"Outback Opal Hunters" Episode #4.5

1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:03,239 NARRATOR: On Outback Opal Hunters... 2 00:00:03,320 --> 00:00:05,439 Les! Come have a look at this. 3 00:00:05,520 --> 00:00:07,919 The Bushmen risk it all, mining the rock 4 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:10,199 that holds up their roof. 5 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:14,879 I think we can make it safe, Les. Yeah, and the roof could fall in on us. 6 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:17,079 It's not worth dying for a few bucks. 7 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:19,159 Ugh! 8 00:00:19,240 --> 00:00:21,599 CARL: We're spending money faster than we're making it at the moment. 9 00:00:21,680 --> 00:00:25,519 The Poms get their first taste of real mining... 10 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:29,039 MARY: I'm just a bit concerned that he's not looking after himself. 11 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:32,679 ..struggling to find their first piece of opal underground. 12 00:00:32,760 --> 00:00:34,959 Shattered. Absolutely shattered. 13 00:00:35,040 --> 00:00:38,399 It's more your mirror on the tree that I'm worried about. 14 00:00:38,480 --> 00:00:40,839 Pete Cooke nurses a busted shoulder... 15 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:44,999 I'm frustrated as hell. I should be down there on the ground, shovelling sand. 16 00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:48,119 ..forcing rookie Sam to take on more than he can handle. 17 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:51,079 You've got to be really careful. What's this button do? 18 00:00:52,960 --> 00:00:55,119 You OK? 19 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:03,074 20 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:20,479 ROD: Bondi has ended up being a pretty good claim. 21 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:23,439 You know, we haven't dug a great deal of it. 22 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:25,639 We've got good money, 23 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:28,519 but we've had a bloody lot of things gone wrong. 24 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:30,719 Blower's broken down. 25 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:34,519 If the blower don't go, there's nothing we can do... 26 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:36,799 Yeah. ..until we get it going. 27 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:40,759 Yeah. I don't know what's the cause of the bloody problem. 28 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:42,919 In outback New South Wales, 29 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:46,119 the Bushmen's recent run of success is under threat 30 00:01:46,200 --> 00:01:48,559 from a broken-down rock extractor. 31 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:53,199 The blower's so important 32 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:55,799 because once you've got a pile of dirt on the ground, 33 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:58,039 you can't move your digger forward any more. 34 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:00,559 So, you've got to suck all that dirt out. 35 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:03,399 So without the blower, it stops everything. 36 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:11,799 We think it's this coupling. 37 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:14,319 Till we get it off, we won't actually know. 38 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:22,039 That's what it is. Yeah. 39 00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:26,079 This coupling goes on to the shaft that drives the fan, 40 00:02:26,160 --> 00:02:28,999 and all the inside in here is all flogged out. 41 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:32,239 So, to get a new one of these, we'll have to send this away. 42 00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:35,479 Yeah. Oh, Jesus. That's, what, 43 00:02:35,560 --> 00:02:38,519 three or four weeks, probably? Yeah, probably. 44 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:41,319 If it's not one damn thing, it's another. 45 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:46,439 You ready? Yeah. 46 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:48,519 BOTH: Oh! 47 00:02:48,600 --> 00:02:50,679 Yeah, that's money. That's money, mate. 48 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:53,679 This season, The Bushmen have steadily closed in 49 00:02:53,760 --> 00:02:55,879 on their $60,000 target, 50 00:02:55,960 --> 00:02:58,159 hunting legendary black opal. 51 00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:00,279 Because we haven't found money for so long, 52 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:02,399 I've, erm, racked some bills up. 53 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:06,399 And now we've got a bit of money, we do have to spend it 54 00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:09,879 on the machinery. There's things that need fixing. 55 00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:14,199 Recent family news gives even more reason 56 00:03:14,280 --> 00:03:16,279 to find opal fast. 57 00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:18,479 Our youngest daughter, we've just found out 58 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:21,799 that she's pregnant with our latest grandchild. 59 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:25,879 Amanda wants to be there at the week of the birth 60 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:28,359 so that she doesn't miss anything. Yeah. 61 00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:31,319 And if we just get a little tiny bit more money, 62 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:34,119 we should be able to- No. We can do it. 63 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:37,079 We're fine. We'll be doing it. Yeah, I know we can do it. 64 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:40,239 At the moment, we haven't probably got enough money. 65 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:43,719 I haven't told Amanda yet. She still thinks everything's rosy, 66 00:03:43,800 --> 00:03:48,119 but there's no other way to get there than finding more opal. 67 00:03:50,240 --> 00:03:52,519 Well, I've had a bit of an idea come to me, Les. 68 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:55,119 Yeah? Now, I don't know 69 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:57,719 whether you remember, Brian had that claim down there 70 00:03:57,800 --> 00:03:59,799 that you called it The Maze. Yeah. 71 00:03:59,880 --> 00:04:02,119 Well, he got over a million dollars out of that. 72 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:04,959 And when he retired... ..he told me 73 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:07,999 there was money still in the columns down there, 74 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:10,919 that the columns are a bit dodgy taking it out 75 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:12,959 cos the roof down there is not real good. 76 00:04:13,040 --> 00:04:16,399 How dangerous is this mine? We can go there and have a look. 77 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:18,479 Oh, yeah. 78 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:22,799 Eight kilometres from their Bondi mine lies The Maze, 79 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:25,639 abandoned by a retired Lightning Ridge miner... 80 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:29,639 No wonder he called this The Maze. There's drives down in every direction. Yeah. 81 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:32,439 ..a labyrinth of hundreds of metres of tunnels 82 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:35,519 held up only by unstable columns of rock. 83 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:39,039 This is where he told me, I'm pretty sure, Les, 84 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:41,719 cos he said there's paint on the two columns. 85 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:44,679 I'd really like to take these out. 86 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:48,039 I reckon there's money in them. There might be, but I don't know. 87 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:50,239 You can only take out a certain amount of dirt. 88 00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:53,639 You have to leave columns in there to hold the roof up. 89 00:04:54,880 --> 00:04:57,199 You can go pillar bashing, which is just that. 90 00:04:57,280 --> 00:05:00,799 You're gonna go in with a jackhammer and take the pillar out. 91 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:04,519 Before you do that, you've gotta put props all the way around it 92 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:07,359 so the roof has still got some support. 93 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:10,159 We put a double row of props here, 94 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:13,119 then one row of props, say, here. 95 00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:15,919 I think we can make it safe, Les. I really do. 96 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:18,479 We might take them out for money. And the -ing roof 97 00:05:18,560 --> 00:05:20,599 could fall in on us. Well, it could. 98 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:23,439 Yeah. I'm not crazy about knocking the pillars out. 99 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:25,559 That's not worth dying for a few bucks. 100 00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:28,399 If it falls in on top of you, you can't spend any of it. 101 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:32,039 Put a plaque up top, "He was stupid and he's still here." 102 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:34,239 So, you're in? Uh... 103 00:05:40,840 --> 00:05:43,359 500km to the south west... 104 00:05:46,840 --> 00:05:49,759 CARL: I'm just shovelling and shovelling and shovelling. 105 00:05:53,040 --> 00:05:57,119 The task at hand at the moment is to dig down another two or three feet 106 00:05:57,200 --> 00:05:59,679 before I can start to make any progress forwards 107 00:05:59,760 --> 00:06:02,639 towards the face to really chase the opal. 108 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:04,919 It's a big task to be doing on your own 109 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:08,079 with just a shovel at the moment. 110 00:06:08,160 --> 00:06:12,199 ..school teacher Carl Grice and jewellery maker Mary McMillan 111 00:06:12,280 --> 00:06:14,959 have sold up their home and most of their belongings 112 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:18,919 and travelled 3,000km to seek an opal fortune 113 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:21,039 in the remote town of White Cliffs. 114 00:06:21,120 --> 00:06:23,999 Population, 148. 115 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:28,079 There's no safety net for us. We haven't got a home waiting for us to come back to 116 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:30,799 if all this fails. Everything we own is now in an RV. 117 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:33,479 The last of the rookie miners' savings have gone 118 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:36,199 towards $3,000 worth of equipment 119 00:06:36,280 --> 00:06:39,359 and a lease on a 120-year-old mine, 120 00:06:39,440 --> 00:06:41,439 hunting for crystal opal 121 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:44,159 worth up to $5,000 a carat. 122 00:06:44,240 --> 00:06:46,879 My profession has been a teacher, so, really, 123 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:49,759 most my adult life, I've been in the classroom 124 00:06:49,840 --> 00:06:51,959 rather than on the tools. 125 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:55,759 Mary's in the workshop making jewellery. 126 00:06:55,840 --> 00:06:59,279 And the idea is that I find the opal and cut it and Mary sets it. 127 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:03,359 Carls' been busy digging, digging, digging, digging. 128 00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:06,159 We've left a lot of kind of conventional living behind. 129 00:07:06,240 --> 00:07:09,559 I'm really pleased we've done that because we love this lifestyle. 130 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:13,679 But obviously, I need to have opal to create jewellery. 131 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:17,159 I'm working all the hours that I possibly can. 132 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:19,719 I'm down there straight after I finish my breakfast, 133 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:22,799 and I'm coming out when it's dark. This is really hard work 134 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:25,719 cos with the sole tipper, I'm continually shovelling, 135 00:07:25,800 --> 00:07:27,799 the time it takes to tip and come down, 136 00:07:27,880 --> 00:07:30,479 I've shovelled two buckets, they go in, and I'm shovelling again, 137 00:07:30,560 --> 00:07:33,079 so, yeah, there's only breaks when you take them. 138 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:35,599 With limited experience and equipment, 139 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:39,679 the Poms have barely dented their $100,000 season target. 140 00:07:39,760 --> 00:07:42,119 I'm at a bit of a turning point at the moment 141 00:07:42,200 --> 00:07:45,719 because this drive here, which has already been begun, 142 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:49,079 it's half full of all this backfill. So it's gonna take me at least a couple of weeks 143 00:07:49,160 --> 00:07:52,759 to get all this backfill out before I can continue it to get opal. 144 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:58,079 But this here, I could start attacking this with a jackhammer, 145 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:01,279 and straightaway, there's a chance there could be opal there. 146 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:04,879 Funds are running low. We need to be finding opal and making a bit of money 147 00:08:04,960 --> 00:08:07,359 because there is no plan B for us at the moment. 148 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:13,399 I was a bit apprehensive going down the mine for the first time, 149 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:15,479 didn't really know what to expect. 150 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:18,199 Welcome. Welcome to our mine. Ooh! 151 00:08:18,280 --> 00:08:20,599 This is cool. 152 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:23,679 What I'd like to do is go through here and create our own drive. 153 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:26,719 Yeah. What do you think? It's bloody exciting. Yeah. 154 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:29,159 So I can see ash band. 155 00:08:29,240 --> 00:08:31,279 Ah, well spotted. Yeah. 156 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:34,479 We've been told there's been a lot of opal found around ash bands. 157 00:08:34,560 --> 00:08:37,519 We're in the right place. We could be finding opal any moment. 158 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:39,679 Wow. 159 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:43,999 Ash bands are formed by volcanic eruptions millions of years ago. 160 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:46,119 The ash is rich in silica, 161 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:48,839 the primary mineral that creates opal. 162 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:52,879 Next step, jackhammer. 163 00:08:53,960 --> 00:08:56,639 This is virgin ground, no-one's ever been in here before. 164 00:08:57,920 --> 00:09:01,039 Ten minutes from now, we could have a million dollars. Who knows? 165 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:14,119 All right, just watch your branches. Straighten up. 166 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:19,199 Am I gonna get past that ladder? Yeah, the ladder's all right. 167 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:22,039 It's more your mirror on the tree that I'm worried about. 168 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:28,959 In Lightning Ridge, outback New South Wales, 169 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:31,199 Pete Cook and apprentice, Sam Westra... 170 00:09:31,280 --> 00:09:33,359 Over that way, if you can. 171 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:37,559 ..are one arm down in the fight to rescue their season. 172 00:09:37,640 --> 00:09:40,799 I'm frustrated as hell. I don't like getting wounded. 173 00:09:40,880 --> 00:09:42,879 It slows the whole show down. 174 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:44,959 It's uncomfortable, it's painful, 175 00:09:45,040 --> 00:09:47,039 and I'm not doing my bit. 176 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:51,079 Pete has severe tendon damage in his shoulder 177 00:09:51,160 --> 00:09:53,159 after an epic effort to get 178 00:09:53,240 --> 00:09:56,239 their one-tonne digger into the Allawah claim. 179 00:09:56,320 --> 00:10:00,239 With me arm out of action, I can't go up and down these ladders. 180 00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:03,839 I'd rather be down there underground, showing him how to drive the digger. 181 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:06,879 If you're not careful with it, it can be a bit unpredictable 182 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:08,959 when you're working the levers. 183 00:10:09,040 --> 00:10:11,759 Now he's just got to try and figure it out himself. 184 00:10:11,840 --> 00:10:14,079 So those two are your legs. Right, yeah. 185 00:10:14,160 --> 00:10:16,839 They put the feet down. Yeah. And then, erm, 186 00:10:16,920 --> 00:10:18,919 that one's your roof ramp. Yeah. 187 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:21,239 If it falls over, make sure you're not under it. 188 00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:25,159 The digger is now Sam and Pete's best bet 189 00:10:25,240 --> 00:10:27,999 for reaching their $50,000 target, 190 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:30,799 hunting the most valuable of the rainbow gem: 191 00:10:30,880 --> 00:10:32,879 black opal. 192 00:10:34,280 --> 00:10:36,839 I'm in Lightning Ridge to find opal. 193 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:38,919 I'm putting a lot of work in. 194 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:41,479 We go to work eight to five every day. 195 00:10:41,560 --> 00:10:44,479 Don't have too much to show for it, that's for sure. 196 00:10:44,560 --> 00:10:46,559 To make ends meet, 197 00:10:46,640 --> 00:10:49,639 Sam has taken a second job at the local pub. 198 00:10:49,720 --> 00:10:52,319 Now I've got to work 16 hours a day, every day, 199 00:10:52,400 --> 00:10:56,119 and at the end the day, I could be earning more money doing something else. 200 00:10:56,200 --> 00:10:58,239 I'll have one of that. No worries. 201 00:10:58,320 --> 00:11:01,119 If we don't find opal at the end of this season, 202 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:06,079 I'd be a bit, you know, questioning my choices in a way, I suppose. 203 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:09,839 I've now got someone else to think about, too. 204 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:12,439 My girlfriend, she supports me 205 00:11:12,520 --> 00:11:14,839 doing opal mining at this stage. 206 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:17,999 But because I still work every night, 207 00:11:18,080 --> 00:11:20,719 it puts strains on our relationship. 208 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:24,799 We only see each other half an hour for lunch, half an hour for dinner. 209 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:28,679 And then, one day a week on a Saturday, that's it. 210 00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:31,799 Really putting a lot into opal mining, 211 00:11:31,880 --> 00:11:35,079 so, erm, hopefully, it can give something back. 212 00:11:39,880 --> 00:11:41,999 I suppose I'm a bit nervous about the digger. 213 00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:44,479 Erm, I've never used one before. 214 00:11:44,560 --> 00:11:47,999 They're just not real well-designed, and they're dangerous. 215 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:53,559 I'm a bit concerned. I'd much rather be down there with him, 216 00:11:53,640 --> 00:11:55,679 showing him how to do it, 217 00:11:55,760 --> 00:11:58,039 but I can't be there to hold his hand. 218 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:00,239 He'll just have to go down there and do it. 219 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:05,079 It has been a long time coming to finally get set up digging dirt. 220 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:11,399 It's the start of us being able to come out here and mine, 221 00:12:11,480 --> 00:12:14,439 you know, properly, conventionally, with a digger 222 00:12:14,520 --> 00:12:16,639 and a bit quicker and, yeah, 223 00:12:16,720 --> 00:12:18,759 hopefully pull out quite a bit of dirt. 224 00:12:18,840 --> 00:12:22,039 The more dirt you move, the bigger chance you've got of finding opal. 225 00:12:23,520 --> 00:12:27,679 But this digger's very precarious to move. 226 00:12:27,760 --> 00:12:30,559 If you fall back and grab a hold of the levers 227 00:12:30,640 --> 00:12:32,719 it can pin you up against the wall. 228 00:12:34,280 --> 00:12:36,559 Just gotta be really careful. 229 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:39,119 You've got to be stable on your feet 230 00:12:39,200 --> 00:12:41,399 and make sure you've got a good floor. 231 00:12:41,480 --> 00:12:44,719 Cos, yeah, this whole thing could come back and just crush me. 232 00:12:56,520 --> 00:12:58,519 You OK? 233 00:13:06,640 --> 00:13:09,319 CARL: It's been continuous digging and carrying 234 00:13:09,400 --> 00:13:11,959 and lifting and jackhammering. 235 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:15,359 It's getting to the point where we need some kind of breakthrough. 236 00:13:15,440 --> 00:13:18,199 Even a little bit of colour would just give me the energy, 237 00:13:18,280 --> 00:13:20,279 I think, to keep going. 238 00:13:22,840 --> 00:13:25,919 I'm probably pushing myself to my absolute limits right now. 239 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:29,119 I haven't had a day off since we arrived here. 240 00:13:29,200 --> 00:13:32,279 But we are living our dream. 241 00:13:32,360 --> 00:13:34,679 The last piece of that dream is finding the opal. 242 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:40,919 While Carl still dreams of finding their first opal underground, 243 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:43,919 Mary's expertise as a jeweller is being wasted. 244 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:48,199 Carl's done a huge amount of digging, but we haven't found any trace of opal at all. 245 00:13:48,280 --> 00:13:50,759 We're just keeping our fingers crossed every day 246 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:52,839 and really trying to stay positive. 247 00:13:52,920 --> 00:13:55,919 It's a very physical game, erm, hunting for opal, 248 00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:59,679 and Carl is very much one to go in all guns blazing. 249 00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:04,079 It's very easy to see how people can become obsessed with this. 250 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:06,719 I'm probably part way there myself... 251 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:09,959 because literally, as soon as I jump out of bed in the morning, 252 00:14:10,040 --> 00:14:12,439 I just want to be down here and digging. 253 00:14:12,520 --> 00:14:15,039 I will dig until I physically can't any more. 254 00:14:24,160 --> 00:14:27,679 Shattered, absolutely shattered. 255 00:14:27,760 --> 00:14:30,159 Barely have enough energy to climb up the ladder. 256 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:35,159 We're spending money faster than we're making it at the moment. 257 00:14:35,240 --> 00:14:37,639 I think it's a case of all hands on deck right now, 258 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:39,959 so Mary's gonna come down and give me a hand. 259 00:14:40,040 --> 00:14:43,519 I'm not used to lifting a 15kg bucket. 260 00:14:43,600 --> 00:14:46,199 So, it's gonna be quite hard work going down there. 261 00:14:48,880 --> 00:14:50,879 I'll be going here with the jackhammer, 262 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:53,879 and all the loose stuff will fall down here. 263 00:14:56,560 --> 00:14:59,399 You start clearing some of that. Just mind this cable, darling. 264 00:15:01,400 --> 00:15:05,679 Mary's job is to move the rubble to allow Carl access to the wall 265 00:15:05,760 --> 00:15:07,799 that shows signs of volcanic ash, 266 00:15:07,880 --> 00:15:10,879 a silica-rich material that can form opal. 267 00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:13,759 It's bloody hard work. I don't know how Carl 268 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:16,039 has energy to do it for so long. 269 00:15:16,120 --> 00:15:19,199 I find it hard to stay enthusiastic 270 00:15:19,280 --> 00:15:21,839 when you're just digging through dirt, dirt, dirt. 271 00:15:21,920 --> 00:15:24,559 There's no sign of anything. Hard rock there. 272 00:15:24,640 --> 00:15:26,799 Carl's keeping me going at the moment. 273 00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:30,439 He's just like a tunnelling mole. 274 00:15:33,600 --> 00:15:35,599 He just can't stop. 275 00:15:37,840 --> 00:15:39,999 Hey, Mary, look at this. What is that? 276 00:15:40,080 --> 00:15:42,719 It looks like a really, really thin fault line. 277 00:15:42,800 --> 00:15:45,999 Can you see? It's coming down. You can see it. Yes, quite clear. 278 00:15:46,080 --> 00:15:48,959 This is exactly what we want. This is a vertical fault line. 279 00:15:49,040 --> 00:15:51,879 Cos if this goes all the way to the surface... Yeah. 280 00:15:51,960 --> 00:15:54,599 ..that's the crack that the water can come through. 281 00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:57,759 As it goes through the sand, it picks up the silica... Yeah. 282 00:15:57,840 --> 00:16:00,719 ..and then, if it hits something like this level... Yeah. 283 00:16:00,800 --> 00:16:04,079 ..which is harder, it can pool out, and over millions of years, 284 00:16:04,160 --> 00:16:07,039 the water disappears, leaves the silica, which is opal. 285 00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:09,199 So, this is a really good sign. Oh, wow. 286 00:16:09,280 --> 00:16:11,359 And it's the first one I've seen since we've come down here. 287 00:16:11,440 --> 00:16:14,759 Oh, that's well exciting. OK, get on with it, then. Come on. 288 00:16:18,480 --> 00:16:20,559 Carl hasn't found any fault line 289 00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:23,039 since he's been digging all this seven meters. 290 00:16:23,120 --> 00:16:26,519 Erm, so, it's a really exciting find for us 291 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:29,959 because where there's fault lines, potentially, there could be opal. 292 00:16:47,680 --> 00:16:50,679 Oh, , Mary. What? Look at this. 293 00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:54,239 What is it? Does that look like colour? 294 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:56,399 Oh, my God. Oh, my God. 295 00:16:57,840 --> 00:16:59,999 Oh, my God, look. 296 00:17:00,080 --> 00:17:02,879 What? What? 297 00:17:02,960 --> 00:17:05,719 It's green. Look at that colour! Wow, I'm speechless. 298 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:10,159 And there's more, Mary. There's a bit of green there as well, to the left. 299 00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:13,199 Oh, my God. 300 00:17:13,280 --> 00:17:16,479 Wow, Carl. We found our first opal! I know. 301 00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:19,399 Proper, proper, you know, underground. 302 00:17:19,480 --> 00:17:21,879 I know. I can't believe it. 303 00:17:21,960 --> 00:17:23,959 I'm not sure what to do now. Is there any more? 304 00:17:24,040 --> 00:17:26,399 I was literally just about to plant my jackhammer 305 00:17:26,480 --> 00:17:29,479 and something green just winked at me just at the last second. 306 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:32,559 It'd be cool to clean these up and see what they look like. 307 00:17:32,640 --> 00:17:34,799 I couldn't quite believe it when Carl was like, "Mary, what's that?@ 308 00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:36,879 You know, "I think there's something here." 309 00:17:36,960 --> 00:17:38,959 I just thought, you know, this is crazy. 310 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:42,999 I've been smashing at that wall and shifting dirt for weeks, 311 00:17:43,080 --> 00:17:47,319 so to have something wink at you out of that was just fantastic. 312 00:17:47,400 --> 00:17:49,639 Let's go. OK. 313 00:18:01,480 --> 00:18:03,479 I think there's money in these columns... 314 00:18:04,560 --> 00:18:08,279 ..and I think if we prop it the right way, it'll be safe enough. 315 00:18:08,360 --> 00:18:10,519 In the labyrinth of the Maze mine, 316 00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:13,039 Rod's trying to convince partner Les 317 00:18:13,120 --> 00:18:16,679 to dig out the columns of rock that hold up the roof. 318 00:18:16,760 --> 00:18:19,599 Just say we took these two out... Yeah, if you took them all away, 319 00:18:19,680 --> 00:18:21,679 what have you got here? A football field? 320 00:18:21,760 --> 00:18:24,199 Yeah, I know, but... Well, OK. 321 00:18:24,280 --> 00:18:27,199 Look, we've got a good haul out of the last one. 322 00:18:27,280 --> 00:18:30,079 Why not sit it out for a while? Nah, stuff that. 323 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:32,679 The way I figure it out, we're about... 324 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:35,719 ..80 percent safe. 325 00:18:35,800 --> 00:18:39,079 I reckon it's good odds. 326 00:18:39,160 --> 00:18:42,359 If I don't come down and help, you'll do it on your own, won't you? 327 00:18:42,440 --> 00:18:45,239 Yeah, and I'll get all the money on me own too. 328 00:18:45,320 --> 00:18:47,319 So, you're in? 329 00:18:47,400 --> 00:18:49,399 Good on you, Mate. Well done. 330 00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:52,279 OK, we're doing it. You beauty. 331 00:18:52,360 --> 00:18:54,439 Rod's promise to wife Amanda, 332 00:18:54,520 --> 00:18:57,599 to visit their pregnant daughter 700km away, 333 00:18:57,680 --> 00:19:00,999 relies on him finding opal to pay for the trip. 334 00:19:01,080 --> 00:19:04,639 She'll be devastated if I have to go home and tell her that we're not going. 335 00:19:04,720 --> 00:19:07,559 And I'm not gonna do it. I'm gonna make it happen. 336 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:09,999 OK, drop 'em. 337 00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:12,199 Righto, here it comes. 338 00:19:14,920 --> 00:19:18,159 Rod, he knows the consequences if things go wrong. 339 00:19:20,560 --> 00:19:23,719 The only way to be safe down there when you're doing that 340 00:19:23,800 --> 00:19:25,839 is to prop it properly. 341 00:19:28,120 --> 00:19:31,399 A reasonable size lump of timber could be eight foot long. 342 00:19:31,480 --> 00:19:33,959 Cap it top and bottom, drive wedges in 343 00:19:34,040 --> 00:19:36,519 so it's tight up against the roof. 344 00:19:36,600 --> 00:19:38,799 Here, give us another one. 345 00:19:38,880 --> 00:19:40,999 You put enough of them in, 346 00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:43,479 it'll be good enough then to take the pillars out. 347 00:19:49,080 --> 00:19:51,519 It should hold the roof. 348 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:54,199 So we'll be able to start jackhammering, eh? 349 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:03,679 Orange sandstone, and that's as hard as the hobs of hell. 350 00:20:03,760 --> 00:20:06,159 A little jackhammer won't bust through it. 351 00:20:06,240 --> 00:20:08,679 You need something 60, 70lb. 352 00:20:11,520 --> 00:20:14,439 After being hanging on to it for a bloody hour or two in there... 353 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:18,039 ..it gets heavy, and you wish you'd never seen one. 354 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:22,999 Ah! Jesus, Les. 355 00:20:23,080 --> 00:20:26,439 I don't know how long I can do that. That's so bloody hard. 356 00:20:26,520 --> 00:20:28,519 I've got colour up here. 357 00:20:28,600 --> 00:20:31,159 Have a look at this. It's nice colour. 358 00:20:31,240 --> 00:20:33,239 But Jesus Christ, this is so hard, mate. 359 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:36,039 I don't think I'm gonna be able to take all this out. 360 00:20:36,120 --> 00:20:38,679 And I bloody know you're not gonna be able to do it. 361 00:20:52,360 --> 00:20:55,519 OK? What's this button do? 362 00:20:55,600 --> 00:20:58,919 Oi! 363 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:02,879 Of course you're nervous when you're operating new machinery. 364 00:21:02,960 --> 00:21:06,279 Obviously, probably jumped into things a bit quick. 365 00:21:06,360 --> 00:21:09,639 I've heard of a lot of blokes getting pinned up against walls. 366 00:21:11,600 --> 00:21:14,759 We heard of another bloke, I think he broke his arm. 367 00:21:14,840 --> 00:21:17,639 For rookie Sam, Pete's shoulder injury means 368 00:21:17,720 --> 00:21:20,319 he's operating the dangerous digger alone 369 00:21:20,400 --> 00:21:22,399 for the very first time. 370 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:31,559 I'd really like to see some money come out of Allawah. 371 00:21:31,640 --> 00:21:34,439 That'd just be great. 372 00:21:34,520 --> 00:21:36,599 You do think about it sometimes. 373 00:21:36,680 --> 00:21:38,679 I'm just sitting still, 374 00:21:38,760 --> 00:21:41,759 and everyone is sort of moving forward with their lives. 375 00:21:43,080 --> 00:21:46,239 To ensure the one-tonne digger doesn't topple over, 376 00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:51,359 Sam needs to secure it to the roof with a hydraulic post called a ram. 377 00:21:51,440 --> 00:21:54,399 The roof here isn't really well-defined. 378 00:21:54,480 --> 00:21:58,559 It can just be too soft, and when you go to work it, it can move. 379 00:21:58,640 --> 00:22:00,639 And when it moves, 380 00:22:00,720 --> 00:22:04,399 it'll rain down clods of sandstone and oval dirt on you. 381 00:22:07,320 --> 00:22:09,319 I was a little bit nervous. 382 00:22:09,400 --> 00:22:11,759 There's bound to be rocks coming down. 383 00:22:16,760 --> 00:22:20,279 Just gotta make sure you wear your hard hat and stay out of the way. 384 00:22:22,360 --> 00:22:25,479 Once I've got going, once I've worked out what lever did what, 385 00:22:25,560 --> 00:22:27,599 we dug some dirt. 386 00:22:27,680 --> 00:22:30,959 With that digger I could knock down in one swipe, 387 00:22:31,040 --> 00:22:34,599 and that was taking me an hour with the jackhammer. 388 00:22:35,760 --> 00:22:38,719 Pete, I'm sending the first bucket up! 389 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:40,799 Yep. 390 00:22:45,080 --> 00:22:47,079 Oh, he's getting the hang of it now. 391 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:50,679 He'll start pulling a few buckets of dirt and hope we'll get a truckload. 392 00:22:57,280 --> 00:23:01,719 Just so I can remember how many buckets go in, keeping track on how it's going. 393 00:23:03,040 --> 00:23:05,719 But with Sam due at his second job at the pub, 394 00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:08,799 this shift must be cut short. 395 00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:10,879 Oh, I got to get to work. 396 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:13,639 So, that's the last hoist bucket for the day. 397 00:23:15,160 --> 00:23:17,159 The digger is bit of a thing to move. 398 00:23:17,240 --> 00:23:20,519 It will take a bit to get used to. 399 00:23:20,600 --> 00:23:22,599 But that's all right. 400 00:23:22,680 --> 00:23:25,999 We got some dirt out today, and we'll go up and call it a day. 401 00:23:28,400 --> 00:23:31,679 All right, mate, so there's a bit of a load in. Yeah. 402 00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:35,399 Good old Allawah dirt, mate, you dug yourself. That's it. Yeah. 403 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:39,319 If there is anything in it, it'll make all the hard work worth it. 404 00:23:49,800 --> 00:23:52,639 There's colour there. There's very nice colours just there. 405 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:56,399 And it runs around to here, 406 00:23:56,480 --> 00:23:58,959 but it's bloody hard stuff and it is hard to get out. 407 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:04,239 In a desperate effort for quick cash, the Bushmen are undertaking 408 00:24:04,320 --> 00:24:08,359 a highly dangerous mining technique known as pillar bashing. 409 00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:11,159 If you run out of luck pillar bashing, that's it. 410 00:24:11,240 --> 00:24:13,399 They're gonna put a cross on top of the hole. 411 00:24:13,480 --> 00:24:17,719 They're digging for opal in stone columns, holding up the ceiling. 412 00:24:17,800 --> 00:24:20,919 Above them, 15m of solid rock. 413 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:23,399 You've got to keep your bloody wits about you. 414 00:24:23,480 --> 00:24:25,599 If you are not careful and go stupid, well... 415 00:24:25,680 --> 00:24:28,759 you'll probably will be buried down there and stay down there. 416 00:24:28,840 --> 00:24:30,839 To carve through the sandstone, 417 00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:34,839 they use jackhammers weighing 30kg apiece. 418 00:24:34,920 --> 00:24:37,919 These jackhammers are too heavy for us to lift up. 419 00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:40,879 It'll just bust us trying to hold the bloody things up. 420 00:24:42,360 --> 00:24:44,359 I could probably make something up 421 00:24:44,440 --> 00:24:48,239 to sit the jackhammer on, to hold it up there to take the weight. 422 00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:52,199 Well, that might be a good idea. Would you have stuff at your place? 423 00:24:52,280 --> 00:24:55,799 Oh, yeah, I'll be able to find something to do. Silly question. 424 00:24:57,720 --> 00:25:00,119 Well, we will have something lying around here. 425 00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:02,879 It's a matter of the finding the right piece, isn't it? 426 00:25:02,960 --> 00:25:05,399 In Les' scrapyard backyard, 427 00:25:05,480 --> 00:25:09,759 the Bushmen hope to find parts to create a prop for the jackhammers. 428 00:25:09,840 --> 00:25:12,279 It needs to be strong enough to hold the weight, 429 00:25:12,360 --> 00:25:16,439 but also adjustable to accommodate different digging heights. 430 00:25:16,520 --> 00:25:19,359 Let's see if I can find one of them old Ford jacks. 431 00:25:20,520 --> 00:25:23,399 I got one around here somewhere I've seen the other day. 432 00:25:24,440 --> 00:25:27,479 Here they are. Oh, yeah. 433 00:25:28,760 --> 00:25:32,159 She works, Les. That's a good idea. Yes. 434 00:25:32,240 --> 00:25:35,599 There's only one of these here. What else are you gonna use? 435 00:25:35,680 --> 00:25:37,679 I reckon... 436 00:25:37,760 --> 00:25:41,839 I'll try a Hills Hoist clothesline stem. 437 00:25:41,920 --> 00:25:43,959 Yeah, we can make that work. 438 00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:47,079 Lot of those bits and pieces lying around the place. 439 00:25:47,160 --> 00:25:51,999 People say it's only rubbish but rubbish comes handy at times. 440 00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:54,999 Cool, cool. 441 00:25:55,080 --> 00:25:58,359 Les is good value, you know? He's always got an idea or two 442 00:25:58,440 --> 00:26:00,919 on how to dodge things up. 443 00:26:02,120 --> 00:26:04,839 Let's see if this works, Les. Look at that. 444 00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:11,759 Hey, that's bloody fantastic, Les. 445 00:26:16,360 --> 00:26:19,399 All right. That works. 446 00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:28,479 It's taken all the weight off my shoulders. It's not easy. 447 00:26:28,560 --> 00:26:31,039 You're not carrying the bloody weight. 448 00:26:31,120 --> 00:26:34,599 Oh, it's good. Yeah, no, it's real good. This works well. 449 00:26:34,680 --> 00:26:37,279 But the more dirt they remove from the column, 450 00:26:37,360 --> 00:26:41,199 the more weight has to be taken up by their timber props. 451 00:26:46,960 --> 00:26:50,999 This is while I was jackhammering, and I was getting a fair bit of movement up there. 452 00:26:51,080 --> 00:26:53,079 It's starting to get a bit of weight on it. 453 00:26:54,400 --> 00:26:57,719 We got 50ft of bloody dirt on this roof. 454 00:26:57,800 --> 00:27:01,039 The more dirt we take out, the less support there is. 455 00:27:01,120 --> 00:27:03,639 So, the roof will start to sag. 456 00:27:03,720 --> 00:27:07,599 If it starts to sag, it'll crack and that's when they come down. 457 00:27:07,680 --> 00:27:09,679 So you just gotta keep an eye on it. 458 00:27:09,760 --> 00:27:12,359 Just see where it's just on the edge, it's starting to flare. 459 00:27:12,440 --> 00:27:15,359 I have developed a very hairline crack up here. 460 00:27:15,440 --> 00:27:18,519 Even a rock that big comes down straight on the head, 461 00:27:18,600 --> 00:27:21,159 it's got a chance of killing you, breaking your neck. 462 00:27:35,920 --> 00:27:38,759 SAM: If I'm finding opal, I'm moving forward. 463 00:27:38,840 --> 00:27:42,599 I'm saving for a house, I'm setting myself up for life. 464 00:27:42,680 --> 00:27:44,679 But if we're not finding anything, 465 00:27:44,760 --> 00:27:47,839 well, then, I'm just sitting stagnant. 466 00:27:47,920 --> 00:27:52,679 Money, money money. See if there's any gems. 467 00:27:52,760 --> 00:27:55,799 In Lightning Ridge, 20-year-old Sam 468 00:27:55,880 --> 00:27:58,959 desperately needs his load of freshly-dug sandstone 469 00:27:59,040 --> 00:28:01,759 to deliver opal. 470 00:28:01,840 --> 00:28:04,439 Nothing yet, mate. No. 471 00:28:06,280 --> 00:28:09,319 Oh, here's one. Ooh, that's got to be a colour in it, too. 472 00:28:09,400 --> 00:28:11,759 Look at that. We can see a bit of green. Yeah. 473 00:28:11,840 --> 00:28:14,799 It's a bit of orange. Look at this one, mate. 474 00:28:14,880 --> 00:28:18,599 He's tiny. Tiny but look at that pattern. 475 00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:21,439 Oh, right. Nice lines in there, innit? 476 00:28:21,520 --> 00:28:24,039 They're bright. Yeah. 477 00:28:24,120 --> 00:28:26,839 That's pretty rare. That's what they call Chinese writing. 478 00:28:26,920 --> 00:28:31,279 Bit like a Chinese pictogram. Yeah, righty-o. Yeah. 479 00:28:31,360 --> 00:28:34,039 Nice blue rolling flash across it too. Is it? 480 00:28:34,120 --> 00:28:36,919 A little bit of black. Yeah. 481 00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:38,999 Well short of their target, 482 00:28:39,080 --> 00:28:42,239 Pete and Sam need to get the maximum they can for this stone. 483 00:28:42,320 --> 00:28:45,239 And polishing the opal can triple its value. 484 00:28:45,320 --> 00:28:48,799 I'm not sure how I'm going to go one handed. Yep. 485 00:28:48,880 --> 00:28:53,039 How do you feel about giving that one a bit of a rub on the wheel? 486 00:28:53,120 --> 00:28:57,399 It might be up to you, mate. You're going to bang her on the wheel and spin it round. 487 00:28:57,480 --> 00:28:59,999 Let's see how we go. 488 00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:04,719 When you put the stone to the wheel, you can make mistakes on it. 489 00:29:04,800 --> 00:29:10,319 If you wreck a nice stone then, we'll be paying for it. 490 00:29:10,400 --> 00:29:13,559 Don't let me rub too much off. No, you'll be right. 491 00:29:13,640 --> 00:29:15,639 Let's go have a look. Yeah. 492 00:29:15,720 --> 00:29:20,519 Takes a lot of experience to become a good cutter, and I'm quite an inexperienced cutter. 493 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:24,439 Nice, gentle touch. Slow and steady. We don't make any mistakes. 494 00:29:27,680 --> 00:29:29,999 What do we do, just roll it a little? 495 00:29:30,080 --> 00:29:32,839 Just roll, just try to take that edge off, I reckon. 496 00:29:32,920 --> 00:29:35,479 It's a nice colour coming out. Yeah. 497 00:29:35,560 --> 00:29:37,559 A few blues and golds. 498 00:29:37,640 --> 00:29:40,639 Might just get a bit of the stone out of this one too. 499 00:29:48,240 --> 00:29:51,279 What do you reckon? I reckon that's pretty good. 500 00:29:53,080 --> 00:29:55,799 Yeah, it's come up all right. Yeah. 501 00:29:55,880 --> 00:29:59,959 So, I reckon we leave it like that, the buyer might decide to cut a bit more off it. 502 00:30:00,040 --> 00:30:02,159 There'd be four or five grand in that. 503 00:30:02,240 --> 00:30:05,799 Yeah. Now I reckon. Look at the colour in that. 504 00:30:05,880 --> 00:30:09,519 I'll bag that up and take it in, see what we can get for it. 505 00:30:09,600 --> 00:30:11,599 Yes. 506 00:30:11,680 --> 00:30:14,359 Sam and Pete have two cut stones. 507 00:30:14,440 --> 00:30:16,599 The first is crystal opal, 508 00:30:16,680 --> 00:30:19,719 predominantly blue green with flashes of red and yellow. 509 00:30:19,800 --> 00:30:23,159 weighing 10.5 carats or 2.1g. 510 00:30:23,240 --> 00:30:27,199 They hope to sell it for at least $5,000. 511 00:30:27,280 --> 00:30:29,279 The second stone is a black opal 512 00:30:29,360 --> 00:30:32,239 with green and blue patterning called Chinese writing. 513 00:30:32,320 --> 00:30:35,359 It weighs only one carat, 0.2 of a gram 514 00:30:35,440 --> 00:30:39,119 with a potential value of $500. 515 00:30:39,200 --> 00:30:42,959 We'll go get some cash from these opal, eh? That'd be good. 516 00:30:49,280 --> 00:30:52,759 Mary's entrusted me with our entire opal find, 517 00:30:52,840 --> 00:30:56,079 to go into town and meet a lady called Linda, 518 00:30:56,160 --> 00:31:00,199 who knows a thing or two about white crystal opal, and definitely about how to cut it. 519 00:31:00,280 --> 00:31:02,799 Money's drying up quicker than it's coming in. 520 00:31:02,880 --> 00:31:06,679 So it's up to me to try and cut something good enough to make some from today. 521 00:31:09,480 --> 00:31:13,199 We've found a little bit. OK. Interested to see what you think of it. 522 00:31:13,280 --> 00:31:17,919 With ten years' experience, Linda George has offered to guide 523 00:31:18,000 --> 00:31:20,159 rookie Carl in the art of cutting opal. 524 00:31:20,240 --> 00:31:22,839 I was quite nervous. We only had one really good stone. 525 00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:27,439 This is the one to start with. That's my favourite piece as well. Yeah. 526 00:31:27,520 --> 00:31:31,159 One mistake and I could wipe out our best stone in the parcel. 527 00:31:31,240 --> 00:31:33,639 What I want you to do is just hold it very gently 528 00:31:33,720 --> 00:31:36,319 against the wheel there and move it around. 529 00:31:36,400 --> 00:31:39,119 But not so much like that. 530 00:31:39,200 --> 00:31:41,639 More like, put it on there flat... 531 00:31:41,720 --> 00:31:43,919 Oh, OK. ..and move it around like that. 532 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:47,439 Yeah. We're just removing that surface, the clay and staining... 533 00:31:47,520 --> 00:31:51,319 OK. ..so that we can see what the colour is underneath. 534 00:31:51,400 --> 00:31:54,039 Keep moving it. All right. Always moving, moving. 535 00:31:54,120 --> 00:31:56,799 Move it around. Yep. 536 00:31:56,880 --> 00:31:59,719 Keep checking. You don't wanna go too far. 537 00:32:00,800 --> 00:32:03,479 Go too hard in the beginning and then you have lost it. 538 00:32:03,560 --> 00:32:06,439 We have done a lot of digging to find this. That's right. 539 00:32:06,520 --> 00:32:09,759 We don't want to lose it. No. 540 00:32:12,200 --> 00:32:15,759 Let's have a look at that one. I think you've probably almost done it. 541 00:32:15,840 --> 00:32:21,319 With the clay and staining removed, it's time for evaluation. 542 00:32:21,400 --> 00:32:24,759 It's blue, green. There's a little bit of yellow. Yeah. 543 00:32:24,840 --> 00:32:28,439 It's what we call sheeny. OK. Sheeny isn't worth as much. 544 00:32:28,520 --> 00:32:31,119 But it is pretty. So I'm gonna say $200 a carat. 545 00:32:31,200 --> 00:32:36,799 So, we put that on the scales. And it's 5.45. 546 00:32:36,880 --> 00:32:40,519 And my estimation is that it's worth about $200 a carat, 547 00:32:40,600 --> 00:32:42,599 which brings it to $1,090. 548 00:32:42,680 --> 00:32:45,679 Wow. That much. That's quite a valuable stone. 549 00:32:45,760 --> 00:32:47,839 That is. That's a very good first find. 550 00:32:51,160 --> 00:32:53,519 How are you doing, love? Hello, hello, hello. 551 00:32:53,600 --> 00:32:56,319 I've got something to show you. Have you? Yeah. 552 00:32:56,400 --> 00:32:58,599 Have a look at this. Yeah. 553 00:32:58,680 --> 00:33:02,319 What do you think? That really came out like of that? Yeah. 554 00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:06,039 What we found? Yeah. That came out of our mine. Wow. I know. 555 00:33:06,120 --> 00:33:10,479 That is a really nice ring stone. It's a beautiful ring stone. Yeah. 556 00:33:10,560 --> 00:33:14,239 Mary will now have to call on her expertise as a jeweller 557 00:33:14,320 --> 00:33:17,199 to turn the opal into something they can sell. 558 00:33:17,280 --> 00:33:19,279 So the first step of the process 559 00:33:19,360 --> 00:33:22,119 is to make the bezel to go around the opal. 560 00:33:23,800 --> 00:33:25,839 This is one of my favourite parts 561 00:33:25,920 --> 00:33:29,879 I'm gonna form the bezel around the stone. 562 00:33:29,960 --> 00:33:33,599 I like this part because it's kind of different with each opal 563 00:33:33,680 --> 00:33:36,799 but especially because I like to use free form opals. 564 00:33:36,880 --> 00:33:41,079 You're really just reading the stone and reading the metal and just trying to, obviously, 565 00:33:41,160 --> 00:33:46,039 make them marry up so that they sit as closely together as possible. 566 00:33:47,360 --> 00:33:49,359 When you're wearing it, you know, 567 00:33:49,440 --> 00:33:52,439 knocking your hands, if it's a ring especially. 568 00:33:52,520 --> 00:33:57,079 Bezels are just nice and smooth and comfortable to wear as well. 569 00:34:03,320 --> 00:34:05,359 Are you there? 570 00:34:06,680 --> 00:34:11,119 Hiya, love, how are you getting on? Yeah, I'm finished. You wanna come up and have a look? 571 00:34:11,200 --> 00:34:13,599 OK, I'm on my way up. Bye. 572 00:34:13,680 --> 00:34:18,039 I'm really pleased with it. It's always a bit nerve racking seeing what he thinks of it, 573 00:34:18,120 --> 00:34:21,479 but I don't think he's realised that it turned out so well. 574 00:34:21,560 --> 00:34:24,639 So I'm excited to show him, yeah. 575 00:34:24,720 --> 00:34:26,879 Hey. Hello. How'd you get on with it? 576 00:34:28,680 --> 00:34:30,919 What do you think? 577 00:34:31,000 --> 00:34:33,359 Oh, wow, that is gorgeous. 578 00:34:33,440 --> 00:34:36,479 Do you like it? Yeah, I really like it. Are you pleased? 579 00:34:36,560 --> 00:34:39,399 Yeah. I am actually. Yeah, it's stunning, Mary. 580 00:34:39,480 --> 00:34:43,439 Mary's ring features a crystal opal, blue green in colour. 581 00:34:43,520 --> 00:34:46,279 It weighs 5.45 carats. 582 00:34:46,360 --> 00:34:50,359 Set in silver, it has an estimated value of $1,400, 583 00:34:50,440 --> 00:34:54,159 bringing their season total to $7,900. 584 00:34:54,240 --> 00:34:58,679 It's a really special gem stone cos it's the first opal that we've found since we were mining 585 00:34:58,760 --> 00:35:01,479 in White Cliffs, and it's really spurred us on to keep going 586 00:35:01,560 --> 00:35:04,279 and believe in ourselves and know that we can do it. 587 00:35:04,360 --> 00:35:08,199 More than the money, just to boost in morale is absolutely priceless for us 588 00:35:08,280 --> 00:35:12,239 cos now I just want to get down there more than ever and find the rest of the stuff. 589 00:35:18,160 --> 00:35:20,159 SAM: I'd really like to see some money. 590 00:35:20,240 --> 00:35:23,679 That'd be just been great to keep everything ticking along. 591 00:35:25,000 --> 00:35:27,399 Yeah, come in. Paul. How you going? Good. 592 00:35:27,480 --> 00:35:29,479 In Lightning Ridge, 593 00:35:29,560 --> 00:35:32,839 Sam and Pete are meeting prominent buyer Paul Sedawie. 594 00:35:32,920 --> 00:35:35,519 They're hoping to get $5,500 595 00:35:35,600 --> 00:35:37,599 for their two stones. 596 00:35:37,680 --> 00:35:40,759 He doesn't undersell his opal. He knows how hard it is, 597 00:35:40,840 --> 00:35:45,039 so you can't knock someone for being a bit over the top. He pushes it to a limit. 598 00:35:45,120 --> 00:35:47,559 That's the king stone there. 599 00:35:47,640 --> 00:35:51,159 There's ten-and-a-half carats in there. Yes. 600 00:35:51,240 --> 00:35:54,319 The stone's got to sell itself. I can't really sell it. 601 00:35:54,400 --> 00:35:57,719 It's gotta stand on its own merits, you know. 602 00:35:57,800 --> 00:36:02,039 A couple of a little bit of sand spots in the middle there. But she is not too bad. 603 00:36:02,120 --> 00:36:04,119 What sort of money do you have on it? 604 00:36:04,200 --> 00:36:06,599 I reckon 1,000 a carat, Paul. 605 00:36:08,520 --> 00:36:11,239 Mm, it's a nice stone. It's a pretty stone. 606 00:36:11,320 --> 00:36:14,999 But I think it may be a little bit too high for me. 607 00:36:15,080 --> 00:36:18,559 I'd be interested in probably 600 a carat. 608 00:36:18,640 --> 00:36:20,919 600 a carat. Yeah. Yeah. 609 00:36:22,320 --> 00:36:24,319 We were talking, you know... 610 00:36:24,400 --> 00:36:27,759 6,000, slightly better than 6,000. 611 00:36:27,840 --> 00:36:29,839 And what you have on this other one? 612 00:36:29,920 --> 00:36:33,439 Well, this is a unique little stone with Chinese writing in the corner. 613 00:36:33,520 --> 00:36:35,519 Yeah. 614 00:36:36,880 --> 00:36:40,839 And I reckon that's worth a cool $1,000. 615 00:36:42,240 --> 00:36:44,799 It's unfortunately got a little chip on the bottom of it 616 00:36:44,880 --> 00:36:47,959 so it's not actually gonna cut a carat stone. 617 00:36:48,040 --> 00:36:50,719 I'd probably go 550 on it. 550? Yeah. 618 00:36:50,800 --> 00:36:54,999 So those two together, seven grand? 619 00:36:55,080 --> 00:36:57,919 Might be a bit too high. 65. 620 00:36:58,000 --> 00:37:00,759 I think 65 would pull me up. Yeah. Yeah. 621 00:37:03,440 --> 00:37:05,479 Yeah, it's a fair offer. 622 00:37:11,160 --> 00:37:13,959 Oh, well. I think we can do business with that. 623 00:37:14,040 --> 00:37:16,239 OK, cool. That's good. Done. Perfect. 624 00:37:16,320 --> 00:37:18,319 Thank you. Good on you. Happy days. 625 00:37:18,400 --> 00:37:20,399 It's a good result. 626 00:37:20,480 --> 00:37:22,999 $6,500 brings Pete and Sam's 627 00:37:23,080 --> 00:37:27,039 season total to $24,000. 628 00:37:27,120 --> 00:37:29,799 Yeah, I was really impressed with the bigger stone. 629 00:37:29,880 --> 00:37:33,759 It's a rich crystal. You see all this colour jumping out, it's dazzling. 630 00:37:33,840 --> 00:37:37,079 And it's just like a trick of nature to delight us. 631 00:37:37,160 --> 00:37:41,959 Oh, happy, happy enough. Yeah, that's fine. I mean, you've gotta come in a bit high anyway. 632 00:37:42,040 --> 00:37:44,279 And they usually knock you back a bit, 633 00:37:44,360 --> 00:37:47,399 but keep us going a bit longer. 634 00:37:47,480 --> 00:37:52,119 Yeah, I'm pretty happy with that. There's money in our pocket. It's good for me. 635 00:37:52,200 --> 00:37:55,919 Let's me keep on moving forward when we're actually making a bit of money, 636 00:37:56,000 --> 00:37:57,999 not just covering costs. 637 00:37:58,080 --> 00:38:00,439 So, yeah. Bit on the side, it's nice. 638 00:38:09,560 --> 00:38:12,559 You've got to remember how much dirt's above us, you know. 639 00:38:12,640 --> 00:38:16,199 And the more dirt you take out, the more weight's coming down on top of you. 640 00:38:16,280 --> 00:38:20,399 At the Maze mine, the Bushmen's heavy weight jackhammers are removing 641 00:38:20,480 --> 00:38:23,679 more rock from the pillars holding up the roof. 642 00:38:23,760 --> 00:38:26,279 This stuff's extremely hard. 643 00:38:26,360 --> 00:38:28,959 The opal is nowhere near as hard as it, 644 00:38:29,040 --> 00:38:31,159 so the weakest point in the opal. 645 00:38:31,240 --> 00:38:34,479 So it tends to fracture. 646 00:38:34,560 --> 00:38:39,359 Rod and Les need to be careful removing one shard of rock at a time. 647 00:38:42,280 --> 00:38:45,319 A single wrong move could destroy the opal 648 00:38:45,400 --> 00:38:49,159 or bury them both under thousands of tonnes of rock. 649 00:38:57,160 --> 00:39:00,879 Some nice bloody stuff starting to appear here, Les. 650 00:39:00,960 --> 00:39:04,119 Oh, yeah? Oh. You got a little bit? 651 00:39:04,200 --> 00:39:09,159 Oh, Les, come here. Oh, that looks good, mate. 652 00:39:09,240 --> 00:39:12,559 Look at this. Ooh, that's even better. 653 00:39:12,640 --> 00:39:16,239 That's bloody beautiful. That is. That's a nice piece of bloody rock. 654 00:39:16,320 --> 00:39:18,799 I've still got a bit of colour up there. 655 00:39:19,880 --> 00:39:23,719 Yeah. It's in the roof, Les. Get into the roof. I'm getting there. 656 00:39:23,800 --> 00:39:25,839 That's where it's at. 657 00:39:28,920 --> 00:39:31,879 Holy... Les! 658 00:39:31,960 --> 00:39:34,479 Holy... Man. Look at that. 659 00:39:37,360 --> 00:39:39,959 Ho-ho! 660 00:39:40,040 --> 00:39:42,839 Got a couple of bomb-bomb there. That's nice. 661 00:39:42,920 --> 00:39:46,759 We still got the whole bloody Mother Luck on our shoulder, mate. 662 00:39:46,840 --> 00:39:48,919 There it is. 663 00:39:51,360 --> 00:39:55,359 It's the end of that other piece. Look at the colour in that, Les. 664 00:39:57,480 --> 00:40:01,639 Ooh. That's nice. We're getting a nice parcel, Les. 665 00:40:01,720 --> 00:40:04,999 Beautiful, this is the best opal we've found in a while actually. 666 00:40:05,080 --> 00:40:07,519 That's the stuff dreams are made of. 667 00:40:07,600 --> 00:40:10,679 Oh, we might be in for a few dollars, Les. 668 00:40:10,760 --> 00:40:14,719 The Bushmen have found high quality black opal, 669 00:40:14,800 --> 00:40:17,759 blue green with flashes of yellow and red. 670 00:40:17,840 --> 00:40:23,159 They have 14g and are hoping it's worth $3,000 to $4,000. 671 00:40:25,440 --> 00:40:27,879 Well, we're in the big smoke now. 672 00:40:27,960 --> 00:40:30,119 Yeah, head to town. 673 00:40:30,200 --> 00:40:32,879 To find out how much their parcel is worth, 674 00:40:32,960 --> 00:40:37,359 Rod, Les and Amanda travel 70km to Lightning Ridge 675 00:40:37,440 --> 00:40:40,919 to visit the Miners Association Evaluation Service. 676 00:40:41,000 --> 00:40:44,079 Let's see what the verdict is gonna be on this one. 677 00:40:44,160 --> 00:40:46,599 Righto, hope it's a good one. 678 00:40:46,680 --> 00:40:51,079 I guess the reason why we're bringing it in is that we've found a bit of opal recently, 679 00:40:51,160 --> 00:40:53,479 but before that, it's been quite a long time. 680 00:40:53,560 --> 00:40:56,119 So we're a bit out of touch with what the prices are. 681 00:40:56,200 --> 00:41:00,319 You put them all in there. All these good ones will go in there. 682 00:41:00,400 --> 00:41:02,399 It's in our interest, I guess, 683 00:41:02,480 --> 00:41:06,959 to make sure that we're asking enough money for it. 684 00:41:07,040 --> 00:41:10,039 Chuck that filler in for good luck, eh? 685 00:41:10,120 --> 00:41:14,039 If we get three or four grand out of it, we've paid for pegging the client, 686 00:41:14,120 --> 00:41:18,439 we've paid for the repairs and we've got a little bit left for diesel. So we're in front. 687 00:41:18,520 --> 00:41:20,799 Money is also needed for Amanda 688 00:41:20,880 --> 00:41:25,479 to visit their pregnant daughter, 700km away on the coast. 689 00:41:25,560 --> 00:41:27,559 If I told Amanda that we couldn't go, 690 00:41:27,640 --> 00:41:31,679 she's gonna be terribly disappointed, and I don't want to disappoint her. 691 00:41:34,120 --> 00:41:38,599 The Miners Association is an impartial, voluntary panel of experts. 692 00:41:38,680 --> 00:41:43,599 Open just two hours a week, giving free valuations on opal. 693 00:41:43,680 --> 00:41:46,879 Well, what they doing in there is looking at our stones. 694 00:41:46,960 --> 00:41:51,199 They're trying to put the same price on them that a buyer would put on them. 695 00:41:51,280 --> 00:41:55,159 It's pretty bright. Little pattern in there. 696 00:41:55,240 --> 00:41:57,919 Gold and green. 697 00:41:58,000 --> 00:42:01,039 Yes, you sort of are a little bit nervous, actually. 698 00:42:01,120 --> 00:42:04,639 If we saying it's worth three grand and they come back and say, 699 00:42:04,720 --> 00:42:08,599 "Fellas, it's worth 500 bucks", that's a bit of a kick in the ass. 700 00:42:08,680 --> 00:42:13,279 Right, this has got sand all across the inside of it. Yeah, this one, yeah. 701 00:42:13,360 --> 00:42:16,399 Too soon anyway. 702 00:42:16,480 --> 00:42:18,759 Number one, that's us. That's us. Yeah. 703 00:42:25,320 --> 00:42:27,319 Yeah. 704 00:42:32,280 --> 00:42:34,279 That's a very good price. 705 00:42:37,840 --> 00:42:41,239 That's three grand, close enough, yeah. 706 00:42:41,320 --> 00:42:44,439 Yeah. Because they always want to knock you down a little bit. 707 00:42:44,520 --> 00:42:47,439 Oh, of course. You gotta let them knock you down a little bit. 708 00:42:47,520 --> 00:42:50,359 I appreciate that, mate. Thank you very much. We'll see ya. 709 00:42:50,440 --> 00:42:52,719 Thanks. Hopefully, we'll see you soon. 710 00:42:52,800 --> 00:42:54,999 With their evaluation of $3,000, 711 00:42:55,080 --> 00:42:59,159 the Bushmen have a total of $50,500, 712 00:42:59,240 --> 00:43:02,359 putting their season target within reach. 713 00:43:02,440 --> 00:43:06,039 Yeah, I reckon the valuation that they've done at the LRMA, 714 00:43:06,120 --> 00:43:08,639 yeah, I reckon it was really good. 715 00:43:08,720 --> 00:43:11,199 So we are still on the ball with our pricing 716 00:43:11,280 --> 00:43:13,719 of what we want for the opal we sell. 717 00:43:13,800 --> 00:43:16,479 I'm as happy as a pig in at the moment. 718 00:43:16,560 --> 00:43:18,999 Our season this year this is a bloody ripper. 719 00:43:19,080 --> 00:43:21,079 We're real close to our target, 720 00:43:21,160 --> 00:43:23,799 and things are looking fantastic for the end of season 721 00:43:23,880 --> 00:43:26,399 for us getting away to see the kids. 722 00:43:27,840 --> 00:43:32,359 It's for the baby. Oh, yeah. Good. That's great. 723 00:43:32,440 --> 00:43:35,399 Aww, beautiful. Yeah. 724 00:43:35,480 --> 00:43:39,399 That doesn't mean we're slowing down, but we've got to keep on hammering 725 00:43:39,480 --> 00:43:42,199 cos we gotta catch up on 18 months of no pay. 726 00:43:42,280 --> 00:43:44,279 subtitles by Deluxe 726 00:43:45,305 --> 00:44:45,897 Watch Online Movies and Series for FREE www.osdb.link/lm