Outback Opal Hunters

1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,399 NARRATOR: On Outback Opal Hunters... 2 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:07,039 Yeah, we're just gonna have to stop using that side to dump on. 3 00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:10,839 ..the Blacklighters' plan for a massive new opencut mine... 4 00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:12,559 The virgin ground's where it's at. 5 00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:14,959 That's where you make your big money. 6 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:17,119 ..pushes their machines to the limit. 7 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:19,359 Look at that! PAUL: Could go any moment. 8 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:21,879 It's gonna go. 9 00:00:21,960 --> 00:00:24,199 The Young Guns leave White Cliffs 10 00:00:24,280 --> 00:00:27,319 to mine in Lightning Ridge for the first time... 11 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:29,919 JAYMIN: We're going to Lightning Ridge for two reasons, 12 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:32,119 to find a drill and some black opal. 13 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:33,879 ..working for a new boss... 14 00:00:33,960 --> 00:00:36,799 You can start moving dirt and we can all get paid. 15 00:00:36,880 --> 00:00:39,079 ..and facing treacherous conditions. 16 00:00:39,160 --> 00:00:41,119 JAYMIN: Come on, JC. NOAH: Ah! 17 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:45,799 And the Opal Whisperers move onto a new claim... 18 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:47,959 SOFIA: Come on, baby. Yeah. ISAAC: Hey!Woo! 19 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:52,239 ..and into a new HQ, a 60-year-old derelict house. 20 00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:55,559 Isaac, smoke! Grab the fire extinguisher. 21 00:00:55,640 --> 00:00:59,039 Hunting for rare opal-filled Yowah nuts. 22 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:01,399 Holy crap! This is nearly priceless. 23 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:03,439 I've never seen a piece like this. 24 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:11,074 Watch Online Movies and Series for FREE www.osdb.link/lm 25 00:01:25,440 --> 00:01:28,879 Yeah, so far this is no problem, Hannah. We're breezing through it. 26 00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:36,439 JAYMIN: We're in Lightning Ridge for two reasons. 27 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:39,239 To find a drill and some black opal. 28 00:01:39,320 --> 00:01:43,479 We've come nearly a thousand kilometres to get here. We've brought a lot of gear with us. 29 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:45,759 NOAH: Our plan from the start was to get a drill. 30 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:48,399 We're looking for one for a while and haven't found one. 31 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:51,199 So we've brought the hoist with us in the hopes of finding 32 00:01:51,280 --> 00:01:53,759 somewhere to dig while we're here in Lightning Ridge. 33 00:01:53,840 --> 00:01:56,479 Finding the drill, I've only got one contact 34 00:01:56,560 --> 00:01:58,719 in Lightning Ridge and that's Hannah. 35 00:01:58,800 --> 00:02:01,279 HANNAH: I'm looking for people to mine my claims. 36 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:04,319 The Young Guns seem all right. Like they're real keen to work. 37 00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:06,439 The more dirt we're moving, 38 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:08,839 the more chance of finding, like, opals in there. 39 00:02:08,920 --> 00:02:10,519 That's the aim of the game. 40 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:17,519 Maybe we should've waited till tomorrow 41 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:19,759 when it's dried up a bit more. I don't know, JC. 42 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:23,079 We don't have time, dude. We have to get out here and get going. 43 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:24,759 Oh, Jesus, JC. 44 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:33,279 Oh, my God! Are we supposed to go through that? 45 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:55,959 Oh, my God!Righto. 46 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:59,039 Let's see how that busted up van goes through that. 47 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:01,159 OK. We're going to try. Here we go. 48 00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:03,599 JAYMIN: This is not gonna work, man. 49 00:03:03,680 --> 00:03:05,879 Oh, go, JC, go. Faster! 50 00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:15,279 JC: Holy...Oh, my God. We're not gonna make it. 51 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:17,679 Come on, JC!Ah! 52 00:03:20,280 --> 00:03:25,599 We're so close!Oh. Oh.Oh, no! 53 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:28,839 Dammit. 54 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:33,279 Can you help me pull this up, JC? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 55 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:35,719 Just two weeks ago, the Young Guns 56 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:40,119 were 800 kilometres away at their own mine in White Cliffs. 57 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:45,479 The big stakes for us this season is just finding a new place to dig, 58 00:03:45,560 --> 00:03:47,679 which means getting ourselves a drill, 59 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:49,919 moving off the White Cliffs opal field. 60 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:54,439 The problem with White Cliffs that we've just faced time and again 61 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:56,599 is running into old workings, 62 00:03:56,680 --> 00:03:59,879 unsafe conditions because it is so dug out. 63 00:03:59,960 --> 00:04:02,839 We need to get out there and find new deposits of opal. 64 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:04,639 We've kind of come to the realisation 65 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:07,679 that to buy a drill and to fund next year's digging, 66 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:09,759 we need to up our season target. 67 00:04:09,840 --> 00:04:12,399 So our new season target is $200,000. 68 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:18,119 Hannah!We were c... Ah. 69 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:20,639 We were right there, bro. 70 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:22,399 Yeah, erm, we didn't make it. 71 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:24,839 HANNAH: All right, I'll turn around and come back. 72 00:04:31,400 --> 00:04:32,999 All right. 73 00:04:39,720 --> 00:04:42,239 Ready. Hey.Go, go, go! Yeah. 74 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:45,999 Come on, baby. 75 00:04:50,680 --> 00:04:52,799 They've done it. Woo!Woo! 76 00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:56,119 Ah-ha!Woo! 77 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:01,719 We're out.Righto. Ready to get back into it? 78 00:05:01,800 --> 00:05:04,519 Yeah. JAYMIN: Let's get back on the road. 79 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:17,399 So welcome to Great Northern. 80 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:19,719 This is the claim that youse be working in. 81 00:05:19,800 --> 00:05:23,719 Hannah's Great Northern claim is 50 by 50 metres 82 00:05:23,800 --> 00:05:26,559 and has produced high-quality opal. 83 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:30,159 These claims are pretty promising. Like, found stuff like this in it. 84 00:05:30,240 --> 00:05:31,959 OK.JC: Geez. 85 00:05:32,040 --> 00:05:33,639 NOAH: Oh, yeah, look at that. 86 00:05:33,720 --> 00:05:36,879 So different to what we find out at White Cliffs.Yeah, definitely. 87 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:38,759 Lightning Ridge black opal is so rare, 88 00:05:38,840 --> 00:05:40,439 and if we can find some out here, 89 00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:43,639 we'll make a lot of dollars and that will go to buying a drill. 90 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:46,719 Righto, well, how about a 70-30 split between the two of us? 91 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:51,279 Yeah, sounds good. My offer to the Young Guns, 92 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:54,399 we'll just split it 70-30, 70 their way. 93 00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:57,479 Seeing as they're doing the labour. 94 00:05:57,560 --> 00:05:59,639 So this is the mine?Yeah. 95 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:02,439 Just behind ya is where I want you to be going.Yep. 96 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:05,479 You can either go that way or a bit more that way, doesn't matter. 97 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:08,759 We've always run our own crew. I've always pretty much been the boss. 98 00:06:08,840 --> 00:06:11,879 It is, er, a little bit frustrating to go back 99 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:14,079 and now we have someone in charge of us 100 00:06:14,160 --> 00:06:15,799 and telling us what to do. 101 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:19,359 Some nice, hard ground for the jackhammers.Yeah. 102 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:21,879 The biggest challenge for the boys mining here 103 00:06:21,960 --> 00:06:24,599 would be that they don't have the same machinery we do. 104 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:27,959 Like, they are using jackhammers and not a digger. 105 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:30,159 Like, this is all dug with a digger. 106 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:32,719 Yeah. We've never used jackhammers. 107 00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:34,479 Oh, geez. 108 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:50,399 Oi, Mark. You on channel there, man? Yeah, mate, I'm here. 109 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:52,719 We might have a bit of a problem down here, ay. 110 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:54,439 All this dumped to my left 111 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:56,639 is just starting to slide down the hill. 112 00:06:56,720 --> 00:07:00,119 Yeah, we're just gonna have to stop using that side to dump on. 113 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:03,359 We gotta go the other side and double handle it. It's all we can do. 114 00:07:04,360 --> 00:07:06,359 Righto. Well, I guess that's the plan then. 115 00:07:07,560 --> 00:07:09,359 Changing it up a little bit this week. 116 00:07:09,440 --> 00:07:11,919 I'm trying to start a cut here. Open this up. 117 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:15,119 This is our first cut from scratch, 118 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:18,119 so it's a bit of a learning experience as well. 119 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:19,879 We don't know exactly how to do it. 120 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:24,919 It's a fairly costly exercise. My guess is we'd go 10,000 to 15,000 121 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:27,359 of diesel to get down to the level. 122 00:07:30,520 --> 00:07:32,239 We're here to find a lot of opal. 123 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:34,319 The virgin ground's where it's at you know, 124 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:36,119 that's where you make your big money. 125 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:38,559 It's, like, just fresh ground. It's untouched. 126 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:40,359 No-one's been there before. 127 00:07:40,440 --> 00:07:43,999 The Blacklighters are using their 20-tonne excavator 128 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:50,039 to dig an opencut 15 metres deep in search of an unmined opal level. 129 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:52,759 We're not gonna find much until we get to the level. 130 00:07:52,840 --> 00:07:56,879 We might get lucky, but it's just gonna be pretty well paying out. 131 00:07:56,960 --> 00:07:59,399 So we need Opalzilla to bring the money back in. 132 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:06,439 While digging, they'll also use their noodling machine, Opalzilla, 133 00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:09,319 to sift through nearby piles of mine waste, 134 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:13,879 finding scraps of opal missed by the old-timers. 135 00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:16,359 Mark and Paul are out there starting on the opencut 136 00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:18,359 and getting a bit of dirt moved, so, yeah. 137 00:08:18,440 --> 00:08:21,679 I'm just in here plodding away, trying to make a few bucks, I suppose. 138 00:08:21,760 --> 00:08:24,279 We're basically funding everything through Opalzilla. 139 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:26,679 We make a living and then it goes into the ground 140 00:08:26,760 --> 00:08:28,359 with our exploration. 141 00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:31,319 Noodling is OK and it does pay the bills in a way, 142 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:33,759 but the only way to really make some amazing money 143 00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:35,559 is to be able to rip something fresh 144 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:37,959 out the ground, erm, find a new pocket. 145 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:41,759 I'm sure there's a lot more opal here than we actually realise. 146 00:08:41,840 --> 00:08:44,359 We've just got to find where it is. 147 00:08:47,160 --> 00:08:50,719 Mark, you there? Yeah, I'm here, mate. 148 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:53,679 Ah, did you just shut the gennie off or what what's going on? 149 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:56,039 No, mate. I didn't turn the gennie off. 150 00:08:56,120 --> 00:08:58,559 Yeah, so got a bit of a blackout in here. 151 00:08:58,640 --> 00:09:01,479 Erm, yeah, I'll go have a look. We'll see what's going on. 152 00:09:01,560 --> 00:09:04,039 The generator is actually the heartbeat of Opalzilla. 153 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:05,999 Everything's run on electricity 154 00:09:06,080 --> 00:09:09,999 and the generator creates that. So no generator, no Opalzilla. 155 00:09:10,080 --> 00:09:11,759 What's going on? Did she just... 156 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:14,079 Yeah, just died. Electricity conk out again? 157 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:17,479 I don't, the belt's on. Got plenty of oil.Gee, it feels hot. 158 00:09:17,560 --> 00:09:19,399 Oh, that don't look too good, mate. 159 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:21,479 Oh, yeah, I can see it. 160 00:09:21,560 --> 00:09:25,479 Radiator's just pouring out. She's getting old, ay. 161 00:09:25,560 --> 00:09:27,719 We want a new one. What are we gonna do? 162 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:30,799 So we can't really just go down the shop here and get a new one. 163 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:32,959 We're in the middle of the nowhere. 164 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:37,839 Oh.Holy moly.Yes. That looks pretty nice. 165 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:41,039 The Blacklighters last find... 166 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:43,719 That's good, man.It's something, all right.I like it. 167 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:47,079 ..helped Paul, who currently lives with team leader Mark, 168 00:09:47,160 --> 00:09:48,839 buy his own dugout. 169 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:52,439 Righto. Paul's place. 170 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:54,719 I think you're gonna need to mow your lawn. 171 00:09:56,040 --> 00:09:58,799 For me and the family, I think this is a good investment. 172 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:00,959 Over time, we can turn it into a house 173 00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:04,079 and we build it exactly the way we want it. 174 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:06,999 I just want my own space for me and the family. 175 00:10:08,760 --> 00:10:10,359 We don't want to just survive, 176 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:12,719 putting our family through a fair bit of strain. 177 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:16,799 So, the stakes are high. We have to do something special. 178 00:10:16,880 --> 00:10:19,599 The opencut mining's where you're going to find big money, 179 00:10:19,680 --> 00:10:22,199 but we need Opalzilla running to be able 180 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:25,439 to fund the project of doing the opencut. 181 00:10:28,520 --> 00:10:31,559 Oh, that face doesn't look good. Generator? 182 00:10:31,640 --> 00:10:33,759 The radiator's just pouring out. 183 00:10:33,840 --> 00:10:37,199 I'll order a new one, but that's gonna take ages to get here. 184 00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:40,159 Yeah, we can't afford to really not work. 185 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:43,239 Not when we're taking on big projects like this.Yeah. 186 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:45,039 This hasn't come at a good time. 187 00:10:45,120 --> 00:10:47,079 We've got a big fuel bill coming up 188 00:10:47,160 --> 00:10:49,679 cos we're doing the opencut with the excavator. 189 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:51,839 We've already got fuel in here for today. 190 00:10:51,920 --> 00:10:54,799 You keep digging, we'll go to town and we'll try and sort it. 191 00:10:54,880 --> 00:10:56,479 John and I will go to town. 192 00:10:56,560 --> 00:10:59,159 We'll, erm, try and see what we can do. 193 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:09,919 ISAAC: Sofia, did you see the, erm, 194 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:12,359 the high fire danger warning sign on the way in? 195 00:11:12,440 --> 00:11:15,039 It's right on high. Yeah, it's like all the way to red. 196 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:16,839 I mean, we're in a bushfire corridor. 197 00:11:16,920 --> 00:11:19,439 No, it's good to be aware, ay.Mm. 198 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:22,839 We're going to set up camp. 199 00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:25,559 We've got to get, er, a bit of furniture into the house, 200 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:28,599 give it a clean-up. It's pretty dusty in there. 201 00:11:28,680 --> 00:11:30,639 Get the electricity on. 202 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:34,679 Opal Whisperers, Isaac Andreou, and his sister, Sofia, 203 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:38,279 are moving onto their new claim just outside Yowah. 204 00:11:39,280 --> 00:11:42,999 This house was a vital part of the bundle that we bought. 205 00:11:43,080 --> 00:11:46,439 I mean, it's old and rickety, but I think it's got a lot of charm. 206 00:11:46,520 --> 00:11:49,159 It was a station master's dwelling. 207 00:11:49,240 --> 00:11:52,999 It was brought here 10, 15 years ago, 208 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:55,719 put up on stilts to get away from the white ants. 209 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:57,679 White ants just eat everything out here. 210 00:11:57,760 --> 00:12:01,199 Any bit of wood that touches the floor ends up disintegrating. 211 00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:05,439 We're planning to stay here throughout the whole mining process. 212 00:12:06,520 --> 00:12:09,559 How's she looking? Do you want to try the electricity now? 213 00:12:09,640 --> 00:12:11,279 I think so. 214 00:12:11,360 --> 00:12:13,519 I mean, it's getting late too so... This side. 215 00:12:13,600 --> 00:12:16,439 ..we're going to need some light, hey.Yeah. 216 00:12:16,520 --> 00:12:18,839 The generator's gonna give us everything we need. 217 00:12:18,920 --> 00:12:21,039 It's gonna give us power, erm, you know, 218 00:12:21,120 --> 00:12:23,679 we'll be able to cook with it, it'll give us light. 219 00:12:23,760 --> 00:12:26,159 OK. 220 00:12:26,240 --> 00:12:28,999 This runs power to the entire house. 221 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:32,719 We're really hoping that we can just plug this into a generator, erm, 222 00:12:32,800 --> 00:12:35,759 and then the whole thing lights up and that we're good to go. 223 00:12:40,640 --> 00:12:43,079 All right. Shall we see if this light works?Yeah. 224 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:47,999 Come on, baby.Hey! 225 00:12:48,080 --> 00:12:50,199 Yeah. Woo. All right. I'll go check upstairs. 226 00:12:50,280 --> 00:12:52,239 That's awesome. That's really good.Cool. 227 00:12:53,240 --> 00:12:54,919 OK, hit them. 228 00:12:56,280 --> 00:12:58,119 Woo. 229 00:12:58,200 --> 00:13:00,799 It's good. Yeah, I'm gonna check the rest of the house. 230 00:13:01,920 --> 00:13:04,639 Awesome.How's she looking? 231 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:06,679 Yeah, looks good.We got light? It's good. 232 00:13:06,760 --> 00:13:08,999 There's power everywhere. Good stuff. All right. 233 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:11,279 Well, I'll do the trailer up. What's wrong? 234 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:13,919 Can you smell that? Smells like plastic. 235 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:15,599 It's burning rubber. Is that... 236 00:13:15,680 --> 00:13:18,319 Check the house. I'll check the, check the other, maybe... 237 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:20,279 Oh, man. Maybe turn the generator off. 238 00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:23,039 Just find the fire cos that's a fire. You can smell it. 239 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:26,479 Isaac. Smoke! Smoke! 240 00:13:28,400 --> 00:13:30,239 I'll turn the generator off. All right. 241 00:13:30,320 --> 00:13:33,599 Sofia, grab the fire extinguisher. This could set the whole house up. 242 00:13:34,640 --> 00:13:38,199 We've got $1.2 million. 243 00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:42,959 Last year, the Whisperers unearthed the biggest fortune ever 244 00:13:43,040 --> 00:13:45,799 on Outback Opal Hunters. Woo! 245 00:13:45,880 --> 00:13:49,319 Using their share of the profits, they bought two leases. 246 00:13:50,320 --> 00:13:52,519 We had to sell Lucky One Claim. 247 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:54,719 I was not feeling amazing about it. 248 00:13:54,800 --> 00:13:56,959 At the end of the day, we had to face reality, 249 00:13:57,040 --> 00:13:58,999 sell that one to be able to mine this one. 250 00:13:59,080 --> 00:14:01,559 And hired a second-hand backhoe. 251 00:14:01,640 --> 00:14:03,879 Backhoe, er, blew two tyres. 252 00:14:03,960 --> 00:14:07,079 The thing's just totally inoperable. I've got no machine. 253 00:14:07,160 --> 00:14:10,799 We're second generation, so our family name's on the line. 254 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:13,519 We're trying to find some opal to sell in Sofia's shop. 255 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:17,359 Our season target is $220,000. 256 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:19,559 That's how much we need to pay for everything 257 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:22,319 and hopefully walk away with a little bit in our pockets. 258 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:26,239 Out here, it's do or die. It's all down to Sofia and I now. 259 00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:30,159 All right, got it. OK, quick, we don't want 260 00:14:30,240 --> 00:14:32,159 to burn the house down. Throw it up, Sof. 261 00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:38,719 Oh, man, it's going off. Where is that? 262 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:43,359 Oh. 263 00:14:46,640 --> 00:14:48,639 Don't breathe that. 264 00:14:50,640 --> 00:14:52,959 It's that one switch I could see was dodgy. 265 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:54,839 It won't be a trouble to rewire it, 266 00:14:54,920 --> 00:14:57,719 but if we had burned the house down, that would have been it. 267 00:14:57,800 --> 00:15:01,519 I'll check all the wires. I'll rewire that whole corner and we'll get it sorted. 268 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:06,359 Yeah, it was a close call, but we got that fire. 269 00:15:06,440 --> 00:15:09,559 We nipped it in the bud. Feeling pretty lucky actually. 270 00:15:10,760 --> 00:15:14,199 Well, now that's done, it's time to decide where to start mining. 271 00:15:14,280 --> 00:15:17,679 I'll show you the area that I was playing around in. 272 00:15:17,760 --> 00:15:20,999 Yeah.Erm, so see, all of these beautiful gum trees, 273 00:15:21,080 --> 00:15:23,879 they basically stop around this area. 274 00:15:23,960 --> 00:15:27,679 They stop there.Yeah. There's a clear line in the vegetation. You can see that. 275 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:30,079 Yeah, there is. It's a completely different spot. 276 00:15:30,160 --> 00:15:32,039 So I was thinking maybe if we... 277 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:36,519 If we trenched on a 90-degree angle, it would give us some idea... 278 00:15:36,600 --> 00:15:38,599 Yeah...of this section here.OK. 279 00:15:38,680 --> 00:15:42,239 I know a guy and, erm, he's got a 20-plus-tonne excavator. 280 00:15:42,320 --> 00:15:43,959 OK.I think it's 25 tonne. 281 00:15:44,040 --> 00:15:46,679 He doesn't have any work on for the next couple of days. 282 00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:49,039 So we've got a bit in the budget. I reckon... 283 00:15:50,160 --> 00:15:52,679 ..we spend between 2,000, 3,000 bucks.OK. All right. 284 00:15:52,760 --> 00:15:55,799 That's a chunk. This is our last go. 285 00:15:55,880 --> 00:15:57,679 It's a pressing concern 286 00:15:57,760 --> 00:16:00,519 that if we don't find opal on this dig... 287 00:16:02,440 --> 00:16:04,039 ..it might be over. 288 00:16:12,880 --> 00:16:16,559 JAYMIN: Yeah, there he is. JC: There's the Borko drill. 289 00:16:16,640 --> 00:16:18,879 Oh, look, he's putting it up. Putting it up. 290 00:16:18,960 --> 00:16:21,279 All right, let's buy it. 291 00:16:21,360 --> 00:16:24,439 The Young Guns have travelled 800 kilometres 292 00:16:24,520 --> 00:16:29,079 from White Cliffs to Lightning Ridge to mine for rare black opal 293 00:16:29,160 --> 00:16:31,359 and purchase an exploration drill 294 00:16:31,440 --> 00:16:34,639 in the hope of establishing new opal fields. 295 00:16:36,200 --> 00:16:38,359 Hey, boys, you've made it, ay? JC: G'day, g'day. 296 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:40,199 Good stuff. How are you? How you doing? 297 00:16:40,280 --> 00:16:41,879 It was a bit of a challenge 298 00:16:41,960 --> 00:16:43,959 to find you, but we got here. Yeah, yeah. 299 00:16:44,040 --> 00:16:45,639 So this is the big girl here. 300 00:16:45,720 --> 00:16:47,879 Well, this is what we're in the market for. 301 00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:49,559 Just bought it a while ago, 302 00:16:49,640 --> 00:16:52,199 but there hasn't been that cash flow happening.Mm-hm. 303 00:16:52,280 --> 00:16:54,919 So, and I heard you guys were looking for a drill. 304 00:16:55,000 --> 00:16:56,879 Yeah, you're the only person we could find 305 00:16:56,960 --> 00:16:58,639 that was willing to actually...Yeah. 306 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:02,279 ..talk about selling their drill, that's how it is. It pops up when it does. 307 00:17:02,360 --> 00:17:04,079 So, look, I wouldn't be willing 308 00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:06,759 to get rid of this drill for under 90 grand. 309 00:17:06,840 --> 00:17:09,399 So you don't want to part with her for 70? 310 00:17:09,480 --> 00:17:12,119 Nah, mate. Look it's, you know, worth too much for me. 311 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:19,759 I just don't know. It'd be a huge... Risk...gamble. 312 00:17:19,840 --> 00:17:23,359 I mean, the going rate is generally around 60 to 70.Mm. 313 00:17:23,440 --> 00:17:25,839 Like, if we had more money, would you guys be keen 314 00:17:25,920 --> 00:17:27,759 to just roll the dice on it and get it? 315 00:17:27,840 --> 00:17:29,479 I reckon definitely.NOAH: Yeah. 316 00:17:29,560 --> 00:17:31,719 It's a money issue. If we could make some money. 317 00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:34,159 We're just gonna have to go out and find more opal 318 00:17:34,240 --> 00:17:36,599 and either wait until another drill pops up, 319 00:17:36,680 --> 00:17:38,919 or, you know, maybe then we can meet that price. 320 00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:42,359 All right, guys. Sorry we couldn't do any business. 321 00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:44,319 That's all right. Thanks for showing us. 322 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:47,279 You'll do all right while you're here and that. Cheers, Borko. 323 00:17:50,680 --> 00:17:53,639 If we want to achieve everything we want to this year, 324 00:17:53,720 --> 00:17:56,439 then we're really going to need to up the ante. 325 00:17:56,520 --> 00:17:58,199 We're probably going to need to aim 326 00:17:58,280 --> 00:18:00,399 for about $200,000 as our season target, 327 00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:04,319 and if we can get that, then that's when we'll be getting a drill 328 00:18:04,400 --> 00:18:08,119 and really achieving everything we want to this season. 329 00:18:08,200 --> 00:18:10,679 While in Lightning Ridge, the Young Guns 330 00:18:10,760 --> 00:18:13,519 have done a deal with boss Hannah McMillan 331 00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:17,719 to mine one of her claims for 70% of the opal. 332 00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:19,559 It's good timing having the boys come 333 00:18:19,640 --> 00:18:22,679 so they'd mine the claim for me cos I've got my own stuff to do, 334 00:18:22,760 --> 00:18:24,839 so I'm keen for them to get straight into it 335 00:18:24,920 --> 00:18:27,759 and hopefully move some dirt and get some money. 336 00:18:29,800 --> 00:18:32,839 So this is our track for the bucket to actually run up and down. 337 00:18:32,920 --> 00:18:34,519 It's just for this bucket to go 338 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:37,079 up on top of the tipper and then dump into the truck. 339 00:18:42,160 --> 00:18:44,799 JC: How much further is there? A metre. 340 00:18:44,880 --> 00:18:47,679 Oh. Pull it back up. 341 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:54,599 Yeah, hoist ladder doesn't fit down the hole perfectly. 342 00:18:54,680 --> 00:18:57,799 You've got to dig deeper down the bottom to, you know, 343 00:18:57,880 --> 00:19:00,439 make sure it's level at the top and it all fits right. 344 00:19:04,200 --> 00:19:08,679 Have to go three foot down, and in the first half a foot, 345 00:19:08,760 --> 00:19:11,999 we've hit solid ground, I reckon. 346 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:14,399 You want a jackhammer and the gennie on? 347 00:19:14,480 --> 00:19:18,719 I think so. We're going to. We'll get it sorted. 348 00:19:18,800 --> 00:19:20,639 Thanks, boys. 349 00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:24,559 NOAH: OK, JC, you ready for the jackhammer to come down? 350 00:19:24,640 --> 00:19:26,439 I'm clear, dude. Go for it. 351 00:19:44,400 --> 00:19:46,319 Well, our generator has just seized up 352 00:19:46,400 --> 00:19:48,399 or locked up or something like that. Noah. 353 00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:51,159 NOAH: What do you mean? We're in trouble. 354 00:19:51,240 --> 00:19:52,879 Oh, that's bad. 355 00:19:54,840 --> 00:19:57,359 Our one piece of gear, the most reliable piece... 356 00:19:58,480 --> 00:20:01,079 ..the heart of the whole operation is broken down, 357 00:20:01,160 --> 00:20:02,959 so if we can't fix this, 358 00:20:03,040 --> 00:20:04,839 we're packing up and we're going home. 359 00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:15,919 ISAAC: Hey. Check this out. 360 00:20:16,000 --> 00:20:18,199 Oh, Isaac.Whoa!Oh, man. 361 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:20,479 Can you believe it? 362 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:22,639 Oh.Wow.Oh. 363 00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:25,159 That's what I've been waiting for, Sofia. 364 00:20:25,240 --> 00:20:26,879 Now we're in business, girl. 365 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:31,119 Pete, thank you so much for joining us. 366 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:34,639 This is really great. It's a good moment for us. Yeah. 367 00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:37,919 The Opal Whisperers have used the last of their cash 368 00:20:38,000 --> 00:20:39,919 to hire local miner 369 00:20:40,000 --> 00:20:43,839 and excavator operator, Peter Clayton. 370 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:45,719 So where are we digging?Oh, yeah. 371 00:20:45,800 --> 00:20:48,159 Do you want to have a look? We can mark it out. 372 00:20:48,240 --> 00:20:51,519 Er, Sofia's pretty conscious of the trees as well. 373 00:20:51,600 --> 00:20:53,519 If there's any way that we could avoid 374 00:20:53,600 --> 00:20:56,479 uprooting most of the trees, that'd be awesome. 375 00:20:56,560 --> 00:20:58,479 Yeah.OK. Whatever. 376 00:21:07,520 --> 00:21:11,119 These little beauties is absolutely what we're looking for. 377 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:13,919 We've opened one or two and we've found just clay inside, 378 00:21:14,000 --> 00:21:18,199 however, just to see that formation is a super good sign for us. 379 00:21:18,280 --> 00:21:23,559 Yowah nuts form when crystal opal fills intricate cracks and voids 380 00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:26,559 inside nut-shaped ironstone rocks, 381 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:30,559 creating unique patterns exclusive to the region. 382 00:21:30,640 --> 00:21:34,119 What we want is for that clay to turn into solid ironstone 383 00:21:34,200 --> 00:21:36,479 and then we need opal inside that ironstone. 384 00:21:37,480 --> 00:21:40,039 So we're one third of the way there. 385 00:21:42,600 --> 00:21:45,319 What do you reckon, Pete? Erm, the caprock's hard. 386 00:21:45,400 --> 00:21:48,839 The caprock's hard, isn't it? And it goes straight to clay. 387 00:21:48,920 --> 00:21:52,199 So there's no band of nuts or band of ironstone. 388 00:21:53,200 --> 00:21:55,159 We've hit clay at the bottom and...Mm-hm. 389 00:21:56,640 --> 00:21:59,319 ..the general rule of thumb is once you hit clay, it's... 390 00:22:00,880 --> 00:22:03,879 It's over.There's no band there. 391 00:22:03,960 --> 00:22:07,159 Well, anyway, where do you want to go next? 392 00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:09,239 I think we'll truck on 393 00:22:09,320 --> 00:22:12,879 and go in the same line, the same trench line. 394 00:22:12,960 --> 00:22:15,119 I don't know if we should stay in the same line. 395 00:22:15,200 --> 00:22:17,959 I'm thinking that maybe we go where the ironstone's lying 396 00:22:18,040 --> 00:22:20,199 on top of the ground, closer to the road.Yep. 397 00:22:20,280 --> 00:22:21,919 Towards the back of the lease. 398 00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:24,199 The original plan was to continue 399 00:22:24,280 --> 00:22:27,119 trenching in a line through the clearing. 400 00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:31,439 Isaac is suggesting a brand-new trench 50 metres away. 401 00:22:31,520 --> 00:22:33,559 Sounds good to me. Sofia, what do you reckon? 402 00:22:33,640 --> 00:22:35,319 Erm, I don't know. That's completely 403 00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:37,759 changing the plan at last minute. It is, you gotta 404 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:39,719 change with what the land tells you to do. 405 00:22:39,800 --> 00:22:43,759 Well, we have to restudy that area and make sure it's pretty clear. 406 00:22:43,840 --> 00:22:45,439 Yeah. 407 00:22:45,520 --> 00:22:48,879 There's no level so far. We could keep going deeper, but he's hit clay. 408 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:52,479 And you don't want to follow our trench line right over there? 409 00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:55,839 I'll give you an example of how I sort of look at things. 410 00:22:55,920 --> 00:22:58,399 If I've got a ironstone boulder and I saw through it, 411 00:22:58,480 --> 00:23:00,319 let's say I've got ideas of how to cut it 412 00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:02,439 and I saw through it and have a look at it, 413 00:23:02,520 --> 00:23:05,119 in this case if you look at this, it was a small boulder. 414 00:23:05,200 --> 00:23:06,999 I get that. With all due respect, Isaac, 415 00:23:07,080 --> 00:23:09,359 time's ticking and we're paying him a lotta money. 416 00:23:09,440 --> 00:23:11,199 You wanna show me the area you thought? 417 00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:13,759 There's ironstone lying on top of the ground over there 418 00:23:13,840 --> 00:23:16,799 and I didn't see that before we decided to do all of this and... 419 00:23:16,880 --> 00:23:20,239 All right. Well, that is a good sign.Have a look at this. 420 00:23:20,320 --> 00:23:22,439 OK.OK. So now this is completely different 421 00:23:22,520 --> 00:23:24,959 to everywhere else. Look at this. Sofia, that's a nut. 422 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:27,559 That's a nut lying on top of the ground. Right there. 423 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:31,279 There's no pattern or colour, but it is a nut formation. Mm.And it's ironstone. 424 00:23:31,360 --> 00:23:32,959 All right. I agree. Let's do it. 425 00:23:35,760 --> 00:23:40,159 This is our second test trench now, and if this doesn't work out, 426 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:43,679 then it's up to Sofia to find where she wants to go. 427 00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:47,199 We need to nail it within these three test trenches. 428 00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:51,359 It's not got the indications that we've seen previously in... 429 00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:54,639 Yeah, there's nothing really exciting through these layers, is there? 430 00:23:54,720 --> 00:23:58,279 If there's no indication...Mm. ..of anything at ten foot, then... 431 00:23:58,360 --> 00:24:00,039 No solid indication. 432 00:24:00,120 --> 00:24:03,119 Then that's an indication there's nothing here. 433 00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:16,119 PAUL: I didn't think you were coming back.MARK: Neither did we. 434 00:24:16,200 --> 00:24:18,319 You know, we had a fair bit of ringing around 435 00:24:18,400 --> 00:24:21,199 and I got nowhere with that though. JOHN: Nothing's open. 436 00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:24,279 No. There's nothing, of course, it's a Sunday, innit? 437 00:24:24,360 --> 00:24:26,679 If we can't get the gennie going, and yeah, 438 00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:29,999 we're pretty much stuck with just the mining, just the excavator 439 00:24:30,080 --> 00:24:31,839 and that pretty much means, you know, 440 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:33,879 we're not gonna get paid for a week or so 441 00:24:33,960 --> 00:24:36,199 until we actually hit level or even, you know, 442 00:24:36,280 --> 00:24:38,399 we might not even find anything down there. 443 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:40,079 What are you doing with them? 444 00:24:40,160 --> 00:24:42,639 That's all we could come up with. Everything was shut. 445 00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:44,439 Yeah. We got eggs to fix the gennie. 446 00:24:47,560 --> 00:24:50,239 Why?Oh, we had nothing else. 447 00:24:51,360 --> 00:24:53,759 It's an old bush fix.Oh, whatever. 448 00:24:53,840 --> 00:24:56,239 I don't, er, I don't see it working, but let's try. 449 00:24:56,320 --> 00:24:58,159 All right. You've got to do something. 450 00:24:58,240 --> 00:25:01,239 There's nothing open. Like, we can't get anything for days. 451 00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:05,399 You just stick the egg whites in. 452 00:25:05,480 --> 00:25:08,679 Erm, it cooks it into basically where it's getting pushed out. 453 00:25:08,760 --> 00:25:10,559 Seals it up, hopefully. 454 00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:15,639 John's plan is to use the egg white as a makeshift radiator sealant 455 00:25:15,720 --> 00:25:18,359 relying on the pressure and heat of the coolant 456 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:22,159 to cook the egg into any cracks, stopping the leaks. 457 00:25:24,080 --> 00:25:27,199 Bombs away, John. Bombs away. Bombs away.Bombs away. 458 00:25:27,280 --> 00:25:30,599 If this doesn't work, it leaves us just doing our opencut 459 00:25:30,680 --> 00:25:33,199 which is just costing money till we get to the level. 460 00:25:33,280 --> 00:25:35,119 Is our batteries all hooked up, Marcus? 461 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:38,639 It's 'eggs'actly ready to turn on. Mark, stop with the one-liners. 462 00:25:39,960 --> 00:25:43,519 You can't 'eggs'pect much more. 463 00:25:47,520 --> 00:25:49,639 Woo. 464 00:25:53,320 --> 00:25:55,759 A fair bit of smoke coming out. 465 00:25:55,840 --> 00:25:59,839 That's normal when it starts, but that's getting worse. 466 00:25:59,920 --> 00:26:02,359 Oh, it shouldn't be still going. 467 00:26:02,440 --> 00:26:04,399 Should be a black puff and that's it. 468 00:26:10,600 --> 00:26:13,719 Oh, no way. 469 00:26:19,720 --> 00:26:21,879 We put the eggs in. They seem to have worked, 470 00:26:21,960 --> 00:26:25,319 but, yeah, then we had a knocking and a crapload of what, 471 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:27,359 smoke coming out and, erm, checked the oil 472 00:26:27,440 --> 00:26:30,679 and there's a lot of water in it so I'm guessing we've done the head. 473 00:26:30,760 --> 00:26:32,599 A cracked diesel motor head 474 00:26:32,680 --> 00:26:35,079 can allow coolant to seep into the oil, 475 00:26:35,160 --> 00:26:38,839 potentially causing catastrophic damage to the engine. 476 00:26:40,360 --> 00:26:44,279 Look at that! That's cos it's running on water. 477 00:26:44,360 --> 00:26:46,319 It's steam.It's steam. 478 00:26:49,440 --> 00:26:52,879 I'll just crank Opalzilla for a minute and get that last bit of dirt out. 479 00:26:52,960 --> 00:26:55,639 Get that last bit of dirt out cos... Could go any moment. 480 00:26:55,720 --> 00:26:58,359 It's gonna go. It's not gonna last much longer.Yeah. 481 00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:00,599 Hopefully, John's fix can process 482 00:27:00,680 --> 00:27:02,679 the rest of the dirt we got in Opalzilla 483 00:27:02,760 --> 00:27:05,519 and hopefully get something out of it. 484 00:27:05,600 --> 00:27:08,639 We need money, cos at least then we can keep mining. 485 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:11,679 We're just trying to get this last of the dirt out of Opalzilla 486 00:27:11,760 --> 00:27:13,479 before the generator itself, 487 00:27:13,560 --> 00:27:15,839 so there's not too much left in there, 488 00:27:15,920 --> 00:27:17,879 so it's probably only maybe a few minutes. 489 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:21,639 Well, there's not terribly much in the bucket, 490 00:27:21,720 --> 00:27:24,559 so we're gonna have to hope there's some good bits in there. 491 00:27:26,760 --> 00:27:28,719 Oh, that's not too bad a bit. 492 00:27:31,920 --> 00:27:33,999 There's another nice one. 493 00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:39,959 It's coming through pretty slow, so I think she might just about be done. 494 00:27:42,400 --> 00:27:45,319 And that's all she wrote until we get a new generator. 495 00:27:53,440 --> 00:27:56,079 NOAH: Hey, how are ya? 496 00:27:56,160 --> 00:27:59,479 Erm, not too great. Erm, we got some bad news. 497 00:27:59,560 --> 00:28:01,279 Not good at all. 498 00:28:01,360 --> 00:28:05,079 Our generator has, erm, pretty much carked it. 499 00:28:05,160 --> 00:28:08,879 Erm, we... It's dropped a valve so it, er, it doesn't work. 500 00:28:08,960 --> 00:28:10,839 Right.Erm... 501 00:28:10,920 --> 00:28:12,959 Yeah. We're a bit screwed. 502 00:28:13,040 --> 00:28:16,919 I mean, our season's kind of over if we can't get it fixed. I... Yeah. 503 00:28:20,400 --> 00:28:23,119 Oh.Really?Really? 504 00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:30,559 So far, Hannah must be, er, a bit worried about us. 505 00:28:30,640 --> 00:28:34,439 You know, we get bogged, then our $6,000 generator breaks, 506 00:28:34,520 --> 00:28:37,079 we have to tell her, you know, our gear isn't working. 507 00:28:37,160 --> 00:28:39,599 I mean, it's pretty rough, it's pretty embarrassing. 508 00:28:42,560 --> 00:28:44,239 Hey.How you doing? 509 00:28:44,320 --> 00:28:46,439 Hi.How you doing?Good. 510 00:28:46,520 --> 00:28:48,319 So, got your gennie. 511 00:28:48,400 --> 00:28:51,359 Seems as you've done a good job at busting the other one. 512 00:28:51,440 --> 00:28:53,039 This one's just been fixed, 513 00:28:53,120 --> 00:28:55,519 so it should be right to work for youse. 514 00:28:55,600 --> 00:28:58,519 JC: That's unreal. That's actually better than our one. 515 00:28:58,600 --> 00:29:00,519 If you got one, you can start moving dirt 516 00:29:00,600 --> 00:29:02,359 and we can all get paid hopefully.Yep. 517 00:29:02,440 --> 00:29:04,479 I guess there's an upside to having a boss. 518 00:29:04,560 --> 00:29:07,639 I don't have to worry about the big picture or the major problems. 519 00:29:07,720 --> 00:29:10,879 We've got Hannah, she's come in, she's taken care of it all for us. 520 00:29:15,880 --> 00:29:19,359 Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh! She works. 521 00:29:27,960 --> 00:29:29,999 That's it. The hoist is done. 522 00:29:30,080 --> 00:29:31,759 Look at that. Boatloads easier. 523 00:29:33,760 --> 00:29:35,839 Hoist her up, Nozzy. 524 00:29:36,920 --> 00:29:38,959 Oi, ah, do you want to stick it down? 525 00:29:39,040 --> 00:29:40,879 See if it reaches the bottom? 526 00:29:44,560 --> 00:29:47,199 Oh, my goodness.Perfect. 527 00:29:47,280 --> 00:29:49,879 Just wanna kick those legs out. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 528 00:29:57,240 --> 00:29:59,919 Yep, she's on.She's on there. Yep. She's on. 529 00:30:01,960 --> 00:30:04,239 OK, I'm going to plug it in now. 530 00:30:09,320 --> 00:30:11,079 Oh, ho, ho. 531 00:30:12,720 --> 00:30:14,319 Ha, ha! 532 00:30:18,160 --> 00:30:20,279 What's going on, fellas? 533 00:30:22,360 --> 00:30:25,279 It's just, erm, it's not coming up. 534 00:30:26,400 --> 00:30:29,599 Is that going up?Turn it off. Turn it off. Turn it off. Turn it off. 535 00:30:35,760 --> 00:30:38,479 ISAAC: You had a gut feeling there. So, I mean, I...Really? 536 00:30:38,560 --> 00:30:40,719 ..reckon that's our next shot. Sounds perfect. 537 00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:43,119 Best chance we've got. Yeah.OK. Done. 538 00:30:43,200 --> 00:30:46,359 That's our decision.Woo. We'll stick with that and we'll go for it. 539 00:30:46,440 --> 00:30:49,799 I'm literally saying let's spend thousands of dollars here.Yep. 540 00:30:51,040 --> 00:30:52,679 We're operating a bit blind here. 541 00:30:52,760 --> 00:30:54,999 We haven't done our own test really or anything. 542 00:30:55,080 --> 00:30:57,919 These are test trenches, but, erm, we've hit two. 543 00:30:58,000 --> 00:31:02,079 We've gone down nearly 20 foot and we've come up with zero. 544 00:31:02,160 --> 00:31:04,879 We've just gotta start extracting colour 545 00:31:04,960 --> 00:31:08,559 or that money's just gonna get sucked away and then we're gonna have nothing. 546 00:31:08,640 --> 00:31:11,359 The Opal Whisperers have spent most of their money 547 00:31:11,440 --> 00:31:16,839 on a new lease of untested land and hired an excavator to dig it. 548 00:31:16,920 --> 00:31:19,799 We were so excited to have three hectares to play with, 549 00:31:19,880 --> 00:31:21,919 erm, but actually, it builds more pressure 550 00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:24,279 cos you have so much choice of where to dig. 551 00:31:24,360 --> 00:31:26,719 It's got that pink, look at that. Is that a boulder? 552 00:31:26,800 --> 00:31:28,999 There's an ironstone boulder right there.No way. 553 00:31:29,080 --> 00:31:31,999 Look and there's a little bit of a level. 554 00:31:32,080 --> 00:31:33,959 It's a super good sign for us 555 00:31:34,040 --> 00:31:36,999 to see that there's full ironstone formations. 556 00:31:37,080 --> 00:31:40,519 We didn't see any of this in the last two trenches. 557 00:31:40,600 --> 00:31:43,519 Sofia, look. Hey! Check this out. 558 00:31:43,600 --> 00:31:45,239 It was from that file.What? 559 00:31:45,320 --> 00:31:47,679 Look at that. We've got a nut.Wow. 560 00:31:47,760 --> 00:31:49,919 No way.Wait. Where there's one, there's more. 561 00:31:51,360 --> 00:31:53,159 That's the first piece of opal we found, 562 00:31:53,240 --> 00:31:55,159 first decent piece of opal we found here. 563 00:31:56,600 --> 00:31:59,159 It must be done.Good stuff, Pete. 564 00:32:00,320 --> 00:32:04,119 The excavator's done its job, but we've got to follow level. 565 00:32:11,920 --> 00:32:16,559 I'm looking for anything that shimmers ironstone. 566 00:32:18,280 --> 00:32:22,599 Oh. This looks good. OK. 567 00:32:22,680 --> 00:32:24,359 Sofia's gonna work the mullock heap 568 00:32:24,440 --> 00:32:27,759 and look for the other half of that nut and see what else is in there 569 00:32:27,840 --> 00:32:29,799 and I'm gonna start chipping away 570 00:32:29,880 --> 00:32:33,679 at this, er, ironstone band here. 571 00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:41,639 Yeah, I knew it. We're on the right track. 572 00:32:42,640 --> 00:32:44,759 That's green and purple. That's colour. 573 00:32:47,840 --> 00:32:49,639 That's coffee potch in colour. 574 00:32:50,640 --> 00:32:52,559 It's actually really nice purple. 575 00:32:53,560 --> 00:32:57,559 It looks like it's been broken up, so there's probably extra bits. 576 00:32:59,520 --> 00:33:02,759 That's it. That's it. 577 00:33:02,840 --> 00:33:05,559 There's a bit of colour coming straight through there. 578 00:33:05,640 --> 00:33:08,159 This might be a good, substantial piece. 579 00:33:08,240 --> 00:33:09,919 I'm just going a little bit careful 580 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:11,919 because some of it actually looks fossil. 581 00:33:13,160 --> 00:33:16,719 That's fossil for sure. Isaac! What's going on? 582 00:33:16,800 --> 00:33:19,039 I just thought I'd get you 583 00:33:19,120 --> 00:33:22,159 to have a look at a little bit of colour! 584 00:33:22,240 --> 00:33:25,319 What have you got? Holy crap! 585 00:33:27,080 --> 00:33:30,439 Sof, that's not just colour, that's a massive pipe, mate. 586 00:33:30,520 --> 00:33:32,319 Got a bit of movement on it. 587 00:33:32,400 --> 00:33:35,839 It's just really these top bits I want to...It's huge.Yeah. 588 00:33:37,480 --> 00:33:39,959 All right, here we go. We could, ah.Ready? 589 00:33:40,040 --> 00:33:41,679 Yeah.One, that's it. 590 00:33:41,760 --> 00:33:44,159 OK. OK. 591 00:33:44,240 --> 00:33:46,679 Holy crap. That's a good one. 592 00:33:52,920 --> 00:33:54,719 MARK: The fuel bill is piling up. 593 00:33:54,800 --> 00:33:57,719 Got to get ourselves out of this hole somehow. 594 00:33:57,800 --> 00:34:01,239 John pulled a bit of material out. Hopefully there's something in there 595 00:34:01,320 --> 00:34:04,639 that can help us get a gennie or just get some more fuel. 596 00:34:04,720 --> 00:34:07,159 Without a generator, the Blacklighters 597 00:34:07,240 --> 00:34:12,079 are unable to continue the ambitious second phase of their season, 598 00:34:12,160 --> 00:34:14,079 a vast opencut mine, 599 00:34:14,160 --> 00:34:17,039 in search of a million-dollar pocket of opal. 600 00:34:23,480 --> 00:34:25,879 Hey.If you put any of your balls on the table. 601 00:34:27,080 --> 00:34:28,679 What are you doing? 602 00:34:28,760 --> 00:34:31,479 What are you doing? Just come to show you some opal. 603 00:34:33,120 --> 00:34:36,519 So all this came out from what came came through Opalzilla?Yep. 604 00:34:36,600 --> 00:34:39,279 Wow. Look at that piece. Pretty good.That's a big donk. 605 00:34:41,120 --> 00:34:42,919 See, it's a little bit of a mixed bag. 606 00:34:43,000 --> 00:34:45,559 Looks like that one actually goes together. 607 00:34:45,640 --> 00:34:48,439 Well, it is pretty good. There's nice colour through there. 608 00:34:48,520 --> 00:34:51,799 Gee, these two bits on their own... 609 00:34:53,280 --> 00:34:56,159 ..they are going to cut some good... They are some nice stones. 610 00:34:56,240 --> 00:34:59,519 Yeah, nice stuff. I like this greenie... 611 00:34:59,600 --> 00:35:03,079 Yeah...stuff here. No. That's nice, John. 612 00:35:03,160 --> 00:35:09,119 The Blacklighters have crystal opal featuring greens, purples, golds, 613 00:35:09,200 --> 00:35:12,599 and sought-after reds, and it's in the rough. 614 00:35:13,920 --> 00:35:17,519 We haven't quite got... There's a generator there. I can see a generator. 615 00:35:18,600 --> 00:35:20,319 Yeah. I reckon close. 616 00:35:20,400 --> 00:35:22,439 Be in between seven and ten. 617 00:35:24,000 --> 00:35:25,679 I'd say, well, eight and a half. 618 00:35:29,480 --> 00:35:31,079 Yeah, that gave us a smile. 619 00:35:31,160 --> 00:35:33,399 Put a smile on a dreary week actually. 620 00:35:33,480 --> 00:35:37,199 Oi, that tells me I can keep digging.Yeah. 621 00:35:37,280 --> 00:35:40,519 Hey.You can keep digging. Like, we're lucky. 622 00:35:40,600 --> 00:35:42,519 Probably be able to get that gennie here, 623 00:35:42,600 --> 00:35:44,999 presuming, you know, a couple more tanks of diesel. 624 00:35:45,080 --> 00:35:48,039 Good one, John.Well done, man. Winner, winner.Chicken dinner. 625 00:35:48,120 --> 00:35:51,039 Good stuff. Well done.Well done. That was good cricket, mate. 626 00:35:51,120 --> 00:35:53,319 We've got enough to keep Opalzilla running for, 627 00:35:53,400 --> 00:35:54,999 you know, for a week or so. 628 00:35:55,080 --> 00:35:57,279 So hopefully, out of that week, we can, you know, 629 00:35:57,360 --> 00:36:00,719 we can pull some colour and some money and get back into this cut. 630 00:36:00,800 --> 00:36:03,239 Awesome.Well done. We were half way through a game. 631 00:36:03,320 --> 00:36:06,279 Yeah. Can you put that ball back? Pretty sure it was over here. 632 00:36:06,360 --> 00:36:08,159 Yeah, leave it there. It was more there. 633 00:36:08,240 --> 00:36:10,079 No.It was right there. No, it wasn't. 634 00:36:10,160 --> 00:36:11,839 What are you... That's cheating.No. 635 00:36:11,920 --> 00:36:14,959 Cheating.It was...Mongrel. No, it was back there. 636 00:36:23,240 --> 00:36:25,879 JAYMIN: The hoist bucket's going up, it's getting stuck, 637 00:36:25,960 --> 00:36:28,359 it's coming back down the bottom, it's unwinding. 638 00:36:28,440 --> 00:36:30,319 JC: Jay's on the job down there 639 00:36:30,400 --> 00:36:34,399 and hopefully whatever he's tightening right now is it. 640 00:36:34,480 --> 00:36:36,919 NOAH: We've come to Lightning Ridge for two reasons. 641 00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:39,919 One, to find a drill, and one, to find black opal. 642 00:36:40,000 --> 00:36:43,359 If we don't find opal, we're gonna have to go back empty-handed. 643 00:36:45,760 --> 00:36:47,599 Let's see, JC. 644 00:36:47,680 --> 00:36:49,719 Let's see if tightening up there 645 00:36:49,800 --> 00:36:53,399 and fixing the spring down here did the job. 646 00:36:57,680 --> 00:36:59,719 Hey, it's coming back down.Hey. 647 00:36:59,800 --> 00:37:01,799 It's good. I think that actually did it. 648 00:37:01,880 --> 00:37:04,439 I can't believe it. It's ridiculous. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 649 00:37:11,280 --> 00:37:14,719 Right, boys, let's get into it. Booyah. 650 00:37:24,880 --> 00:37:27,879 Well, at this rate it's, er, it's gonna take us a while. 651 00:37:27,960 --> 00:37:29,839 The jackhammering's a bit more difficult 652 00:37:29,920 --> 00:37:31,879 than White Cliffs, erm, it's a bit harder. 653 00:37:36,040 --> 00:37:39,679 We've come here to find opal. We've come here to change our lives. 654 00:37:39,760 --> 00:37:42,159 As always, with opal mining, it's a gamble. 655 00:37:55,560 --> 00:37:58,159 Hey, boys! Have a look at this. 656 00:37:58,240 --> 00:37:59,839 What have you got?I don't know. 657 00:37:59,920 --> 00:38:02,479 I think it might be a black nobby. Let's have a look. 658 00:38:02,560 --> 00:38:05,999 I don't know. It was hard to see, but...Oh, oh, dude, that's colour. 659 00:38:06,080 --> 00:38:07,839 I saw something a little bit different. 660 00:38:07,920 --> 00:38:11,079 Hello? We might actually have something for you. We'll be right up. 661 00:38:11,160 --> 00:38:13,439 In opal mining, you've always got to be hopeful. 662 00:38:13,520 --> 00:38:16,879 You don't always wanna be thinking the worst or that you can't find it. 663 00:38:16,960 --> 00:38:19,359 You've always got to think, "The more dirt I move, 664 00:38:19,440 --> 00:38:21,599 the more likely I am to crack onto that opal." 665 00:38:21,680 --> 00:38:24,199 Got a bit of something. HANNAH: That's good. 666 00:38:24,280 --> 00:38:26,159 Yeah. Check that out. 667 00:38:26,240 --> 00:38:29,559 We don't really know quite what it's worth or anything, but... 668 00:38:29,640 --> 00:38:31,999 We actually found something.Yeah. JAYMIN: We did. 669 00:38:32,080 --> 00:38:34,839 We're hoping you could tell us. HANNAH: OK. Wow. 670 00:38:34,920 --> 00:38:36,559 JAYMIN: Is that a nobby? Yeah. 671 00:38:37,760 --> 00:38:39,359 NOAH: Nice. 672 00:38:39,440 --> 00:38:42,039 JAYMIN: We got a nobby, boys. Nice bit of colour in it. 673 00:38:42,120 --> 00:38:45,079 Yeah, just has that kinda, like, hint of green just on the top. 674 00:38:46,160 --> 00:38:49,279 So what do you reckon that one there is potentially worth? 675 00:38:49,360 --> 00:38:51,319 Erm... 676 00:38:54,640 --> 00:38:56,239 Maybe two grand, give or take. 677 00:38:56,320 --> 00:38:58,799 JC: Oh. 678 00:38:58,880 --> 00:39:00,479 Two grand for a little rock. 679 00:39:00,560 --> 00:39:03,079 JAYMIN: First nobby. What?Hey. Let's go. 680 00:39:05,480 --> 00:39:08,999 Oh, if we find one nobby, surely, there's got to be more. 681 00:39:09,080 --> 00:39:10,839 I don't know how it works over here, 682 00:39:10,920 --> 00:39:13,279 but there's going to be more where that came from. 683 00:39:15,560 --> 00:39:17,319 Finding that nobby made me real happy 684 00:39:17,400 --> 00:39:19,959 and real confident that maybe we're in the right spot. 685 00:39:24,680 --> 00:39:28,319 I got to say JC, without a broken leg, he sure can dance. 686 00:39:38,920 --> 00:39:41,039 I'm setting up my little cutting room. 687 00:39:41,120 --> 00:39:43,479 This trailer's basically a Swiss Army trailer. 688 00:39:43,560 --> 00:39:46,319 It's got everything in it for survival and cutting opal. 689 00:39:46,400 --> 00:39:49,399 I've never had the pleasure to work on a piece like this before. 690 00:39:49,480 --> 00:39:51,359 I've worked on a lot of opal all my life. 691 00:39:51,440 --> 00:39:53,639 Since I was eight years old, I've been cutting, 692 00:39:53,720 --> 00:39:56,079 but this is a new challenge for me, absolutely. 693 00:39:56,160 --> 00:39:58,559 SOFIA: This could possibly be museum quality. 694 00:39:58,640 --> 00:40:03,159 This piece is so old, ancient and fragile, 695 00:40:03,240 --> 00:40:06,279 one little slip, and we could cut it down 696 00:40:06,360 --> 00:40:08,559 to a quarter of its value. 697 00:40:08,640 --> 00:40:13,599 That there is just the most beautiful fossil stick lying on top. 698 00:40:13,680 --> 00:40:17,919 The five-kilogram specimen has two valuable elements. 699 00:40:18,000 --> 00:40:22,159 Rare pipe opal formed when silica fills a tubular space 700 00:40:22,240 --> 00:40:24,919 in the host rock and solidifies. 701 00:40:25,000 --> 00:40:29,719 And an ancient opalised fossil stick sitting on top. 702 00:40:29,800 --> 00:40:31,399 So if I broke that, for instance, 703 00:40:31,480 --> 00:40:34,239 and the pipe does go directly underneath it, 704 00:40:34,320 --> 00:40:37,279 it could be a specimen that started off 705 00:40:37,360 --> 00:40:39,799 with the potential of tens of thousands 706 00:40:39,880 --> 00:40:41,479 to just a few thousand dollars. 707 00:40:41,560 --> 00:40:44,039 We don't wanna have to saw it up. Sofia will kill me. 708 00:40:44,120 --> 00:40:46,159 So, erm, there's a bit of pressure on here. 709 00:40:47,600 --> 00:40:49,239 I'm tackling this pipe first. 710 00:40:49,320 --> 00:40:52,319 I've got to expose the pipe opal. It's a valuable part. 711 00:40:52,400 --> 00:40:54,119 I'm removing all the mother stone. 712 00:40:54,200 --> 00:40:56,439 Er, trying to get down to the crystal colour. 713 00:40:56,520 --> 00:40:58,479 You can see, the pipe runs through there. 714 00:40:58,560 --> 00:41:00,239 There's a big piece of ironstone 715 00:41:00,320 --> 00:41:03,159 that I need to get rid of to expose the colour, 716 00:41:03,240 --> 00:41:05,599 but I still want to leave this stick intact. 717 00:41:05,680 --> 00:41:07,679 If I touch that, if I wreck it, 718 00:41:07,760 --> 00:41:09,719 then it's gonna destroy the fossil value. 719 00:41:09,800 --> 00:41:11,839 I won't touch that with the machine at all. 720 00:41:11,920 --> 00:41:14,879 It's a slow, tedious job. I'm going to be at this all night. 721 00:41:23,520 --> 00:41:26,799 There's still a bit to go, 722 00:41:26,880 --> 00:41:29,159 but what I've done is I've exposed the main bits 723 00:41:29,240 --> 00:41:32,839 of the, erm, of the piece. The million-dollar question though... 724 00:41:32,920 --> 00:41:35,639 ..what's she worth? 725 00:41:35,720 --> 00:41:37,439 I mean, this is nearly priceless.Mm. 726 00:41:37,520 --> 00:41:39,759 I've never seen a piece like this, you know.Mm. 727 00:41:39,840 --> 00:41:43,479 And guess what else?What? There's, like, another six pieces. 728 00:41:43,560 --> 00:41:46,679 These are the ones that come out of that big clump that you found. 729 00:41:46,760 --> 00:41:48,559 Awesome. And this one's really bright. 730 00:41:48,640 --> 00:41:51,239 The other one from there. Very saleable colour, this one. 731 00:41:51,320 --> 00:41:53,679 Yeah.What's going on on the back? Anything on that? 732 00:41:53,760 --> 00:41:56,559 Yeah, it's got this laser show going on. It's really random. 733 00:41:56,640 --> 00:41:58,879 Oh, wow. OK, so it's actually double-sided. 734 00:41:58,960 --> 00:42:01,959 And the other smaller one is that one. 735 00:42:02,040 --> 00:42:03,959 Let me just make a few notes. No worries. 736 00:42:05,320 --> 00:42:07,319 The Opal Whisperers have found 737 00:42:07,400 --> 00:42:10,679 Yowah nut, pipe and fossil opal, 738 00:42:10,760 --> 00:42:15,119 featuring blues, greens, purples, and golds 739 00:42:15,200 --> 00:42:20,039 with a rare double-sided piece, and they've been partially rubbed. 740 00:42:22,240 --> 00:42:24,679 OK, so the parcel, the specimen...Yeah. 741 00:42:24,760 --> 00:42:26,439 What's our total?OK. 742 00:42:28,480 --> 00:42:31,839 Provided my maths is correct, we have 743 00:42:31,920 --> 00:42:35,279 $37,300.$37,000. 744 00:42:35,360 --> 00:42:37,999 Whoa! I'm happy with that. I'm happy with that. 745 00:42:39,160 --> 00:42:40,879 Oh.We did good. 746 00:42:40,960 --> 00:42:43,399 Sofia has estimated the six 747 00:42:43,480 --> 00:42:47,959 finished Yowah nuts will be worth $7,300. 748 00:42:48,040 --> 00:42:52,879 And the museum-grade pipe opal fossil, $30,000. 749 00:42:53,880 --> 00:42:57,639 We have revealed an absolute masterpiece. 750 00:42:57,720 --> 00:43:01,919 This was the first sign of colour that I've seen at Yowah House 751 00:43:02,000 --> 00:43:06,839 and instantly, I was just filled with hope. 752 00:43:08,240 --> 00:43:09,839 Well, now that's done, it's time 753 00:43:09,920 --> 00:43:12,719 to get all our furniture upstairs, get all that dust out. 754 00:43:14,680 --> 00:43:17,199 Our major goal, really, from the start 755 00:43:17,280 --> 00:43:21,559 has been to do this on our own, Isaac and I, as a team. 756 00:43:21,640 --> 00:43:23,599 We don't want to see this shut down, 757 00:43:23,680 --> 00:43:26,279 especially after all the effort that we've put in so far. 758 00:43:42,120 --> 00:43:44,119 subtitles by Deluxe 758 00:43:45,305 --> 00:44:45,897 Support us and become VIP member to remove all ads from www.OpenSubtitles.org