"Outback Opal Hunters" Honestly Shared

1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,000 NARRATOR: On Outback Opal Hunters... 2 00:00:03,080 --> 00:00:04,760 ROD: Christ. Look at this. 3 00:00:04,840 --> 00:00:06,960 LES: Thinking we're gonna have some fun here. 4 00:00:07,040 --> 00:00:10,920 The Bushmen, down two members and an exploration drill... 5 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:14,720 I'll just keep trying to rock it backwards and forwards, Les. 6 00:00:14,800 --> 00:00:18,000 ..throw all their hopes... It'll do the right thing by us soon, mate. 7 00:00:18,080 --> 00:00:21,000 Bloody hope so. ..into a fourth mine this season. 8 00:00:21,080 --> 00:00:24,720 It's big and it's cheesy. 9 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:27,520 MARK: She's an old one though. Does she run, Pete? 10 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:32,080 PETE: Used to.The Blacklighters' new mine partnership... JOHN: Oh, no! 11 00:00:32,160 --> 00:00:37,640 ..is derailed by a long-neglected noodler.There's a lot more dust than oxygen in here. 12 00:00:37,720 --> 00:00:40,120 MARK: Yeah, shut her down, man. Shut her down. 13 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:45,560 ISABELLE: Ooh.ANGEL: Oops. Maybe have a look at that. 14 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:48,040 The Misfits changed tactics to find opal... 15 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:51,600 JOE: I've got blacklights. We can't have you missing pieces that big. 16 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:53,760 ..and face a dangerous night shift... 17 00:00:53,840 --> 00:00:56,480 ANGEL: Ooh! My heart is in my mouth right now. 18 00:00:56,560 --> 00:00:59,960 ISABELLE: You're teetering now. ..under opal exposing blacklights. 19 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:01,680 Ooh, look at that. Awesome. 20 00:01:01,760 --> 00:01:03,360 JOE: That's a seam. 21 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:11,074 22 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:27,080 ROD: If I can just get it running into that sump, mate. 23 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:29,960 LES: Yeah. Drag that dirt back this way. 24 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:36,240 Hang on. Yeah, well, we got a bit of a mess down here. We got all these holes leaking. 25 00:01:36,320 --> 00:01:40,160 Once that keeps flowing, it can just let go and the roof's going to come in on us. 26 00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:42,840 So, it is dangerous and it's a big worry. 27 00:01:42,920 --> 00:01:44,520 What do we do when that fills up? 28 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:46,280 Get the pumps out. 29 00:01:46,360 --> 00:01:49,360 You know it's wet, Les, when you're getting snails underground. 30 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:53,280 Well, you don't see them. I've never seen a snail around the place here at all. 31 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:58,000 I've never seen a snail out here neither, let alone underground. So what's going on? 32 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:06,520 As crippling, once-in-a-generation floods overwhelm the Australian outback, 33 00:02:06,600 --> 00:02:12,960 the Bushmen, Rod Manning and Les Walsh, are attempting to rescue their season. 34 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:17,280 Can you just spot for me for a minute?There's a bit there, but...Where? 35 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:20,600 Just there.Up there. But it's only... I'll just take this edge. 36 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:31,560 We're blocked up, mate. Blower pipe blocked. 37 00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:37,000 The blower is a huge vacuum that extracts waste dirt 38 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:39,400 from the mine, through 11-inch pipes 39 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:42,120 and dumps it into a truck above ground. 40 00:02:42,200 --> 00:02:45,160 The blower pipe down there's blocked up on the elbow. 41 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:49,440 Because we're constantly sucking mud, the elbows bog up. 42 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:51,320 They mud up and they get... Hey, mate! 43 00:02:52,880 --> 00:02:57,360 They get thicker and thicker until it closes that gap up. 44 00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:00,200 It's a long way to be sucking dirt. 45 00:03:05,920 --> 00:03:09,560 This season's been one hell of a roller coaster. We spent all this money 46 00:03:09,640 --> 00:03:13,480 on the new machinery to go out on our own and everything. 47 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:16,640 The crew, you know, we brought in Ty and Benny. 48 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:22,200 Well Ty's off with some personal business that he has to take care of and Benny's hurt himself and 49 00:03:22,280 --> 00:03:26,200 it's just me and Les again, you know, like we started off. Yeah. 50 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:32,400 The Bushmen have bought and abandoned three failed mines this season... 51 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:34,440 Righto, mate. Put her down. 52 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:37,960 ..burning up precious time they should have committed to mining. 53 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:42,760 I'm just not going to give up. If I have to move a dozen times in season, I will. 54 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:46,200 I've made it a mission to get the old fella a decent retirement. 55 00:03:46,280 --> 00:03:50,080 So, whatever it takes, I'm gonna do. Righto, bring it on, Ding Dong. 56 00:03:50,160 --> 00:03:52,560 You see it? Here we go. 57 00:03:52,640 --> 00:03:55,480 Our season target's 360. 58 00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:58,280 So long as I'm not pushing wheelchair round underneath 59 00:03:58,360 --> 00:04:00,280 trying to find it, it'll be all right. 60 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:08,160 See, we got a chance of getting colour there so we can't move. I want to keep digging there. 61 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:12,120 Yeah.And we can't keep sucking this distance. We're too far away from the blower. 62 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:17,760 Yeah.We've got to put that hole down so we can move the blower. It's all there is to it, innit?Yep. 63 00:04:17,840 --> 00:04:19,720 Righto, come on. Let's get out of here. 64 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:25,920 Where we are at the moment, it's too far for the big blower to suck the dirt, you know. 65 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:29,960 We're sucking it all the way from here all the way down there, up the hole. 66 00:04:30,040 --> 00:04:33,120 So it's a long way so it's tending to block up solid. 67 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:37,520 The Bushmen want to drill a hole for the blower pipes 68 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:40,240 closer to the digger at the mine face. 69 00:04:40,320 --> 00:04:43,440 To do the job, they'll need their exploration drill, 70 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:46,840 recently bogged in the mud after heavy rainfall. 71 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:50,880 I don't know how badly bogged it is, but if we can get the thing 72 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:54,720 out of the bog and over to Ding Dong's...Yeah. 73 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:59,360 ..get that hole drilled, move the blower, we can start digging pretty much straight away.Yep. 74 00:05:01,840 --> 00:05:08,600 Ah, Jesus, look at this. Oh, dear. 75 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:10,960 I'm thinking we're gonna have some fun here. 76 00:05:11,040 --> 00:05:12,640 Christ, look at this. 77 00:05:13,840 --> 00:05:17,840 She's sitting on both diffs. Oh, yeah.The front one as well. 78 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:20,840 Yep.We really don't need this at this stage, Les. 79 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:27,560 If we don't make a sale, we got no diesel money to keep working. 80 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:30,440 I know.Oh, this is ridiculous. 81 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:47,120 JOHN: Where the hell are we? It seems to be like 12-14 mile. 12 miles, something like that. 82 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:52,400 It's not far from there. We've just got to go see a man about something out here. Oh, yeah. 83 00:05:54,320 --> 00:05:57,920 As summer storms loom and extreme temperatures scorch 84 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:01,480 to desolate Coober Pedy opal fields, 85 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:04,880 the Blacklighters are investigating a lead for a new mine partnership. 86 00:06:06,600 --> 00:06:12,320 If this don't work, we're in strife, mate.Ah, well. Noodle times.Yes. 87 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:17,520 What the hell are you getting us into, Mark?Here's Pete. 88 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:19,720 How are ya, Mark? Pete's a friend of mine. 89 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:23,960 He's got a great opportunity he's been talking about us having a go at. 90 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:29,120 Is this the old machine?Yeah. Does she run, Pete? Used to. A year ago. 91 00:06:29,200 --> 00:06:31,360 Ooh. She's an old one, though. 92 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:33,640 PETE: This is, ah, dad's noodler. 93 00:06:33,720 --> 00:06:38,600 He hasn't used it for...well, since he got crook and then stroke really. 94 00:06:38,680 --> 00:06:41,080 So that's about a year ago. 95 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:43,240 XAVIER: Oh, yeah. A bit squishy. 96 00:06:43,320 --> 00:06:47,120 Saw that machine. It didn't look great. It looked like a piece of junk. 97 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:50,040 JOHN: There's a few holes in it but... 98 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:53,000 I don't know, we'll see how we go. 99 00:06:55,320 --> 00:07:01,160 It's sliding.Too steep, man. I don't know if we can get that dirt out. 100 00:07:02,440 --> 00:07:06,120 After one year and $50,000 spent digging, 101 00:07:06,200 --> 00:07:10,360 the Blacklighters, Mark I'Anson, stepson Xavier, 102 00:07:10,440 --> 00:07:16,920 Paul Coon, and John Nassar, have been forced to down tools at their vast open-cut mine. 103 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:18,720 It's just got too dangerous. 104 00:07:18,800 --> 00:07:22,880 We're going to have to, erm, change the ramp. No more mining, no more digging. 105 00:07:22,960 --> 00:07:25,880 Otherwise, I can see Xavier keep going all the way down 106 00:07:25,960 --> 00:07:29,920 and taking out the excavator and yeah, all hell could break loose. No one wants that. 107 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:35,320 What it means for this week is there's definitely no opal coming out of the cut 108 00:07:35,400 --> 00:07:37,520 because we can't get it out of there so... 109 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:40,240 Definitely affects the families when we don't find opal. 110 00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:43,840 Straight away, everyone starts stressing out, the mood changes, 111 00:07:43,920 --> 00:07:46,960 the money's not coming in. Cracks start appearing. 112 00:07:48,280 --> 00:07:52,920 We got the total set at ah 350 this year so we're round about 276 113 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:55,840 which is, you know, no laughing matter but, erm, yeah, 114 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:59,160 we've ran out of time and we've still got that little bit to go. So, 115 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:02,360 yeah, I think we just have to push harder and try and get there. 116 00:08:05,680 --> 00:08:09,040 Paul will stay behind and during the course of the week, 117 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:12,120 will need to remove thousands of tonnes of dirt 118 00:08:12,200 --> 00:08:14,080 to reduce the steepness of the ramp. 119 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:17,720 I'm here by myself, fixing the ramp up. 120 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:20,360 We need some opal cos we ain't got much at the moment. 121 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:23,960 So hopefully, the other boys can pick some up while I'm getting this ready. 122 00:08:27,960 --> 00:08:34,040 Mark needs to negotiate a deal, working Pete's claim, using his ancient noodler. 123 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:37,920 So, erm, yeah what sort of deal... What are we talking, Pete? 124 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:40,800 Cos this is the old boy's, dad's... Yeah, right. 125 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:45,280 ..and that so, I'd say 60:40. 126 00:08:45,360 --> 00:08:51,200 What, we get 60? Nah. The old fella gets 60.Oh. 127 00:08:51,280 --> 00:08:56,920 I'll tell you what, Pete, I don't know. I feel 60:40 is probably a bit too hard for us. 128 00:08:57,000 --> 00:09:00,480 But why don't we just split it down the middle, 50:50? 129 00:09:00,560 --> 00:09:03,360 We'll supply the generator and the loader. 130 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:07,720 You've got the noodling machine and the claim. All right, then. 50:50. 131 00:09:07,800 --> 00:09:12,160 All right, mate. Let's do it. Done deal, yeah.Good luck. Let's find some opal together, ay? 132 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:20,320 Pete's claim is 50x50m in size on the proven 12-mile opal field. 133 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:24,560 He has tonnes of mine dirt lying in dumps across the claim 134 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:27,400 that need processing with his battered noodler. 135 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:35,120 Let's see what happens.Oh! 136 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:39,480 Ah! Oh! Ah! She's working! 137 00:09:39,560 --> 00:09:44,160 The darkroom belt's going. Fine's belt's going. Lights are working. 138 00:09:45,200 --> 00:09:47,320 Oh-ho! She's a goer. 139 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:50,520 She's a goer, mate! Beauty! 140 00:09:51,760 --> 00:09:55,080 Here we go. First load for the day going in. 141 00:09:57,280 --> 00:09:58,880 Fire her up. 142 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:02,360 The opal bearing dirt is loaded into the hopper. 143 00:10:02,440 --> 00:10:08,040 The trommel, a rotating mesh drum, separates the host rock from dirt and dust 144 00:10:08,120 --> 00:10:11,040 and belts transport it into a black room, 145 00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:14,360 where ultraviolet light causes the opal to fluoresce. 146 00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:18,640 The dirt that's coming through in the material is awesome. 147 00:10:25,760 --> 00:10:27,680 So far, so good. By the looks of things. 148 00:10:28,720 --> 00:10:34,520 Hey, John, I might need a hand in here. It's getting pretty crazy, and I'm a bit worried. 149 00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:39,560 I'm gonna miss something. Make sure you don't miss any in there, all right? 150 00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:43,960 Holy crap, it's heavy! That looks like she's lighting up all right. 151 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:47,560 And if I really don't see it coming through... I'll shut this door. Righto. 152 00:10:49,160 --> 00:10:51,960 Whoa, look at that. It's very good. 153 00:10:56,280 --> 00:11:00,640 Definitely starting to glow. Worse than a cheap hotel room. 154 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:04,640 Hey, erm, I know there's holes in the trommel but they're starting to get bigger, man. 155 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:06,400 There's rocks coming out, ay. 156 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:14,280 I can actually see a piece of opal from the cab that's come out of that trommel. 157 00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:15,960 Look, another. 158 00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:24,120 Oi, shut it down, man. Look what's coming through the bloody trommel. 159 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:27,360 Doh!We got to fix that hole, ay. 160 00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:29,560 It's coming straight off, landing on the lip. 161 00:11:29,640 --> 00:11:33,680 We're just wasting opal, man. I've probably been putting it out in the dump. 162 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:35,360 Yeah, shut her down, man. 163 00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:46,560 Just digging up the floor of our bulldozer cut. 164 00:11:46,640 --> 00:11:53,040 I've bulldozed down to the level. So now I'm going through it with a fine tooth comb with the excavator. 165 00:11:53,120 --> 00:11:55,640 Issy is watching as I go through the dirt. 166 00:11:58,080 --> 00:12:02,120 Hey, Issy.Yeah.How about you hop in and give it a crack, eh? 167 00:12:02,200 --> 00:12:05,480 Huh-ha. Really? You trust me? Yeah, I trust ya. 168 00:12:05,560 --> 00:12:08,320 Just I'm falling asleep in there at the moment, so I am... 169 00:12:08,400 --> 00:12:12,240 Yeah, well, you've been at it for a while so...Cool. Hop in.Great! 170 00:12:13,640 --> 00:12:18,160 I'm glad you've got faith. Yep.Okey dokey. 171 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:21,400 Learning to operate the 25-tonne excavator 172 00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:25,040 is one of the most important skills you need to be an opal miner. 173 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:28,560 All right, so this is your handbrake.Handbrake there. Hand down. 174 00:12:29,800 --> 00:12:33,680 So this one forward, left arm forward.Ooh, wrong way. 175 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:38,560 You're good. It takes a lot of concentration, and one slip-up, 176 00:12:38,640 --> 00:12:43,560 and I could be hitting just about anything and everything around me. Which is quite scary. 177 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:52,840 Right, so if you go to your right and I'll hop down and have a bit of a look. But don't crush me. 178 00:12:52,920 --> 00:12:56,800 I will try not to. 179 00:12:56,880 --> 00:12:58,560 Oh! 180 00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:07,880 I've got to look for opal and also be aware of where Issy is with the bucket. 181 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:11,440 She's been in the machine not even an hour, 182 00:13:11,520 --> 00:13:14,600 but you know someone's got to come down here and look for opal. 183 00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:21,040 Whoa! Oops!Hang on, Issy. Let me have a look at that. 184 00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:30,120 The Misfits, rookie miner Angel Dempsey, 185 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:35,400 new recruit Issy Glen, and financier and mentor 'Opal' Joe Kalmar, 186 00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:42,080 have spent the last month and $20,000 open cut mining dangerous old timers' tunnels. 187 00:13:46,040 --> 00:13:49,480 Whoa! Angel! 188 00:13:49,560 --> 00:13:52,600 That was not good. That was not good at all. 189 00:13:52,680 --> 00:13:55,480 We have to excavate. We'll get it all from above, these 190 00:13:55,560 --> 00:13:57,960 Yeah, we'll get it all from above. Safest possible. 191 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:02,880 The open cut is now at a depth of eight meters. 192 00:14:02,960 --> 00:14:04,800 Uh-oh! 193 00:14:04,880 --> 00:14:08,840 Angel and Issy must rely on their 25-tonne excavator, 194 00:14:08,920 --> 00:14:14,960 to mine out the ceilings, walls, and floors of the tunnels, that still hold crystal opal. 195 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:20,720 The opal season's almost over and we're still heaps way off of our opal goal for the season. 196 00:14:20,800 --> 00:14:23,960 So hopefully, we'll find some opal soon. 197 00:14:25,360 --> 00:14:28,400 I want to become an independent miner financially stable enough 198 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:31,160 to get machinery and go out on my own. 199 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:35,480 I need to prove myself to Joe and Angel, that I can actually do this job. 200 00:14:38,840 --> 00:14:41,360 What did I just do wrong? 201 00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:46,440 Got your handbrake on?Yep. I just stuffed up. I think I hit the...You hit the track. 202 00:14:46,520 --> 00:14:48,440 I'll just go there and have a look. 203 00:14:48,520 --> 00:14:53,000 The track seems all right, but I'm just hoping she hasn't damaged a tooth at all. 204 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:55,160 Seems all right. 205 00:14:55,240 --> 00:15:00,520 Yeah, no, that's OK. It's good. Just a close call. Nothing too bad. 206 00:15:00,600 --> 00:15:03,760 Oh, thank God for that. I am shaking. 207 00:15:03,840 --> 00:15:07,040 That's what happens when you're learning. So just continue to work. 208 00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:11,160 Are you sure? Cos I'm not really confident at the moment. That really scared me. 209 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:15,840 Yeah, but if you get off now, it's not gonna help your confidence at all. We'll just continue on, 210 00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:19,440 hopefully, find some opal then you'll forget about that. No worries. Well, 211 00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:21,640 Let's keep going then. Let's get back to it. 212 00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:30,760 ROD: Hey, Les!Yeah? 213 00:15:30,840 --> 00:15:33,080 Cut some short ones to put under the front legs. 214 00:15:33,160 --> 00:15:35,440 At least we'll be able to get it up a bit.Yep. 215 00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:38,800 After weeks of heavy rain, 216 00:15:38,880 --> 00:15:41,800 the Bushmen are attempting to free their 30-tonne, 217 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:46,440 eight-metre-long exploration drill from a bog using cypress pine. 218 00:15:47,640 --> 00:15:50,480 Just trying to get some blocks under all the tyres. 219 00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:56,800 They need the rig to drill a hole for dirt extraction pipes at their mine, Ding Dong. 220 00:15:56,880 --> 00:15:59,520 That's probably given the front enough to chew on. 221 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:04,080 Now, if we can get the same sort of logs under the back, 222 00:16:04,160 --> 00:16:07,400 we might have a chance at getting this out of here. 223 00:16:07,480 --> 00:16:09,320 What do you reckon, Les? Give it a try? 224 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:11,960 You got enough under there, you reckon?Probably not. 225 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:36,280 Nearly went out then. I just keep trying to rock it backwards and forwards, Les. 226 00:16:54,040 --> 00:16:58,440 I think it's a waste of time cos that it's not gonna climb out. The clutch isn't good enough. 227 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:01,880 Yeah.So, I think we just go and get the loader.Yep, righto. 228 00:17:03,800 --> 00:17:09,760 I've got a good mate of mine, Mark, he's about 5K away on his claim. 229 00:17:09,840 --> 00:17:13,680 So, you know, he's a good bloke. He's agreed to come over and pull me out. 230 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:20,920 I'm gonna get myself one of these, Les.Yeah, one day. 231 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:23,800 We'd have some fun in that. Couldn't we. 232 00:17:23,880 --> 00:17:28,680 To rescue the rig, Mark's 40-tonne, 350 horsepower 233 00:17:28,760 --> 00:17:32,880 turbocharged, four-wheel drive loader... That's the way to do it. 234 00:17:32,960 --> 00:17:37,720 ..needs to traverse the last ten metres of a narrow, rain-sodden track. 235 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:44,600 He might not get down here, Les. He may not. We may not. 236 00:17:44,680 --> 00:17:46,560 Gone down deep there. Look at that. 237 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:55,400 I don't think he's gonna get down to us. I think he's gonna bog himself. 238 00:17:55,480 --> 00:17:57,120 It's just going down. 239 00:17:57,200 --> 00:18:00,240 He's well and truly bogged there. 240 00:18:00,320 --> 00:18:02,920 Nah, he's gonna get... Oh, no! 241 00:18:06,440 --> 00:18:10,880 MARK: Look at the size of that. That's come out of the hole in the trommel. 242 00:18:10,960 --> 00:18:14,000 We're just gonna have to fix it or we're losing too much opal. 243 00:18:14,080 --> 00:18:16,040 JOHN: Yeah, let's do this. 244 00:18:16,120 --> 00:18:19,360 I've got some zip ties over here in the car, man. All right? 245 00:18:19,440 --> 00:18:23,080 That'll work a trick, mate. Come on, it's gonna rain and we won't get more opal. 246 00:18:23,160 --> 00:18:25,520 We need some more opal today. Come on. 247 00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:27,600 That does look like rain out there, though. 248 00:18:29,200 --> 00:18:33,760 Threatening storms, a battered 20-year-old noodler, 249 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:36,320 and the absence of team member Paul 250 00:18:36,400 --> 00:18:39,800 has put the Blacklighters' new partnership in jeopardy. 251 00:18:43,320 --> 00:18:47,400 Nah, it's gonna spin. Oh. It's gonna go, John. Oh, no! 252 00:18:49,040 --> 00:18:54,200 You all right, mate?Yeah. Oh, watch your foot.Don't put your foot through the thing, please. 253 00:18:54,280 --> 00:18:57,040 What are you doing, man? Grab that bar, Mark. 254 00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:02,720 Oi! You got it?Hope so. 255 00:19:06,080 --> 00:19:08,640 Righto. Is that in? Come through? 256 00:19:10,800 --> 00:19:15,480 Righto.This is the dodgiest fix but it's gonna rain 257 00:19:15,560 --> 00:19:17,760 and we're not getting any opal unless we do it. 258 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:20,320 That's about all I can do from here.That's it, man. 259 00:19:20,400 --> 00:19:24,040 It's the stupidest fix I've ever seen in my life. Well, that was fun. 260 00:19:24,120 --> 00:19:27,440 That was fun. Well done. Now let's find some opal. 261 00:19:27,520 --> 00:19:31,160 Yeah, John it looks like that trommel's holding but I don't know for how long. 262 00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:35,680 I reckon we got to keep going as quick as we can, get as much opal out of here before it stops, 263 00:19:37,120 --> 00:19:38,720 and it starts to rain too, mate. 264 00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:47,440 Oh, nice chunk there Xavi. Yeah, you're right, X-Man, it's coming through pretty thick and fast. 265 00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:51,360 Yeah, any one of these could be worth thousands. Crazy amounts. 266 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:56,320 But it's just weird cos we can't really tell until you get them under the sunlight. 267 00:19:56,400 --> 00:20:01,000 Yeah, and this dust doesn't help. Yeah, the dust is pretty bad in here. 268 00:20:01,080 --> 00:20:03,960 Yeah, it's not good. I can taste the dust. 269 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:06,040 Yeah.Feel it. 270 00:20:06,120 --> 00:20:09,080 You copy there, Mark? Yeah, mate? What's going on? 271 00:20:09,160 --> 00:20:12,200 Oh, this dust in this darkroom is just out of control, mate. 272 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:16,040 Me and Xavi feel like... ..there's a lot more dust than oxygen in here. 273 00:20:16,120 --> 00:20:19,240 That's no good, mate. We're gonna have to do something about that. 274 00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:24,640 We've got a problem here. 275 00:20:24,720 --> 00:20:29,520 This fan's gone which is basically what pressurises the darkroom, 276 00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:34,720 so it stops the dust from getting in because the air's going out. 277 00:20:34,800 --> 00:20:38,640 It's not working and, ah, we're probably going to have to rig something else up there. 278 00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:43,000 I don't know what yet but we'll try and work something out. 279 00:20:43,080 --> 00:20:46,000 Yeah, mate, she's nearly done. I won't put anymore in. 280 00:20:46,080 --> 00:20:47,680 Righto. 281 00:20:50,400 --> 00:20:52,000 Oi! Yo, yoi! 282 00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:57,920 Yeah, we just cancel the kid in that, so...Nah. 283 00:20:58,000 --> 00:21:01,080 That was a bit...No way I'm staying there. Pain in the butt, X-Man? 284 00:21:01,160 --> 00:21:06,040 That's shocking.How'd it go? Well, there's a bit in the buckets, man. 285 00:21:06,120 --> 00:21:10,240 So, job's done all right but there's just too much dust. 286 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:15,320 Way too much dust so.Blimey, man. 287 00:21:15,400 --> 00:21:19,720 That's full of chunks, man. A fair bit of weight in there. 288 00:21:19,800 --> 00:21:23,360 Oi, look at the bars. Look at that chunk. 289 00:21:23,440 --> 00:21:26,400 Let's just go sort this opal, get ourselves a new fan 290 00:21:26,480 --> 00:21:29,680 before we do any more. Leave it at that. It's not worth... Tumble this. 291 00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:31,560 Tumble this. See what we got. 292 00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:35,440 All right. Well, let's get the hell out of here.Yeah. I want to have a shower. 293 00:21:51,080 --> 00:21:51,160 ISSY: Do you want me to get closer to that wall?Yeah, if you can. 294 00:21:53,360 --> 00:21:53,440 But that might be your last scoop, I reckon, 295 00:21:56,280 --> 00:21:58,840 cos your arm's fully extended almost.Yep. 296 00:22:03,120 --> 00:22:03,200 In Andamooka, Angel is teaching rookie miner, Issy, 297 00:22:06,360 --> 00:22:06,520 how to operate the 25-tonne excavator, 298 00:22:06,600 --> 00:22:09,000 so the mammoth workload can be shared. 299 00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:13,040 It's only just able to reach as well. 300 00:22:16,240 --> 00:22:20,200 I reckon that'll do that, Issy, with the excavator. We'll get the bulldozer in. 301 00:22:20,280 --> 00:22:21,880 Okey dokey. 302 00:22:23,760 --> 00:22:27,600 I'm just going to get Betsy running, get her down the hole, push all that dirt out. 303 00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:34,160 Betsy is a 50-year-old, 320 horsepower bulldozer 304 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:37,520 that Angel will use to clear tonnes of mined dirt 305 00:22:37,600 --> 00:22:40,160 which will need to be checked for opal. 306 00:22:40,240 --> 00:22:44,360 Yeah, this cut, every time I take Betsy now, it's getting steeper and steeper. 307 00:22:44,440 --> 00:22:47,440 The steeper it is, the more scary it is. 308 00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:53,840 Angel's a good operator and I'm sure she'll get Betsy to do what she needs to do. 309 00:22:56,920 --> 00:23:01,160 Come on, Betsy. Come on, old girl. You can do it. 310 00:23:08,240 --> 00:23:10,160 Now that was close. 311 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:12,480 I didn't think Betsy was going to make it then. 312 00:23:15,680 --> 00:23:18,800 See anything, Issy? Oh, it's pretty dusty. 313 00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:25,120 Whoa-ho-ho! I've just uncovered some blue. 314 00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:26,800 Oh my God, look at it! 315 00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:28,880 And jelly.Jelly opal. Wow. 316 00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:30,960 Look how big it is. We've done it. 317 00:23:31,040 --> 00:23:35,760 Jelly opal, named for its translucent, gelatinous appearance, 318 00:23:35,840 --> 00:23:39,440 is valued by cutters for its even spread of colour 319 00:23:39,520 --> 00:23:43,920 and the ease, in which impurities can be seen and polished away. 320 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:45,800 How much more is in here? 321 00:23:45,880 --> 00:23:49,400 Could be thousands of dollars' worth of opal that we can't see. 322 00:23:49,480 --> 00:23:54,560 Finding that stone was great, you know, like, it's the first opal we've seen in quite a long time. 323 00:23:54,640 --> 00:23:59,280 But it's also equally as scary cos I know if there's one stone, there's got to be more. 324 00:23:59,360 --> 00:24:02,120 I think blacklighting it later might be worth doing. 325 00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:04,600 I reckon so. Definitely. 326 00:24:04,680 --> 00:24:06,640 They picked up some big stones. 327 00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:09,920 But the stones are a little bit too big to be missing from the face. 328 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:13,480 It doesn't take long to lose a $100,000 or $200,000 in opal. 329 00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:16,840 So that gives me concern. So what's your thoughts? 330 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:20,240 What do you wanna do to solve the problem? Issy said this morning about 331 00:24:20,320 --> 00:24:23,480 potentially working at night with the excavator. That can be done. 332 00:24:23,560 --> 00:24:26,280 And some black lights. I got blacklights. 333 00:24:26,360 --> 00:24:29,200 Well, we can't have you missing pieces that big. No.No. 334 00:24:31,120 --> 00:24:33,440 Working at night is high risk, 335 00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:38,240 as unstable ground and deep shafts become difficult to spot. 336 00:24:38,320 --> 00:24:42,880 The biggest danger we've got, the excavator itself is not rigged up with any lighting. 337 00:24:42,960 --> 00:24:46,160 Angel's experience is not a lot at night time. 338 00:24:46,240 --> 00:24:50,520 Issy's is even less. So, that's gonna be extremely dangerous. 339 00:24:54,600 --> 00:24:58,480 ROD: It's just going down. He's well and truly bogged here. 340 00:24:59,760 --> 00:25:01,760 I don't think he's getting out of this. 341 00:25:01,840 --> 00:25:05,120 In Grawin, the rescue loader attempting to pull 342 00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:09,760 the Bushmen's drill out of a bog is trapped in the deep mud. 343 00:25:09,840 --> 00:25:12,720 Sorry, Mark.It's all right. I had no idea it'd be like this. 344 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:16,120 Look at it here. Look. Oh, yeah, mate. It's like quicksand. 345 00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:20,160 Oh, look at that, that's mud! Oh, no.Wow. 346 00:25:20,240 --> 00:25:24,800 You're gonna get out?Erm... I thought it would be bloody all right. 347 00:25:24,880 --> 00:25:27,920 Can only try, Rod. Yeah . Sorry, mate. 348 00:25:29,120 --> 00:25:31,920 Always something going wrong you don't expect, ay. 349 00:25:32,000 --> 00:25:36,040 We're gonna have to leave here for probably three days to dry out a little bit before... 350 00:25:36,120 --> 00:25:40,440 If we get.....we can get her out.As long as it doesn't rain, we should be pretty good. 351 00:25:40,520 --> 00:25:42,200 Let's go underground. 352 00:25:43,960 --> 00:25:47,600 It's so late in the season and everything's going wrong for us. 353 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:51,720 So, you know, it's looking like the old bloke's not going to Shady Acres this year. 354 00:25:54,240 --> 00:25:56,480 Ooh! There's a bit of water about here. 355 00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:01,880 Look at that, Nigel. He's got to get us wet, hasn't he? 356 00:26:03,120 --> 00:26:08,320 Well, Nigel's looking very interested in the trip this morning, isn't he?Yeah. 357 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:11,520 Before when we had Titch, Titch used to have this spot 358 00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:15,000 and he was always in the back. Now he's upgraded.Yeah, that's it. 359 00:26:17,280 --> 00:26:21,880 Titch is Les' old dog that died, I don't know six seven months ago, something like that. 360 00:26:21,960 --> 00:26:27,160 Les and the dog were very close, you know. Les lives on his own, and... 361 00:26:27,240 --> 00:26:32,360 Go on, up you get...his companion, I guess, has always been Titch. 362 00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:35,600 I had to put me dog down about eight or nine months ago. 363 00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:37,800 He had cancer and a big lump under his wing. 364 00:26:37,880 --> 00:26:42,040 I missed him a lot and... Oh, well I still miss him anyway. 365 00:26:48,800 --> 00:26:53,320 Oh, the hoses! We're sucking from too far away. 366 00:26:53,400 --> 00:26:55,640 It's blocking up all the time. 367 00:26:55,720 --> 00:26:57,920 Our hydraulic hoses are too short. 368 00:26:58,000 --> 00:27:00,360 We need to move everything up to where we are. 369 00:27:00,440 --> 00:27:02,600 But really not much we can do about it. 370 00:27:04,080 --> 00:27:06,080 It'll do the right thing by us soon, mate. 371 00:27:12,040 --> 00:27:15,120 Whoa-ho-oh! What are you bellowing about? 372 00:27:15,200 --> 00:27:16,800 Just let me have a look in that. 373 00:27:22,280 --> 00:27:27,400 Ooh! Pickle me grandmother, Les. That's a good little bit. 374 00:27:27,480 --> 00:27:30,720 That's big and cheesy mate! Oh, yeah! 375 00:27:30,800 --> 00:27:32,880 Was there any more of it? I'm looking. 376 00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:37,880 You better have a good look through the ground I suppose cos there's more of it somewhere. 377 00:27:39,400 --> 00:27:41,160 Millions of years ago, 378 00:27:41,240 --> 00:27:44,720 silica-rich water from an ancient inland sea, 379 00:27:44,800 --> 00:27:50,800 drained into the earth filling voids in the porous bedrock, and hardening to form opal. 380 00:27:50,880 --> 00:27:55,560 There's the other side, mate. 381 00:27:55,640 --> 00:27:59,600 Good work. It's right on the bloody edge. Wish we'd got that out whole. 382 00:27:59,680 --> 00:28:02,400 I think I'll dig a bit more, Les, what do you reckon?Yeah. 383 00:28:02,480 --> 00:28:06,600 We just had a little change in luck. We just started to get a little bit of nice colour. 384 00:28:10,320 --> 00:28:15,040 Oh, whoa! Wait! Wait! Stop! Oh, what? We got colour up here, mate. 385 00:28:17,520 --> 00:28:20,480 Whereabouts?Up here. 386 00:28:20,560 --> 00:28:24,840 What are you doing down there, then? Well, that's where you scraped it from. I'm... 387 00:28:24,920 --> 00:28:28,360 Well, have a look. See what you find. That's what I was gonna do. 388 00:28:28,440 --> 00:28:31,200 Hey, this looks all right, Les. Yeah. 389 00:28:31,280 --> 00:28:34,360 I have put the digger tooth through it up there but... 390 00:28:34,440 --> 00:28:39,200 What have we got here?Hey? Oh, that's not bad piece of rock. 391 00:28:39,280 --> 00:28:41,760 Look at that, Les. 392 00:28:41,840 --> 00:28:44,280 See if I can find some more. You beauty. 393 00:28:44,360 --> 00:28:48,520 Oh, here's another piece. There's another bit. That's the same red. 394 00:28:48,600 --> 00:28:52,960 Red opal is extremely rare, the most valuable, 395 00:28:53,040 --> 00:28:55,240 and highly desired by buyers. 396 00:28:55,320 --> 00:28:58,920 Gees that nice colour, Les. You beauty. 397 00:28:59,000 --> 00:29:01,840 And there's more of it up there. Well, that's good. 398 00:29:01,920 --> 00:29:07,960 We got a little bit of money here, mate.Yeah.Les! Look at that! 399 00:29:08,040 --> 00:29:11,600 Bloody hell, that's a ripper, that one, mate. It's big and it's cheesy. 400 00:29:11,680 --> 00:29:15,320 Oh, yeah we need a few more of them. Look at it. 401 00:29:15,400 --> 00:29:19,440 Oh, yeah.Look at the red in the thing, Les.Oh, yeah the red's popping out good. 402 00:29:19,520 --> 00:29:23,480 You beauty! Look at it. Look how much we got! 403 00:29:23,560 --> 00:29:26,040 Two, two red bars that one got. 404 00:29:26,120 --> 00:29:30,240 Ha-ha! Les! Mate. We got money. Yeah. 405 00:29:30,320 --> 00:29:32,480 We got good money too.Yeah. 406 00:29:32,560 --> 00:29:35,880 It's been a while since the old pocket's been full of colour, Les. 407 00:29:35,960 --> 00:29:38,120 Yes, that's a good start. 408 00:29:38,200 --> 00:29:40,720 Hey, that's just in time for that buyer, mate. 409 00:29:40,800 --> 00:29:45,080 That's scraping through on the skin of our teeth, innit?Yeah. 410 00:29:48,640 --> 00:29:52,640 Yeah, big bucket of noodling stuff here. Looks pretty crappy now. 411 00:29:52,720 --> 00:29:57,080 It's all coated and rubbish like that but, erm, throw her in 412 00:29:59,200 --> 00:30:02,400 That's gonna wash it beautifully cos as it is in the bucket, 413 00:30:02,480 --> 00:30:05,960 it just looks like dirt, you know, until you clean it up. 414 00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:08,440 At their home base in Coober Pedy, 415 00:30:08,520 --> 00:30:12,000 Mark is using a cement mixer to clean the opal haul 416 00:30:12,080 --> 00:30:15,160 from their new partnership with Pete Geisler. 417 00:30:15,240 --> 00:30:17,360 Once you wash it, it'll look a lot better. 418 00:30:17,440 --> 00:30:20,440 But as it is at the moment, she's gonna need a couple of hours. 419 00:30:20,520 --> 00:30:22,120 Should be pretty nice. 420 00:30:26,080 --> 00:30:30,480 How you doing, Mark? You there? Hey.Lads, how you doing? 421 00:30:30,560 --> 00:30:33,320 Just in time, mate. Just got it all clean. 422 00:30:33,400 --> 00:30:38,120 How you doing, sir? Nice to see you again, man.I'm feeling pretty happy about this.Yeah. 423 00:30:38,200 --> 00:30:42,040 Like, man, have a look at this. That's a nice pile of opal, ay. Yeah. 424 00:30:43,200 --> 00:30:45,440 That little noodling machine does wonders, mate. 425 00:30:47,400 --> 00:30:51,800 The Blacklighters have classic Coober Pedy white seam opal, 426 00:30:51,880 --> 00:30:54,320 featuring the full spectrum of colours. 427 00:30:54,400 --> 00:30:57,840 It's been tumbled and there's 1.6 kilograms. 428 00:30:57,920 --> 00:31:01,680 Which they need to negotiate a split with Pete. 429 00:31:01,760 --> 00:31:05,480 PETE: You must have just picked the right dump there. I should have made it 60:40. 430 00:31:05,560 --> 00:31:08,800 No. No! 431 00:31:08,880 --> 00:31:13,080 Nah, I'm glad we shook it on 50:50. 432 00:31:13,160 --> 00:31:15,600 I don't know, what are your estimates there? 433 00:31:15,680 --> 00:31:21,480 I reckon... Oh, gees. I reckon 40 grand. I wouldn't want to sell it under that. 434 00:31:21,560 --> 00:31:27,640 So, I'd be looking at 55-60? Yeah, right.On that personally, you know.Yep. 435 00:31:27,720 --> 00:31:34,000 The whole parcel as a whole?Yeah. So we can either sell it as a whole, 436 00:31:34,080 --> 00:31:37,680 or we could split it. You take your share, we take our share. 437 00:31:37,760 --> 00:31:41,200 Oh, I'd rather split it, to be honest. To see how I go. 438 00:31:41,280 --> 00:31:44,680 Well, we got the scales out, if you want to have a look. Ooh! 439 00:31:44,760 --> 00:31:49,360 You got to play by the right rules when you're splitting opal and you got a new partner. Erm... 440 00:31:49,440 --> 00:31:53,680 Not rush. Don't split the opal till everyone's happy with the split. 441 00:31:53,760 --> 00:31:55,640 It's a pretty hard thing to do. 442 00:31:55,720 --> 00:31:58,480 But it can be done right. 443 00:31:58,560 --> 00:32:00,560 So we've got two separate grades. 444 00:32:00,640 --> 00:32:03,520 This is a really good grade. I'm really happy with this 445 00:32:03,600 --> 00:32:05,920 and it's all clean good yielding pieces. 446 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:08,960 But I've also got a lower-grade pile. 447 00:32:09,040 --> 00:32:12,000 Just the ones that didn't quite make the top team.Righto. 448 00:32:12,080 --> 00:32:15,080 Shall we split, well let's weigh this and split this in half first. 449 00:32:15,160 --> 00:32:17,440 And then we've got room to sort this out.Yeah. 450 00:32:17,520 --> 00:32:22,000 The lower-grade opal small stones, showing less colour and vibrancy, 451 00:32:22,080 --> 00:32:24,600 are usually split by weight alone. 452 00:32:24,680 --> 00:32:28,080 PETE: I'm very impressed with what you boys have done. No, we were too Pete. 453 00:32:28,160 --> 00:32:30,720 We're just thankful so much for the opportunity like, 454 00:32:30,800 --> 00:32:35,200 you've got to hang onto that claim, mate, like really, since your dad's retired, 455 00:32:35,280 --> 00:32:39,160 it's made it hard for you to get more done but...1.02 kilos 456 00:32:39,240 --> 00:32:42,120 1,024 grams. 457 00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:44,920 That's all right, that's 512.Yeah. 458 00:32:50,440 --> 00:32:54,400 Close enough. Yeah, that's close enough.Right? Cause there's a bit of wet. 459 00:32:54,480 --> 00:32:56,280 That's all good. 460 00:32:58,160 --> 00:33:02,160 There you go, so that's grade done. We didn't drop any. That's ours there 461 00:33:02,240 --> 00:33:05,240 Now, Pete wants these two chunks in his grade. 462 00:33:06,400 --> 00:33:11,240 Top grade stones are larger with more saturated colour and vibrancy 463 00:33:11,320 --> 00:33:15,560 and they are split depending on size, value and weight. 464 00:33:15,640 --> 00:33:18,760 Yeah, just... Weigh that, weigh that and split that little bit. 465 00:33:18,840 --> 00:33:23,680 Yeah, then you got those couple of big bits your customers will like. 466 00:33:23,760 --> 00:33:28,160 There we go, 76.Close enough's, good enough.And you picked, you want that one or that one? 467 00:33:28,240 --> 00:33:32,760 You choose, Pete.Or the little one? Your choice.I'll take that one. 468 00:33:33,800 --> 00:33:37,920 All right, well done, Pete. Thanks. Thanks so much, mate. Well done, mate.Beautiful. 469 00:33:38,000 --> 00:33:39,800 We're happy with that. 470 00:33:39,880 --> 00:33:43,440 We've got some beautiful opal. Thanks, mate.You went all right. 471 00:33:43,520 --> 00:33:45,680 We were having a shocking week. 472 00:33:45,760 --> 00:33:49,880 We weren't getting any opal and then and then, pow, look at this. That's a few days. 473 00:33:49,960 --> 00:33:51,560 Magnificent result. 474 00:33:51,640 --> 00:33:55,880 I reckon these boys have picked the right dump, and done very good. 475 00:33:57,040 --> 00:34:02,280 You know, I hope it just keeps going like that for them and for me. You know. 476 00:34:02,360 --> 00:34:07,200 To tell you the truth guys, from what we were looking at this week to what we've ended up with, 477 00:34:07,280 --> 00:34:11,320 got to be bloody happy, ay. Give it here, man. All of you, ay? 478 00:34:11,400 --> 00:34:14,520 You've done well, boys!ALL: Yes! You beauty! 479 00:34:14,600 --> 00:34:18,760 What an awesome, awesome result. Couldn't ask for more than that. 480 00:34:18,840 --> 00:34:21,000 So, yeah, we're way happy with our half. 481 00:34:21,080 --> 00:34:24,280 Got ourselves 20K. Away we go. Like that is brilliant. 482 00:34:24,360 --> 00:34:26,640 Yeah. 483 00:34:26,720 --> 00:34:28,440 I'd be happy to do that every week. 484 00:34:28,520 --> 00:34:34,040 Yes! 485 00:34:37,760 --> 00:34:42,040 Starting the old machine up. Hopefully, she won't cause us grief. 486 00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:45,680 Oh, yes. 487 00:34:46,960 --> 00:34:50,400 In Andamooka, the Misfits are putting all their faith 488 00:34:50,480 --> 00:34:56,000 in ultraviolet blacklights to find opal at the eight-metre-deep, open cut mine. 489 00:34:57,880 --> 00:35:02,440 Everything does look more daunting at night. My heart is in my mouth right now. 490 00:35:03,480 --> 00:35:06,480 I'm watching, you are coming up to your speed hump here.Yeah. 491 00:35:06,560 --> 00:35:09,920 I can see it in your light. So slow and steady. 492 00:35:11,680 --> 00:35:15,880 First, Angel needs to get the excavator into the open cut, 493 00:35:15,960 --> 00:35:19,600 to clear mined dirt and expose the opal-bearing wall. 494 00:35:20,720 --> 00:35:22,800 You're teetering now. 495 00:35:25,000 --> 00:35:29,000 Whoa! Whoa!Slide east. She is unstable. 496 00:35:29,080 --> 00:35:31,520 I'm like, oh, my, I can't even sit on the chair, hey! 497 00:35:32,760 --> 00:35:35,200 I tell you, we're pretty close there, Angel. 498 00:35:35,280 --> 00:35:38,520 All right, I'll take my first bite and see what happens.Yep. 499 00:35:41,880 --> 00:35:46,480 Mind that wall. Slowly. Slowly. Yeah, I'm watching it. 500 00:35:54,560 --> 00:35:58,440 Do you guys want to check that wall at all? JOE: Yeah, we'll have a look. 501 00:36:00,320 --> 00:36:05,680 I like it when Joe looks cos I know we're not going to miss anything cos he's got the eye for opal. 502 00:36:05,760 --> 00:36:08,840 See that glow in there?Oh, there's some in there as well?Yeah. 503 00:36:08,920 --> 00:36:10,960 That's it, Angel. That's opal there as well. 504 00:36:11,040 --> 00:36:13,360 Yeah, so, Joe was just pointing out some trace 505 00:36:13,440 --> 00:36:16,320 and I've just picked up a piece there. 506 00:36:16,400 --> 00:36:19,120 That's a nice trace.Yeah. That one there. 507 00:36:19,200 --> 00:36:21,760 I've just shone the white light on it and it's just potch 508 00:36:21,840 --> 00:36:24,600 but this other stuff has got a different turquoise-y colour 509 00:36:24,680 --> 00:36:27,800 which means it's got a different body to it. 510 00:36:27,880 --> 00:36:31,840 So it's like that might have colour that piece, but so far this is just potch. 511 00:36:33,000 --> 00:36:36,520 Potch is colourless opal and low in value, 512 00:36:36,600 --> 00:36:41,080 but a good indicator of ground with the potential to produce colour. 513 00:36:41,160 --> 00:36:43,800 In this situation it's opal in the walls, 514 00:36:43,880 --> 00:36:48,080 so what's really critical is take your time, start digging it out. 515 00:36:48,160 --> 00:36:50,200 I've got some kind of opal. 516 00:36:50,280 --> 00:36:53,520 I don't know what grade it is yet. I'm just pulling out the seam. 517 00:36:53,600 --> 00:36:57,360 Picking out all the glowy pieces and chucking them in my bucket. 518 00:36:57,440 --> 00:36:59,360 Ooh look at that.Awesome! 519 00:36:59,440 --> 00:37:01,840 That's a seam. That's bloody awesome, Issy. 520 00:37:01,920 --> 00:37:04,400 Once you see opal, you can't unsee it. 521 00:37:04,480 --> 00:37:06,880 And this is awesome. 522 00:37:06,960 --> 00:37:10,240 This literally could be a $100,000 pocket, $200,000 pocket. 523 00:37:11,280 --> 00:37:14,920 Might be a few hours to dig it all out but it'll be worth it. 524 00:37:15,000 --> 00:37:16,840 You know good for our spirits. 525 00:37:19,480 --> 00:37:22,520 We've done well.Good job, mate. Cool. 526 00:37:28,920 --> 00:37:33,680 Joe's looking busy. He is looking busy.Heya! 527 00:37:33,760 --> 00:37:36,000 Morning, Joe.Morning. 528 00:37:36,080 --> 00:37:40,640 Come to show you...From last night, yeah.Last night's efforts. Hey, cool bananas. 529 00:37:40,720 --> 00:37:43,760 After an exhausting 4am-finish, 530 00:37:43,840 --> 00:37:47,960 the Misfits are ready to appraise the opal from their nightshift. 531 00:37:48,040 --> 00:37:50,840 I chucked it in the tumbler last night, I mean for a laugh. 532 00:37:52,280 --> 00:37:55,040 So, oh, that's pretty.It is. 533 00:37:55,120 --> 00:37:58,320 Hey, that's not bad. Not bad for a night shift. 534 00:37:58,400 --> 00:38:02,000 Awesome.That's a nice one. Look at the sparkles on that. 535 00:38:02,080 --> 00:38:06,240 There's one really good one in there. You'll see it in a minute. 536 00:38:06,320 --> 00:38:09,520 Oh, this is crystal. Could be the Kingstone. You know, crystal opal. 537 00:38:09,600 --> 00:38:12,000 It's definitely the Kingstone of this three ounces 538 00:38:12,080 --> 00:38:14,160 Very nice.It's very electric, ay. 539 00:38:16,880 --> 00:38:19,920 The misfits have jelly and crystal opal 540 00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:22,800 with an intense rainbow spread of colour. 541 00:38:22,880 --> 00:38:26,320 It's been tumbled and there's 85 grams. 542 00:38:26,400 --> 00:38:28,120 So how much you reckon it's worth? 543 00:38:30,240 --> 00:38:31,840 Er, from what I'm looking at here, 544 00:38:33,480 --> 00:38:35,840 yeah, say 3,000 an ounce, say nine grand. 545 00:38:35,920 --> 00:38:38,040 Yeah?Awesome.Yeah, nine grand. Wow. 546 00:38:38,120 --> 00:38:40,960 I mean that one on its own is 1,500, 2,000 547 00:38:41,040 --> 00:38:44,840 We're slowly getting to our target. Yes, slowly but surely. 548 00:38:44,920 --> 00:38:47,640 Yeah, no, er, bottom dollar would be nine grand on it. 549 00:38:50,040 --> 00:38:54,080 That was our first night dig. Good plan, Issy. Thinking outside the box. 550 00:38:54,160 --> 00:38:57,600 Angel, you've done well. So it's been an awesome night. 551 00:38:57,680 --> 00:39:01,200 Good day. Have the rest of the afternoon off. Cheers. Cheers. 552 00:39:01,280 --> 00:39:04,080 Cheers.Yeah, I might even have a nanna nap, ay. 553 00:39:04,160 --> 00:39:06,040 There's a plan. I need to rest my back. 554 00:39:17,520 --> 00:39:20,280 It's a nice parcel, Les. Doesn't look too bad. 555 00:39:20,360 --> 00:39:22,520 A lot of red in it.Yeah. 556 00:39:22,600 --> 00:39:24,840 In Rod's Camp in Grawin, 557 00:39:24,920 --> 00:39:26,840 the Bushmen are meeting a buyer 558 00:39:26,920 --> 00:39:30,000 to sell a parcel of grey-based seam opal, 559 00:39:30,080 --> 00:39:34,360 featuring fiery streaks of rare and highly sought after red. 560 00:39:34,440 --> 00:39:37,480 In the rough, there's 45 grams. 561 00:39:37,560 --> 00:39:39,360 Well, we've had a good look at it. 562 00:39:41,000 --> 00:39:44,680 18 grand, asked for?Yeah. 563 00:39:45,680 --> 00:39:47,720 I reckon we're gonna do all right with this. 564 00:39:47,800 --> 00:39:50,080 He got rocks in his head, if he don't buy this. 565 00:39:50,160 --> 00:39:55,920 Yeah. The opal buyer that we've got coming, erm, Steve Rival. 566 00:39:57,240 --> 00:40:00,680 Here he comes. Oi, wake up, he's here.Mm-hm. 567 00:40:00,760 --> 00:40:03,920 He's not been around for all that long, but he is a good buyer. 568 00:40:04,000 --> 00:40:07,480 How are we, gents? How you going, mate? Good, mate. How are things? 569 00:40:07,560 --> 00:40:09,160 He's not a bad bloke. 570 00:40:09,240 --> 00:40:11,840 He seems to be pretty honest and pretty fair dinkum. 571 00:40:11,920 --> 00:40:14,440 Warming up a bit. Oh, not wrong.Summer's coming. 572 00:40:14,520 --> 00:40:16,120 How are you, mate? I'm good, mate. 573 00:40:16,200 --> 00:40:18,240 My main market's international. 574 00:40:18,320 --> 00:40:20,600 I buy opal pretty frequently. 575 00:40:20,680 --> 00:40:22,480 In this game, it's hard not to. 576 00:40:22,560 --> 00:40:24,960 A matter of survival in a lot of senses. 577 00:40:26,520 --> 00:40:30,200 Les. Where'd you get the pup? 578 00:40:30,280 --> 00:40:34,200 Oh, got him a few days ago.Yeah? Yeah, he's pretty cool. 579 00:40:34,280 --> 00:40:38,040 Where you going? I'm looking at the dog.Oh. 580 00:40:39,320 --> 00:40:43,840 What have you got here?Mate, I've got an absolute bald hair of a parcel for you. 581 00:40:43,920 --> 00:40:45,520 Looks pretty bloody nice. 582 00:40:47,000 --> 00:40:50,560 Make sure the glare don't blind you coming off that colour there, Steve. 583 00:40:50,640 --> 00:40:52,640 Might have to get my sunnies out of the car. 584 00:40:52,720 --> 00:40:56,800 Here, little boy. Come on. Oh, you got that! 585 00:40:56,880 --> 00:40:58,920 Yeah. It's a nice parcel that one, mate. 586 00:41:00,760 --> 00:41:04,120 My word it is.What sort of numbers are you looking at? 587 00:41:04,200 --> 00:41:06,760 I reckon 18's probably a fair price. 588 00:41:08,160 --> 00:41:09,760 Eighteen? 589 00:41:11,640 --> 00:41:14,480 I'd love to be able to say 18 all day long, but... 590 00:41:16,480 --> 00:41:18,440 All right, you've got that. Come on. 591 00:41:19,520 --> 00:41:23,280 Tell you what, 15. That's all I got on me. 592 00:41:23,360 --> 00:41:26,560 Oh, I don't know, Steve. I think it's worth more than 15, mate. 593 00:41:26,640 --> 00:41:30,120 I mean, look at the reds, look at the colours in it. Oh, plenty of colour. 594 00:41:30,200 --> 00:41:34,560 Look at that.That'd be the dead-set top of the line. 595 00:41:35,880 --> 00:41:37,600 All right. I tell you what I'll do. 596 00:41:39,960 --> 00:41:42,600 I'll go for 15 if you chuck your pup in for the old fella. 597 00:41:42,680 --> 00:41:45,040 I only just got it the other day. I can't do that. 598 00:41:45,120 --> 00:41:48,960 You've had the dog a couple of days, couldn't fall in love with it that much. 599 00:41:49,040 --> 00:41:53,480 I'll give it to the old fella. He hasn't shown any interest in a dog since his old fella died. 600 00:41:53,560 --> 00:41:55,760 I know he lost him. Mm, sad. 601 00:42:02,160 --> 00:42:05,160 Yeah, righto.Really? For the old boy. 602 00:42:05,240 --> 00:42:07,400 Good on you, Steve. 603 00:42:07,480 --> 00:42:09,880 Hey, Les, get the dog out of the car.Oh, righto. 604 00:42:09,960 --> 00:42:12,040 He's got a pretty good run on him.Come on. 605 00:42:12,120 --> 00:42:14,240 Pick him up.I am. 606 00:42:14,320 --> 00:42:15,920 Carry him over here, mate. 607 00:42:21,040 --> 00:42:25,240 You useless old goat. Sorry about that, little pup. He's a good pup, isn't he? 608 00:42:25,320 --> 00:42:27,240 Ooh, yeah.Guess what? 609 00:42:29,600 --> 00:42:33,520 He's yours.Oh, thanks for that. 610 00:42:33,600 --> 00:42:38,200 So we come to the agreement, 15 grand for the opal and the pup. Yeah, that sounds all right. 611 00:42:38,280 --> 00:42:42,480 What I'm gonna cop this afternoon when I get home is worth more than 15 grand. 612 00:42:44,640 --> 00:42:47,120 I saw an opportunity there and I took it you know. 613 00:42:47,200 --> 00:42:52,280 Old Les is missing his dog. It's been dead for about six months now and they were so close. 614 00:42:52,360 --> 00:42:57,240 That's the first time I've ever seen the old bloke actually take an interest in another dog 615 00:42:57,320 --> 00:43:01,960 and he walked straight over to the dog, so I think it's going to be a good thing for the old bloke. 616 00:43:02,040 --> 00:43:05,160 Yeah, we miss out on a bit of money but it's only money. 617 00:43:05,240 --> 00:43:08,960 Thanks, mate.No worries, Les. Enjoy. He's a beautiful boy. 618 00:43:09,040 --> 00:43:10,880 That was really good. 619 00:43:10,960 --> 00:43:14,280 And the best part of the sale is when we got this as well. 620 00:43:37,040 --> 00:43:39,040 Subtitles by Deluxe 620 00:43:40,305 --> 00:44:40,515 Support us and become VIP member to remove all ads from www.OpenSubtitles.org