"Outback Opal Hunters" The Value of Misfits

1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,039 NARRATOR: On Outback Opal Hunters... 2 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:05,119 GREG: It's huge, brother. It's huge. 3 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:08,199 ..The Bishop invests in a mammoth new claim. 4 00:00:08,280 --> 00:00:09,999 If that's colour, that's money. 5 00:00:10,080 --> 00:00:11,759 But with no cash for equipment... 6 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:13,519 It's dangerous up here. Look. 7 00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:17,759 ..he is forced to dig for opal in pillars supporting the mine roof. 8 00:00:19,920 --> 00:00:21,519 BAYDEN: Stupid thing. 9 00:00:21,600 --> 00:00:25,559 The Tunnel Rats operate their 1-tonne digger for the first time... 10 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:28,399 Over a tonne of steel and if it falls over, you're gone. 11 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:30,399 ..and risk electrocution... LEESE: Whoa! 12 00:00:30,480 --> 00:00:32,439 Look how close you are for the power pack. 13 00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:34,759 ..digging prized crystal opal. 14 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:38,359 Oh, my God!Woo hoo! 15 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:40,159 New team, the Misfits... 16 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:42,599 JUAN: Oh, man! ANGEL: Hang on, Ranger. 17 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:44,399 Do you think this is safe? 18 00:00:44,480 --> 00:00:47,919 ..brave some of South Australia's most isolated mines... 19 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:50,639 Watch out! Stop!Oh, jeez.Whoa! 20 00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:53,439 ..hunting world-renowned Andamooka Opal. 21 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:56,079 Look at that!That's stunning! 22 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:04,074 23 00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:21,919 GREG: When we are travelling on the field, 24 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:24,519 ah, especially if you're not doing it every day 25 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:28,439 sometimes you're not even a 100% sure you're on the right track. 26 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:30,519 But I'm pretty sure I'm on the right track. 27 00:01:30,600 --> 00:01:33,919 This is... Rocco. Are you right or what? 28 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:35,599 What are you doing, dog? 29 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:37,559 You like the sound of your own voice? 30 00:01:37,640 --> 00:01:40,319 After leaving Coober Pedy for 11 months 31 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:42,279 to receive medical treatment, 32 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:46,039 the Bishop, Greg Scully, and his dog Rocco 33 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:48,279 are back at the old claim. 34 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:52,639 Yeah, I'm really excited about this. Looking forward to it. 35 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:56,079 It's time to get back into mining. (ROCCO BARKING) 36 00:01:56,160 --> 00:01:58,079 This had good prospects 37 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:00,399 and ah, uh! 38 00:02:01,480 --> 00:02:04,999 That's the area where we were. There's machinery all over it. 39 00:02:05,080 --> 00:02:08,719 Oh, no! Oh, don't tell me someone's taken it. 40 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:16,559 So we got a registered peg here. 41 00:02:17,920 --> 00:02:20,879 Large as well, so a 100 by 100. 42 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:24,239 So it's a 100 metres that way, a 100 metres that way 43 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:27,119 and there's the walk-in to the drive. 44 00:02:27,200 --> 00:02:29,599 The whole drive is on someone's claim. 45 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:34,039 I see over here to the right 46 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:37,279 where we were underground is a new set of pegs. 47 00:02:38,280 --> 00:02:42,319 There's a loader and a drill and he's pegged it off. 48 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:45,879 This field is off limits now to me. 49 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:47,839 It's a $1,000 fine here 50 00:02:47,920 --> 00:02:52,199 to be on someone else's claim without permission. That's the law. 51 00:02:52,280 --> 00:02:55,559 That's it. Peg's expired. We weren't here. 52 00:02:55,640 --> 00:02:58,239 Someone's legally come and pegged it 53 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:00,399 and I have no choice now but to start again. 54 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:05,119 If I can't find opal, why am I here? 55 00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:10,199 Oh, Scotty. Look at this. Mate, there's colour in this. 56 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:14,559 Last season the Bishop and mining partner, Scott Stevens, 57 00:03:14,640 --> 00:03:16,999 pegged a claim at Six Mile. 58 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:18,959 Six Mile was a good field last year. 59 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:20,959 It had a good feeling and a good start. 60 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:22,919 Found some, some opal 61 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:26,279 and we were all looking forward to start it again this year. 62 00:03:26,360 --> 00:03:28,519 But at the end of the season 63 00:03:28,600 --> 00:03:32,359 the Bishop had to let the Six Mile mining lease expire 64 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:36,639 seeking treatment in the city for complications from diabetes. 65 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:41,279 I've had a third of a toe amputated in the last off season, 66 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:44,999 two-thirds of it had already gone now it's just lost the whole toe. 67 00:03:45,080 --> 00:03:48,999 The wound under my foot is probably 80% healed now. 68 00:03:49,080 --> 00:03:52,079 Had some good work done with that with podiatrists. 69 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:55,439 (INDISTINCT PRAYER CHANTS) 70 00:03:55,520 --> 00:03:58,519 As an ordained Bishop in the Orthodox Church, 71 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:02,159 Greg came to Coober Pedy with a mission. 72 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:07,119 My dream for this block of land, if we're able to acquire it 73 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:13,199 is to turn this area into a drug rehabilitation area. 74 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:16,479 There are people with drug dependencies here in the town. 75 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:20,719 I've dealt with people with these problems on the streets of Brisbane 76 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:23,319 and by God's grace been successful. 77 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:27,679 My big dream is to serve others to help them wherever I am. 78 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:31,439 To realise this dream, is at least a quarter of a million dollars 79 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:36,879 and I don't have access to 250,000 so that means, opal. 80 00:04:37,880 --> 00:04:40,919 Realistically 20,000 is a good target. 81 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:43,719 That's a good deposit and it'll get us up and going. 82 00:04:50,640 --> 00:04:52,879 All right, Scotty, I'm getting too old now 83 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:56,319 to carry stuff up and down drives. I want one where I can drive into. 84 00:04:56,400 --> 00:05:00,159 Yeah. Your foot doesn't help. Yeah. It'd help my foot. 85 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:03,199 Scotty's a really good mining partner for me 86 00:05:03,280 --> 00:05:06,879 cos he's the active one and yeah, easy to get along with. 87 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:09,319 Let's see if your idea pans out, mate. 88 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:12,479 I heard whispers about this big mine that was available out here, 89 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:15,079 Shell Patch and I said to Greggy about it. 90 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:18,119 Scotty suggested go up to Shell Patch. 91 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:21,319 It's about 23 miles out. 92 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:24,559 There's a lot of expenses to go up to that field, 93 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:26,479 but there are people up there 94 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:28,839 who have found a lot of opal in the past. 95 00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:32,679 (ROCCO BARKS) 96 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:35,319 Big drive this one.Very big. 97 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:43,719 What do you think, Scotty? 98 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:46,759 It's pretty daunting, but you never know. 99 00:05:46,840 --> 00:05:49,439 It's huge, brother. It's huge. Very huge. 100 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:51,759 They've obviously found a lot of opal in here, 101 00:05:51,840 --> 00:05:53,439 because they've spent 102 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:55,999 hundreds of thousands of dollars on digging this out. 103 00:05:57,320 --> 00:06:01,119 Heavy machinery always leaves opal behind and we come along, 104 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:02,919 we don't have heavy machinery 105 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:05,439 and therefore we can attack the pillars 106 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:08,279 which is why again we're called "Pillar Bashers." 107 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:11,559 Nothing there either. Oh, hold on. 108 00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:14,319 What...Oh, whoa! (LAUGHS) 109 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:16,119 If that's colour, that's money, mate. 110 00:06:17,480 --> 00:06:19,719 That's thick, Scotty. That's really thick, yeah. 111 00:06:21,120 --> 00:06:23,679 I think we need to go and register this.Yeah, yeah. 112 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:26,719 Get it all...Absolutely. ..claim it, peg it.Lock it away. 113 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:29,039 This is our next claim, Scotty. (LAUGHING) 114 00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:31,559 Hey. And it was your suggestion. 115 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:33,799 I would have never thought to come out here. 116 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:47,719 CRAIG: We've given her a grease and everything. She's ready to go. 117 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:49,559 We'll see if you dig some dirt, aye. 118 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:54,559 BAYDEN: Today, I've got my L plates on, my learners 119 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:57,439 and hopefully I can get used to the controls 120 00:06:57,520 --> 00:06:59,679 and I can start doing this for myself. 121 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:02,799 So this one, pull it back lifts your main arm, 122 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:04,999 so it lifts your main one.Yeah. 123 00:07:05,080 --> 00:07:07,799 So this over here will be your, your boom out.Right. 124 00:07:07,880 --> 00:07:10,239 And boom in.Yeah.Okay?Yeah. 125 00:07:10,320 --> 00:07:13,599 Tunnel Rats, Bayden Pearse, and fiancee, Leese Grobe, 126 00:07:13,680 --> 00:07:15,479 are getting a first lesson 127 00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:18,719 in operating their second hand one-tonne digger. 128 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:22,199 So much easier on your body to have this 129 00:07:22,280 --> 00:07:26,599 big hunk of steel and hydraulics doing the hard work for you. 130 00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:28,959 Instead of shift three foot of dirt in a day, 131 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:32,199 we can shift three to six metres of dirt in a day. 132 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:34,879 It's gonna make the world of difference. 133 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:36,879 You've got to spend a little bit of time 134 00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:39,919 on trying to get used to the controls. 135 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:41,679 Craig is a good friend of mine. 136 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:43,719 He's been a great helping hand. 137 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:46,399 His mining experience and knowledge with the digger. 138 00:07:46,480 --> 00:07:49,359 Most of this stuff is hand made by other miners. 139 00:07:49,440 --> 00:07:52,439 Opal mining's is it's a bit different industry, you know? 140 00:07:52,520 --> 00:07:55,119 We have to make our own machinery to suit what we want. 141 00:07:56,200 --> 00:07:57,839 How much pressure's on that? 142 00:07:57,920 --> 00:08:01,359 Well it it should be it should be around the 2,700 psi.Yeah, right. 143 00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:06,599 It should hold it, should hold in there, for you to do the digging. 144 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:09,799 The digger's got two hydraulic feet 145 00:08:09,880 --> 00:08:12,359 and then a hydraulic ram for the roof. 146 00:08:12,440 --> 00:08:14,039 To stop it from falling over 147 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:16,999 when you're wanting to put pressure on the arm and dig, 148 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:19,719 it's got to lock those feet in essentially 149 00:08:19,800 --> 00:08:22,599 and push these pins into the roof 150 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:24,799 and that kinda locks it all in place. 151 00:08:24,880 --> 00:08:28,559 Everything gets, um, gets held in by hydraulic pressure. 152 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:31,719 Whoa. 153 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:33,959 Why aren't they working? 154 00:08:34,040 --> 00:08:37,719 The hydraulic ram that pushes the head up into the roof, 155 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:39,839 unfortunately every time we try and move 156 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:43,999 or take a bite with the main arm it keeps on coming down. 157 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:46,199 That should be staying up there in the roof. 158 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:48,679 And cos it's constantly coming out all the time, 159 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:50,759 it's pretty dangerous. 160 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:52,919 I really need this machine to work. 161 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:59,479 (EXCLAIMS) I got something. (EXCLAIMS)That was just in there. 162 00:08:59,560 --> 00:09:03,599 The Tunnel Rats started their season with a small opal find 163 00:09:03,680 --> 00:09:07,679 in their new 50 by 50 metre claim, Last Ditch. 164 00:09:07,760 --> 00:09:11,279 We found a little bit, not a huge amount but nice and colourful. 165 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:14,399 They moved their operation here a year ago 166 00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:16,599 after being forced by authorities 167 00:09:16,680 --> 00:09:21,799 to leave Bayden's hometown, Mintabie, 2,000 kilometres away. 168 00:09:21,880 --> 00:09:24,919 We could no longer work in Mintabie or, or live in Mintabie. 169 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:27,399 Their mine needs new equipment 170 00:09:27,480 --> 00:09:30,279 capable of breaking the cement like ground. 171 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:32,999 Yeah we got it. Good to see it down here. 172 00:09:33,080 --> 00:09:35,479 This digger is gonna help us immensely. 173 00:09:35,560 --> 00:09:39,119 Using jackhammers it's really taxing on the body. 174 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:42,719 I cannot kneel down as well as I used to be able to. 175 00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:44,959 In my off season I had a motorcycle accident 176 00:09:45,040 --> 00:09:48,839 which I came off and broke my little tibia bone on my left knee 177 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:52,039 and ah I couldn't walk for two-and-a-half, three weeks. 178 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:54,119 Leese's injuries are from an accident 179 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:57,719 when she was riding a horse and the horse actually toppled over her. 180 00:09:57,800 --> 00:10:00,839 I got flipped over on a couple times and crushed 181 00:10:00,920 --> 00:10:05,919 and that's just left me with a list of problems that I deal with every day. 182 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:11,279 My ultimate goal for this season is to build our house. 183 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:13,839 We're really aiming for at least a 100,000. 184 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:16,919 If we can get that amount, that just gives our foot in the door 185 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:19,479 to get our house finished and liveable. 186 00:10:19,560 --> 00:10:22,879 If we don't have the digger, we can't dig. 187 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:32,039 Stupid thing! 188 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:34,519 If you don't know that, that head's come down 189 00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:38,199 it could actually topple over, come back at you, possibly kill you. 190 00:10:38,280 --> 00:10:41,839 It's gonna be pretty much too unsafe 191 00:10:41,920 --> 00:10:44,479 to try and dig, cos if that falls out. 192 00:10:44,560 --> 00:10:46,359 Careful, it's leaning back. Oh, right. 193 00:10:46,440 --> 00:10:49,599 Lean back on you it will... It's leaning back already. ..fall over. 194 00:10:49,680 --> 00:10:54,079 What stands between us for getting opal in this mine is that digger. 195 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:56,399 I need to find a $100,000 this year 196 00:10:56,480 --> 00:10:58,799 and that digger is gonna find it for me. 197 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:10,439 Deep in the South Australian outback 198 00:11:10,520 --> 00:11:12,919 on the edge of a vast salt lake, 199 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:18,879 lies the world renowned opal town of Andamooka, 200 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:21,959 population 316. 201 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:28,879 Barren and remote, summer temperatures can hit 50 degrees Celsius. 202 00:11:30,280 --> 00:11:33,479 JOE: This here will separate the weakness out of your soul. 203 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:37,119 There are no free rides in the opal fields. 204 00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:40,239 It'll either kill you or make you tough. 205 00:11:40,320 --> 00:11:44,439 For almost a century the lure of opal has drawn miners here 206 00:11:44,520 --> 00:11:49,679 from around the globe searching for legendary Andamooka opal. 207 00:11:49,760 --> 00:11:51,919 Andamooka's got the best opal in the world. 208 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:56,039 Much more stable. It's got a lower ah water content, moisture content. 209 00:11:56,120 --> 00:11:59,879 The lower moisture content creates a stronger stone 210 00:11:59,960 --> 00:12:02,839 capable of being cut into large shapes. 211 00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:09,599 A massive 203 carat gem named the Andamooka Opal, 212 00:12:09,680 --> 00:12:13,639 presented to Queen Elizabeth in 1954, 213 00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:17,639 was found by opal hunters, in these fields. 214 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:21,439 All right. Here we are. 215 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:24,799 ANGEL: This is it.Let's roll. 216 00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:31,399 This is just a random open cut that we found while exploring. 217 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:34,479 These old tunnels, you know, they can be dangerous. 218 00:12:37,160 --> 00:12:39,999 My name is Angel Dempsey. I'm 22 years old. 219 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:42,239 It's my first season mining, ever. 220 00:12:43,720 --> 00:12:48,279 The first time I saw Andamooka opal, it was like a full on rainbow. 221 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:50,439 I never knew a rock could be so beautiful. 222 00:12:51,880 --> 00:12:54,639 They've pillar bashed quite a lot here, the old miners. 223 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:57,439 The question is, did they leave anything behind? 224 00:12:57,520 --> 00:13:00,519 So, I'll turn this light off 225 00:13:01,840 --> 00:13:03,639 and go through it with the blacklight. 226 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:09,719 There's a little bit of faint trace there. 227 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:11,519 That's a good sign, though. 228 00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:14,719 Hey, Juan! Check out what I've found. 229 00:13:14,800 --> 00:13:18,039 What are you doing in there? (GIGGLING) 230 00:13:18,120 --> 00:13:20,199 What's the ceiling like in there? 231 00:13:20,280 --> 00:13:24,279 Ceiling look Jurassic.Jurassic. 232 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:26,519 That's how I would describe it. 233 00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:29,719 My name is Juan. I grew up in Colombia 234 00:13:29,800 --> 00:13:31,519 and now I live in Andamooka. 235 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:33,199 Yeah, come over here. 236 00:13:33,280 --> 00:13:36,639 My role in the team is being the muscles. 237 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:41,439 I bring some smarts as well. I got some experience in demolition. 238 00:13:41,520 --> 00:13:45,479 So?Found this. Turn this off. 239 00:13:45,560 --> 00:13:48,319 Look at that. Opal trace. Oh, that's beautiful.Yeah. 240 00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:50,919 This is a the wall to the outside 241 00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:53,999 so this is gonna be quick and easy to get to with the excavator. 242 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:55,959 Definitely you're onto something, Angel. 243 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:04,839 JOE: Go 3,300. 244 00:14:04,920 --> 00:14:07,239 ANGEL: That's Joe, my mentor, over there. 245 00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:10,359 He's one of the old miners from the old days. 246 00:14:10,440 --> 00:14:12,999 Oh, he knows everything there is about opal. 247 00:14:13,080 --> 00:14:16,719 Mining veteran, 62 year old, Joe Kalmar, 248 00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:20,359 is the money man behind this new opal mining venture. 249 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:24,479 Well, I've been in Andamooka since I was a toddler, 250 00:14:24,560 --> 00:14:28,199 so I've been living here backwards and forwards all my life. I love it. 251 00:14:28,280 --> 00:14:30,799 I've decided to train Angel and Juan 252 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:33,999 mainly because the industry needs new people. 253 00:14:34,080 --> 00:14:37,239 This is our camp. All our equipment is here. 254 00:14:37,320 --> 00:14:39,759 The equipment that I've supplied, 255 00:14:39,840 --> 00:14:42,119 it's everything they need to do the job. 256 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:44,119 It's about half-a-million dollars all up. 257 00:14:45,920 --> 00:14:48,279 I come from a little farming town, Crystal Brook, 258 00:14:48,360 --> 00:14:50,679 about 400 K south of here. Moved up here. 259 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:53,079 Totally different lifestyle. Dirt, dust. 260 00:14:53,160 --> 00:14:54,759 It's a hard life out here. 261 00:14:54,840 --> 00:14:56,519 Gonna chuck these in the ute. 262 00:14:57,760 --> 00:15:00,079 I met Angel and she had something about her 263 00:15:00,160 --> 00:15:03,359 that I thought, "Oh, yeah, she'll work, you know, she'll learn." 264 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:05,399 I was a diesel mechanic before 265 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:09,519 and then I fell in love with opal. Left my mechanic's job. 266 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:12,719 My long term aim is to become a fully-fledged opal miner 267 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:15,239 and hopefully one day become my own boss. 268 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:20,999 I met Juan and he's a pretty cool dude. 269 00:15:21,080 --> 00:15:22,759 Good heart, good lad. 270 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:26,759 JUAN: Back home in Colombia there's just violence everywhere. 271 00:15:26,840 --> 00:15:29,999 There is shootings everywhere. There is guns everywhere. 272 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:34,799 Juan fought as a soldier in Colombia's deadly guerrilla wars. 273 00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:37,719 I changed my life completely to be here, 274 00:15:37,800 --> 00:15:42,159 so I basically rebuilding everything that I ever knew to start from zero, 275 00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:44,519 learn everything about the trade of mining. 276 00:15:45,680 --> 00:15:48,319 Coming from the jungles you cannot see past five metres. 277 00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:51,919 And look at this here. The landscape is just out of this world. 278 00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:54,919 I feel like I just arrived in a different planet. 279 00:15:55,000 --> 00:15:58,359 I spent all my money getting here so I need to find opal. 280 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:01,279 Joe made me an offer to come here, work for a percentage. 281 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:07,719 The split that I worked out with Angel and Juan is 60, 20, 20. 282 00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:11,359 They know that it's cost a lot of money to get them into this position 283 00:16:11,440 --> 00:16:14,359 so they don't want to fail themselves or me. 284 00:16:14,440 --> 00:16:16,439 I feel very grateful to Mr Joe. 285 00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:20,159 He's been very good at coaching me through learning all this 286 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:22,919 and I really had to pay them back somehow. 287 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:26,359 If they don't put the effort in, the worst case consequences for them, 288 00:16:26,440 --> 00:16:30,319 they go back to the normal rat race and that's their loss. 289 00:16:30,400 --> 00:16:35,919 Our goal as a team for this season is to find at least $80,000. 290 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:39,239 80 K, we pay the bills and keep us happy. 291 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:49,719 In that tunnel it's too dangerous to dig from inside, 292 00:16:49,800 --> 00:16:52,679 so I need the excavator to rip from the outside. 293 00:16:52,760 --> 00:16:56,679 The five tonne excavator must be transported to the old workings 294 00:16:56,760 --> 00:16:59,399 they explored the previous night. 295 00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:02,079 I'm not experienced on the excavator. 296 00:17:02,160 --> 00:17:05,559 I know the basics but I mean the only way to learn is (BLEEP) 297 00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:07,799 get out there and do the task. 298 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:11,479 Keep going, keep going that way. Don't go anywhere else. Go. 299 00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:15,119 Go.I'm putting my whole trust in Juan. 300 00:17:15,200 --> 00:17:18,559 He's got to guide me up, cos I can't see where I'm going. 301 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:20,239 I have to load it backwards. 302 00:17:20,320 --> 00:17:26,159 So, I'm letting Angel and Juan work it out as a team. 303 00:17:26,240 --> 00:17:29,199 At some point you got to push it towards you. 304 00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:34,239 What?Go. (INDISTINCT) 305 00:17:34,320 --> 00:17:36,919 No, you turning too much that way. 306 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:40,039 Go that way. You are too close to this side. 307 00:17:40,120 --> 00:17:41,799 Bit close. 308 00:17:41,880 --> 00:17:44,919 Well, guide me. Say what you mean and mean what you say. 309 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:46,919 Oh, my God! 310 00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:57,839 BAYDEN: I'll have no one looking over my shoulder today. 311 00:17:57,920 --> 00:18:01,119 Craig's not gonna be there, so it's all on me. 312 00:18:01,200 --> 00:18:04,639 I'm pretty damn nervous to tell you the truth. 313 00:18:04,720 --> 00:18:06,639 LEESE: Bayden's a rookie at operating it 314 00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:08,399 so he's really got to be patient 315 00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:10,479 and really take his time. 316 00:18:10,560 --> 00:18:13,399 Leese and I, you know we want to start a family 317 00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:17,079 and we want to build our house and we need a $100,000. 318 00:18:17,160 --> 00:18:20,599 It just makes things so much harder when you haven't got machinery 319 00:18:20,680 --> 00:18:23,239 that's able to do its job to pay you. 320 00:18:24,480 --> 00:18:27,359 The issue is that I've got a leaky ram 321 00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:29,879 which is oil bypassing within the cylinder 322 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:32,119 and it's causing the head to drop down 323 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:34,519 which is very, very dangerous. 324 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:37,519 The hydraulic leak means the one tonne digger 325 00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:42,639 cannot lock itself upright and risks falling at any time. 326 00:18:42,720 --> 00:18:44,999 So what I've got here, 327 00:18:45,080 --> 00:18:49,919 this little cable tie pulls back on this lever here. 328 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:55,199 It creates pressure so that's still creating pressure up on the head. 329 00:18:56,560 --> 00:18:58,239 Even though that's leaking and 330 00:18:58,320 --> 00:19:00,919 that'll just allow that pressure to keep in there 331 00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:04,559 and so I can keep on working, so it's pretty much like a band aid. 332 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:07,399 It just gives us the opportunity to start digging 333 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:09,879 before we have to pull the digger apart 334 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:11,559 to get some parts replaced on it. 335 00:19:12,960 --> 00:19:15,119 This is my first time I've ever done this. 336 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:17,119 I think I'm doing quite well, considering. 337 00:19:19,400 --> 00:19:21,759 He, he, yay.Ha, ha. 338 00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:24,639 There's a lot riding on this digger. 339 00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:27,719 There's a lot riding on me to learn how to dig. 340 00:19:27,800 --> 00:19:30,399 This is so much easier than jackhammering. 341 00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:34,839 In what, 30 seconds you've just moved 342 00:19:34,920 --> 00:19:38,799 as much dirt as we do in an entire day.Pretty much. 343 00:19:41,920 --> 00:19:44,239 Trying to look to see if I've got any opal trace? 344 00:19:44,320 --> 00:19:47,639 Just see here where I've sort of broken it with the teeth. 345 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:51,119 With a jackhammer you can get to see every single bit of ground possible 346 00:19:51,200 --> 00:19:53,079 but with a digger you're knocking out 347 00:19:53,160 --> 00:19:55,719 about three to four inches of dirt each time so, 348 00:19:55,800 --> 00:19:59,279 you want to make sure that you're not throwing away your opal. 349 00:19:59,360 --> 00:20:03,079 You know one stone that big could be 15-odd thousand dollars 350 00:20:03,160 --> 00:20:06,919 like it's a big thing and it's just so important not to miss it 351 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:09,199 cos you could imagine if you threw that out, 352 00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:10,919 you'd be pretty upset. 353 00:20:18,360 --> 00:20:20,199 (HAMMERING) 354 00:20:21,280 --> 00:20:24,879 GREG: We got to peg this to lock it away, so it's our registered claim. 355 00:20:24,960 --> 00:20:27,119 Once it's registered, no one else can peg it. 356 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:30,079 So we're pinning our hopes on this claim 357 00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:31,959 to get this rehab centre in town. 358 00:20:33,120 --> 00:20:34,999 In the Coober Pedy desert, 359 00:20:35,080 --> 00:20:38,279 where temperatures fall to minus-two centigrade, 360 00:20:38,360 --> 00:20:41,159 the Bishop and Scotty have registered a claim 361 00:20:41,240 --> 00:20:44,319 in a massive abandoned mine. 362 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:46,559 Time to dig rock mate. 363 00:20:46,640 --> 00:20:49,399 SCOTT: Sounds good to me. Time to dig rock. 364 00:20:49,480 --> 00:20:52,479 So what we'll do, we'll set the genny up here...Yep. 365 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:56,759 ..about 20 metres in we'll start digging away.Yep. 366 00:20:56,840 --> 00:20:58,879 I don't think we can touch that pillar.No. 367 00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:01,599 That's a bit thin, that one. Yeah, might bring the roof. 368 00:21:01,680 --> 00:21:04,039 But these back pillars, they're part of the walls. 369 00:21:04,120 --> 00:21:06,479 They can take...Solid. ..heaps off them. 370 00:21:06,560 --> 00:21:09,759 We'll see how good this genny is, if we're going to buy it or not. 371 00:21:09,840 --> 00:21:12,639 Absolutely.All right. Let's go. 372 00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:14,519 (GENERATOR WHIRRING) 373 00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:16,279 Right. 374 00:21:18,880 --> 00:21:21,879 I just chase the level here to see if we can find some material. 375 00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:28,839 Don't like the look of that, though. The rock up here looks really loose. 376 00:21:28,920 --> 00:21:32,039 Scotty doesn't get over excited or over emotional, 377 00:21:32,120 --> 00:21:34,839 but he thinks deep and he sees everything. 378 00:21:34,920 --> 00:21:38,359 We got a seam here we've been just digging into 379 00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:40,399 to look for trace 380 00:21:40,480 --> 00:21:43,399 and a rock like that would probably weigh 50 kilos or more. 381 00:21:45,640 --> 00:21:47,559 (ROCKS CRASHING) 382 00:21:47,640 --> 00:21:50,719 That would have fallen on our head. That's dangerous up here, look. 383 00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:53,639 Yeah. Cracks. That whole thing could come down. 384 00:21:53,720 --> 00:21:55,599 Yeah.We'll go look for somewhere else. 385 00:21:59,360 --> 00:22:03,559 All right. That's about it. This is the pillar, here. 386 00:22:03,640 --> 00:22:06,439 It's a bit high, but I'll give it a go. 387 00:22:06,520 --> 00:22:08,759 Ah, ready when you are. 388 00:22:11,640 --> 00:22:14,599 (GENERATOR STARTS) 389 00:22:18,440 --> 00:22:20,519 (GENERATOR STOPS) 390 00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:31,079 If we get this generator going, we'll see what's happening. 391 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:36,439 What's going on? Stupid generator. 392 00:22:38,120 --> 00:22:41,839 We're getting this this small genny because it's lightweight. 393 00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:45,919 The whole job swings on having this. 394 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:49,879 All right, give it a go again. Never lose faith. 395 00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:53,319 The ceiling could come down on top of me and I wouldn't lose faith. 396 00:22:53,400 --> 00:22:56,999 But I think I might have lost faith in this generator. 397 00:22:57,080 --> 00:22:59,319 We've come out here, we've pegged it, we got it. 398 00:22:59,400 --> 00:23:01,079 We're all excited. 399 00:23:01,160 --> 00:23:06,159 We can't mine, we got no opal, no money, 400 00:23:06,240 --> 00:23:09,799 no rehab centre if we can't do anything here. 401 00:23:09,880 --> 00:23:12,479 And this day is is now wasted. 402 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:23,839 You want me to go back down and readjust? 403 00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:27,799 No, you just go, it's no time to turn back now. 404 00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:29,799 Juan has to really guide me. 405 00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:34,279 If he makes a mistake I'm gonna fall off these ramps. 406 00:23:34,360 --> 00:23:36,719 Come down a tiny bit, Angel. Thank you. 407 00:23:39,440 --> 00:23:42,039 Slow. Slow now. You're gonna tilt. 408 00:23:42,120 --> 00:23:44,159 You're so high. You're on such of a lean. 409 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:46,559 It feels like the machine's gonna topple over. 410 00:23:47,880 --> 00:23:51,759 Okay?Yeah, you're nearly there. You're good. Prepare. 411 00:23:54,360 --> 00:23:57,839 Whoa! I'm on. Yes! 412 00:23:59,160 --> 00:24:03,479 Rookie Miners, Juan and Angel, with mentor Opal Joe, 413 00:24:03,560 --> 00:24:07,679 are transporting a five tonne excavator out to a new claim. 414 00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:13,159 I drive all the trucks. I'm the only one that's licensed here to do so. 415 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:16,039 I'm lucky enough to get my licence through my old job 416 00:24:16,120 --> 00:24:17,799 being a diesel mechanic apprentice. 417 00:24:20,520 --> 00:24:22,719 There we go. We're off. 418 00:24:25,760 --> 00:24:27,559 That feels heavy. 419 00:24:27,640 --> 00:24:29,599 Yeah, there's a bit of weight in the back. 420 00:24:30,600 --> 00:24:34,639 It's a three kilometre journey on treacherous dirt tracks. 421 00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:38,879 Will the ground hold this big heavy truck? 422 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:40,799 I'm hoping so. 423 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:43,319 Me and Juan, totally different people. 424 00:24:43,400 --> 00:24:46,119 It's very odd that we're kind of working together. 425 00:24:46,200 --> 00:24:47,839 But I mean, it works. 426 00:24:50,960 --> 00:24:53,719 Oh, man! Oh, no! 427 00:24:53,800 --> 00:24:57,399 Hang on, Ranger! You think this is safe?Yes. 428 00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:00,679 What about the excavator? 429 00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:04,119 Excavator's in the back. Is it still there?Good. 430 00:25:08,680 --> 00:25:10,439 Oh, we're finally here. 431 00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:13,839 Yeah, we're here. This is the spot.Happy. 432 00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:19,199 The claim is 50 metres by 100 metres on an abandoned open cut mine. 433 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:22,679 JOE: In the old days the miners dug here 434 00:25:22,760 --> 00:25:26,239 but they were a bit higher above the level than what they should have been. 435 00:25:26,320 --> 00:25:30,239 Then other miners came later and dug tunnels in down on an angle 436 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:33,879 to hit the level and they found opal so we can rip it all out 437 00:25:33,960 --> 00:25:36,119 and pick up whatever the other miners missed. 438 00:25:37,120 --> 00:25:38,999 Go forward. Charge. 439 00:25:39,080 --> 00:25:40,839 Working with Angel is great. 440 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:43,599 She's got the right ideas. She's got safety in mind. 441 00:25:43,680 --> 00:25:47,719 Lower. Bit lower. Okay, you now raise 442 00:25:47,800 --> 00:25:50,279 a couple of metre above the ground for me, please. 443 00:25:50,360 --> 00:25:52,519 We're about to start ripping into the wall 444 00:25:52,600 --> 00:25:55,039 so hopefully expose some opal really soon. 445 00:25:57,280 --> 00:25:59,639 Oh, jeez.Whoa! Watch out. 446 00:25:59,720 --> 00:26:01,519 Stop!What was that? 447 00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:09,719 BAYDEN: All right, let's get the machine back in there. 448 00:26:09,800 --> 00:26:12,679 LEESE: Am I right just being off the side?That's all right. 449 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:17,159 It's very risky having Leese just there. 450 00:26:17,240 --> 00:26:21,359 I've got the hydraulics turned down a lot so it's very slow and doughy. 451 00:26:21,440 --> 00:26:23,999 If he's doing nice steady movements like that 452 00:26:24,080 --> 00:26:27,399 I feel quite comfortable to, to sit here. 453 00:26:27,480 --> 00:26:30,359 Right where your teeth are then is that thicker bit of potch 454 00:26:30,440 --> 00:26:32,119 so I'll just watch that spot too. 455 00:26:33,120 --> 00:26:34,719 The Tunnel Rats are working 456 00:26:34,800 --> 00:26:38,439 with their new one tonne digger for the first time. 457 00:26:38,520 --> 00:26:41,959 Leese's indicated there's opal there. It's only thin. 458 00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:46,599 We need a $100,000 of opal to build our house. 459 00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:52,999 No, still just potch in there. It's all right.Potch?Yeah. 460 00:26:53,080 --> 00:26:54,919 I'll have another scratch at it. 461 00:26:59,840 --> 00:27:02,359 Yeah that's a bit hard. That that's hard. 462 00:27:02,440 --> 00:27:05,079 A bit harder ground there? That's, that's really hard. 463 00:27:08,520 --> 00:27:10,159 (BOTH EXCLAIMS) 464 00:27:11,440 --> 00:27:13,319 Where the hell's that broken through to? 465 00:27:13,400 --> 00:27:15,079 I'm gonna go round and have a look. 466 00:27:26,240 --> 00:27:28,759 Oh, yeah right-o. I can see exactly what's going on. 467 00:27:31,480 --> 00:27:34,359 Look how close you are to the power pack. 468 00:27:34,440 --> 00:27:38,479 We'd missed our power box by about that much. 469 00:27:38,560 --> 00:27:42,319 I really want to make sure that I don't dig into the power box 470 00:27:42,400 --> 00:27:44,159 cos that could short us out. 471 00:27:44,240 --> 00:27:48,079 Hitting a live wire in the 240 volt power box 472 00:27:48,160 --> 00:27:52,079 could also result in a fatal electric shock. 473 00:27:52,160 --> 00:27:55,199 You know what, we're probably gonna have to jackhammer 474 00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:56,959 that from the other side. 475 00:27:57,040 --> 00:28:00,759 See that. Oh, I can see like even like purple...Oh, really. 476 00:28:00,840 --> 00:28:03,799 ..purple green-y here even. It's ready to go. 477 00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:16,679 When you're seeing colour from two sides of a wall, it is exciting. 478 00:28:16,760 --> 00:28:19,839 There's a little bit of orange in some of the potch here, Bayden. 479 00:28:26,320 --> 00:28:27,999 Yep, okay. Wait there. 480 00:28:28,080 --> 00:28:30,359 I think you might have caught it all, honey. 481 00:28:30,440 --> 00:28:32,919 What have we got? 482 00:28:35,880 --> 00:28:40,599 Oh, hun! (LAUGHING) Check that out. 483 00:28:40,680 --> 00:28:44,079 Oh, my God!Woo hoo! 484 00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:46,399 That is (BLEEP) gorgeous, hun. 485 00:28:49,200 --> 00:28:50,879 Oh, my goodness. 486 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:54,599 Oh, oh! Oh, even better. 487 00:28:56,480 --> 00:28:59,319 (LAUGHING) Woo hoo! 488 00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:02,559 That's the best colour... Oh, man...I've seen in ages. 489 00:29:02,640 --> 00:29:06,479 That is lovely. It's got all the rare colours in it. 490 00:29:06,560 --> 00:29:08,559 I just can't get over that hot pink. 491 00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:12,639 That is rare, rare colour. 492 00:29:12,720 --> 00:29:15,079 Ahhh.Well done, honey. 493 00:29:15,160 --> 00:29:16,879 (KISSES) 494 00:29:24,880 --> 00:29:27,319 SCOTT: There's a bit of a shell. 495 00:29:27,400 --> 00:29:30,559 GREG: Oh, yeah. I see.Potch though. 496 00:29:30,640 --> 00:29:34,079 This place is named Shell Patch by the opal miners 497 00:29:34,160 --> 00:29:38,719 because there was so many ancient sea shells found here. 498 00:29:38,800 --> 00:29:41,919 This is obviously an old ocean bed. 499 00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:45,639 There was a great ocean and these shells settled, 500 00:29:45,720 --> 00:29:50,999 they fossilised but in this region they opalised. 501 00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:54,319 Now they're not all colour, but all shells have a value 502 00:29:54,400 --> 00:30:00,079 because collectors of fossils will buy shells, colour or not. 503 00:30:00,160 --> 00:30:02,079 Hey, Greggy.Yeah, mate? 504 00:30:02,160 --> 00:30:04,839 There's another one. What you got there? 505 00:30:04,920 --> 00:30:06,999 Some colour in that one. You got colour? 506 00:30:07,080 --> 00:30:09,599 Yeah. Looks like another bit of a shell. 507 00:30:09,680 --> 00:30:13,119 You found a colour shell. You've found the first colour in here, Scotty. 508 00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:14,839 Good on you, mate. 509 00:30:14,920 --> 00:30:18,639 Just take it a few feet from the car and we're back, 510 00:30:18,720 --> 00:30:21,399 we've swapped generators, we've brought the big heavy one 511 00:30:21,480 --> 00:30:23,279 that we know will start. 512 00:30:23,360 --> 00:30:25,999 We got to start again and we've got to start digging. 513 00:30:29,800 --> 00:30:31,839 There we go. We got power. 514 00:30:40,680 --> 00:30:44,879 So, what we're doing, we're making a shelf so we can underdig, 515 00:30:44,960 --> 00:30:47,559 underpin the material that's up here 516 00:30:47,640 --> 00:30:49,879 and that way when we dig the top away, 517 00:30:49,960 --> 00:30:51,719 it'll fall straight into our hand. 518 00:30:54,920 --> 00:30:58,119 Just turn your light off for a second. I'll check her. 519 00:30:59,200 --> 00:31:03,679 There you go. So last time I checked this, there was nothing here. 520 00:31:03,760 --> 00:31:07,319 There was just this up here. Now I have no idea if that's colour. 521 00:31:08,920 --> 00:31:10,559 Have a look at that for me. 522 00:31:12,800 --> 00:31:16,679 That's got colour.It's what? That's got colour. 523 00:31:16,760 --> 00:31:19,879 Oh, yeah, I can see colour. That has got colour. 524 00:31:19,960 --> 00:31:23,439 Mate, let me see if there's any more. Hold on. I'll dig this out. 525 00:31:23,520 --> 00:31:27,399 Doesn't go very far. And now it's gone. 526 00:31:28,920 --> 00:31:32,279 Colour there.More colour. 527 00:31:32,360 --> 00:31:34,719 Only small, but we got colour. 528 00:31:34,800 --> 00:31:36,839 It's a good start, Scotty. (CHUCKLES) 529 00:31:43,760 --> 00:31:45,679 ANGEL: Oh, jeez. JUAN: Whoa! 530 00:31:45,760 --> 00:31:47,879 Watch out. Stop! 531 00:31:47,960 --> 00:31:51,279 (BLEEP) big boulder just come, just in front of the bucket there 532 00:31:51,360 --> 00:31:53,399 as I was pushing, come right in front 533 00:31:53,480 --> 00:31:55,879 and almost wiped out me bucket. 534 00:31:55,960 --> 00:32:00,199 Rookie miners, Angel and Juan, are struggling to dig out the wall 535 00:32:00,280 --> 00:32:04,439 of an abandoned open cut mine with their five tonne excavator. 536 00:32:07,600 --> 00:32:10,999 Below where that rock dropped, that's where the opal level starts. 537 00:32:11,080 --> 00:32:13,439 So I'm gonna just scratch away at that slowly. 538 00:32:14,800 --> 00:32:17,639 Juan's outside just watching. He's my eyes out there. 539 00:32:17,720 --> 00:32:21,479 He's got to tell me to stop if he sees any sign of trace. 540 00:32:21,560 --> 00:32:25,959 I tend to be more rough with this operation. 541 00:32:26,040 --> 00:32:28,079 So I leave this delicate job to her. 542 00:32:29,840 --> 00:32:31,519 That looks like opal dirt. 543 00:32:33,240 --> 00:32:35,119 Look at that. 544 00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:37,959 I know it's opal dirt from what Joe's taught me. 545 00:32:38,040 --> 00:32:40,799 It's this white ugly... Yeah, Angel!..clay. 546 00:32:40,880 --> 00:32:42,999 There is a tunnel where you found the trace. 547 00:32:43,080 --> 00:32:45,039 You see that hole there.Yeah. 548 00:32:47,360 --> 00:32:49,639 Huh. Look at this. Is this something? 549 00:32:50,640 --> 00:32:53,679 It definitely looks like black potch. 550 00:32:53,760 --> 00:32:55,679 I'm pretty confident that is black potch. 551 00:32:56,720 --> 00:33:01,399 Black Potch is colourless opal, but if colour is present 552 00:33:01,480 --> 00:33:05,919 it becomes black opal one of the world's most prized gems 553 00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:09,039 worth up to $43,000 a gram. 554 00:33:10,640 --> 00:33:13,599 It there's no colour in it, it's just pure black potch. 555 00:33:13,680 --> 00:33:17,119 This goes to show there's definitely big pieces here.I know, I told you. 556 00:33:18,680 --> 00:33:20,319 Give me some more. 557 00:33:36,680 --> 00:33:39,919 Stop!Oh, hang on. What's that? 558 00:33:43,440 --> 00:33:46,999 Ooh. What'd you see? 559 00:33:47,080 --> 00:33:48,999 I don't know what I saw but it's shiny. 560 00:33:49,080 --> 00:33:50,999 Hopefully it's glassy opal that you see. 561 00:33:51,080 --> 00:33:54,759 My hand can't reach. Just scoop it up. 562 00:33:57,240 --> 00:34:01,919 Yeah, come up. Can you put this in a special spot? Stop. 563 00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:04,719 Just a gentle. 564 00:34:04,800 --> 00:34:08,719 Do you have lights? Oh, man, that was bright. 565 00:34:09,960 --> 00:34:12,839 Yeah that's good. Down there. Perfect. 566 00:34:14,560 --> 00:34:18,999 Anything there?Erm, I'm searching. 567 00:34:19,080 --> 00:34:21,239 We're really gonna have to sift through this. 568 00:34:23,120 --> 00:34:27,439 Angel.(EXCLAIMS)Look at that! 569 00:34:27,520 --> 00:34:30,519 Oh, wow!That's stunning. 570 00:34:30,600 --> 00:34:33,199 It's got a bit of blue in it so it has got some colour. 571 00:34:34,480 --> 00:34:36,119 Look, they keep just coming. 572 00:34:36,200 --> 00:34:38,759 Ooh. Have a look at this. 573 00:34:38,840 --> 00:34:41,479 Look at that. Another one. 574 00:34:41,560 --> 00:34:44,399 Here's another case.Could get a good stone here. Calm down. 575 00:34:44,480 --> 00:34:46,599 My pile's getting pretty big. Look at that. 576 00:34:46,680 --> 00:34:48,679 Look, there's another piece. Look at that. 577 00:34:48,760 --> 00:34:51,479 (EXCLAIMS, LAUGHS) 578 00:34:51,560 --> 00:34:54,319 We've got you know a good handful. I'm happy with that. 579 00:34:55,920 --> 00:34:58,319 We should call it a night, hey? Can't find any more. 580 00:34:58,400 --> 00:35:00,199 Yeah. I agree with you.Yeah. 581 00:35:00,280 --> 00:35:01,919 Might as well just go home. 582 00:35:09,640 --> 00:35:13,079 I know he said he's interested in some stuff if we find any 583 00:35:13,160 --> 00:35:15,599 and to let him know so. 584 00:35:15,680 --> 00:35:18,559 Hopefully he's brought plenty of cash with him. 585 00:35:18,640 --> 00:35:20,679 With money fast running out, 586 00:35:20,760 --> 00:35:25,559 the Tunnel Rats urgently need an opal sale to keep operating. 587 00:35:25,640 --> 00:35:28,559 You want me to fish him out or... Yeah...were you coming in? 588 00:35:28,640 --> 00:35:33,479 No. I'll let you go and and bring him back to our camp. 589 00:35:33,560 --> 00:35:36,079 It's not I want to do business here. 590 00:35:36,160 --> 00:35:39,999 I don't want everyone knowing that we're on opal either. Yeah. Okay. 591 00:35:41,800 --> 00:35:45,439 You have a certain look about you when you're on opal and people sort of know. 592 00:35:45,520 --> 00:35:48,879 You know, I don't like handing out that source of information 593 00:35:48,960 --> 00:35:51,839 to everyone else, so I like to keep things fairly private. 594 00:35:53,040 --> 00:35:56,999 Steve, who's one of our buyers, told us to come see him. 595 00:36:01,040 --> 00:36:02,839 Hello. How are we? 596 00:36:02,920 --> 00:36:05,359 Good. Yourself? Good. Good to see you. 597 00:36:05,440 --> 00:36:08,359 Got a little bit of stuff for you to look at but...Yeah, cool. 598 00:36:08,440 --> 00:36:12,639 ..so I won't do it here. Just won't draw too much attention from the... 599 00:36:12,720 --> 00:36:14,799 Yeah...flies on the wall. No worries. 600 00:36:25,440 --> 00:36:28,439 BAYDEN: How you going Steve? STEVE: Good mate. How are you guys? 601 00:36:28,520 --> 00:36:30,719 All right. Little bit of opal here to show you. 602 00:36:35,320 --> 00:36:37,359 It's nice. 603 00:36:37,440 --> 00:36:40,479 The Tunnel Rats have Grawin Seam Opal. 604 00:36:40,560 --> 00:36:44,679 Blue, green and yellow, with flashes of hot pink. 605 00:36:44,760 --> 00:36:47,999 In the rough, it weighs 600 grams. 606 00:36:51,240 --> 00:36:53,519 So what's the price? We're after ten grand. 607 00:36:54,800 --> 00:36:56,479 Would you take six for it? 608 00:36:58,400 --> 00:37:01,999 Mm, no. It's a bit low. We need to keep the wheels turning 609 00:37:02,080 --> 00:37:03,719 and we've got a house to build so. 610 00:37:05,560 --> 00:37:07,199 Six and a half? 611 00:37:08,920 --> 00:37:11,559 Look, I'd take eight. 612 00:37:11,640 --> 00:37:13,319 Would you do seven? 613 00:37:15,040 --> 00:37:16,759 I reckon you could do that, yeah. 614 00:37:17,960 --> 00:37:20,999 All right. We can do seven grand. Done deal. 615 00:37:21,080 --> 00:37:24,679 Good on you, Steve.Thank you. Thank you.No worries, thank you. 616 00:37:24,760 --> 00:37:27,839 This week was just really good for us. 617 00:37:27,920 --> 00:37:31,879 We've taken a big leap in the right direction towards our target 618 00:37:31,960 --> 00:37:34,879 and at the same token we've started using a digger, 619 00:37:34,960 --> 00:37:39,639 so it's just looking like a very bright future. 620 00:37:40,840 --> 00:37:44,639 We've found some money. It's a good chunk to put towards our house. 621 00:37:44,720 --> 00:37:46,319 It's gonna become a reality 622 00:37:46,400 --> 00:37:49,399 and hopefully if we can keep on chipping away at it like that, 623 00:37:49,480 --> 00:37:51,599 we'll have our house built before we know it. 624 00:38:09,680 --> 00:38:11,319 TIM: Howdy doody. 625 00:38:11,400 --> 00:38:14,159 What are you doing here? GREG: How you going, Tim? 626 00:38:14,240 --> 00:38:18,839 We've come to see the Tibor, who's an experienced opal miner of decades 627 00:38:18,920 --> 00:38:23,199 and he's going to tell us what we've got, if it's worth anything, 628 00:38:23,280 --> 00:38:25,679 grade it for us and give us some advice. 629 00:38:28,840 --> 00:38:32,119 This is my den. SCOTT: Yep.Very cool. That's pretty cool, then. 630 00:38:32,200 --> 00:38:36,039 So, yeah, take a chair, huh? Hey.What have we got? 631 00:38:37,800 --> 00:38:42,839 In this one are specimen shells, are shells we're finding out there. 632 00:38:42,920 --> 00:38:45,719 In the in the dish are colour 633 00:38:45,800 --> 00:38:47,919 that we've pulled out of the wall 634 00:38:48,000 --> 00:38:50,959 and then finally there's little chips that we've found. 635 00:38:52,920 --> 00:38:56,879 And so, as a, I don't know, there's a bit of a demo list 636 00:38:56,960 --> 00:38:59,119 of how you can actually use this material. 637 00:39:00,480 --> 00:39:02,439 This is stones of obsidian. 638 00:39:02,520 --> 00:39:05,999 So what we are looking at is an industry standard oval cut 639 00:39:06,080 --> 00:39:09,159 in accordance with ah jewellers' standards. 640 00:39:09,240 --> 00:39:11,959 Let's pick out the smaller pieces. 641 00:39:12,040 --> 00:39:15,439 These sizes are used as a earring stone 642 00:39:15,520 --> 00:39:17,479 and this is what can be cut. 643 00:39:17,560 --> 00:39:21,719 I mean this is the smallest one on the industry scale.Yeah. 644 00:39:21,800 --> 00:39:26,519 I know that if I can cut one of these out of that.Yep. 645 00:39:26,600 --> 00:39:30,919 ..I've got a stone...To... ..not a chip.Yeah. 646 00:39:31,000 --> 00:39:35,399 All right, Tim. What we've got here is specimen shells, fossils. 647 00:39:35,480 --> 00:39:38,599 Every one of these has a value.Yeah. 648 00:39:38,680 --> 00:39:40,799 Let's not forget these are millions 649 00:39:40,880 --> 00:39:43,639 and millions and millions of years old. 650 00:39:43,720 --> 00:39:46,319 So they say. Yeah. It's not something you throw away. 651 00:39:46,400 --> 00:39:48,399 Literally everything has a market for it. 652 00:39:48,480 --> 00:39:50,839 We pulled this piece out of the wall 653 00:39:50,920 --> 00:39:53,399 and it seems to me to have colour right through it. 654 00:39:53,480 --> 00:39:57,599 And this is the first place we were digging inside the new claim. 655 00:40:03,200 --> 00:40:06,199 If you're on this sort of trace my recommendation is 656 00:40:06,280 --> 00:40:11,159 bash the crappers out of that pillar...Yep...and see what else. 657 00:40:11,240 --> 00:40:12,839 So what do you think, Tim? 658 00:40:12,920 --> 00:40:17,399 All up together, what do you think we could get for it realistically? 659 00:40:17,480 --> 00:40:24,119 The Bishop has White Crystal Opal, opalised shells and small chips. 660 00:40:24,200 --> 00:40:28,519 They display the full array of colours and they're in the rough. 661 00:40:30,880 --> 00:40:33,599 Again, I'll be brutal. Yeah, no, be honest. 662 00:40:33,680 --> 00:40:39,639 Okay, so I reckon, mate, cold hard 500. 663 00:40:39,720 --> 00:40:42,919 Thank you so much. Good to know. No worries.Thank you buddy. 664 00:40:43,000 --> 00:40:44,639 Thank you.Yeah, good. 665 00:40:46,040 --> 00:40:48,239 You know we got a lot to celebrate this week. 666 00:40:48,320 --> 00:40:50,999 We've had some downs, we lost a claim 667 00:40:51,080 --> 00:40:53,159 but look what we've found. 668 00:40:53,240 --> 00:40:55,319 Because we got pegged out of Six Mile 669 00:40:55,400 --> 00:40:59,479 we've lucked onto this beautiful claim and it's full of trace. 670 00:40:59,560 --> 00:41:02,479 Man, what more could you ask, starting off? 671 00:41:02,560 --> 00:41:05,559 Well, mate, we've had a good start to the season.Absolutely. 672 00:41:05,640 --> 00:41:09,039 There's more opal to find, hey? Yeah, cheers.Cheers. 673 00:41:09,120 --> 00:41:10,759 Cheers to a good season. 674 00:41:19,320 --> 00:41:21,479 So this is the opal we found. JOE: Oh, yeah. 675 00:41:21,560 --> 00:41:24,399 Let's see if it's got any colour with it. Chuck it in water. 676 00:41:29,120 --> 00:41:31,079 Rookies Angel and Juan 677 00:41:31,160 --> 00:41:34,159 are hoping to kick start a career in opal mining 678 00:41:34,240 --> 00:41:35,839 with their first ever haul. 679 00:41:37,000 --> 00:41:40,959 Look how dark this one is. Yeah, it's semi black and black. 680 00:41:41,040 --> 00:41:44,479 Oh, yeah. This is mainly potch. 681 00:41:44,560 --> 00:41:48,279 But I mean, like, you've got to understand it is low-grade, right, compared to... 682 00:41:48,360 --> 00:41:50,439 Yeah, I understand. ..you know what I mean. 683 00:41:50,520 --> 00:41:54,239 The Misfits have colourless opal called potch. 684 00:41:54,320 --> 00:41:58,239 It's predominantly black with a minute flash of blue. 685 00:41:58,320 --> 00:42:01,839 In the rough, it weighs 459 grams. 686 00:42:03,720 --> 00:42:06,159 Cos, like, you see that black potch, that's money. 687 00:42:06,240 --> 00:42:08,199 Even with no colour, that is money. 688 00:42:08,280 --> 00:42:11,639 What you got to understand is, there is a market for black potch. 689 00:42:11,720 --> 00:42:14,399 With the potches, a lot of people actually throw it away. 690 00:42:14,480 --> 00:42:16,399 They're stupid because you don't need to. 691 00:42:16,480 --> 00:42:20,399 Everything is for sale, all you've got to do is find the right market for it 692 00:42:20,480 --> 00:42:22,839 and there's plenty of markets overseas for potch. 693 00:42:22,920 --> 00:42:26,679 They use it as backings and the value of using black potch 694 00:42:26,760 --> 00:42:28,439 is it's 100% Australian opal 695 00:42:28,520 --> 00:42:31,439 top and bottom when they're making doublets. 696 00:42:31,520 --> 00:42:33,879 A doublet is manufactured 697 00:42:33,960 --> 00:42:37,159 by gluing a thin piece of coloured crystal opal 698 00:42:37,240 --> 00:42:39,679 on top of a black potch base. 699 00:42:39,760 --> 00:42:43,079 This imitates the vibrant natural colour of black opal, 700 00:42:43,160 --> 00:42:45,999 but doublets sell for a much lower price. 701 00:42:47,520 --> 00:42:51,759 Yeah, no, I'd say you should be able to pull 3,000 for it pretty easy. 702 00:42:51,840 --> 00:42:54,039 Yeah.Awesome.Yeah. 703 00:42:54,120 --> 00:42:56,279 JUAN: Good job, man.Good job. Congratulations. 704 00:42:56,360 --> 00:42:57,959 Good find. 705 00:42:58,040 --> 00:43:00,279 That was just amazing for our first find 706 00:43:00,360 --> 00:43:03,479 so on the way to you know getting that target. 707 00:43:03,560 --> 00:43:08,959 (SINGING IN OTHER LANGUAGE) 708 00:43:09,040 --> 00:43:11,239 Oh, Juan. He's still on a high from it. 709 00:43:11,320 --> 00:43:14,519 He can't stop talking about it. 710 00:43:14,600 --> 00:43:16,639 You know, it is kind of like a dream 711 00:43:16,720 --> 00:43:18,839 because we got the tools, we got the know-how 712 00:43:18,920 --> 00:43:21,839 and the willingness to do it. We are ready to tackle anything. 713 00:43:21,920 --> 00:43:24,759 Well done. (INDISTINCT) we love it, man. 714 00:43:25,880 --> 00:43:27,879 Subtitles by Deluxe 715 00:43:28,305 --> 00:44:28,557 Watch Online Movies and Series for FREE www.osdb.link/lm