 00:04:19,103 --> 00:04:22,517 FAR FROM ANY HELP, SHOULD SOMETHING GO WRONG. 92 00:04:22,551 --> 00:04:26,896 LOOK AT THESE CHUNKS. THIS IS WHAT WE GOT TO GET OUT. 93 00:04:26,931 --> 00:04:30,034 RANGING IN COLOR FROM DEEP RED TO SUNNY YELLOW, 94 00:04:30,068 --> 00:04:34,965 FIRE OPAL CAN BE WORTH UP TO $1,400 A CARAT. 95 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:37,586 ADAM THINKS IT'S GOING THIS WAY INTO THE HILL, 96 00:04:37,620 --> 00:04:41,413 SO IF HE DIGS UP HERE, HE CAN LIFT IT UP THAT WAY. 97 00:04:41,448 --> 00:04:46,586 UNLIKE OTHER OPAL NORMALLY FOUND IN SANDSTONE OR IRONSTONE, 98 00:04:46,620 --> 00:04:49,655 FIRE OPAL IS TRAPPED WITHIN CEMENT-LIKE GRANITE. 99 00:04:49,689 --> 00:04:51,793 THE ONLY WAY ADAM CAN FREE IT 100 00:04:51,827 --> 00:04:54,724 IS WITH A BATTERED 15-YEAR-OLD JACKHAMMER. 101 00:04:54,758 --> 00:04:56,758 IT HAD A BIT OF A BURNING SMELL, 102 00:04:56,793 --> 00:04:58,931 SO IT HAD ME A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED. 103 00:05:04,241 --> 00:05:05,655 THIS IS CUTTING OUT. 104 00:05:05,689 --> 00:05:07,827 HUH?IT'S CUTTING OUT. 105 00:05:12,103 --> 00:05:13,862 AH, YEAH. HANG ON. 106 00:05:13,896 --> 00:05:16,413 Cassidy: THAT ONE'S A BIT LOOSE, I RECKON. 107 00:05:16,448 --> 00:05:18,931 OKAY. TRY THAT OUT. 108 00:05:26,793 --> 00:05:28,379 IS IT BROKEN?Adam: MM. 109 00:05:28,413 --> 00:05:33,413 THE HANDLE COOKED ITSELF, SO THAT'S NO GOOD TO US NOW. 110 00:05:33,448 --> 00:05:36,000 Narrator: IT'S THE ONLY JACKHAMMER THEY'VE GOT. 111 00:05:37,413 --> 00:05:40,448 IF THEY CAN'T FIX IT, THEIR SEASON IS OVER, 112 00:05:40,482 --> 00:05:43,344 WITH $5,000 WASTED. 113 00:05:46,413 --> 00:05:49,241 2,000 KILOMETERS TO THE EAST, 114 00:05:49,275 --> 00:05:52,448 DRAGONFLY CLAIM, OPALTON. 115 00:05:54,137 --> 00:05:57,241 THE BOULDER BOYS, AARON, GREG, AND RON, 116 00:05:57,275 --> 00:06:02,586 ARE WORKING A PROMISING AREA OF THE LEASE CALLED THE PIT. 117 00:06:04,620 --> 00:06:07,310 Aaron: EVERY TIME YOU DUG A HOLE AND YOU FOUND 80 GRAND WORTH OF OPAL, 118 00:06:07,344 --> 00:06:09,379 YOU'D BE IN THE BAHAMAS, WOULDN'T YOU? 119 00:06:09,413 --> 00:06:11,275 YOU WOULDN'T BE IN THIS HOLE. 120 00:06:11,310 --> 00:06:14,137 Narrator: THEY'VE BEEN DIGGING EXPLORATION HOLES, 121 00:06:14,172 --> 00:06:15,862 LOOKING FOR OPAL TRACKS 122 00:06:15,896 --> 00:06:18,827 TO GIVE THEM A CLUE WHERE TO START MINING. 123 00:06:21,103 --> 00:06:22,275 WHAT'S WRONG, MATE? 124 00:06:22,310 --> 00:06:24,103 A FIRE -- ELECTRICAL. LOOK AT IT, RON. 125 00:06:24,137 --> 00:06:26,379 BUT A FIRE CAME DANGEROUSLY CLOSE 126 00:06:26,413 --> 00:06:29,172 TO DESTROYING THE TRUCK AND DRILL. 127 00:06:35,137 --> 00:06:41,103 DESPITE SETBACKS, THE BOYS HAVE MADE OVER $100,000 SO FAR. 128 00:06:41,137 --> 00:06:45,689 FOR AARON, MINING ON DRAGONFLY CLAIM IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT. 129 00:06:45,724 --> 00:06:49,000 HE'S WORKED HERE SINCE HE WAS A BOY WITH HIS DAD. 130 00:06:49,034 --> 00:06:51,586 Aaron: DAD PASSED AWAY NEARLY TWO YEARS AGO, 131 00:06:51,620 --> 00:06:53,862 AND THE FAMILY SORT OF GIVE ME AN OPTION 132 00:06:53,896 --> 00:06:55,862 TO BUY THE PLACE OFF HIM, WHICH IS GOOD. 133 00:06:55,896 --> 00:06:58,862 YEAH, I JUST WANT TO KEEP GOING WITH WHAT DAD WAS DOING, YOU KNOW? 134 00:07:00,827 --> 00:07:03,206 Narrator: BUT WITH THE TRUCK'S ELECTRICS BLOWN, 135 00:07:03,241 --> 00:07:05,034 THE DRILL CAN'T MOVE ANYWHERE. 136 00:07:08,103 --> 00:07:10,517 THE WIRING IS VITAL, 137 00:07:10,551 --> 00:07:13,172 SUPPLYING POWER FROM THE BATTERY TO THE IGNITION. 138 00:07:13,206 --> 00:07:16,551 120 KILOMETERS FROM THE NEAREST TOWN, 139 00:07:16,586 --> 00:07:18,586 THEY'LL HAVE TO FIX IT THEMSELVES 140 00:07:18,620 --> 00:07:21,172 WITH WHATEVER SPARE PARTS THEY CAN FIND. 141 00:07:21,206 --> 00:07:23,724 SO WE GOT TO REPLACE THESE TWO, RON, 142 00:07:23,758 --> 00:07:25,482 AND THEN ONE BACK UP TO THE KEY. 143 00:07:28,862 --> 00:07:31,172 NEED TO RUN THEM OVER THE OTHER SIDE. 144 00:07:31,206 --> 00:07:33,896 FIRST, THE NEW WIRE IS FED FROM THE BATTERY 145 00:07:33,931 --> 00:07:35,000 TO THE STARTER MOTOR. 146 00:07:35,034 --> 00:07:36,758 KEEP COMING. MORE. 147 00:07:36,793 --> 00:07:38,034 OKAY. Ron: YOU'RE THERE. 148 00:07:38,068 --> 00:07:41,137 NEXT, A LARK, A CONDUCTIVE FITTING, 149 00:07:41,172 --> 00:07:43,482 IS SOLDERED ON TO BOTH ENDS OF THE WIRE, 150 00:07:43,517 --> 00:07:45,862 ENSURING A STRONG CONNECTION. 151 00:07:48,551 --> 00:07:51,034 WE'RE CONNECTED NOW -- ALL CONNECTED. 152 00:07:51,068 --> 00:07:53,275 WELL, WE'RE GOING TO CONNECT THE BATTERIES UP 153 00:07:53,310 --> 00:07:55,517 AND SEE IF WE HAVE A MELTDOWN. NOW, IT SHOULD BE ALL RIGHT. 154 00:07:57,758 --> 00:07:58,758 OOH. OOH. 155 00:07:58,793 --> 00:08:00,310 OKAY. 156 00:08:00,344 --> 00:08:02,448 YOU GOT THE TERMINAL ON, GREG? 157 00:08:02,482 --> 00:08:04,689 YEAH, MATE. SHE'S ALL HOOKED UP. TRY HER. ALL RIGHT? 158 00:08:04,724 --> 00:08:07,000 OKAY. RON, I'M GOING TO TURN IT ON. 159 00:08:09,965 --> 00:08:12,551 YES! THAT'S OUR MECHANIC. 160 00:08:12,586 --> 00:08:14,068 THE BILL WILL BE COMING IN THE MAIL. 161 00:08:14,103 --> 00:08:16,034 I'LL GET YOU PAID. NO WORRIES. 162 00:08:16,068 --> 00:08:18,517 NOW IT'LL BE ALL RIGHT TO DRILL SOME HOLES. 163 00:08:20,068 --> 00:08:22,896 Narrator: AARON DECIDES ON SOME VIRGIN GROUND 164 00:08:22,931 --> 00:08:26,551 NEXT TO WHERE HIS DAD FOUND OPAL DECADES AGO. 165 00:08:26,586 --> 00:08:28,758 WE KNOW IT'S HERE SOMEWHERE BECAUSE WE CAN SEE THE OLD DUMPS. 166 00:08:28,793 --> 00:08:32,103 IT'S AS GOOD AS ANY.THAT'S IT. 167 00:08:33,068 --> 00:08:37,206 THE DRILL CAN GO TO A DEPTH OF 10 METERS IN 10 MINUTES. 168 00:08:37,241 --> 00:08:39,241 I MIGHT HAVE TO BAR IT. 169 00:08:39,275 --> 00:08:42,103 BUT THE CLUTCH IS JAMMED. 170 00:08:42,137 --> 00:08:43,965 I'LL BAR IT. 171 00:08:44,000 --> 00:08:46,758 WHAT'S HAPPENED IS, THIS CLUTCH HAS WORN OUT. 172 00:08:46,793 --> 00:08:49,827 THE CLUTCH HOLDS AND RELEASES THE DRILL ROD. 173 00:08:49,862 --> 00:08:52,068 IF IT'S BROKEN, THE ROD COULD TEAR FREE 174 00:08:52,103 --> 00:08:55,137 FROM ITS CABLE, RISKING LIFE AND MACHINERY. 175 00:08:55,172 --> 00:08:56,965 IT'S 176 00:08:57,000 --> 00:08:59,448 HAVE ONLY JUST FIXED THE WIRING, 177 00:08:59,482 --> 00:09:01,758 THE CLUTCH FAILURE COULD MEAN AN END 178 00:09:01,793 --> 00:09:04,000 TO THE BOULDER BOYS' MINING SEASON. 179 00:09:10,655 --> 00:09:14,482 Narrator: 900 KILOMETERS SOUTH, 180 00:09:14,517 --> 00:09:17,655 LIGHTNING RIDGE, OUTBACK, NEW SOUTH WALES. 181 00:09:21,275 --> 00:09:23,206 THE LANDSCAPE BAKES 182 00:09:23,241 --> 00:09:26,793 UNDER THE HOTTEST AUSTRALIAN SUMMER ON RECORD. 183 00:09:28,517 --> 00:09:31,000 IT'S 45 IN THE SHADE. 184 00:09:31,034 --> 00:09:33,827 THERE'S JUST DROUGHT, DUST, 185 00:09:33,862 --> 00:09:38,413 AND THE OPAL QUEEN KELLY TISHLER. 186 00:09:38,448 --> 00:09:40,931 Kelly: EVERYONE HAS JUST PACKED UP, AND THERE'S NO MORE LEFT. 187 00:09:40,965 --> 00:09:43,344 IT'S LIKE A GHOST TOWN OUT THERE AT THE MOMENT. 188 00:09:43,379 --> 00:09:47,931 Narrator: KELLY IS HEADING TO HER ALCOS CLAIM FOR ONE FINAL DIG 189 00:09:47,965 --> 00:09:50,724 TO DECIDE WHETHER SHE SHOULD RENEW THE LEASE. 190 00:09:50,758 --> 00:09:53,000 Kelly: I KNOW THAT THERE'S OPAL SOMEWHERE THERE, 191 00:09:53,034 --> 00:09:55,655 BUT I DON'T THINK WE'RE ON THE OPAL YET 192 00:09:55,689 --> 00:09:57,413 BECAUSE IT'S JUST A BIT POCKETY, 193 00:09:57,448 --> 00:10:00,379 AND IT'S PRESENTING SO MANY PROBLEMS. 194 00:10:02,275 --> 00:10:06,034 Narrator: ALCOS IS A 100-BY-200-METER CLAIM 195 00:10:06,068 --> 00:10:10,551 WITH A SHALLOW 3-METER SHAFT AND SEVERAL TUNNELS. 196 00:10:10,586 --> 00:10:12,517 Kelly: THE LEASE IS ABOUT TO RUN OUT. 197 00:10:12,551 --> 00:10:15,310 I THINK ONCE WORD SPREADS AROUND TOWN, 198 00:10:15,344 --> 00:10:17,172 IT'S GOING TO BE A BIT OF A HOT AREA, 199 00:10:17,206 --> 00:10:20,413 AND ONCE IT BECOMES HOT, EVERYONE WANTS TO GET OUT THERE. 200 00:10:20,448 --> 00:10:23,413 Narrator: IF KELLY DOESN'T RENEW THE LEASE, 201 00:10:23,448 --> 00:10:26,172 ANOTHER MINER COULD COME IN AND TAKE THE CLAIM 202 00:10:26,206 --> 00:10:29,551 AND, WITH IT, WHATEVER OPAL REMAINS BEHIND. 203 00:10:29,586 --> 00:10:31,793 THE PRESSURE WITH IT IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE OPAL, 204 00:10:31,827 --> 00:10:33,793 WE DON'T HAVE BUSINESS. 205 00:10:33,827 --> 00:10:35,931 Narrator: FOR KELLY, MAKING THE RIGHT DECISION 206 00:10:35,965 --> 00:10:37,827 IS WHAT PAYS THE BILLS...PULL IT DOWN. 207 00:10:37,862 --> 00:10:40,689 ...AND PUTS FOOD ON THE TABLE FOR HER THREE CHILDREN. 208 00:10:40,724 --> 00:10:42,448 GOOD TO GO. 209 00:10:42,482 --> 00:10:45,344 ALL THE INDICATORS SHOWED THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE GOOD OPAL HERE. 210 00:10:45,379 --> 00:10:48,586 IT STARTED OFF OKAY, BUT I'M NOT IN LOVE WITH ALCOS 211 00:10:48,620 --> 00:10:50,689 AT THE MOMENT, BUT ONE GOOD STONE, 212 00:10:50,724 --> 00:10:52,586 AND THAT'LL CHANGE. 213 00:10:53,965 --> 00:10:56,344 Narrator: KELLY IS ON THE HUNT FOR BLACK OPAL, 214 00:10:56,379 --> 00:10:58,241 LIGHTNING RIDGE'S SPECIALTY, 215 00:10:58,275 --> 00:11:03,482 WORTH UP TO $35,000 A CARAT, JUST 1/5 GRAM. 216 00:11:03,517 --> 00:11:06,931 Kelly: ALL OPEN MINES, TO RUN AND WORK THEM, THEY COST MONEY, 217 00:11:06,965 --> 00:11:09,655 AND THIS, ALL IT'S DOING AT THE MOMENT IS COSTING MONEY. 218 00:11:09,689 --> 00:11:13,793 Narrator: SO FAR THIS SEASON, KELLY HAS MADE $48,000 219 00:11:13,827 --> 00:11:17,137 OF HER $150,000 TARGET. 220 00:11:17,172 --> 00:11:18,896 Kelly: COME SO FAR THAT WE MIGHT AS WELL HAVE A LOOK 221 00:11:18,931 --> 00:11:21,172 AND SEE WHAT WE CAN FIND. 222 00:11:21,206 --> 00:11:22,724 I JUST NEED A LITTLE BIT OF INSPIRATION. 223 00:11:22,758 --> 00:11:25,586 IF I CAN FIND SOMETHING, THEN I'LL GO HARD ON THAT LEASE. 224 00:11:25,620 --> 00:11:29,689 Narrator: PARTNERS DWAYNE AND MARK ARE TIED UP ON ANOTHER CLAIM. 225 00:11:29,724 --> 00:11:32,517 IN THE DANGEROUS WORLD OF UNDERGROUND MINING, 226 00:11:32,551 --> 00:11:34,758 KELLY'S ON HER OWN. 227 00:11:34,793 --> 00:11:36,482 Kelly: IT'S BEEN CLOSED UP FOR A BIT, 228 00:11:36,517 --> 00:11:39,965 SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT LEVERS ARE RIGHT. 229 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:43,551 I'VE TOLD DWAYNE WHERE I'M AT SO SOMEONE KNOWS WHERE I AM. 230 00:11:43,586 --> 00:11:45,482 AND WE'RE NOT ALL THAT DEEP, 231 00:11:45,517 --> 00:11:48,000 SO IT'S PROBABLY A BIT WARMER THAN NORMAL. 232 00:11:48,034 --> 00:11:50,655 A MILLION THINGS COULD GO WRONG. 233 00:11:50,689 --> 00:11:52,482 COULD BE A SNAKE DOWN HERE. 234 00:11:52,517 --> 00:11:53,862 PART OF THE MINE COULD'VE COLLAPSED. 235 00:11:53,896 --> 00:11:56,344 YEAH, JUST GOT TO BE AWARE WHAT YOU'RE DOING. 236 00:12:05,206 --> 00:12:07,620 YEAH, IT LOOKS LIKE WOLVERINE HAS BEEN UP HERE. 237 00:12:07,655 --> 00:12:10,551 GOT THIS BIG MACHINE JUST CLAWING ALONG, 238 00:12:10,586 --> 00:12:13,965 AND IT'S JUST GETTING HARDER AND HARDER AND HARDER. 239 00:12:15,965 --> 00:12:19,586 Narrator: ARMED WITH JUST A PICK, KELLY NEEDS TO FIND OPAL 240 00:12:19,620 --> 00:12:23,103 IN THE FISSURES AND CRACKS WITHIN THE ROCK. 241 00:12:23,137 --> 00:12:25,206 YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THE SIZE OF YOUR FINGERNAIL. 242 00:12:25,241 --> 00:12:27,965 IT COULD BE WORTH $10,000, YOU KNOW? 243 00:12:28,000 --> 00:12:30,241 AND IT'S HARD SOMETIMES WHEN YOU'RE DIGGING. 244 00:12:30,275 --> 00:12:33,137 IT COULD BE HIDING JUST BEHIND A MILLIMETER OF THE WHITE DIRT, 245 00:12:33,172 --> 00:12:35,482 SO WE COME ALONG AND CHECK THE WALLS. 246 00:12:35,517 --> 00:12:38,793 SO I'VE JUST GOT TO TRY AND FIND SOMETHING OUT OF THIS WALL 247 00:12:38,827 --> 00:12:41,724 TO JUSTIFY IF I GO FOR A LEASE AGAIN. 248 00:12:44,862 --> 00:12:47,517 LOOKING FOR SOMETHING TO SPARKLE AT ME. 249 00:12:51,137 --> 00:12:54,724 Narrator: OVER 100 KILOMETERS FROM THE NEAREST TOWN, 250 00:12:54,758 --> 00:12:59,275 THE FIRE CREW ARE ON THE LAST DIG OF THE SEASON. 251 00:12:59,310 --> 00:13:02,689 THEY'VE RETURNED TO AN OLD SITE IN A LAST-DITCH EFFORT 252 00:13:02,724 --> 00:13:05,413 TO EXTRACT FIRE OPAL FROM GRANITE. 253 00:13:05,448 --> 00:13:08,137 SO WHAT'S HAPPENING?JUST GETTING IT UNDONE. 254 00:13:08,172 --> 00:13:12,344 BUT THE 15-YEAR-OLD JACKHAMMER IS OUT OF ACTION. 255 00:13:12,379 --> 00:13:16,793 THAT'S ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL FOR OUR LITTLE OPERATION OUT HERE. 256 00:13:16,827 --> 00:13:20,448 WITHOUT THAT, WE'LL HAVE TROUBLE DIGGING ANYTHING OUT. 257 00:13:20,482 --> 00:13:24,448 WITHOUT IT, THEY'LL HAVE WASTED $5,000 ON THE EXPEDITION 258 00:13:24,482 --> 00:13:27,000 AND FAILED TO REACH THEIR SEASON TARGET. 259 00:13:27,034 --> 00:13:29,482 LET'S HOPE WE CAN DO SOMETHING. 260 00:13:29,517 --> 00:13:31,689 IT'S SMOKING IN HERE. 261 00:13:31,724 --> 00:13:33,310 THAT STINKS, ACTUALLY.YEAH. 262 00:13:33,344 --> 00:13:34,655 I'D SAY THAT'S WHERE IT IS. 263 00:13:34,689 --> 00:13:36,517 WE MIGHT BE ALL RIGHT, THEN, 264 00:13:36,551 --> 00:13:37,896 AS LONG AS IT'S NOT IN THE ACTUAL... 265 00:13:37,931 --> 00:13:39,724 NO. ...ELECTRIC MOTOR. 266 00:13:39,758 --> 00:13:41,103 AH, YES. THERE IT IS.YEP, THERE IT IS. 267 00:13:41,137 --> 00:13:43,034 IT SHOULD BE A SIMPLE FIX 268 00:13:43,068 --> 00:13:45,413 BY REPLACING THE WIRE AND SOLDERING IT ON. 269 00:13:45,448 --> 00:13:47,655 DAD, CAN YOU COME AND SOLDER THIS UP? 270 00:13:47,689 --> 00:13:50,758 I'LL DIG OUT MY OLD SOLDERING IRON. 271 00:13:50,793 --> 00:13:55,310 MINING VETERAN PETE HAS HUNTED OPAL IN THIS REGION FOR DECADES. 272 00:13:55,344 --> 00:13:58,379 YEARS AGO, HE HAULED THIS SHED OUT TO BASE CAMP, 273 00:13:58,413 --> 00:14:01,758 FILLING IT WITH GEAR FOR ANY SITUATION. 274 00:14:01,793 --> 00:14:04,172 I'LL HAVE TO PULL EVERYTHING OUT TO TRY AND FIND IT. 275 00:14:04,206 --> 00:14:06,103 HE'S AN EXPERT PROSPECTOR, 276 00:14:06,137 --> 00:14:08,379 BUT LOCATING AN ANCIENT SOLDERING IRON 277 00:14:08,413 --> 00:14:09,896 AMONGST A PILE OF JUNK 278 00:14:09,931 --> 00:14:12,275 MIGHT BE HIS TOUGHEST FIND. 279 00:14:12,310 --> 00:14:14,137 HAVE YOU CHECKED INSIDE THAT? 280 00:14:14,172 --> 00:14:15,724 I DID, BUT I'LL DOUBLE-CHECK. 281 00:14:15,758 --> 00:14:17,551 OH, THIS IS JUST FOR GLUE. 282 00:14:17,586 --> 00:14:20,931 IT IS HERE, ADAM. 283 00:14:24,137 --> 00:14:27,931 I'D GET IN THERE, BUT, YOU KNOW, TOO MANY COOKS IN THE KITCHEN, YOU KNOW? 284 00:14:30,103 --> 00:14:32,034 OH, GREASE. 285 00:14:33,931 --> 00:14:35,965 OH, SORRY. 286 00:14:37,586 --> 00:14:39,448 GOT IT.Vikki: FOUND IT? 287 00:14:39,482 --> 00:14:41,551 THERE WE GO. YAY! 288 00:14:41,586 --> 00:14:43,379 GIVE ME THE... YEAH. 289 00:14:43,413 --> 00:14:44,862 WHACK IT IN. 290 00:14:44,896 --> 00:14:47,103 Narrator: WITH THE DAY ALMOST WASTED, 291 00:14:47,137 --> 00:14:49,931 IT'S A MAD DASH TO GET THE VINTAGE SOLDERING IRON 292 00:14:49,965 --> 00:14:52,689 HEATED IN THE FIRE AND THE JACKHAMMER REPAIRED. 293 00:14:52,724 --> 00:14:53,965 WATCH YOUR FINGERS.IT'S ALL RIGHT. 294 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:56,379 I'VE GOT NINE MORE. 295 00:14:57,827 --> 00:15:00,137 ONE MORE TO GO?ONE MORE TO GO. 296 00:15:00,172 --> 00:15:02,758 AWESOME. YEP. 297 00:15:04,517 --> 00:15:07,551 IT'S TIME TO TEST HIS WORK. 298 00:15:09,862 --> 00:15:13,241 YEP. IT WORKS. IT'S GOOD FOR YOUR HEART. 299 00:15:13,275 --> 00:15:15,586 NO, IT'S NOT. 300 00:15:15,620 --> 00:15:17,448 IT'S TERRIBLE FOR YOUR HEART. 301 00:15:17,482 --> 00:15:20,586 THE FIRE CREW HAVE JUST ONE DAY LEFT 302 00:15:20,620 --> 00:15:22,862 TO HIT THEIR SEASON TARGET. 303 00:15:22,896 --> 00:15:25,931 AT LEAST THERE'S NOT MUCH SUN, A LITTLE BIT OF CLOUD COVER -- 304 00:15:25,965 --> 00:15:28,793 PERFECT DAY FOR DIGGING OUT OPALS. 305 00:15:40,620 --> 00:15:42,620 Kelly: OH, JUST DOWN HERE HAVING A LOOK, YOU KNOW? 306 00:15:42,655 --> 00:15:43,827 GOT TO MAKE DECISIONS. 307 00:15:43,862 --> 00:15:45,241 I DON'T PARTICULARLY WANT TO BE DOWN HERE, 308 00:15:45,275 --> 00:15:48,068 BUT IT'S EITHER THAT OR SIT AT HOME AND DO SOME KNITTING. 309 00:15:48,103 --> 00:15:51,931 BUT SOME DAYS, LIKE TODAY, I AIN'T FEELING IT. 310 00:15:51,965 --> 00:15:56,551 Narrator: IT'S 45 DEGREES ABOVE AND 21 BELOW 311 00:15:56,586 --> 00:16:00,517 AS KELLY HUNTS FOR OPAL ALONE ON HER ALCOS CLAIM. 312 00:16:00,551 --> 00:16:02,931 Kelly: JUST GET THIS WHITE BLOCKY STUFF, 313 00:16:02,965 --> 00:16:05,103 WHICH IS JUST LIKE A WALL, AND THAT'S IT. 314 00:16:05,137 --> 00:16:08,241 YOU CAN'T GO ANY FURTHER, EITHER. 315 00:16:15,068 --> 00:16:16,620 HEY. 316 00:16:16,655 --> 00:16:18,172 THERE SHE IS. LOOK WHAT I FOUND. 317 00:16:18,206 --> 00:16:20,137 THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF PURPLE. 318 00:16:25,862 --> 00:16:28,689 WHOO-HOO! LOOK AT THAT -- OPAL. 319 00:16:28,724 --> 00:16:30,724 THAT'S AWESOME. LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THE BLOODY THING. 320 00:16:30,758 --> 00:16:32,896 IT'S HUGE. IT SHOULD BE A STONE, THAT. 321 00:16:32,931 --> 00:16:35,034 DIVINE SPOKEN, YES. 322 00:16:35,068 --> 00:16:37,172 RE-INSPIRED ME A BIT. 323 00:16:39,034 --> 00:16:41,103 SO I'LL GO HOME NOW AND GET ALL MY PAPERWORK READY. 324 00:16:41,137 --> 00:16:44,310 I'M GOING TO GO FOR THAT LEASE. ALL GOOD. ONWARD AND UPWARD. 325 00:16:58,379 --> 00:16:59,655 CLUTCH AIN'T GRIPPING ON. 326 00:16:59,689 --> 00:17:01,172 IT'S OVERRIDING, 327 00:17:01,206 --> 00:17:03,620 AND IT'S JAMMING ON INSIDE THE CLUTCH PACK. 328 00:17:03,655 --> 00:17:06,172 Narrator: BACK AT OPALTON, THE BOULDER BOYS 329 00:17:06,206 --> 00:17:09,103 HAVE MORE PROBLEMS WITH THE EXPLORATION DRILL. 330 00:17:09,137 --> 00:17:10,862 THE CLUTCH IS BUSTED. 331 00:17:10,896 --> 00:17:13,827 Aaron: IF THE CLUTCH STUCK ON IT AND YOU WEREN'T CONCENTRATING, 332 00:17:13,862 --> 00:17:16,137 IT'D PULL RIGHT UP THROUGH TO THE TOP PULLEY THERE, 333 00:17:16,172 --> 00:17:18,827 AND ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN. 334 00:17:18,862 --> 00:17:22,241 Narrator: IT'S TOO RISKY TO CONTINUE DRILLING. 335 00:17:22,275 --> 00:17:25,275 WITHOUT A WORKING CLUTCH, THE CABLE COULD SNAP, 336 00:17:25,310 --> 00:17:29,620 DROPPING 7 TONS OF METAL DRILL ONTO THE TRUCK AND CREW. 337 00:17:31,862 --> 00:17:34,793 I SEE, LIKE, WOOD REPLACEMENT IN THE... 338 00:17:34,827 --> 00:17:37,137 THE BOYS HAVE ONLY GOT ONE BUCKETLOAD 339 00:17:37,172 --> 00:17:39,965 TO WORK OUT IF THE AREA IS WORTH MINING. 340 00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:43,034 THAT'S WHERE YOU WOULD SEE OPAL IF IT WAS HERE. 341 00:17:43,068 --> 00:17:45,206 NAH, I DON'T THINK IT IS. 342 00:17:49,482 --> 00:17:50,931 MORE DRILLING REQUIRED. 343 00:17:50,965 --> 00:17:52,344 WELL, WE NEED TO BRING MORE BUCKETS OUT. 344 00:17:52,379 --> 00:17:54,310 WE'VE JUST TOUCHED LEVEL. 345 00:17:54,344 --> 00:17:56,172 Narrator: THEY NEED MORE PROOF, 346 00:17:56,206 --> 00:17:57,965 BUT WITH THE DRILL OUT OF ACTION, 347 00:17:58,000 --> 00:17:59,827 THEY CAN'T GET IT. 348 00:17:59,862 --> 00:18:00,896 Ron: WELL, WE'VE DONE THAT ONE HOLE TODAY. 349 00:18:00,931 --> 00:18:02,413 IT STUCK ON ME ABOUT EIGHT TIMES. 350 00:18:02,448 --> 00:18:04,482 I KNOW. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A GOOD SIT-DOWN 351 00:18:04,517 --> 00:18:05,724 AND THINK ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING. 352 00:18:05,758 --> 00:18:08,206 YEP.IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET HARDER. 353 00:18:08,241 --> 00:18:12,586 Narrator: WITH NO PARTS AVAILABLE TO FIX THE 40-YEAR-OLD CLUTCH, 354 00:18:12,620 --> 00:18:15,344 THE BOYS ABANDON THEIR SEARCH 355 00:18:15,379 --> 00:18:18,655 FOR THE BOULDER OPAL DEEP UNDERGROUND. 356 00:18:18,689 --> 00:18:22,241 THEY'LL NEED TO COME UP WITH A NEW PLAN. 357 00:18:22,275 --> 00:18:26,586 FOR AARON, FINDING OPAL IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT. 358 00:18:26,620 --> 00:18:28,862 HE WANTS TO BUY THE DRAGONFLY LEASE 359 00:18:28,896 --> 00:18:31,758 AND HIS LATE FATHER'S HOUSE FROM HIS FAMILY 360 00:18:31,793 --> 00:18:35,620 AND NEEDS $120,000. 361 00:18:35,655 --> 00:18:37,344 Aaron: WE MOVED OUT HERE WHEN I WAS 12, 362 00:18:37,379 --> 00:18:39,896 SO, YEAH, NEARLY 40 YEARS AGO. 363 00:18:39,931 --> 00:18:42,482 I JUST SORT OF WANTED TO KEEP IT IN THE FAMILY, 364 00:18:42,517 --> 00:18:44,689 BUT BROTHER AND SISTER WEREN'T REALLY INTERESTED. 365 00:18:44,724 --> 00:18:47,275 THEY WANTED TO SELL IT, AND I'M GOING TO TRY 366 00:18:47,310 --> 00:18:49,103 AND BUY IT AND PAY THEM OUT. 367 00:18:49,137 --> 00:18:54,310 Narrator: AARON'S DAD, ARNO, WAS FAMOUS IN OPALTON FOR HIS ICONIC HOUSE. 368 00:18:54,344 --> 00:18:57,137 OVER 25 YEARS, ARNO'S PASSION 369 00:18:57,172 --> 00:18:59,620 WAS COLLECTING UNIQUE MEMORABILIA 370 00:18:59,655 --> 00:19:01,310 AND BUILDING THEM INTO A STRUCTURE 371 00:19:01,344 --> 00:19:03,482 KNOWN AS ARNO'S WALL. 372 00:19:03,517 --> 00:19:07,517 THAT'S A WORLD WAR II ENGLISH ARMY HAT. 373 00:19:07,551 --> 00:19:10,655 THAT'S AN AMERICAN ARMY HAT. 374 00:19:12,896 --> 00:19:15,379 AND THEN THE POMMIES COME, AND NOW LOOK AT US NOW. 375 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:18,517 OH, I CAN'T WAIT TO GET THE MONEY. 376 00:19:18,551 --> 00:19:20,931 THEN I CAN RELAX AND START DOING A BIT OF ARTWORK MESELF, 377 00:19:20,965 --> 00:19:23,620 YOU KNOW, BECAUSE IT'S SOMETHING I WANT TO DO IN LIFE. 378 00:19:29,724 --> 00:19:33,034 Narrator: BACK AT DRAGONFLY, THE BOYS ABANDON THE DRILL 379 00:19:33,068 --> 00:19:36,413 AND START LOOKING FOR CHEAPER SANDY OPAL ON THE SURFACE. 380 00:19:36,448 --> 00:19:38,310 Aaron: WELL, WE'RE LOOKING FOR LOVE IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES, 381 00:19:38,344 --> 00:19:40,000 AND YOU JUST DON'T KNOW, HEY? 382 00:19:40,034 --> 00:19:43,482 YOU CAN BE BROKE THIS MORNING AND BE LAUGHING THIS AFTERNOON. 383 00:19:43,517 --> 00:19:46,482 Narrator: RON THINKS THERE MAY BE SANDY OPAL 384 00:19:46,517 --> 00:19:49,034 NEAR THE SPINIFEX, A NATIVE GRASS, 385 00:19:49,068 --> 00:19:52,241 WHERE AARON'S DAD FOUND IT YEARS EARLIER. 386 00:19:52,275 --> 00:19:55,517 THEY FOUND THEM UNDER THE SPINIFEX, 387 00:19:55,551 --> 00:19:58,413 AND THAT'S THE SPINIFEX HERE. 388 00:19:58,448 --> 00:20:01,206 SO THEY JUST MOVED THE SPINIFEX, AND BIG SANDY BOULDERS 389 00:20:01,241 --> 00:20:05,689 WERE POKING OUT OF THE GROUND WITH RINGS OF COLOR IN THEM. 390 00:20:05,724 --> 00:20:08,310 FROM HERE, BASICALLY, TO THE CAMP, 391 00:20:08,344 --> 00:20:10,344 I THINK THERE'D BE A COUPLE OF ROCKS 392 00:20:10,379 --> 00:20:12,310 THAT'LL SOLVE AARON'S PROBLEMS. 393 00:20:12,344 --> 00:20:14,827 ONLY ONE GOOD ROCK. WE'RE NOT GREEDY. 394 00:20:24,172 --> 00:20:26,655 WATCH YOUR FACE. 395 00:20:26,689 --> 00:20:28,379 Cassidy: THERE'S A TIME FACTOR FOR US. 396 00:20:28,413 --> 00:20:30,172 WE'VE GOT TO GET BACK TO PERTH. 397 00:20:30,206 --> 00:20:32,862 I'VE GOT TO GO TO WORK. SO DOES ADAM. 398 00:20:32,896 --> 00:20:35,241 Narrator: ON THE LAST DIG OF THE SEASON, 399 00:20:35,275 --> 00:20:37,931 IT'S A RACE AGAINST TIME FOR THE FIRE CREW 400 00:20:37,965 --> 00:20:42,275 AS THEY ATTEMPT TO PRY OUT OPAL FROM HARD SURFACE GRANITE. 401 00:20:42,310 --> 00:20:44,068 Adam: IT'S GETTING A LITTLE BIT STRESSFUL AT THE MOMENT 402 00:20:44,103 --> 00:20:47,034 'CAUSE WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF DAYS. 403 00:20:47,068 --> 00:20:49,379 I CAN'T LEAVE THIS FOR THE OLD MAN TO DIG OUT. 404 00:20:49,413 --> 00:20:51,655 WE CAN'T LEAVE THIS EXPOSED. 405 00:20:51,689 --> 00:20:54,413 SO WE'RE STUCK BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE. 406 00:20:54,448 --> 00:20:55,793 PUN INTENDED. 407 00:20:55,827 --> 00:20:58,793 Narrator: EVERYWHERE ADAM DIGS, HE'S HITTING OPAL. 408 00:20:58,827 --> 00:21:00,931 WHAT HAPPENED?HIT ANOTHER POCKET. 409 00:21:00,965 --> 00:21:03,172 THAT'S WHERE I PUT THE JACKHAMMER, RIGHT THERE. 410 00:21:03,206 --> 00:21:04,724 YEAH. 411 00:21:04,758 --> 00:21:08,551 BUT HE NEEDS TO FIND THE OUTER EDGE OF THE POCKET OF OPAL, 412 00:21:08,586 --> 00:21:11,310 OR HE RISKS SHATTERING THE ENTIRE LOT. 413 00:21:11,344 --> 00:21:14,206 Adam: EVERY TIME WE PUT THE PICK IN, I WAS HITTING OPAL, 414 00:21:14,241 --> 00:21:16,862 SO I HAD TO JUST KEEP RE-EVALUATING WHERE I WAS DIGGING. 415 00:21:16,896 --> 00:21:19,586 YAY, NO OPAL.YAY, THAT'S GOOD. 416 00:21:19,620 --> 00:21:23,275 IT MEANS HE CAN KEEP DIGGING AND NOT HIT ANY MORE. 417 00:21:23,310 --> 00:21:25,793 Narrator: WITH THE OUTER EDGE LOCATED, 418 00:21:25,827 --> 00:21:29,620 ADAM CAN ATTEMPT TO GET UNDERNEATH THE OPAL AND LIFT. 419 00:21:29,655 --> 00:21:31,241 Cassidy: YOU GOT TO HAVE PATIENCE, I THINK. 420 00:21:31,275 --> 00:21:32,793 I'M, LIKE, STARING AT THESE PIECES HERE. 421 00:21:32,827 --> 00:21:34,137 I WANT THEM TO POP OUT OF THE GROUND, 422 00:21:34,172 --> 00:21:37,413 BUT YOU GOT TO TAKE YOUR TIME. 423 00:21:41,241 --> 00:21:43,068 IT'S ALREADY, YEAH, 1:10. 424 00:21:43,103 --> 00:21:44,551 YEAH. 425 00:21:44,586 --> 00:21:46,103 WE'VE GOT A FEW HOURS LEFT OF THE DAY, 426 00:21:46,137 --> 00:21:47,965 AND SOMETHING COULD GO WRONG. 427 00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:50,758 THE JACKHAMMER COULD BREAK AGAIN, AND THEN WE'RE SCREWED. 428 00:21:50,793 --> 00:21:52,275 I -- YEAH, I AM A BIT WORRIED. 429 00:21:52,310 --> 00:21:54,206 SO WE'VE GOT TO GET IT OUT OF THE GROUND. 430 00:21:54,241 --> 00:21:58,482 Narrator: WITH TIME RUNNING OUT, ADAM BEGINS DIGGING HORIZONTALLY 431 00:21:58,517 --> 00:22:01,551 TO TRY AND LIFT THE ENTIRE FIRE OPAL BODY 432 00:22:01,586 --> 00:22:03,379 AS A SINGLE PIECE, 433 00:22:03,413 --> 00:22:06,275 BUT HE MUST BE CAREFUL NOT TO DRILL TOO CLOSE 434 00:22:06,310 --> 00:22:09,551 AND SHATTER IT COMPLETELY. 435 00:22:09,586 --> 00:22:11,551 WHOA! 436 00:22:11,586 --> 00:22:13,793 Adam: I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT I SMASHED IT. 437 00:22:13,827 --> 00:22:19,000 THIS IS WHY YOU GOT TO VERY, VERY PEDANTIC ABOUT HOW YOU DIG. 438 00:22:19,034 --> 00:22:22,103 IT'S JUST WHAT COULD'VE BEEN, YOU KNOW? 439 00:22:38,551 --> 00:22:40,896 WE SHOULD TRY UP TOP THERE. 440 00:22:40,931 --> 00:22:43,413 Narrator: WITH THEIR EXPLORATION DRILL OUT OF ACTION, 441 00:22:43,448 --> 00:22:46,551 THE BOULDER BOYS ARE HUNTING FOR CHEAPER SANDY OPAL 442 00:22:46,586 --> 00:22:48,275 FOUND CLOSE TO THE SURFACE, 443 00:22:48,310 --> 00:22:51,241 WHERE AARON'S DAD ONCE HIT A RICH PATCH. 444 00:22:51,275 --> 00:22:54,310 THAT'S THE AREA THEY GOT THE BIG OPAL IN YEARS AGO, 445 00:22:54,344 --> 00:22:56,482 AND NOW WE JUST GOT TO GO THROUGH IT. 446 00:22:56,517 --> 00:22:58,965 YOU JUST DON'T KNOW. THE NEXT ROCK MIGHT BE LIVE. 447 00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:00,689 AND IT'S SHALLOW. IT'S AN EASY JOB. 448 00:23:00,724 --> 00:23:02,620 THEY'VE ALREADY EVEN STRIPPED THE TOP OFF FOR US, 449 00:23:02,655 --> 00:23:05,689 THE HARD STUFF, SO WE GOT TO ATTACK IT. 450 00:23:05,724 --> 00:23:09,724 Narrator: SANDY OPAL IS OPAL MIXED WITH SANDSTONE. 451 00:23:09,758 --> 00:23:13,137 IT FORMS WHEN THE WHITE MINERAL GYPSUM DISSOLVES, 452 00:23:13,172 --> 00:23:14,965 LEAVING TINY HOLES IN THE ROCK 453 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:17,310 THAT FILL WITH SILICA-RICH WATER, 454 00:23:17,344 --> 00:23:20,310 WHICH HARDENS OVER MILLIONS OF YEARS INTO OPAL. 455 00:23:20,344 --> 00:23:22,931 YOU GOT THE GYPSUM FLAKES. 456 00:23:22,965 --> 00:23:25,241 THAT'S WHAT FEEDS THE OPAL. 457 00:23:25,275 --> 00:23:27,586 Greg: I'LL GET IN BEHIND IT, HEY? 458 00:23:31,379 --> 00:23:33,310 IT'S A LOT OF GROUND. 459 00:23:33,344 --> 00:23:37,206 WE JUST GOT TO FORCE OUR WAY IN AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS. 460 00:23:44,034 --> 00:23:48,482 Narrator: AARON'S DESPERATE TO FIND $120,000 WORTH OF OPAL 461 00:23:48,517 --> 00:23:52,517 TO BUY THE DRAGONFLY CLAIM AND HIS LATE FATHER'S HOUSE. 462 00:23:52,551 --> 00:23:55,172 GET ONE ROCK, EVEN IF IT'S A FEW THOUSAND DOLLARS, 463 00:23:55,206 --> 00:23:57,482 IT'S STILL SOMETHING. 464 00:23:58,862 --> 00:24:01,275 YOU GOT COLOR. 465 00:24:01,310 --> 00:24:04,310 YEAH, THAT'S COLOR. IT AIN'T POTCH. IT'S GOOD. 466 00:24:04,344 --> 00:24:06,482 WE FOUND THAT JUST A MINUTE AGO. 467 00:24:06,517 --> 00:24:09,275 THEY'RE THE RIGHT ROCK. WE JUST NEED THE NECTAR. 468 00:24:09,310 --> 00:24:11,206 Narrator: EARLY SIGNS ARE POSITIVE. 469 00:24:11,241 --> 00:24:13,793 COLORED TRACE, MINUTE FRAGMENTS OF OPAL, 470 00:24:13,827 --> 00:24:15,896 IS VISIBLE IN SOME OF THE ROCK. 471 00:24:15,931 --> 00:24:18,068 YEAH, A LITTLE BIT OF COLOR. 472 00:24:18,103 --> 00:24:20,172 Aaron: IT'S A BIT THIN, BUT IT'S BEAUTIFUL COLOR. 473 00:24:20,206 --> 00:24:22,620 WE JUST HAVE TO GET INTO A FEW MORE ROCKS. 474 00:24:42,689 --> 00:24:45,862 Narrator: AS MORNING GRINDS INTO THE AFTERNOON, 475 00:24:45,896 --> 00:24:47,482 THE TEMPERATURE SOARS, 476 00:24:47,517 --> 00:24:50,931 AND THERE'S NOT A SCRAP OF OPAL TO BE SEEN. 477 00:24:55,000 --> 00:24:57,896 Narrator: IN THE LAST FEW HOURS BEFORE DARK, 478 00:24:57,931 --> 00:25:02,206 THE BOYS HAVE ONE FINAL CRACK AT FINDING OPAL. 479 00:25:09,068 --> 00:25:12,000 OI! COME HAVE A LOOK AT THIS. 480 00:25:12,034 --> 00:25:14,551 LOOK WHAT THE HELL IS LAYING IN THE MUCK. 481 00:25:14,586 --> 00:25:15,931 YEAH, THAT'S OPAL. 482 00:25:15,965 --> 00:25:17,758 GIVE IT A WASH. 483 00:25:17,793 --> 00:25:20,655 OH. OH, THAT'S NICE. OH-HO. 484 00:25:20,689 --> 00:25:22,000 HAVE A LOOK AT THIS, GREG. 485 00:25:22,034 --> 00:25:23,758 THAT'S OPAL. 486 00:25:23,793 --> 00:25:26,137 Greg: THAT'S VERY NICE.WE'VE HAD A DAY. 487 00:25:26,172 --> 00:25:27,931 GOOD ON YOU, RON. 488 00:25:27,965 --> 00:25:29,275 NO WORRIES, MATE. 489 00:25:30,862 --> 00:25:34,310 Narrator: THIS COULD JUST BE THE ROCK AARON IS LOOKING FOR. 490 00:25:42,793 --> 00:25:45,448 THIS IS WHAT ROLLED OUT OF THE WALL. 491 00:25:45,482 --> 00:25:48,482 YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN A LONG, HARD SLOG, SO THIS'LL BE GOOD. 492 00:25:48,517 --> 00:25:50,551 IF IT'S A GOOD STONE, THAT'LL PICK THINGS UP. 493 00:25:50,586 --> 00:25:52,862 THAT'LL BE A NICE, HAPPY ENDING. 494 00:25:52,896 --> 00:25:55,586 Narrator: KELLY'S HOPING THE STONE FROM HER ALCOS CLAIM 495 00:25:55,620 --> 00:25:59,862 IS VALUABLE ENOUGH TO JUSTIFY RENEWING THE LEASE ON THE MINE. 496 00:25:59,896 --> 00:26:02,793 AT HER WORKSHOP, SHE WILL CUT AND POLISH IT 497 00:26:02,827 --> 00:26:05,068 TO GET THE BEST POSSIBLE PRICE. 498 00:26:05,103 --> 00:26:07,689 Kelly: I DESPERATELY WANT THIS TO BE A GOOD STONE. 499 00:26:07,724 --> 00:26:10,034 I'M PRETTY -- TRYING TO BE AS OPTIMISTIC AS I CAN 500 00:26:10,068 --> 00:26:11,793 BECAUSE I NEED IT TO BE A GOOD STONE. 501 00:26:11,827 --> 00:26:14,172 TICKTOCK. WE'RE OUT OF TIME. 502 00:26:15,586 --> 00:26:18,275 Narrator: THE STONE IS 150 CARATS. 503 00:26:18,310 --> 00:26:21,965 THAT'S 30 GRAMS, AND MOST OF IT WILL NEED TO BE GROUND AWAY 504 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:24,689 TO REVEAL WHAT'S HIDDEN BENEATH. 505 00:26:26,551 --> 00:26:28,758 WITH THE SEASON DRAWING TO AN END, 506 00:26:28,793 --> 00:26:31,103 KELLY'S OPAL INCOME WILL DRY UP, 507 00:26:31,137 --> 00:26:33,689 BUT WITH A HOUSEHOLD TO MANAGE AND KIDS TO FEED, 508 00:26:33,724 --> 00:26:35,965 THE BILLS WILL KEEP ON COMING. 509 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:38,000 Kelly: IT'S BEEN A LONG YEAR. I'VE HAD ENOUGH. 510 00:26:38,034 --> 00:26:40,000 KIDS HAVE HAD ENOUGH. CRUNCH TIME. 511 00:26:40,034 --> 00:26:42,344 IT'S GOT TO TURN INTO SOME OPAL. 512 00:26:51,448 --> 00:26:53,896 THERE'S A COUPLE LITTLE SPOTS, BUT THEY'RE CLEANING OUT. 513 00:26:55,965 --> 00:26:58,689 LOOKS LIKE THE OCEAN. SHE'S BEAUTIFUL. 514 00:26:58,724 --> 00:27:01,586 GLAD THAT WE FOUND IT, AND DEFINITELY GLAD THAT WE RUBBED IT. 515 00:27:01,620 --> 00:27:05,379 OVERALL, IT'S A VERY PRETTY PIECE -- BEAUTIFUL. 516 00:27:06,965 --> 00:27:09,620 I'M JUST GOING TO SEE HOW MANY CARATS IT IS 517 00:27:09,655 --> 00:27:11,724 AND WORK OUT A PRICE. 518 00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:15,344 57 CARATS. 519 00:27:15,379 --> 00:27:17,310 I NEED A CALCULATOR. 520 00:27:19,551 --> 00:27:21,448 LET'S SAY $250 A CARAT. 521 00:27:21,482 --> 00:27:23,586 THAT WOULD BE ABOUT 15 GRAND. 522 00:27:23,620 --> 00:27:26,206 Narrator: KELLY'S GEM IS CRYSTAL OPAL, 523 00:27:26,241 --> 00:27:29,758 PREDOMINANTLY BLUE-GREEN WITH FLASHES OF ORANGE WITHIN. 524 00:27:29,793 --> 00:27:33,241 IT WEIGHS A HEFTY 57 CARATS, OR 11 GRAMS, 525 00:27:33,275 --> 00:27:37,689 AND SHE BELIEVES IT'S WORTH $14,000 TO $15,000. 526 00:27:37,724 --> 00:27:41,034 WITH BUYERS SCARCE, KELLY IS LUCKY 527 00:27:41,068 --> 00:27:44,413 THAT LOCAL DEALER CARL BABIC IS IN TOWN. 528 00:27:44,448 --> 00:27:46,310 Kelly: I'VE GOT THIS DOOBIE. 529 00:27:46,344 --> 00:27:47,344 Carl: OOH. 530 00:27:47,379 --> 00:27:48,965 PULLED IT OUT OF THE WALL, SO... 531 00:27:49,000 --> 00:27:51,206 OKAY. ...FINGERS CROSSED. 532 00:27:51,241 --> 00:27:52,931 IT'S NICE AND CLEAN, ISN'T IT? 533 00:27:52,965 --> 00:27:55,689 VERY CLEAN. SURPRISE, SURPRISE. 534 00:27:55,724 --> 00:27:59,344 WELL, YOU KNOW ME. I LIKE OPAL. 535 00:27:59,379 --> 00:28:01,896 I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, 536 00:28:01,931 --> 00:28:04,655 I'VE KIND OF FINISHED UP MY BUYING. 537 00:28:06,620 --> 00:28:08,862 YOU CAN LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU WANT FOR IT, 538 00:28:08,896 --> 00:28:10,965 OR I MIGHT HAVE TO JUST OWN IT, ANYWAY. 539 00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:12,517 GIVE ME $15,000. 540 00:28:12,551 --> 00:28:16,586 WELL, KELLY, IT'S A BEAUTIFUL STONE. 541 00:28:16,620 --> 00:28:19,931 I'M GOING TO LEAVE IT THIS TIME. I WON'T MAKE AN OFFER. 542 00:28:19,965 --> 00:28:22,724 IT'S JUST NOT REALLY THE BEST TIME FOR ME AT THE MOMENT 543 00:28:22,758 --> 00:28:25,551 FOR THIS STONE. 544 00:28:25,586 --> 00:28:27,310 ALL RIGHT. GOOD ON YOU, MATE.THANKS, MATE. 545 00:28:27,344 --> 00:28:29,620 SAFE TRAVELS. 546 00:28:35,655 --> 00:28:38,206 Kelly: CARL DIDN'T WANT IT AT THIS STAGE. 547 00:28:38,241 --> 00:28:41,620 THERE'S NO BUYERS ABOUT, SO I'VE GOT NO OPTIONS LEFT. 548 00:28:41,655 --> 00:28:45,034 SO IT'S PLAN "B" -- GOT TO SELL THE AGI. 549 00:28:47,241 --> 00:28:48,896 Narrator: DESPERATE FOR CASH, 550 00:28:48,931 --> 00:28:51,827 KELLY IS FORCED TO TRY AND SELL ONE OF HER AGIS, 551 00:28:51,862 --> 00:28:56,689 OR AGITATORS, USED TO CLEAN TONS OF POTENTIALLY OPAL-BEARING ROCK 552 00:28:56,724 --> 00:28:59,034 EXTRACTED FROM A MINE. 553 00:29:17,344 --> 00:29:20,724 Pete: IT'S UNAVOIDABLE WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO FOLLOW A SEAM. 554 00:29:20,758 --> 00:29:22,965 IT HAPPENS TO EVERYONE. 555 00:29:23,000 --> 00:29:25,034 YOU SEE A SEAM, AND YOU GO, "OKAY, I'M PRETTY SAFE HERE," 556 00:29:25,068 --> 00:29:27,344 AND YOU GO, BANG, STRAIGHT INTO IT. 557 00:29:27,379 --> 00:29:31,241 Narrator: IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA, THE FIRE CREW HAVE HIT A WALL. 558 00:29:31,275 --> 00:29:33,620 ADAM IS PHYSICALLY EXHAUSTED FROM DRILLING 559 00:29:33,655 --> 00:29:35,793 WITH A 15-KILOGRAM JACKHAMMER. 560 00:29:35,827 --> 00:29:37,965 I'LL BURN OUT IF I KEEP DIGGING INTO THE NIGHT. 561 00:29:38,000 --> 00:29:40,689 Narrator: HIS MORALE HAS ALSO TAKEN A BRUISING. 562 00:29:40,724 --> 00:29:44,275 HE SHATTERED A LARGE BODY OF FIRE OPAL INTO SHARDS. 563 00:29:45,793 --> 00:29:47,000 DO YOU WANT A GO?Cassidy: OKAY. 564 00:29:47,034 --> 00:29:49,724 TIME FOR PARTNER CASSIDY TO TAKE THE LEAD. 565 00:29:49,758 --> 00:29:52,689 Vikki: GET IN THERE, GIRL.RIGHT THERE. 566 00:29:54,655 --> 00:29:56,965 GO BACK THIS WAY A BIT. 567 00:29:57,000 --> 00:29:58,896 THAT'S IT. NOW GO FOR IT. 568 00:30:01,137 --> 00:30:03,413 Narrator: THIS IS THEIR LAST DAY OF THE SEASON, 569 00:30:03,448 --> 00:30:06,344 AND THERE'S ONLY THREE HOURS LEFT OF DAYLIGHT. 570 00:30:06,379 --> 00:30:08,310 NOW YOU'VE GOT IT. 571 00:30:08,344 --> 00:30:11,482 Vikki: YOU'RE DOING GOOD, CASS. GO, GIRL! 572 00:30:11,517 --> 00:30:13,758 NEARLY, NEARLY, NEARLY! 573 00:30:13,793 --> 00:30:15,275 THERE SHE GOES! 574 00:30:15,310 --> 00:30:16,275 OOH! WHOO! 575 00:30:16,310 --> 00:30:17,827 STOP? YOU'VE DONE IT. 576 00:30:17,862 --> 00:30:18,931 WHOO! DID IT. 577 00:30:18,965 --> 00:30:20,344 WHOA. 578 00:30:20,379 --> 00:30:23,000 Narrator: CASSIDY HAS MANAGED TO SHEAR A LARGE SEAM FREE 579 00:30:23,034 --> 00:30:24,413 FROM THE GRANITE. 580 00:30:24,448 --> 00:30:26,551 THE VALUE OF THE OPAL ALL DEPENDS 581 00:30:26,586 --> 00:30:29,000 ON WHETHER IT'S BEEN FRACTURED. 582 00:30:31,275 --> 00:30:33,655 OH, NICE CRACK. 583 00:30:33,689 --> 00:30:35,482 HERE COMES THAT PIECE. 584 00:30:35,517 --> 00:30:37,517 LOOK. LOOK AT THAT. 585 00:30:37,551 --> 00:30:40,034 Adam: LOOK AT THAT -- THE PIèCE DE RéSISTANCE. 586 00:30:40,068 --> 00:30:41,689 THAT IS THE BIT WE'VE BEEN WANTING, HEY? 587 00:30:41,724 --> 00:30:43,241 YEP. 588 00:30:43,275 --> 00:30:45,551 THAT IS THICK. 589 00:30:45,586 --> 00:30:48,517 Narrator: THE OPAL PIECES HAVE STAYED INTACT. 590 00:30:48,551 --> 00:30:50,620 TA-DA! 591 00:30:52,517 --> 00:30:54,724 Vikki: THERE'S THE SISTER! 592 00:30:54,758 --> 00:30:56,965 WHOO-WHOO! 593 00:30:57,000 --> 00:30:58,310 WOW! 594 00:30:58,344 --> 00:31:00,551 ALL RIGHT. LET ME SHOW YOU THESE. 595 00:31:00,586 --> 00:31:04,793 WE'VE BEEN GOING FOR THAT FOR, WHAT, TWO DAYS SOLID. 596 00:31:06,724 --> 00:31:09,793 IT'S ALL TOP QUALITY, BIG PIECES, INDIVIDUAL. 597 00:31:09,827 --> 00:31:12,137 SO, THEY'RE NOT FRACTURED. 598 00:31:12,172 --> 00:31:14,758 YOU COULDN'T ASK FOR BETTER. IT'S A DREAM. 599 00:31:16,172 --> 00:31:18,965 THERE'S BAGS OF IT HERE. LIKE, THAT'S JUST CRAZY. 600 00:31:19,000 --> 00:31:21,344 Vikki: SO WE'VE GOT SIX BAGS. 601 00:31:21,379 --> 00:31:22,896 I'VE THINK WE'VE GOT IT ALL. 602 00:31:22,931 --> 00:31:27,965 I HAVE NEVER, EVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE. 603 00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:31,655 Adam: YEAH, IF CASS KEEPS GOING THIS WAY, 604 00:31:31,689 --> 00:31:34,862 I'M GOING TO HAVE TO PUT ONE OF THESE FIRE OPALS IN A RING FOR HER. 605 00:31:34,896 --> 00:31:37,931 THAT'S IT. TAKE YOUR PICK. 606 00:31:37,965 --> 00:31:40,379 I THINK I KNOW A BIG ONE THAT'S GOT MY NAME ON IT. 607 00:31:40,413 --> 00:31:43,896 BLING, BLING, BLING. 608 00:31:50,172 --> 00:31:53,689 Narrator: FINALLY IT'S TIME TO VALUE THIS MAMMOTH HAUL. 609 00:31:53,724 --> 00:31:55,931 WOW! LOOK AT THIS. 610 00:31:55,965 --> 00:31:57,413 Adam: LOOK AT ALL THIS LOOT. 611 00:31:57,448 --> 00:31:59,068 THERE'S SOME GOOD PIECES THERE. 612 00:31:59,103 --> 00:32:02,896 WOW! OH, MY GOD! 613 00:32:02,931 --> 00:32:06,172 OH, I ACTUALLY DIDN'T REALIZE UNTIL WE'VE JUST LAID IT OUT 614 00:32:06,206 --> 00:32:08,068 HOW MUCH. Pete: WE'VE GOT -- 615 00:32:08,103 --> 00:32:09,689 LOOK AT THAT. 616 00:32:09,724 --> 00:32:11,620 Vikki: LOOK AT THE SHAPES. LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT COLORS. 617 00:32:11,655 --> 00:32:12,931 LOOK AT THE THICKNESS OF IT.I KNOW. 618 00:32:12,965 --> 00:32:15,517 HOW THICK IS THAT?THAT'S ONE WHOLE PIECE. 619 00:32:15,551 --> 00:32:19,344 WE HAVE NEVER DUG THAT MUCH OPAL, NOT THIS QUALITY. 620 00:32:19,379 --> 00:32:22,241 NO. THAT'S CRAZY.IT'S JUST... 621 00:32:22,275 --> 00:32:24,517 I'D HATE TO PUT A PRICE ON THIS.YEAH. 622 00:32:24,551 --> 00:32:26,172 YEAH. I WOULD LOVE TO. 623 00:32:26,206 --> 00:32:30,137 NO, I-I -- IT'S SCARY. 624 00:32:30,172 --> 00:32:32,000 YEAH. 625 00:32:32,034 --> 00:32:35,586 $60,000, $120,000. 626 00:32:35,620 --> 00:32:37,896 $180,000?$180,000. 627 00:32:37,931 --> 00:32:39,586 $200,000. 628 00:32:39,620 --> 00:32:43,000 YOU'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS. 629 00:32:43,034 --> 00:32:46,103 THE WORLD HASN'T SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS. 630 00:32:46,137 --> 00:32:48,103 Narrator: THE FIRE CREW HAVE DUG UP 631 00:32:48,137 --> 00:32:50,172 AAA-QUALITY FIRE OPAL 632 00:32:50,206 --> 00:32:53,758 WITH COLORS RANGING FROM A DEEP ORANGE TO PALE YELLOW. 633 00:32:53,793 --> 00:32:56,344 THEIR HAUL WEIGHS 30 KILOGRAMS 634 00:32:56,379 --> 00:33:01,620 AND HAS AN ESTIMATED VALUE OF $250,000. 635 00:33:01,655 --> 00:33:05,827 Pete: BUT, REALLY, YOU CAN'T CONFIRM THAT UNTIL IT'S CUT 636 00:33:05,862 --> 00:33:07,482 AND SEE WHAT WE GET OUT OF IT, 637 00:33:07,517 --> 00:33:09,758 AND WE'LL KNOW EXACTLY HOW MUCH MONEY WE'VE GOT. 638 00:33:09,793 --> 00:33:11,172 YEP. 639 00:33:11,206 --> 00:33:13,724 Narrator: ON THE FINAL DAY OF THEIR SEASON, 640 00:33:13,758 --> 00:33:18,655 THE FIRE CREW HAVE SMASHED THEIR SEASON TARGET. 641 00:33:18,689 --> 00:33:21,241 Adam: WE HAD A NUMBER IN MIND THAT WE WANTED TO MAKE. 642 00:33:21,275 --> 00:33:22,586 WHAT, $120,000? YEAH.IT WAS THERE. 643 00:33:22,620 --> 00:33:24,000 AND THEN WE'VE SORT OF COME UP HERE, HAVEN'T WE? 644 00:33:24,034 --> 00:33:27,517 YEAH. WELL, LIKE, I CAN'T BELIEVE WHAT WE FOUND. 645 00:33:27,551 --> 00:33:31,655 I RECKON WE SHOULD SORT OF CHRISTEN IT AND HAVE A DRINK. 646 00:33:31,689 --> 00:33:33,793 HMM.I SAY THAT'S A GREAT IDEA. 647 00:33:33,827 --> 00:33:36,000 I'M PLEASED YOU AGREE.SOUNDS GOOD. 648 00:33:36,034 --> 00:33:37,379 Vikki: SOUNDS GOOD TO ME. 649 00:33:39,275 --> 00:33:41,275 YOU GOING TO CLICK YOUR HEELS, VIKKI? 650 00:33:43,344 --> 00:33:47,655 Cassidy: THAT HUGE POCKET, THAT WAS A PRETTY BIG, EPIC MOMENT FOR US, 651 00:33:47,689 --> 00:33:49,896 AND I THINK IT REALLY DID PROPEL US INTO THINKING, 652 00:33:49,931 --> 00:33:51,965 "HOW CAN WE MAKE THIS"... 653 00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:53,448 OUR LIFE. YEAH. 654 00:33:53,482 --> 00:33:55,448 CHEERS, GUYS. YEAH. WHOO-HOO. 655 00:33:55,482 --> 00:33:56,758 Vikki: YES! WHOO-HOO! 656 00:33:56,793 --> 00:34:00,620 TO A CRAZY, CRAZY, CRAZY FEW DAYS. 657 00:34:00,655 --> 00:34:04,655 Adam: I NEVER THOUGHT THAT WE WOULD BE WHERE WE ARE. 658 00:34:04,689 --> 00:34:06,344 LET'S PUT IT THAT WAY. 659 00:34:06,379 --> 00:34:09,655 I KNEW THAT WE WOULD BE -- WOULD BE IN A GOOD SITUATION, 660 00:34:09,689 --> 00:34:11,275 BUT NOT THIS GOOD. 661 00:34:11,310 --> 00:34:14,413 Cassidy: THE BIGGEST JOB FOR US NOW IS ACTUALLY SELLING THE OPAL 662 00:34:14,448 --> 00:34:16,103 AND GETTING IT OUT INTO THE PUBLIC. 663 00:34:16,137 --> 00:34:17,724 IT'S DEFINITELY PROPELLED US TO THINK 664 00:34:17,758 --> 00:34:19,620 THIS IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING WE COULD DO AND DO PROPERLY 665 00:34:19,655 --> 00:34:21,275 AND FULL-TIME AND THROW OURSELVES IN 666 00:34:21,310 --> 00:34:24,620 AND PUT ALL THAT HOUSE-BUYING, BABY-MAKING, 667 00:34:24,655 --> 00:34:26,793 WEDDING-HAPPENING ON HOLD 668 00:34:26,827 --> 00:34:28,172 AND DIG IT OUT AND MAKE SOMETHING OF IT, 669 00:34:28,206 --> 00:34:30,724 SO, YEAH, IT'S A PRETTY LIFE-CHANGING MOMENT. 670 00:34:57,103 --> 00:34:59,551 I'VE JUST GOT NO MONEY COMING IN, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. 671 00:34:59,586 --> 00:35:03,379 Narrator: AFTER A FAILED $15,000 OPAL SALE, 672 00:35:03,413 --> 00:35:06,241 KELLY IS DESPERATE FOR CASH TO PAY THE BILLS 673 00:35:06,275 --> 00:35:08,827 AND KEEP HER OPAL SEASON GOING. 674 00:35:08,862 --> 00:35:11,275 Kelly: SO ON TOP OF EVERYTHING THAT WE DO WITH THE MINING, 675 00:35:11,310 --> 00:35:13,793 YOU'VE GOT TO THROW IN A FEW MACHINERY DEALS, 676 00:35:13,827 --> 00:35:15,206 AND THAT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. 677 00:35:15,241 --> 00:35:16,586 PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS MOVING ON GEAR, 678 00:35:16,620 --> 00:35:18,275 ALWAYS WANTING TO BUY GEAR. 679 00:35:19,413 --> 00:35:21,482 Narrator: INSTEAD OF SELLING OPAL, 680 00:35:21,517 --> 00:35:24,482 KELLY IS ATTEMPTING TO DO A DEAL ON MINING EQUIPMENT -- 681 00:35:24,517 --> 00:35:27,000 A 14-TON AGITATOR. 682 00:35:27,034 --> 00:35:29,862 KELLY WANTS $20,000 FOR THE AGITATOR, 683 00:35:29,896 --> 00:35:32,310 WHICH SHE'S HOPING MINERS ANTHONY MELONIS 684 00:35:32,344 --> 00:35:34,172 AND KEN WESTBROOK WILL PAY.Kelly: ANTHONY. 685 00:35:34,206 --> 00:35:35,310 HOW YOU DOING, KEL? 686 00:35:35,344 --> 00:35:36,586 HOW YOU GOING?GOOD. 687 00:35:36,620 --> 00:35:38,103 GOOD? WHAT'S GOING ON?HOW YOU BEEN? 688 00:35:38,137 --> 00:35:39,931 Kelly: ANTHONY KNOWS HIS STUFF. HE'S AN OPAL MINER. 689 00:35:39,965 --> 00:35:41,862 PLUS, HE'S A BIT OF AN OPAL BUYER. 690 00:35:41,896 --> 00:35:44,551 SO HE DRIVES A BIT OF A HARD BARGAIN. 691 00:35:44,586 --> 00:35:49,241 Narrator: IMMEDIATELY, EXPERIENCED MINER KEN HAS NOTICED A PROBLEM. 692 00:35:49,275 --> 00:35:51,655 WHEN DID YOU ELEVATE THAT? 693 00:35:51,689 --> 00:35:54,000 WELL, THAT WASN'T ELEVATED BY US. 694 00:35:54,034 --> 00:35:57,620 THAT WAS ELEVATED BY THE GUYS WHO WERE WASHING THE OPEN CUT. 695 00:35:57,655 --> 00:36:01,482 Narrator: THE AGITATOR BARREL HAS BEEN ELEVATED AND TILTED ON AN ANGLE, 696 00:36:01,517 --> 00:36:03,758 WHICH WASHES THE ROCK MORE EFFECTIVELY 697 00:36:03,793 --> 00:36:07,172 BUT ALSO WEARS OUT THE EXPENSIVE BEARING FASTER. 698 00:36:07,206 --> 00:36:08,896 Anthony: LOOKS LIKE IT NEEDS A NEW BEARING ALREADY. 699 00:36:08,931 --> 00:36:11,379 IF WE KEEP BREAKING DOWN, KEL, WE CAN'T KEEP IN PRODUCTION, 700 00:36:11,413 --> 00:36:13,137 YOU KNOW?YEAH, I KNOW. 701 00:36:13,172 --> 00:36:14,758 Narrator: ANTHONY ALSO NOTICES 702 00:36:14,793 --> 00:36:17,620 THE CHAIN THAT ROTATES THE BARREL IS MISSING. 703 00:36:17,655 --> 00:36:20,344 SO WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CHAIN?SOMEONE'S KNOCKED IT OFF. 704 00:36:20,379 --> 00:36:22,551 YEAH, THAT'S MORE THAN LIKELY WHAT'S HAPPENED. 705 00:36:22,586 --> 00:36:25,448 I THINK SO. SOME MONGREL HAS COME OUT AND KNOCKED IT OVER. 706 00:36:25,482 --> 00:36:27,448 BIG MOTOR, THOUGH.IT IS A BIG MOTOR. 707 00:36:27,482 --> 00:36:29,275 WHAT IT IS?IT'S A PENNO. 708 00:36:29,310 --> 00:36:31,620 PENNO? WELL, IT'S A GOOD MOTOR, THEN. 709 00:36:31,655 --> 00:36:34,448 YOU KNOW, WHAT SORT OF MONEY YOU GOT ON THIS? 710 00:36:34,482 --> 00:36:36,103 I WANT $20,000. 711 00:36:36,137 --> 00:36:37,793 WOULD YOU TAKE $15,000? WHAT DO YOU RECKON? 712 00:36:37,827 --> 00:36:39,724 $15,000? 713 00:36:39,758 --> 00:36:42,103 WE GOT A DEAL? 714 00:36:42,137 --> 00:36:45,448 Ken: I'LL GIVE YOU 5 MINUTES.YOU DON'T NEED 5 MINUTES. 715 00:36:45,482 --> 00:36:48,172 NO. I JUST... 716 00:36:48,206 --> 00:36:49,931 FOR ABOUT $17,000, I SUPPOSE. 717 00:36:49,965 --> 00:36:52,517 I'LL GIVE YOU $15,000.AND WE'RE HAPPY. 718 00:36:52,551 --> 00:36:55,206 YOU'RE HAPPY. WELL, MAYBE I SHOULD OFFER $14,000, THEN. 719 00:36:55,241 --> 00:36:57,379 NO. NO. 720 00:36:57,413 --> 00:36:59,068 $15,000? $15,000. 721 00:36:59,103 --> 00:37:01,413 ALL RIGHT.GOOD ON YOU, MATE. 722 00:37:01,448 --> 00:37:03,448 HELPED ME OUT. THAT'S GOOD. 723 00:37:03,482 --> 00:37:06,310 NO, IT'S A GOOD BUY. I'M HAPPY WITH IT. 724 00:37:06,344 --> 00:37:08,103 YEAH, IT DOES A RIPPER JOB.YEAH. 725 00:37:08,137 --> 00:37:09,896 NO, I'M HAPPY. I'M REAL HAPPY. 726 00:37:09,931 --> 00:37:12,137 YEAH. EXCELLENT. 727 00:37:12,172 --> 00:37:15,206 Narrator: THE AGI SALE HAS GIVEN KELLY A LIFELINE, 728 00:37:15,241 --> 00:37:17,068 BUT AS THE TEMPERATURES GET HOTTER, 729 00:37:17,103 --> 00:37:19,413 THE FINAL WEEKS OF HER OPAL SEASON 730 00:37:19,448 --> 00:37:21,310 ARE ONLY GOING TO GET HARDER. 731 00:37:21,344 --> 00:37:23,620 SELLING THIS IS A BIT SAD, 732 00:37:23,655 --> 00:37:26,275 BUT COULDN'T AFFORD TO KEEP IT, REALLY, 733 00:37:26,310 --> 00:37:29,172 SO GOT TO MOVE IT ON ONTO BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS. 734 00:37:29,206 --> 00:37:31,241 BUT I WOULD'VE LIKED TO HAVE GOTTEN MORE, 735 00:37:31,275 --> 00:37:34,413 BUT CAN'T DEAL WITH THEM OPAL BUYERS, CAN YOU? 736 00:37:45,103 --> 00:37:47,206 Ron: WOW. LOOK AT THAT. 737 00:37:47,241 --> 00:37:49,758 Aaron: NICE, ISN'T IT?IT IS. 738 00:37:51,655 --> 00:37:54,310 Narrator: ON THE EDGE OF AARON'S DRAGONFLY CLAIM... 739 00:37:54,344 --> 00:37:56,241 THEM GREENS ARE BEAUTIFUL, AREN'T THEY? 740 00:37:56,275 --> 00:37:59,620 ...RON HAS DISCOVERED A LARGE CHUNK OF BLUE-GREEN OPAL. 741 00:37:59,655 --> 00:38:01,517 OH, SORRY. I ON IT. 742 00:38:01,551 --> 00:38:02,896 DID YOU? NO, I DIDN'T. 743 00:38:02,931 --> 00:38:04,896 LADS, THAT IS NICE, ISN'T IT? 744 00:38:04,931 --> 00:38:06,551 THAT'S A SANDY BOULDER.THAT'S A SANDY BOULDER. 745 00:38:06,586 --> 00:38:08,034 SANDY BOULDER. 746 00:38:08,068 --> 00:38:11,103 Narrator: SANDY BOULDER OPAL IS FOUND IN SANDSTONE, 747 00:38:11,137 --> 00:38:12,724 OFTEN NEAR THE SURFACE, 748 00:38:12,758 --> 00:38:16,931 UNLIKE STANDARD BOULDER OPAL THAT FORMS IN DARKER IRONSTONE. 749 00:38:16,965 --> 00:38:18,241 YOU LOVE... 750 00:38:18,275 --> 00:38:20,517 I DO, AND THEY LOVE ME. 751 00:38:22,896 --> 00:38:25,275 I WOULDN'T SELL THAT FOR UNDER $2,000. 752 00:38:25,310 --> 00:38:28,862 Narrator: RON'S FIND IS SANDY BOULDER OPAL 753 00:38:28,896 --> 00:38:32,034 COLORED WITH MEDIUM-VALUE BLUE-GREEN. 754 00:38:32,068 --> 00:38:34,344 ALTHOUGH WEIGHING 3 KILOGRAMS, 755 00:38:34,379 --> 00:38:37,000 THE OPAL IS HEAVILY MIXED WITH STONE, 756 00:38:37,034 --> 00:38:41,000 MAKING ITS VALUE AROUND $2,000. 757 00:38:42,655 --> 00:38:45,068 WELL, IF YOU GET THAT IN THE JEWELRY SHOPS, 758 00:38:45,103 --> 00:38:46,310 THAT'D BE A PRETTY SPECIMEN. 759 00:38:46,344 --> 00:38:48,517 A PAPERWEIGHT FOR SOME YUPPIE. 760 00:38:48,551 --> 00:38:50,137 NO, NO. 761 00:38:50,172 --> 00:38:51,724 THAT'S YOUR GOOD-LUCK ROCK. 762 00:38:51,758 --> 00:38:56,793 RON'S FIND HAS TAKEN THEIR TOTAL TO OVER $104,000, 763 00:38:56,827 --> 00:38:59,137 ONE STEP CLOSER TO THE AMOUNT NEEDED 764 00:38:59,172 --> 00:39:03,724 TO BUY AARON'S DAD'S HOUSE AND THE DRAGONFLY LEASE. 765 00:39:03,758 --> 00:39:05,931 Aaron: LUCKY RON FOUND THAT SPECIMEN. 766 00:39:05,965 --> 00:39:07,482 WOULD'VE BEEN NICE TO FIND A LITTLE BIT MORE, 767 00:39:07,517 --> 00:39:09,862 BUT THAT'S HOW OPAL MINING GOES. 768 00:39:09,896 --> 00:39:12,724 BUT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT CAN TURN UP TOMORROW IN THIS GAME. 769 00:39:12,758 --> 00:39:18,000 Narrator: AND WHEN YOU'RE THIS REMOTE, LUXURIES ARE HARD TO COME BY... 770 00:39:18,034 --> 00:39:20,413 Aaron: LOOKS LIKE HE'S HAS SOME RIB BONES OR SOMETHING. 771 00:39:20,448 --> 00:39:22,586 ...UNLESS YOU'VE GOT A MATE WITH A HELICOPTER. 772 00:39:22,620 --> 00:39:24,344 HE HAS! 773 00:39:24,379 --> 00:39:26,931 RIB BONES, MATE. 774 00:39:26,965 --> 00:39:28,896 YEAH. 775 00:39:28,931 --> 00:39:32,172 Narrator: NEIGHBORING CATTLE FARMER AND MATE STONY 776 00:39:32,206 --> 00:39:33,931 HAS DROPPED IN FOR A VISIT, 777 00:39:33,965 --> 00:39:36,000 AND HE'S BROUGHT THE MAIN COURSE. 778 00:39:36,034 --> 00:39:38,620 Stony: 779 00:39:38,655 --> 00:39:40,793 SO I THOUGHT I'D DROP IN, SPEND THE NIGHT WITH THE BOYS, 780 00:39:40,827 --> 00:39:42,862 SEE HOW THEY'RE GOING, MAKE SURE THEY'RE NOT RUNNING AMOK 781 00:39:42,896 --> 00:39:45,206 OR DOING THE WRONG THING, EH? 782 00:39:45,241 --> 00:39:47,620 OOH, RON, WATCH IT. 783 00:39:47,655 --> 00:39:51,000 Aaron: YOU GOT TO SORT OF, LIKE, BE POSITIVE AT THIS GAME. 784 00:39:51,034 --> 00:39:52,689 I RECKON WE STILL GOT ENOUGH TIME 785 00:39:52,724 --> 00:39:55,310 TO GET THE MONEY I NEED TO PAY THE FAMILY OUT. 786 00:40:00,965 --> 00:40:03,448 Greg: YEAH, THAT LOOKS PRETTY GOOD TO ME, TOO, RON. 787 00:40:03,482 --> 00:40:05,724 NOW, THAT'S A GOOD FEED, EH? 788 00:40:05,758 --> 00:40:08,517 Aaron: IT'S UP TO US NOW. 789 00:40:08,551 --> 00:40:11,275 BEAUTIFUL. YEAH. 790 00:40:13,241 --> 00:40:15,793 WHAT DO YOU RECKON?VERY NICE. 791 00:40:15,827 --> 00:40:18,724 WE JUST GOT TO BE A BIT SMARTER ABOUT IT, AS WELL. 792 00:40:18,758 --> 00:40:20,620 DIG THE RIGHT BIT OF DIRT. 792 00:40:21,305 --> 00:41:21,307