"Outback Opal Hunters" Light and Shadow

1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,440 NARRATOR: On Outback Opal Hunters... 2 00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:04,960 Nigh, nigh. I cannot see a thing. 3 00:00:05,040 --> 00:00:07,480 It's like feeding a baby with your eyes closed. 4 00:00:07,560 --> 00:00:11,200 ..the Blacklighters battle blinding dust storms... 5 00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:13,240 Can't see what I'm doing when I'm loading, 6 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:17,280 so I keep smacking it. (EXCLAIMS) Something's happened, ay. 7 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:21,520 ..busting Opalzilla and shutting down their entire operation. 8 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:23,280 What do you mean? She won't go? 9 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:25,800 (ON CB RADIO) The cog's turning and the shaft's not. 10 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:30,720 Oh, let's have a look at this. ANGEL: OK, just be careful. 11 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:32,920 ISABELLE: Oh, (BLEEP)! Angel! 12 00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:37,120 Unstable tunnels drive the Misfits above ground... 13 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:39,160 ANGEL: You all right? ISABELLE: I'm out. 14 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:42,280 Just heard thunder.That's not good. 15 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:44,520 ..and straight into treacherous weather. 16 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:48,200 If this storm really lets rip, our hole could be flooded. 17 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:50,280 I think we should head back to camp. 18 00:00:53,880 --> 00:00:55,480 Man, must have hit a water table. 19 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:58,880 The Digi Diggers are forced to abandon their flooded mine... 20 00:00:58,960 --> 00:01:02,800 Really, the only other option that we have right now is looking for another claim. 21 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:06,560 ..and search for opal deep in the brutal outback. 22 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:08,920 Snakes, spiders, dingoes, 23 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:11,720 being stranded here, very dangerous situation. 24 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:15,400 (OPENING THEME SONG "MONEY") 25 00:01:15,480 --> 00:01:17,160 # Money... 26 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:22,720 # And fancy clothes # 27 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:30,074 28 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:37,200 MARK: We're on a bit of a tight schedule at the moment. 29 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:39,400 Been working away on the cut for a long time. 30 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:41,280 We've pumped all our money into it. 31 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:44,320 All our machinery. It's been a massive project. 32 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:47,880 But any instant now we could stuff it right up. 33 00:01:47,960 --> 00:01:51,000 In the desert wastelands of Coober Pedy 34 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:54,240 the Blacklighters are feeding opal-bearing dirt 35 00:01:54,320 --> 00:01:57,680 from their vast 15-metre deep open-cut mine 36 00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:01,480 into Opalzilla, a ten-tonne processing plant, 37 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:03,720 and the heart of their operation. 38 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:07,040 PAUL: Righto, Xavvy, she's ready to go, mate. 39 00:02:10,800 --> 00:02:13,600 Dust everywhere. Can hardly see reversing up. 40 00:02:24,440 --> 00:02:26,120 Oh, (BLEEP)! 41 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:29,360 Oh, oh! I'm sorry, mate. 42 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:31,440 I didn't see you there. You snuck in. 43 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:33,320 Gees, I nearly ran into Xavier there. 44 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:35,080 Well, that was scary. 45 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:38,400 The Blacklighters, 46 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:42,040 Mark I'Anson, 16-year-old stepson Xavier, 47 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:44,560 Paul Coon and John Nassar 48 00:02:44,640 --> 00:02:46,880 have spent a gruelling 12 months 49 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:49,560 excavating thousands of tonnes of dirt, 50 00:02:49,640 --> 00:02:52,320 attempting to reach old timers' tunnels. 51 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:56,880 (EXCLAIMING, SHOUTING) 52 00:02:56,960 --> 00:02:59,400 Yeah, we sunk at least 50 grand into this open-cut, 53 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:01,440 so we've been getting some nice material, 54 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:03,240 but we're just not there yet. 55 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:08,040 The main tunnels we want to open them up, 56 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:11,520 take the pillars, take the roofs, take the floors 57 00:03:11,600 --> 00:03:14,520 and really empty it out properly. It's a massive gamble. 58 00:03:15,640 --> 00:03:17,640 RACHEL: Diesel prices have gone up so much, 59 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:20,960 double what it used to cost us to be able to mine. 60 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:24,000 Now it's more important than ever 61 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:28,000 that we have the opal in stock to be able to sell. 62 00:03:29,000 --> 00:03:31,880 MARK: Definitely affects the families when we don't find opal. 63 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:34,080 Straight away, everyone starts stressing out, 64 00:03:34,160 --> 00:03:36,880 the mood changes, the money is not coming in. 65 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:38,640 Cracks start appearing. 66 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:40,760 Have you hit this spot yet? 67 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:43,400 Yeah, well, we've put a fairly big target this year, 68 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:45,800 you know, 350 grand. It's a lot of money. 69 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:49,120 We still got a 100 grand short. 70 00:03:49,200 --> 00:03:51,760 Pretty high expectations on this week, definitely. 71 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:57,160 The dust at the moment is out of control. 72 00:03:57,240 --> 00:04:00,720 We probably got bloody 20 knots blowing in me face right now 73 00:04:00,800 --> 00:04:02,880 which is about 40-Ks an hour. 74 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:05,320 It's blowing straight into my face as I load 75 00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:07,560 and have a look at what I've got to deal with. 76 00:04:09,200 --> 00:04:12,560 Ooh. Nigh, nigh. I cannot see a bloody thing. 77 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:15,240 It's like feeding a baby with your eyes closed. 78 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:19,880 Ah, (BLEEP) hell. 79 00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:23,000 Whoopsie. 80 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:25,720 Don't everyone come and help at once. 81 00:04:26,760 --> 00:04:29,240 Cos it was so dusty, I kept nudging that plate, 82 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:32,600 nudging that plate all day and eventually it just gave way. 83 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:34,360 (GRUNTS) 84 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:37,360 Can't leave it off cos you know, all the dirt coming down. 85 00:04:37,440 --> 00:04:40,040 It's going to eventually roll underneath Opalzilla, 86 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:41,800 you know, underneath the belt, 87 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:44,200 blocking (BLEEP) up therefore end up breaking it. 88 00:04:44,280 --> 00:04:45,880 You're going to need the loader. 89 00:04:45,960 --> 00:04:48,200 So what you want me, to stand here holding this? 90 00:04:48,280 --> 00:04:50,120 I just don't want it to fall on anyone. 91 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:53,000 Cos that'll (BLEEP) seriously hurt. 92 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:04,360 ANGEL: The hardest part working in this cut, 93 00:05:04,440 --> 00:05:06,120 is it's so damn tight. 94 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:09,760 This is a big machine. I am learning it, too, 95 00:05:09,840 --> 00:05:12,400 which is even more nerve-racking. 96 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:14,160 You know, one wrong move, 97 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:16,320 I can accidentally squash Issy, 98 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:19,720 I can slam the boom into the wall of the cut 99 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:22,880 which can cause, you know, unnecessary damage to it. 100 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:25,280 There's just so many things that can go wrong. 101 00:05:27,280 --> 00:05:30,160 So I can't stand down there at all at the moment. 102 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:33,600 The floor there, there's only about 103 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:38,320 two-foot of dirt between myself and the drives underneath me 104 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:40,760 which could collapse at any time. 105 00:05:40,840 --> 00:05:43,760 So I'd rather be where I am standing right now. 106 00:05:43,840 --> 00:05:46,480 Bit hard that ground. Come on. 107 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:48,240 You know as I'm digging, 108 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:50,120 the front of the tracks are coming up. 109 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:52,360 If I lift the front of the tracks up too much, 110 00:05:52,440 --> 00:05:54,040 the machine can lose traction 111 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:56,480 and I can jump, you know, literally sideways. 112 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:02,720 Whoa! (BLEEP)Oh, oh! 113 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:06,880 Scared the (BLEEP) out of me. Ha, ha, you right, Issy? 114 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:16,000 The Misfits have suffered massive upheaval this season. 115 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:18,680 JOE: I've basically stepped back 116 00:06:18,760 --> 00:06:20,520 because my health's up (BLEEP) creek, 117 00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:22,920 and there's not much I can do. I'm basically, er, 118 00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:25,040 nothing more than er, an old man. 119 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:27,040 For the team to survive, 120 00:06:27,120 --> 00:06:31,880 mentor and financial backer "Opal" Joe needs rookie miner Angel 121 00:06:31,960 --> 00:06:34,680 and new recruit Issy to step up. 122 00:06:34,760 --> 00:06:37,480 If we don't find opal, we basically don't eat. 123 00:06:38,480 --> 00:06:43,000 Our main target is 160, so still a long way to go. 124 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:45,880 I'm still learning. I'm new on the machine. 125 00:06:45,960 --> 00:06:48,160 I've got Issy spotting. 126 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:51,200 The Misfits have put all their hope this season 127 00:06:51,280 --> 00:06:55,480 in open-cut mining, a single 50-by-100 metre claim... 128 00:06:55,560 --> 00:06:57,720 What happened there? Come have a look. 129 00:06:57,800 --> 00:07:01,320 I've just uncovered this tunnel. Oh, wow. 130 00:07:01,400 --> 00:07:05,280 ..a dangerous labyrinth of unstable shafts and tunnels 131 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:07,680 known as drives eight metres down... 132 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:10,600 Let's get out of here quick. That was not good. 133 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:13,080 ..still holding seams of crystal opal 134 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:14,840 in the ceilings and walls 135 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:18,840 worth up to $28,000 per gram. 136 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:21,880 OK. Are we set? Go! 137 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:27,320 My target through all of this is basically to keep my gym running. 138 00:07:27,400 --> 00:07:29,680 A lot of the kids can't afford gloves 139 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:33,280 and headgear and mouth guards, so at the moment, 140 00:07:33,360 --> 00:07:35,240 it's all coming out of our life savings. 141 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:40,120 JOE: With partners you've got to be really careful who you bring on board. 142 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:43,320 I don't see Issy's got enough safety awareness about her. 143 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:45,080 Not yet, you know. 144 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:49,560 For me, "Opal" Joe is just another little hurdle I've got to get over. 145 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:53,080 But how much more can I prove myself? 146 00:07:53,160 --> 00:07:55,880 That's the million-dollar question with "Opal" Joe. 147 00:08:00,360 --> 00:08:02,880 We've picked this spot, come along with the excavator 148 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:05,000 to rip up the whole eight-foot level, 149 00:08:05,080 --> 00:08:06,920 and, er, found some old drive. 150 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:09,880 Oh, let's have a look at this. Let's see how safe it is, ay. 151 00:08:09,960 --> 00:08:11,640 OK. Just be careful. 152 00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:15,240 If you'd asked me a few months back 153 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:17,720 whether I'd actually be sitting in a drive, 154 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:20,440 I would have told you there was no way. 155 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:23,560 Even the thought of going into a mine shaft 156 00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:26,960 or a drive scared the hell out of me. 157 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:29,880 But since I've partnered up with Angel, 158 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:32,280 now, all of a sudden the adrenaline's kicked in 159 00:08:32,360 --> 00:08:34,640 and, and I'm quite happy to try things that 160 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:36,320 you know, a few months back, 161 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:38,160 I would have never even contemplated. 162 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:41,200 How's it feeling in there? Does it look pretty safe? 163 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:43,160 Yeah, it looks pretty good, actually. 164 00:08:45,840 --> 00:08:47,760 Oh! (BLEEP) 165 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:49,840 What's going on out there? 166 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:53,120 Angel! 167 00:09:00,920 --> 00:09:04,120 LISA: Cool, so everything is set up. We don't need a gennie anymore. 168 00:09:04,200 --> 00:09:07,080 No more fuel. The sun is shining. Let's go mining. 169 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:11,400 So, yeah, we're down the mine. 170 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:15,160 We've called it the Yowah Mine and, er, we're on our way across 171 00:09:15,240 --> 00:09:18,880 to another hole and we're just following the opal level down. 172 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:20,640 Er, we've got to be careful 173 00:09:20,720 --> 00:09:22,520 because we hit water in another hole. 174 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:24,960 So we got to be aware that there is water under us 175 00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:26,840 and that we don't go too deep, 176 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:30,240 and yeah, hopefully we find a big opal pocket. 177 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:34,880 I am excited because, you know, we're, we're living the dream. 178 00:09:34,960 --> 00:09:38,000 We're mining on renewable energy, and we're finding opals. 179 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:41,200 We're chasing this, erm, section of, er, opalised wood. 180 00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:45,920 It's got little bits of colour and little bits of potch 181 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:50,400 but hopefully it, it ends up turning into a fully opalised section. 182 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:02,560 Ooh, wait.What, what's that? 183 00:10:03,880 --> 00:10:06,800 Ooh!Whoa! (BLEEP) That's a lot of water. 184 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:10,560 Man, we must have hit the water table. (GROANS) 185 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:16,680 The Digi Diggers, Josiah Kotzur 186 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:19,680 and Lisa van Heijningen have ambitious plans 187 00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:23,640 to drag the opal mining industry into the 21st century. 188 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:28,680 Woo!Yes! Yes! (LAUGHS) Yes. We're on solar baby. 189 00:10:29,680 --> 00:10:31,360 So these are the solar panels, 190 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:33,520 capturing the energy of the sun 191 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:35,440 to power our mining operations. 192 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:38,200 Their high-tech, off-the-grid bus 193 00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:39,960 connects them to the metaverse, 194 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:43,080 where they hope to entice international opal buyers 195 00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:45,280 in an online marketplace. 196 00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:48,520 So the metaverse is a very, very important part of our future. 197 00:10:48,600 --> 00:10:50,400 You know, we're pioneering this space, 198 00:10:50,480 --> 00:10:52,760 and we want to have the, the edge 199 00:10:52,840 --> 00:10:54,800 and bring opal to a whole new audience. 200 00:10:57,160 --> 00:11:00,200 To fund their operation, Josiah and Lisa 201 00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:04,480 have just one workable mine on their 10,000 square metre claim 202 00:11:04,560 --> 00:11:06,640 which sits on opal-rich ground. 203 00:11:06,720 --> 00:11:09,720 Ah, (BLEEP), there's water pouring in the hole.MAN: Yep. 204 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:11,640 Look at it, just pouring in. 205 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:16,160 But exploration shafts revealed that recent record breaking rains 206 00:11:16,240 --> 00:11:20,120 caused the water table to rise. and flood the opal level. 207 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:23,880 So ground water is water that comes from the rain through the ground 208 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:26,280 till it stops. It can't go any further. 209 00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:30,800 Then it backs up, and then that there is the water table. 210 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:33,760 Josiah bought the mine cheap 211 00:11:33,840 --> 00:11:35,760 because the previous owner 212 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:38,800 didn't believe in the mine any more, I guess. 213 00:11:38,880 --> 00:11:40,480 It started filling up with water, 214 00:11:40,560 --> 00:11:43,840 and then he said, "That's it. I'm selling this mine". 215 00:11:45,840 --> 00:11:48,040 Hey, Lisa, check out this. 216 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:50,440 Boom.Oh, wow! 217 00:11:50,520 --> 00:11:54,320 I mean, we found some opal already, so that was lucky. 218 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:57,120 But we might not be that lucky after all. 219 00:11:58,240 --> 00:12:00,200 We've invested everything into this mine. 220 00:12:00,280 --> 00:12:02,160 However, we're a little bit concerned 221 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:04,440 cos we're stepping into the unknown. 222 00:12:05,760 --> 00:12:09,120 For now, it's just, er, insecurity I got to live with. 223 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:11,680 We depend on the sun at the moment, 224 00:12:11,760 --> 00:12:13,920 and we depend on the opal being underground. 225 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:15,880 But that's it. If that, 226 00:12:15,960 --> 00:12:18,760 if there's no opal or no sun, we're done. 227 00:12:20,920 --> 00:12:22,600 That's a lot of water. 228 00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:27,720 Yeah, to have water in the mine is not very good. 229 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:31,240 It can just go into the walls, into clay and damage everything. 230 00:12:31,320 --> 00:12:34,280 It can cause the walls or the roof to collapse, you know. 231 00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:36,360 Yeah, if this water doesn't go away, 232 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:38,520 I'm not sure if we can continue mining here. 233 00:12:39,720 --> 00:12:42,120 It's quite serious. The electrical lead's down here 234 00:12:42,200 --> 00:12:43,880 so it's, it's not safe. 235 00:12:43,960 --> 00:12:46,960 So we're going to have to consider our options and move forward. 236 00:12:47,040 --> 00:12:49,000 Not really sure what we can do about this. 237 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:56,000 Angel, what the hell just happened out there? 238 00:12:56,080 --> 00:12:57,880 Oh, it looked like a bit of a cave in. 239 00:12:57,960 --> 00:13:00,920 This wall's just let go, ay. You all right? 240 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:03,240 I'm out. That was scary. 241 00:13:03,320 --> 00:13:06,040 The Misfits, Angel and Issy, 242 00:13:06,120 --> 00:13:09,960 are assessing the safety of newly exposed old timers drives 243 00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:12,320 at the bottom of their open-cut mine. 244 00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:14,840 I'm still trying to prove myself to "Opal" Joe, 245 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:18,880 so I volunteered to go in first and do the army crawl. 246 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:21,880 The initial going in there was fairly safe 247 00:13:21,960 --> 00:13:25,040 from what we could see. But to say the least, 248 00:13:25,120 --> 00:13:26,720 it was very dodgy. 249 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:31,440 Becoming a team leader is a lot of pressure on me. 250 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:34,440 You know, I am responsible for Issy. She's learning. 251 00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:37,040 She's relying on my knowledge and direction. 252 00:13:37,120 --> 00:13:40,560 If anything happens to Issy, I'm responsible for it. 253 00:13:40,640 --> 00:13:44,880 So if I make the wrong decision, I'll feel horrible. 254 00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:46,800 JOE: Hey, sweetheart.Hi, erm, 255 00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:48,960 we got a bit of a predicament here. 256 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:53,560 Mentor "Opal" Joe's poor health means his physical work is limited. 257 00:13:53,640 --> 00:13:56,480 But with over 40 years in the opal industry, 258 00:13:56,560 --> 00:13:58,600 his wealth of knowledge is invaluable. 259 00:13:58,680 --> 00:14:01,040 Hey, hup.Morning, Joe. Good morning. 260 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:04,920 What's the go?We found a new tunnel system.Yeah. 261 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:07,960 I want to get your advice on if it's safe or not.All right. 262 00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:11,120 I reckon we'll go down and have a look, ay.Sounds good to me. 263 00:14:18,000 --> 00:14:20,200 So there's a lot of flaky stuff. 264 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:22,760 Yeah, I mean this is a bit dodgy here. 265 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:25,600 Yeah, that's a bit flaky there. 266 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:30,600 You see all these stuff, Angel?Yes. 267 00:14:30,680 --> 00:14:33,600 Pretty disgusting, ay? Forty, fifty-year-old rubbish 268 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:35,880 smells down here pretty bad. 269 00:14:35,960 --> 00:14:38,600 We've gone in there, you know, there's old rubbish, 270 00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:41,000 old trinkets, you know, like, all sorts of stuff. 271 00:14:41,080 --> 00:14:43,040 It was like a full on adventure, you know, 272 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:44,800 you go around the corner, 273 00:14:44,880 --> 00:14:47,240 you don't know what's there. It's pretty exciting. 274 00:14:47,320 --> 00:14:49,840 I mean, the big dilemma that I'm looking at here 275 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:52,440 is this is had a fair bit of water in here, Angel. 276 00:14:52,520 --> 00:14:54,640 Like there's all cracks in the walls. 277 00:14:54,720 --> 00:14:57,480 You can actually see them. They're literally clean cracks, 278 00:14:57,560 --> 00:15:00,200 and that's would have caused by the flooding over time, 279 00:15:00,280 --> 00:15:03,040 you know, the water and the humidity. 280 00:15:03,120 --> 00:15:06,160 Yeah, a bit too dangerous to go past. I wouldn't go past it.OK. 281 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:08,520 We'll get to the ground anyway, you know, 282 00:15:08,600 --> 00:15:11,680 but we'll do it the way we were going to do it originally.Yeah. 283 00:15:13,680 --> 00:15:15,880 So Angel and I are just tidying 284 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:17,720 where we can't work anymore. 285 00:15:17,800 --> 00:15:20,080 So we're going to fill that hole in 286 00:15:20,160 --> 00:15:23,040 but as soon as Angel's finished clearing that dirt, 287 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:26,280 we'll be able to start scratching the surface of those drives 288 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:28,720 and hitting virgin dirt again 289 00:15:28,800 --> 00:15:31,120 which hopefully means opal. 290 00:15:31,200 --> 00:15:33,040 Oh!Whoa! 291 00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:35,680 Now that's some nice coloured soil right there. 292 00:15:37,640 --> 00:15:39,240 Look at that nice opal level. 293 00:15:39,320 --> 00:15:41,400 You know that's an opal level. Yeah, I know. 294 00:15:41,480 --> 00:15:43,600 Look at the rocks here, you got the gypsum, 295 00:15:43,680 --> 00:15:46,680 got the different colour, yeah, all through this 296 00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:48,800 there's like trace, all through this clump. 297 00:15:50,040 --> 00:15:51,800 It's what we're looking for. 298 00:15:51,880 --> 00:15:53,960 So the poor miners they didn't bother 299 00:15:54,040 --> 00:15:56,000 looking in the ceiling of the holes there. 300 00:15:56,080 --> 00:15:58,840 You know the one scoop in 301 00:15:58,920 --> 00:16:01,040 and I'm, have uncovered some crystal opal. 302 00:16:02,040 --> 00:16:05,160 We're definitely going to have to go through this good and proper. 303 00:16:05,240 --> 00:16:07,080 I'm putting these pieces in my pocket. 304 00:16:10,520 --> 00:16:13,800 Could just be one scratch away from finding the big jewel. 305 00:16:16,560 --> 00:16:20,080 (MUMBLES INDISTINCTLY) What? You found it? 306 00:16:21,480 --> 00:16:24,320 You found it? Ooh! Yes. Yes, yes. 307 00:16:24,400 --> 00:16:26,080 I mean, it's not much yet. 308 00:16:26,160 --> 00:16:29,720 It's still only a trace but it does show there's opal here, 309 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:31,720 and that's some really nice crystal opal. 310 00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:35,240 Feeling like I don't want to go home now.No. 311 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:37,920 I just want to pick through all of this rubbish. 312 00:16:41,240 --> 00:16:43,880 Hey, Angel, did you notice the clouds up above us? 313 00:16:43,960 --> 00:16:46,560 No, I didn't till you just said so. That's not good. 314 00:16:47,560 --> 00:16:49,800 Out here in Andamooka in the middle of nowhere, 315 00:16:49,880 --> 00:16:52,600 the weather can be very unpredictable. 316 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:55,160 Could be nice sunny day and in the afternoon 317 00:16:55,240 --> 00:16:57,280 it can be a massive storm rolling in. 318 00:16:58,280 --> 00:17:01,200 Just heard thunder. You know, the one wrong thundercloud 319 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:03,760 if it goes bang will send this to the ground 320 00:17:03,840 --> 00:17:05,520 with the vibration of it. 321 00:17:07,600 --> 00:17:09,600 If this storm really lets rip, 322 00:17:09,680 --> 00:17:11,640 that's going to delay us finding opal. 323 00:17:11,720 --> 00:17:13,680 You know, if we get too much rain tonight, 324 00:17:13,760 --> 00:17:17,080 we're not working tomorrow cos it'll be too dangerous to get out here. 325 00:17:17,160 --> 00:17:19,800 Not only that, you know, our hole could be flooded, 326 00:17:19,880 --> 00:17:22,240 and it takes months for this soil to dry out. 327 00:17:23,440 --> 00:17:25,120 Ooh!Oh! 328 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:27,440 I think we should, er, head back to camp 329 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:29,360 before we get...Yeah...stranded. 330 00:17:41,200 --> 00:17:43,840 PAUL: It's an essential piece that needs to be on there. 331 00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:46,440 It's too heavy to lift, so just going to bring 332 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:49,240 the loader in here to prop it up and weld the top, 333 00:17:49,320 --> 00:17:52,120 back him out, weld the bottom back on and get back to work. 334 00:17:53,760 --> 00:17:55,440 In Coober Pedy, 335 00:17:55,520 --> 00:17:58,800 Opalzilla's protective plate has been battered off 336 00:17:58,880 --> 00:18:02,120 by the Blacklighters' six-tonne loader. 337 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:03,880 Turn it down. Just a smidge. 338 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:06,560 Without the plate secure, 339 00:18:06,640 --> 00:18:09,320 dirt will jam the processing plant's belts 340 00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:11,760 which supply mined rock to the black room, 341 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:14,800 where ultraviolet light exposes any opal. 342 00:18:16,400 --> 00:18:18,120 I'll just do a little bit more here. 343 00:18:20,120 --> 00:18:21,800 That should hold. 344 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:23,560 Pack it up. See what happens. 345 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:27,920 It's ugly, but it works. 346 00:18:29,240 --> 00:18:30,920 Let's rip some colour! 347 00:18:34,680 --> 00:18:37,160 So with the cut, we need to get the dirt out of here 348 00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:38,920 to put through Opalzilla. 349 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:41,760 We want to find opal, we want to make some money. 350 00:18:41,840 --> 00:18:44,680 If something breaks down, we all pretty much got to stop. 351 00:18:45,880 --> 00:18:47,600 MARK: Hey! Whoa! 352 00:18:50,040 --> 00:18:53,000 Oi, we got opal in the wall here. Any good? 353 00:18:53,080 --> 00:18:55,320 I can't see no colour. 354 00:18:55,400 --> 00:18:57,080 Give her a whack man. 355 00:18:58,840 --> 00:19:00,520 Yeah, she might lead to something. 356 00:19:01,960 --> 00:19:04,840 That went flying whatever that was. I heard a crunch. 357 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:11,360 Opal in Australia, formed when silica rich water 358 00:19:11,440 --> 00:19:13,480 from an ancient inland sea 359 00:19:13,560 --> 00:19:16,360 seeped through cracks and fissures into the earth 360 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:19,800 and hardened in host rock over millions of years. 361 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:25,160 This dirt we're in now, this has never been touched, 362 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:27,400 you know, so there'll be stuff in it. 363 00:19:27,480 --> 00:19:29,160 Well, we hope there is. 364 00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:33,520 JOHN: It's been pretty slow, 365 00:19:33,600 --> 00:19:36,800 but we all sort of expected it to be a bit better than it is. 366 00:19:36,880 --> 00:19:40,600 Yeah, definitely not cracking a bottle of champagne today, I don't think. 367 00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:42,760 Yeah, we got a target of 350 this year. 368 00:19:42,840 --> 00:19:44,520 At the moment, we're at 260, 369 00:19:44,600 --> 00:19:47,800 so, we so badly need to hit that target. 370 00:19:47,880 --> 00:19:51,360 Otherwise, 260 seems like a lot of money, but it's a loss. 371 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:53,240 It's a loss for everyone. 372 00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:55,360 (JOHN SPEAKING ON CB RADIO) 373 00:19:55,440 --> 00:19:57,680 Oh, no. Something's happening, ay. 374 00:19:57,760 --> 00:19:59,880 The cog's turning and the shaft's not. 375 00:19:59,960 --> 00:20:01,600 (JOHN SPEAKING ON CB RADIO) 376 00:20:01,680 --> 00:20:03,760 I can't see what I'm doing when I'm loading, 377 00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:06,600 so I keep smacking it, and smacking, and smacking it. 378 00:20:06,680 --> 00:20:09,040 So it's putting the belt off, off of its trueness 379 00:20:09,120 --> 00:20:11,960 and one thing leads to another. 380 00:20:12,040 --> 00:20:13,760 It's just the belt's travelled over 381 00:20:13,840 --> 00:20:16,600 a little bit too far to the right end here. 382 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:19,360 I thought we were empty, but, yeah, we had a full hopper, 383 00:20:19,440 --> 00:20:21,960 and it was just not putting any dirt through. 384 00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:24,480 I think Opalzilla's just not that square any more 385 00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:27,000 so just drag the front end out a little bit 386 00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:28,680 just gave it a bit more tension. 387 00:20:28,760 --> 00:20:30,720 Erm, I was hoping that may drag it across. 388 00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:33,760 (ON CB RADIO) All right, Mark, are you ready?Yep. 389 00:20:33,840 --> 00:20:35,840 I'm turning her on now. 390 00:20:35,920 --> 00:20:37,600 She's on. 391 00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:40,280 Yeah, she's going, mate. 392 00:20:41,920 --> 00:20:45,240 It is what it is. I mean, she's been beaten around and abused 393 00:20:45,320 --> 00:20:48,000 so, erm, yeah, she's, er, still kicking 394 00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:49,800 but, yeah, she does have her quirks. 395 00:21:05,280 --> 00:21:06,960 Oh! 396 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:08,880 Hang on. 397 00:21:08,960 --> 00:21:11,480 PAUL: Is there anything or what? Yeah, potch 398 00:21:11,560 --> 00:21:13,640 but it's going right in a real thic - 399 00:21:13,720 --> 00:21:15,680 Watch out. I'll scrape - No, hang on, man. 400 00:21:15,760 --> 00:21:18,920 No, there's opal, man. No, we got (BLEEP) colour, man. 401 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:20,960 We got colour. 402 00:21:21,040 --> 00:21:22,880 It's going straight back into there. 403 00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:25,480 See?Blobbing up here.Ooh. 404 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:28,560 There.There again.Up there.Yep. 405 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:30,920 Just coming right down here. Get right under it. 406 00:21:34,360 --> 00:21:37,240 Careful.That sounds cracky. Yeah, I'd be careful, man. 407 00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:39,000 Could be a chunk behind there. 408 00:21:39,080 --> 00:21:41,240 That's getting thicker back there though, ay. 409 00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:44,120 Dude, that's colour. All the way along, look. 410 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:45,880 All the way! Look! 411 00:21:45,960 --> 00:21:48,960 Oh, oh-oh. Plenty of material in there. 412 00:21:50,320 --> 00:21:52,480 Ooh.There we go. There we go. You got it. 413 00:21:52,560 --> 00:21:55,240 Oh.Oh, I can see the red, man. 414 00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:57,080 Oh, that's beautiful red, man. 415 00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:01,720 We need a bucket, man. That is gonna add up real quick, that stuff. 416 00:22:01,800 --> 00:22:04,240 I reckon we might get in for a pretty good arvo, ay. 417 00:22:08,320 --> 00:22:11,760 LISA: So I'm not sure we're going to ever be able to go back down again. 418 00:22:11,840 --> 00:22:13,880 Eight metres underground, 419 00:22:13,960 --> 00:22:16,240 the Digi Diggers' only working mine 420 00:22:16,320 --> 00:22:19,120 has been shut down by a rising water table. 421 00:22:19,200 --> 00:22:21,600 Really the only other option that we have right now 422 00:22:21,680 --> 00:22:23,360 is looking for another claim. 423 00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:25,760 We don't want to sit here with all the equipment, 424 00:22:25,840 --> 00:22:27,800 with everything we've done and not use it. 425 00:22:28,840 --> 00:22:31,800 We're going to go see Andy, and he's an old miner here in town. 426 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:34,120 He's been opal mining for a long time, 427 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:36,280 and he knows the area quite well. 428 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:40,920 Andy.JOSIAH: Morning. Good morning.Morning. 429 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:43,800 How you doing?How are you? I think that I'm doing well. 430 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:47,440 Hopefully he can give us some good information about 431 00:22:47,520 --> 00:22:49,440 another potential mine. 432 00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:53,280 I may know one spot. It's about half an hour's drive out. 433 00:22:53,360 --> 00:22:55,760 Go out past the old shearer's quarters, 434 00:22:55,840 --> 00:22:57,840 go down there about a kilometre or two. 435 00:22:57,920 --> 00:23:00,760 There's a safe place to get across the creek there.Mm-hm. 436 00:23:00,840 --> 00:23:03,480 Travel about 400-500 metres out along the track. 437 00:23:04,480 --> 00:23:07,040 If you get to the windmill, you've gone too far. 438 00:23:07,120 --> 00:23:10,480 Make sure you take plenty of water. Yeah, OK.A second spare tyre maybe 439 00:23:10,560 --> 00:23:12,720 cos you'll be ro- driving on rough ground.Ah. 440 00:23:12,800 --> 00:23:14,960 You say you've seen plenty of colour there. 441 00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:17,920 I've found bits and pieces.Mm-hm. But it was on the surface. 442 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:20,560 If you dig a hole out there, you might find something. 443 00:23:20,640 --> 00:23:23,120 All right. Sounds pretty good. We'll go check it out. 444 00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:25,160 Thank you.Good luck. Thank you very much. 445 00:23:25,240 --> 00:23:29,960 In the isolated outback, facing extreme weather conditions 446 00:23:30,040 --> 00:23:34,120 and rugged terrain, death by exposure and dehydration 447 00:23:34,200 --> 00:23:36,680 are constant threats. 448 00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:38,800 JOSIAH: Just trying to get a bit of an idea 449 00:23:38,880 --> 00:23:41,680 where everything stands cos, erm, I don't want to get lost. 450 00:23:41,760 --> 00:23:44,320 It's actually quite a long way. It's not an easy road. 451 00:23:44,400 --> 00:23:47,120 There's a little bit of a road and then there's just bush. 452 00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:48,920 It's gonna be quite an intense track, 453 00:23:49,000 --> 00:23:51,360 so I think we've got to be prepared for the worst. 454 00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:53,320 All right, let's get ready for anything. 455 00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:55,760 So let's get some food, water, fuel, mining gear 456 00:23:55,840 --> 00:23:58,800 and maybe a blanket. Just in case. 457 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:02,360 So gennie first?Yeah. 458 00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:06,280 The tool bag with all the tools. 459 00:24:06,360 --> 00:24:08,760 Jackhammer. Water, 460 00:24:08,840 --> 00:24:13,320 and you packed all the camping gear just in case?Yep. 461 00:24:16,680 --> 00:24:20,360 All right, let's go.Ready to go? Woo!Let's do it! 462 00:24:27,040 --> 00:24:28,720 (LISA SPEAKING) 463 00:24:31,640 --> 00:24:34,640 Not many old timers share their information. We're pretty lucky. 464 00:24:37,040 --> 00:24:39,880 Wow, look at this place. Yeah, this is pretty cool. 465 00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:42,120 Someone spent some time here. 466 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:44,400 It's a big hole.Let's check it out. 467 00:24:48,120 --> 00:24:49,960 What do you think? 468 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:53,880 This pink sandstone is a very good indicator 469 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:57,240 of it being a lot of minerals, so there's a good chance that, 470 00:24:57,320 --> 00:24:59,160 you know, as the water travels through, 471 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:02,360 it could pick up lots of silica and opal can form. 472 00:25:04,760 --> 00:25:07,000 I'm not sure if this is what we're looking for. 473 00:25:07,080 --> 00:25:09,400 Yeah, but like this material though. 474 00:25:09,480 --> 00:25:13,080 I like opal better. I can't see any trace anywhere. 475 00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:15,760 It could be something just behind these walls. 476 00:25:15,840 --> 00:25:17,880 I don't feel the energy here. 477 00:25:17,960 --> 00:25:20,600 You know, when you're down the mine in ours, 478 00:25:20,680 --> 00:25:22,360 you go down and you feel it 479 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:25,960 and here it's... I feel kind of empty. 480 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:30,040 Well...Maybe we should try with the dividers. 481 00:25:30,120 --> 00:25:31,800 Give that a go. 482 00:25:35,360 --> 00:25:37,040 Find me, Lisa. 483 00:25:38,680 --> 00:25:42,000 So they say these things here they pick up energy, 484 00:25:42,080 --> 00:25:44,840 and, erm, it's like Jack Sparrow's compass. 485 00:25:44,920 --> 00:25:47,600 You know, think about something and it takes you there. 486 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:49,520 Give it a go. 487 00:25:49,600 --> 00:25:52,080 I tell you, I tried them out multiple times 488 00:25:52,160 --> 00:25:55,120 and they just work with me. 489 00:25:55,200 --> 00:25:57,200 I guess you got to believe in it all. 490 00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:03,960 Nothing. 491 00:26:04,040 --> 00:26:06,360 Well, they must have dug it for a reason though. 492 00:26:06,440 --> 00:26:08,760 There might be nothing. They might have just dug, 493 00:26:08,840 --> 00:26:11,880 and that's why they left because there is nothing. 494 00:26:11,960 --> 00:26:13,720 I think we should try somewhere else. 495 00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:15,920 Well, you know, like we've come all this way, 496 00:26:16,000 --> 00:26:19,080 I think we should doing some digging here first before we move on 497 00:26:19,160 --> 00:26:22,000 otherwise we're not really checking this place out properly. 498 00:26:22,080 --> 00:26:24,440 I don't know, do what you want, I guess, but, erm- 499 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:27,480 Well, I'm just gonna start digging, all right. 500 00:26:27,560 --> 00:26:29,240 Yeah, do whatever you want. 501 00:26:29,320 --> 00:26:31,240 I think you're wasting your time. 502 00:26:31,320 --> 00:26:34,840 I'm not wasting my time. I'm looking for a opal. 503 00:26:34,920 --> 00:26:36,600 Yeah, there's none here. 504 00:26:36,680 --> 00:26:38,480 These guys left for a reason. 505 00:26:44,800 --> 00:26:46,480 ANGEL: There's sun, Issy. 506 00:26:46,560 --> 00:26:49,840 Yeah, I reckon we dodged a bullet there with that storm. It's dry as. 507 00:26:50,840 --> 00:26:53,600 The storm that shut down the Misfits operation 508 00:26:53,680 --> 00:26:57,120 has passed, without flooding their open-cut mine. 509 00:26:57,200 --> 00:26:58,880 We got lucky. 510 00:26:58,960 --> 00:27:01,040 All the rain went around us by some miracle. 511 00:27:01,120 --> 00:27:03,920 You know, Mother Nature must have knew we wanted that opal. 512 00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:05,960 That doesn't happen all the time out here. 513 00:27:06,040 --> 00:27:07,720 Sometimes you get a freak storm, 514 00:27:07,800 --> 00:27:09,680 and that's the end of the opal season. 515 00:27:09,760 --> 00:27:11,920 Let's find some opal.Yep. 516 00:27:15,360 --> 00:27:17,040 This might be our lucky bucket. 517 00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:21,320 It's looking that way.Yep. Look at that. Look at the colour. 518 00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:26,120 Oh, no way. Look at this. 519 00:27:26,200 --> 00:27:28,000 Angel, you're not going to believe it. 520 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:30,440 You've got to get out of here.Ah! 521 00:27:30,520 --> 00:27:33,040 Look at this.What have you found? 522 00:27:33,120 --> 00:27:35,120 Oh, wow! Look at the pattern. 523 00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:36,920 That is so pretty. 524 00:27:37,000 --> 00:27:40,840 Wow, that's unreal. Bloody awesome spotting. 525 00:27:40,920 --> 00:27:43,800 Lucky I didn't run it over with the escalator. Smashed it up. 526 00:27:43,880 --> 00:27:46,360 So, how much more do you reckon we've missed in here? 527 00:27:46,440 --> 00:27:49,280 Well, we've obviously gone through a pocket without knowing. 528 00:27:49,360 --> 00:27:53,000 Obviously.We should blacklight this area tonight, 529 00:27:53,080 --> 00:27:56,120 because if this is here... That's so far away, tonight. 530 00:27:56,200 --> 00:27:57,960 It'd be nice to be able to do it 531 00:27:58,040 --> 00:27:59,920 straight away, wouldn't it? It would be. 532 00:28:00,000 --> 00:28:01,960 I don't really want to stop work right now 533 00:28:02,040 --> 00:28:03,720 cos we need to find opal now. 534 00:28:03,800 --> 00:28:07,040 Well, I've got a bit of a hare-brain idea.What's that? 535 00:28:07,120 --> 00:28:09,560 I've got an old block-out curtain in my car. 536 00:28:09,640 --> 00:28:11,960 Do you reckon if we stuck that over our heads, 537 00:28:12,040 --> 00:28:14,400 it'd be dark enough to actually blacklight it now? 538 00:28:15,440 --> 00:28:17,160 I reckon it's worth giving it a go. 539 00:28:18,760 --> 00:28:21,920 Ah, here's this curtain. It might work. Might not. 540 00:28:25,160 --> 00:28:27,280 Andamooka style. 541 00:28:27,360 --> 00:28:29,600 Oh yeah, yeah. I can see it's working. 542 00:28:29,680 --> 00:28:31,960 The UV light's working really good. 543 00:28:32,040 --> 00:28:35,040 It's a really good curtain. Yeah, not finding a lot. 544 00:28:35,120 --> 00:28:37,280 I reckon we move over to the pole next to us. 545 00:28:37,360 --> 00:28:39,000 I reckon. Good idea. 546 00:28:44,920 --> 00:28:46,760 Ow.That'll do it. Oh, no, I ripped it. 547 00:28:46,840 --> 00:28:48,800 That's all right. Hang in there, curtain. 548 00:28:50,560 --> 00:28:53,640 Starting to doubt this idea. Yeah, it's pretty uncomfortable, ay, 549 00:28:53,720 --> 00:28:56,320 and if we're not finding, you know, we might as well... 550 00:28:56,400 --> 00:28:58,360 Could be a waste of time. ..stop, yeah. 551 00:28:58,440 --> 00:29:01,600 Well, look at that.Oh, wow. 552 00:29:01,680 --> 00:29:03,440 Hang on.Look at that. 553 00:29:03,520 --> 00:29:05,520 Holy (BLEEP)! It's massive. 554 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:08,880 (LAUGHING) How the heck did we miss that big thing? 555 00:29:08,960 --> 00:29:11,400 How did we miss that? So this might actually work. 556 00:29:21,120 --> 00:29:24,360 It's a waste of time. You can see that there's nothing. 557 00:29:24,440 --> 00:29:26,840 Hello?Excuse me. 558 00:29:26,920 --> 00:29:29,080 I'm just spending my time digging for opal. 559 00:29:29,160 --> 00:29:31,120 We're having a bit of a disagreement here 560 00:29:31,200 --> 00:29:33,760 because I really don't have a good feeling about this. 561 00:29:33,840 --> 00:29:36,560 It's not in good state. We don't know what happened here. 562 00:29:36,640 --> 00:29:39,520 Why did they leave? Might be unsafe. 563 00:29:39,600 --> 00:29:41,200 Let's get this done. 564 00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:44,280 (DRILL WHIRRING) 565 00:29:51,920 --> 00:29:53,640 Whoa!Whoa!Josiah! 566 00:29:53,720 --> 00:29:56,520 Quick, get away! Far out, what was that? 567 00:29:56,600 --> 00:29:59,400 I think the vibrations are dislodging those rocks up there. 568 00:29:59,480 --> 00:30:01,440 (BLEEP) That was lucky. It was very lucky. 569 00:30:01,520 --> 00:30:04,080 OK, that's it. We're out. Oh, yeah.We're out of here. 570 00:30:05,280 --> 00:30:08,240 So we just had a rockfall. I chose this spot because I thought 571 00:30:08,320 --> 00:30:10,320 the sandstone was looking pretty promising, 572 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:12,080 but maybe Lisa was right. 573 00:30:12,160 --> 00:30:14,240 Maybe the old timers left here for a reason. 574 00:30:14,320 --> 00:30:16,800 It's just getting too dangerous. Well, what do we do? 575 00:30:16,880 --> 00:30:19,080 We can't just go home now. I don't know. 576 00:30:19,160 --> 00:30:22,600 I think we just keep looking. Can't lose faith. 577 00:30:24,080 --> 00:30:25,760 Never. 578 00:30:36,320 --> 00:30:38,000 There's diggings all around here. 579 00:30:38,080 --> 00:30:39,720 Maybe let's have a look there. 580 00:30:44,200 --> 00:30:47,800 Be careful here. Oh. (BLEEP)Oh. (BLEEP) 581 00:30:48,800 --> 00:30:50,480 (ENGINE REVVING) 582 00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:55,520 Ah, stop. You're spinning. Stop! Stop! 583 00:30:56,520 --> 00:30:59,560 You're just going to dig yourself in even more.(BLEEP) 584 00:30:59,640 --> 00:31:01,520 Well, that's not good. 585 00:31:03,440 --> 00:31:06,760 We've just got to dig this all out and try and get some wood under it 586 00:31:06,840 --> 00:31:09,480 so we can raise the height, because at the moment 587 00:31:09,560 --> 00:31:11,560 our chassis is sitting on top of the dirt. 588 00:31:12,640 --> 00:31:14,840 Many people have perished in the outback. 589 00:31:14,920 --> 00:31:18,840 There's snakes, spiders, wild pigs, dingoes, 590 00:31:18,920 --> 00:31:21,880 not to mention dehydration. Being stranded here, 591 00:31:22,880 --> 00:31:24,560 very dangerous situation. 592 00:31:29,120 --> 00:31:31,800 Give it a go. Be careful though. 593 00:31:40,680 --> 00:31:42,880 Whoa! Yes. Oh. (LAUGHING) 594 00:31:44,760 --> 00:31:46,440 OK. Wow. 595 00:31:46,520 --> 00:31:48,200 Whoa!Yes. 596 00:31:49,480 --> 00:31:52,600 (BOTH LAUGH)Yeah, we got in there, took it out, 597 00:31:52,680 --> 00:31:55,720 and were able to get traction again and get out of there. 598 00:31:55,800 --> 00:31:59,240 About time cos, er, I'm ready to find some opal. 599 00:31:59,320 --> 00:32:01,200 You ready?Woo-hoo! 600 00:32:01,280 --> 00:32:04,600 As ready as I'll ever be! 601 00:32:12,200 --> 00:32:14,720 Well, this area looks good. Let's have a look. 602 00:32:15,720 --> 00:32:17,360 Yeah, it does look good. 603 00:32:19,400 --> 00:32:21,360 Wow, this is beautiful. 604 00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:23,600 Yeah, look how green it is.Flowers. 605 00:32:26,960 --> 00:32:29,400 Whoa, Lisa, check out this. 606 00:32:29,480 --> 00:32:31,160 Wow. 607 00:32:31,240 --> 00:32:33,080 This might be an old cave or something. 608 00:32:33,160 --> 00:32:34,960 Yeah, it could have been old workings. 609 00:32:35,040 --> 00:32:38,360 Maybe some miners are taken to it? All right, well, let's have a look. 610 00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:46,080 Well, there's so many plants out here 611 00:32:46,160 --> 00:32:49,840 and just so many trees and stuff means that there is water. 612 00:32:52,440 --> 00:32:56,880 That means that opalisation is...possible. 613 00:32:59,040 --> 00:33:00,760 There's a bit of ironstone here. 614 00:33:00,840 --> 00:33:02,720 That's a good indicator. 615 00:33:11,280 --> 00:33:12,960 Oi! Oi! Lisa, check out this. 616 00:33:14,360 --> 00:33:17,440 Look at that.Ooh, there's a little bit of colour in there. 617 00:33:18,560 --> 00:33:21,720 Wow. Have you ever seen such a pattern before? 618 00:33:21,800 --> 00:33:23,800 That's awesome. All right, so where was it? 619 00:33:23,880 --> 00:33:26,440 Because there might be more. They might be just dirty. 620 00:33:27,920 --> 00:33:29,600 All right.Give a bit of a clean. 621 00:33:31,120 --> 00:33:34,600 There is more. Look at this pattern. Oh, wow.Look at this. (LAUGHS) 622 00:33:35,840 --> 00:33:37,520 Let's just take the best ones. 623 00:33:38,760 --> 00:33:40,480 The worst thing or the best thing 624 00:33:40,560 --> 00:33:42,640 is actually like, we, we almost missed it 625 00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:45,560 because they were so dirty, we couldn't see anything of it. 626 00:33:45,640 --> 00:33:48,600 And I was kind of losing hope already a little bit 627 00:33:48,680 --> 00:33:51,200 but then, yeah, lucky Josiah found some of it 628 00:33:51,280 --> 00:33:54,920 and, er, we decided to spray it. Oh, well we're just walking out 629 00:33:55,000 --> 00:33:58,280 with two bags full of potentially very nice opal. 630 00:33:59,560 --> 00:34:01,240 (GROANS) 631 00:34:06,760 --> 00:34:09,280 PAUL: Ooh.MARK: Hear it. That's crunchy. Ooh. 632 00:34:09,360 --> 00:34:11,120 That's crunchy.Look at it all. 633 00:34:11,200 --> 00:34:13,680 Look at the colour beaming out of all the bits. 634 00:34:13,760 --> 00:34:17,920 Oh, we're in today, boys. We are in today.(WHOOPING) 635 00:34:19,040 --> 00:34:22,560 It's coated in this really stainy... like the stain from up above 636 00:34:22,640 --> 00:34:25,000 just keeps flowing down over the millions of years 637 00:34:25,080 --> 00:34:26,920 and stains the whole area. 638 00:34:27,000 --> 00:34:30,120 The opal's coated but you don't see it unless that breaks a bit. 639 00:34:30,200 --> 00:34:31,880 You know, it just hides. 640 00:34:31,960 --> 00:34:33,880 Opalzilla can find that little crack. 641 00:34:39,080 --> 00:34:40,760 (MARK SPEAKING ON CB RADIO) 642 00:34:40,840 --> 00:34:43,360 I'm still in here. 643 00:34:43,440 --> 00:34:45,560 (MARK SPEAKING ON CB RADIO) 644 00:34:51,720 --> 00:34:54,680 Oh, nice, getting involved. 645 00:34:55,680 --> 00:34:57,880 What we're doing now with the open-cut, 646 00:34:57,960 --> 00:35:01,320 I mean, you can sit there and check in the cut, but you do miss stuff. 647 00:35:01,400 --> 00:35:04,400 I mean we found a few bits sort of we've already missed so far. 648 00:35:06,240 --> 00:35:09,400 Oh! Hello. A bit of a golf. 649 00:35:10,440 --> 00:35:12,320 Something different. 650 00:35:12,400 --> 00:35:16,760 Oh, hang on. Hey! A bit of belemnite. Lovely. 651 00:35:16,840 --> 00:35:19,920 Prehistoric relative of the old calamaries or the squid 652 00:35:20,000 --> 00:35:23,440 so that's the last bit that's left that filled up with opal over the, 653 00:35:23,520 --> 00:35:26,480 you know, probably, God knows, hundred million years ago or so. 654 00:35:27,480 --> 00:35:30,640 Hey. Oh that could be the other part of him. Ha-ha! 655 00:35:30,720 --> 00:35:33,480 Take that belemnite. I think Opalzilla had its way with it 656 00:35:33,560 --> 00:35:35,240 but you find the right one, 657 00:35:35,320 --> 00:35:37,560 you could, er, do very, very well for yourself. 658 00:35:37,640 --> 00:35:39,760 Always looks amazing in the dark room 659 00:35:39,840 --> 00:35:42,240 but until you actually get her out in the light, 660 00:35:42,320 --> 00:35:44,280 and give it a wash, you really can't tell. 661 00:35:47,720 --> 00:35:49,400 Back at home base, 662 00:35:49,480 --> 00:35:51,640 the Blacklighters washed their opal haul 663 00:35:51,720 --> 00:35:54,600 in a converted cement mixer for three days. 664 00:35:54,680 --> 00:35:57,200 The process removes the clay from the opal 665 00:35:57,280 --> 00:35:58,960 and exposes the colour. 666 00:35:59,040 --> 00:36:01,680 MARK: You guys want to come over here and have a look at 667 00:36:01,760 --> 00:36:04,360 what I've sort, oh, well, I've graded it as best I can. 668 00:36:05,760 --> 00:36:08,160 I think the best thing we can do is get Rach in. 669 00:36:08,240 --> 00:36:12,440 She's up with the latest prices of what is going for what. 670 00:36:12,520 --> 00:36:15,360 So this is this week's finds, is it, guys?Yeah. 671 00:36:15,440 --> 00:36:17,160 Wow. Some nice colour in here. 672 00:36:17,240 --> 00:36:18,920 We tumbled it for three days, Rach, 673 00:36:19,000 --> 00:36:21,280 as you would have heard that thing.Yes I heard. 674 00:36:21,360 --> 00:36:23,840 (LAUGHING) You heard it. I heard that bloody tumbler. 675 00:36:23,920 --> 00:36:26,800 It was just going and going, wasn't it?All right.Went hard. 676 00:36:26,880 --> 00:36:29,440 I mean, you've got a lot of nice, smaller stones here, 677 00:36:29,520 --> 00:36:31,240 which, you know, they're cheap enough 678 00:36:31,320 --> 00:36:33,240 that the average Joe Blow can buy them, 679 00:36:33,320 --> 00:36:35,960 so they're going quite fast on the market at the moment. 680 00:36:36,040 --> 00:36:38,200 JOHN: Yeah- And then we've got the king stone. 681 00:36:38,280 --> 00:36:41,200 Quite nice and bright in colour. That just came on its own. 682 00:36:41,280 --> 00:36:43,320 Boom.PAUL: Boom. Nice clean crystal. 683 00:36:43,400 --> 00:36:46,720 This parcel here is nice. Yeah, that's the top. 684 00:36:46,800 --> 00:36:48,560 They're good-sized cutters, 685 00:36:48,640 --> 00:36:50,760 quite easy thick bars 686 00:36:50,840 --> 00:36:54,320 and then your tops here which are just stunning. 687 00:36:54,400 --> 00:36:56,680 Beautiful blue-green crystal 688 00:36:56,760 --> 00:37:00,240 wanted badly on the European market for sure. 689 00:37:00,320 --> 00:37:02,360 Oh, wow. This is the... 690 00:37:02,440 --> 00:37:04,280 JOHN: The Belly. ..infamous belemnite. 691 00:37:04,360 --> 00:37:06,160 The belemnite. John found both pieces. 692 00:37:06,240 --> 00:37:09,520 PAUL: We're flipping rocks, mate. That's really interesting specimen. 693 00:37:09,600 --> 00:37:11,960 It's nice. So I reckon we should hold our heads up 694 00:37:12,040 --> 00:37:14,480 cos that's not a bad... I think you should...score. 695 00:37:14,560 --> 00:37:17,720 I think you've done all right this week, boys. Yeah I think we have. 696 00:37:17,800 --> 00:37:20,680 I'm a bit proud of yous. Everyone's put it in this week. Yeah. 697 00:37:20,760 --> 00:37:24,840 NARRATOR: The Blacklighters have crystal including low-grade chips, 698 00:37:24,920 --> 00:37:27,960 large king stones and a belemnite fossil. 699 00:37:28,040 --> 00:37:30,400 Featuring the full spectrum of colour, 700 00:37:30,480 --> 00:37:32,800 it's been tumbled with the crystal opal 701 00:37:32,880 --> 00:37:35,560 weighing 566 grams. 702 00:37:36,720 --> 00:37:38,840 Yeah, I reckon you're looking at about... 703 00:37:44,200 --> 00:37:46,120 ..24 grand, guys.Lovely. I reckon. Easy. 704 00:37:46,200 --> 00:37:49,040 I reckon that's all right man.Easy. That's all right.Yeah. 705 00:37:49,120 --> 00:37:51,920 That's worth a high five, man. Well done.Bloody well done. 706 00:37:52,000 --> 00:37:55,080 Well done. Well done. Well done, boys. Well done, Rach.Well done. 707 00:37:56,440 --> 00:38:00,360 PAUL: But I, you know, you realise this wasn't all we found this week. 708 00:38:00,440 --> 00:38:04,240 Hey?Hey. Hey. Ah (LAUGHING)Hey. 709 00:38:04,320 --> 00:38:06,520 JOHN: Let's hit the driving range. Let's do it. 710 00:38:07,520 --> 00:38:09,200 Oh, yeah, look at the course today. 711 00:38:09,280 --> 00:38:12,160 I'd watch out if you're standing out there.Oh. 712 00:38:12,240 --> 00:38:14,640 Finding a pocket, you know, there's not really much 713 00:38:14,720 --> 00:38:17,480 that can beat it, ay. It's a pretty bloody good feeling. 714 00:38:17,560 --> 00:38:20,960 Oh, ho!JOHN: Nicely done, sir. That's way gone. 715 00:38:21,040 --> 00:38:23,760 XAVIER: Yeah, I've definitely been bitten by the opal bug. 716 00:38:23,840 --> 00:38:26,920 Got opal fever up here. Quite an easy fever to catch. 717 00:38:27,000 --> 00:38:29,360 (ALL LAUGHING) 718 00:38:33,880 --> 00:38:36,200 (ALL CHEERING) MARK: Hey. Four!PAUL: He got it. 719 00:38:36,280 --> 00:38:38,360 24k. That's a fair amount of money 720 00:38:38,440 --> 00:38:40,600 to pull in for a week in anyone's books. 721 00:38:40,680 --> 00:38:42,360 Keeps the cobwebs out. 722 00:38:42,440 --> 00:38:44,480 So, erm, deep down pretty happy with it. 723 00:38:44,560 --> 00:38:46,880 JOHN: No mulligans. 724 00:38:46,960 --> 00:38:50,240 MARK: Ha!(ALL CHEERING) We'll get that one back. 725 00:38:50,320 --> 00:38:52,480 Na, I'll get another go at that. PAUL: Na. 726 00:38:58,120 --> 00:39:00,960 ANGEL: We can't tell if it's got colour or not under the UV. 727 00:39:01,040 --> 00:39:04,680 All we know it's a form of silica which is what makes it glow. 728 00:39:04,760 --> 00:39:06,800 I reckon we get out and have a quick look. 729 00:39:06,880 --> 00:39:09,680 Ooh!How's it looking? 730 00:39:09,760 --> 00:39:13,160 Oh, I can see purples and greens.Oh, wow. 731 00:39:13,240 --> 00:39:15,880 Look how thick that colour bar is. We done it. 732 00:39:15,960 --> 00:39:20,680 (LAUGHS)It actually worked. It worked.High five. Woo. 733 00:39:20,760 --> 00:39:23,400 You know, this is money. This is going to pay fuel bill, 734 00:39:23,480 --> 00:39:26,320 buy myself equipment, and it's going to help Issy's gym out. 735 00:39:26,400 --> 00:39:28,320 You know, we can't miss pieces like this. 736 00:39:31,080 --> 00:39:32,960 Just chucking the opal in our tumbler. 737 00:39:35,440 --> 00:39:37,960 That'll get all the dirt, all the rock off, you know, 738 00:39:38,040 --> 00:39:40,880 take some of the opal skin off just to reveal those colours. 739 00:39:40,960 --> 00:39:44,320 So fingers crossed there's something there that's worth a bit of money. 740 00:39:47,640 --> 00:39:50,240 Joe!Wait up. Something to show you. 741 00:39:51,520 --> 00:39:55,040 Morning, Angel.Morning.Hi. Morning, J.Hey. 742 00:39:56,520 --> 00:39:58,640 Look at what we found. Pretty bloody good. 743 00:39:58,720 --> 00:40:00,400 That's for this week, ay?Yep. 744 00:40:00,480 --> 00:40:02,840 How many ounces is it, Angel? Eight-point-six. 745 00:40:03,880 --> 00:40:06,080 Look at that. Now that's opal. Ha. 746 00:40:06,160 --> 00:40:08,680 Certainly is. Now, now you're getting there. 747 00:40:08,760 --> 00:40:11,960 That is absolutely stunning. Even that one's stunning. 748 00:40:12,040 --> 00:40:15,040 That's the piece that Issy spotted. The king stone. 749 00:40:15,120 --> 00:40:17,680 If it wasn't for Issy, that one would have got buried. 750 00:40:17,760 --> 00:40:22,280 You're getting useful, Issy. I'm trying to.That is beautiful. 751 00:40:22,360 --> 00:40:25,800 The misfits have a parcel of crystal opal, 752 00:40:25,880 --> 00:40:28,680 predominantly green, blue and purple. 753 00:40:28,760 --> 00:40:33,200 With a king stone featuring flashes of rare, highly prized reds. 754 00:40:33,280 --> 00:40:36,640 It's in the rough, weighing 244 grams. 755 00:40:38,200 --> 00:40:41,760 I mean this parcel, every day of the week, 756 00:40:41,840 --> 00:40:44,680 bottom dollar is 8,000 on it, all right?All right.Oh, wow. 757 00:40:44,760 --> 00:40:47,800 8,000 bucks and that's a very quick sale. That's on field.Yeah. 758 00:40:47,880 --> 00:40:49,520 That's a field price, right.Yeah. 759 00:40:49,600 --> 00:40:52,160 Ah, it's a good week. You girls have done really well. 760 00:40:52,240 --> 00:40:54,560 Absolutely awesome. I think it's impressive. 761 00:40:54,640 --> 00:40:57,240 All right, keep up the good work. We will.We plan to. 762 00:40:58,760 --> 00:41:01,880 ISSY: "Opal" Joe's opinion of me at this point in time, 763 00:41:01,960 --> 00:41:06,560 I think he is slowly coming around and accepting me as a partner. 764 00:41:06,640 --> 00:41:10,720 He's giving me all the signs that I am doing a good job 765 00:41:10,800 --> 00:41:13,480 and hopefully that continues. 766 00:41:13,560 --> 00:41:15,480 I'm always hesitant with new people, 767 00:41:15,560 --> 00:41:18,480 but with Issy, I mean her keenness is unquestionable. 768 00:41:18,560 --> 00:41:21,320 You know what I mean, ay? I trust her more than most 769 00:41:21,400 --> 00:41:23,960 for somebody I've met that's reasonably new, 770 00:41:24,040 --> 00:41:27,680 and she seems to have a damn good eye for opal, you know? 771 00:41:27,760 --> 00:41:29,680 So I, I think she'll do all right. 772 00:41:37,760 --> 00:41:39,440 JOSIAH: Let's see what we got. 773 00:41:40,920 --> 00:41:42,640 Sorry.Let's put them in the tumblers 774 00:41:42,720 --> 00:41:44,640 so they get nice and cleaned up 775 00:41:44,720 --> 00:41:47,600 and we can start working. Sounds good. 776 00:41:47,680 --> 00:41:52,240 Josiah and Lisa are cleaning a 60kg rough opal haul, 777 00:41:52,320 --> 00:41:54,600 gathered from their recent mining expedition. 778 00:41:54,680 --> 00:41:56,760 We decided that we want to make necklaces 779 00:41:56,840 --> 00:41:58,520 out of all the rocks that we got. 780 00:41:58,600 --> 00:42:00,800 These rocks, it had beautiful patterns in them, 781 00:42:00,880 --> 00:42:03,840 and it's artistic opal that's affordable. 782 00:42:03,920 --> 00:42:05,680 So, er, we're gonna sell it to people 783 00:42:05,760 --> 00:42:07,600 who enjoy beautiful rocks. 784 00:42:09,840 --> 00:42:12,840 All right, so I think we've done a pretty good job here, Josiah. 785 00:42:12,920 --> 00:42:15,120 Yeah. Done really well. A lot of work but er... 786 00:42:15,200 --> 00:42:18,000 A lot of work, but the reward is in front of us. 787 00:42:19,440 --> 00:42:22,760 The Digi Diggers have Yowah Nuts and boulder opal, 788 00:42:22,840 --> 00:42:25,840 featuring rare patterns unique to the region, 789 00:42:25,920 --> 00:42:29,200 and highlighted with colour across the entire spectrum. 790 00:42:29,280 --> 00:42:32,760 They've been cut, polished and fashioned into jewellery. 791 00:42:33,960 --> 00:42:35,800 What price are we going to put on them? 792 00:42:35,880 --> 00:42:38,920 Even though the patterns vary, I think we just go one flat rate. 793 00:42:39,000 --> 00:42:42,160 One flat rate, yeah, I agree. So, yeah, I, I think, er, $50. 794 00:42:42,240 --> 00:42:44,400 $50 each? It's a great price, I think $50. 795 00:42:44,480 --> 00:42:46,560 Everyone can afford that. 796 00:42:46,640 --> 00:42:49,080 I think we put them up in the metaverse and...Yeah. 797 00:42:49,160 --> 00:42:52,240 ..we can start selling these to people from all around the world. 798 00:42:52,320 --> 00:42:55,880 So how many do we have? We've got ten, ten, ten, ten. 799 00:42:55,960 --> 00:42:58,200 Five, six, seven, eight... 800 00:42:59,440 --> 00:43:01,120 So we've got 70 in total. 801 00:43:01,200 --> 00:43:04,680 Seventy.That makes us $3,500. 802 00:43:04,760 --> 00:43:07,440 It sounds pretty good to me. It's like payday. 803 00:43:07,520 --> 00:43:10,240 Sounds like payday. (BOTH CHEERING, LAUGHING) 804 00:43:12,480 --> 00:43:15,720 So I think we've worked pretty hard and Josiah deserves it 805 00:43:15,800 --> 00:43:19,160 so I've organised a little surprise for him tonight. 806 00:43:19,240 --> 00:43:20,920 We're going to go to the baths 807 00:43:21,000 --> 00:43:24,320 and enjoy the stars with some candles, maybe a cocktail. 808 00:43:24,400 --> 00:43:26,320 We'll see. Hopefully he likes it. 809 00:43:27,920 --> 00:43:30,760 The water comes from the Great Artesian Basin 810 00:43:30,840 --> 00:43:33,000 straight from underneath the Earth's crust 811 00:43:33,080 --> 00:43:36,120 and it's untreated, untouched. There's no pump. 812 00:43:36,200 --> 00:43:38,920 It comes out piping hot straight from the ground 813 00:43:39,000 --> 00:43:41,480 and into the bathtub and, mate, was it beautiful. 814 00:43:41,560 --> 00:43:44,800 At the end of the day, you know, we've got to advance and keep mining 815 00:43:44,880 --> 00:43:46,560 but you know, we need a lift, too. 816 00:43:53,200 --> 00:43:55,200 Subtitles by Deluxe 816 00:43:56,305 --> 00:44:56,339 Watch Online Movies and Series for FREE www.osdb.link/lm