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Outback Crystal Hunters - Season 2 - Episode 01: AQUA HUES AND SAPPHIRE BLUES
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02:27Now sneak through this loose dirt and up this other little burrow and I've got something
02:31special to show you. Mine is very tight.
02:38Oh my God, my. This is beautiful, mate. Yeah, so that's what we found.
02:44We're at the Dundas Extended here in Mike Phelan's mine in Dundas, Tasmania. This is what we're trying to find
02:50here. This is the lead chromate called croquite. It's a mixture of lead and chromium and oxygen with a nice
02:56colour and luster. Exactly what we're after.
03:03The primeval forests of Western Tasmania hold the highest quality croquite in the world. The rare and fragile crystals are
03:13named after the Greek word crocos, meaning saffron, in reference to its brilliant shade of orange. Individual specimens have been
03:21valued at over $50,000.
03:31So we're chasing about 80 grand here for a seasoned target this year. We've set the bar high, but we've
03:36invested quite a lot into what we've been doing.
03:37Yeah, you're right. I think we can make use of that. Absolutely. We're opening up a shop in town. We're
03:42going to sell our specimens in Dundas. It's going to be a one-stop shop. We've also set up a
03:46workshop out the back where we can trim and prepare and process the croquite.
03:51Bit of a prep and a wash. We're starting to put a lot of time and money into this, so
03:54we really have to get stuck in and make this $80,000.
03:58Go.
03:59Mike Phelan has offered us 40% of all profits from the mining that we're doing at the Extend Within
04:04this week.
04:07Mike's an unbelievable person. He digs all this stuff by hand. There's no mechanical means. Bucket on a rope to
04:13get the dirt out. This is real old-school stuff. This is how men are made.
04:19Well, this is going to be a good bit of fun, I think, Mike. We've got a bit of work
04:21ahead of us.
04:22Show us the light. Let's go and get stuck into it.
04:25Yeah, on the top level where I found a lot of croquite years ago, we're trying to expand it across
04:30and see where it's gone to.
04:32I feel uncomfortable burrowing off from under an expansive roof like that.
04:37So the lads are going to have a look today at the feasibility of poking a prop or two up
04:43under that roof.
04:48Holy f***, hey!
04:54Like always, it's not as easy as what we first thought.
04:57This is a rise on about 45 degrees. There's only really one rope and a few footholds to help you
05:02along.
05:04It's quite a dangerous sort of thing on its own, let alone bringing the timbers up.
05:09We're ready to get up there, then?
05:32Yeah, this is a long one.
05:33Probably our longest timber coming up now.
05:37Oh, yeah, and our heaviest timber.
05:48I think we're on to our mesh.
05:50This is going to be the trickiest one to get up here.
05:52Right on, mate. Take the slack and I'll just follow it up.
05:57All right, what's stopping it?
06:02Just hold the white.
06:04Hold it.
06:07F***, there goes that.
06:09What was that?
06:10Um, one part of the knot.
06:14Hang on. Hang on.
06:17Oh, yeah, f***.
06:19F***.
06:34Oh, this tracks a bit.
06:35Yeah.
06:36How you going?
06:36All good.
06:42Feels so good to be back at the Eagle's Bluff aquamarine mine again.
06:45Woo-hoo.
06:46I'm so excited.
06:47I can't wait to see what we're going to find.
06:48Yeah, I've been itching to get back here, that's for sure.
06:50Probably some nice aqua gems.
06:52Yeah.
06:54Eagle's Bluff, a lone hill 448 metres above sea level,
07:00rising out of a vast tropical savannah,
07:03300 kilometres from the nearest major city.
07:08We've got digging to do.
07:09Yep.
07:11So we're back here this year at Eagle's Bluff,
07:13um, hopefully to find some aquamarine.
07:15We've got our friend Luke with us and also Kelly.
07:19She's my best friend who I've known for about six years.
07:21Super keen, uh, crystal prospector, loves her gems.
07:25So, fingers crossed we can find some goodies.
07:27And the really good news is I actually have found a buyer for my amethyst cluster.
07:33Last season, Patrick Gundersen...
07:36Go, go, go, go, go, go!
07:38Yes!
07:40...unearthed a life-changing find.
07:43The world's largest amethyst cluster.
07:45One of the things that I would make a condition of the sale of this piece
07:50is that it actually stays somewhere where people can get to experience it and enjoy it.
07:54It's just such a beautiful piece.
08:00It's currently being wrapped and packed over in Western Australia
08:03and it's going to be travelling by sea over to the United States.
08:07The clincher for me is I don't get paid until I get a notification from my client
08:13that it has safely arrived in the United States.
08:15She's a whopping great bit of a rock, eh?
08:20Massive.
08:21In the meantime, I have gone and spent a lot of money on new gear.
08:25This truck and the excavator over there has cost me about 200 grand.
08:30So, I really need this gear for this season's prospecting adventures.
08:35But I also really need to get paid for this cluster.
08:38So, I'm definitely nervous about it arriving safely.
08:46All right, we're back.
08:48Oh, I'm excited.
08:49Let's do it.
08:50Teen.
08:50Teen hours.
08:51Yeah, me too.
08:51So excited.
08:52Yeah.
08:52What's the plan?
08:53I reckon there's some really good-looking quartz veins up on that hill there
08:57that have never been touched before.
08:59And you guys can start scratching in that.
09:02This right here is what we're looking for.
09:06This is a beautiful faceted Australian aquamarine that we actually found last season.
09:10And we're hoping to find equally beautiful stones here at Eagle's Bluff this season.
09:17Aquamarine is a gem-quality variant of the mineral beryl.
09:21Its blue hue caused by traces of iron.
09:25The largest faceted aquamarine is the Dom Pedro from Brazil.
09:30Weighing in over 10,000 carats, it has an estimated value of $12 million.
09:39So the plan for this week is to try and get this little digger into the actual pit where
09:47we found the aquamarine last season.
09:50And then also the girls are going to go and have a bit of a look at a spot right
09:55now.
09:56I'm just walking the excavator up to it now.
09:59We're going to try and cut a track across, see if there's actually more aquamarine on this hill.
10:03Okay, so this is what we're looking for.
10:05You can see a lot of quartz running through the boulder.
10:09That indicates crystallisation.
10:11That's a good starting point for us to know where to dig and, yeah, hopefully find some aquas.
10:19Five metres or so to go.
10:20There's some big rocks here to deal with at the moment.
10:25Gosh, it's steep.
10:28It's nerve-wracking.
10:39I reckon there's something underneath all of this.
10:41Yeah, rightio.
10:43So I don't want to bury that zone.
10:44Just I want to kind of keep that zone open in case there is something going down there.
10:47So we're just starting to move a few of these bigger boulders and it's looking really promising.
10:52And there's a lot of quartz on the side of them and really pointed and, like, crystallised.
10:57Oh, my goodness.
10:59Looks way different.
11:01Yeah.
11:01All right, guys.
11:02It's all yours.
11:03Oh, cheering, Pat.
11:04Looking forward to it.
11:05Yeah, we're going to head down and start trying to rock break through to that main pit.
11:09So Kelly and I are just having a bit of a scratch here where Pat's put a pass in to
11:14this area.
11:16I've been digging crystals for probably about three years now.
11:22Pat and Kirsty taught me a lot about this.
11:25Got me into it.
11:28Just can't help it.
11:29I just love it.
11:29Just as a drive for it.
11:31That thrill when you first get that rock out.
11:33Yeah, there's nothing like it.
11:34It's pretty amazing.
11:39It's not too exciting there.
11:41I suppose you've just got to keep digging.
11:43You never know what you're going to find.
11:47Oh, don't!
11:48What is that?
11:49Oh, my God!
11:50That is mental.
11:52Look at the size of it!
12:08Have a look at what he built.
12:09Yeah, it's a good setup, hey?
12:10Soon we'll be running on free water.
12:12What is it, hydrogen generator or something he's trying to make.
12:16Yeah.
12:16Yeah.
12:17Everyone told Brad he was going to blow himself up when he first did this.
12:20So I built this little hydrogen generator here just to save money on power and to be sustainably eco-friendly.
12:30When hydrogen burns, it just goes straight back to water vapour.
12:34So we'll hook him up on here.
12:38Don't you have safety glasses?
12:40No, mate.
12:42Here we go.
12:44I'm backing up.
12:46Oh!
12:49Oh, well, Aby will just give me another day and we'll have a go on tomorrow.
12:56Righto, boys, let's go and find some sapphires, eh?
12:58Get down his mind.
12:59Righto.
12:59We'll leave that generator for another day, eh?
13:01We'll switch the power on.
13:06Coming down, bud.
13:09I'm out here in the gem fields, west of Emerald, Ruby Vale.
13:12That's one of the biggest gem-bearing grounds in the southern hemisphere.
13:16Righto.
13:16Let's go to work, boys.
13:17Let's go to work.
13:19I just love it.
13:20I love the thrill of the hunt.
13:22Hunt for the sapphires.
13:24If you tell us where to dig, we can help you take a section out.
13:26Sounds like a plan to make.
13:34I try and find the billy boulders.
13:36These guys.
13:37When I'm digging, they're trap points for sapphires.
13:41And lots of iron stone.
13:43This stuff here.
13:45Concentrated wash.
13:46And that greeny colour.
13:47You can see the green wash with the iron in.
13:49I get some really pretty stones.
13:52Sapphires are formed in the earth's crust under immense heat and pressure, crystallising
13:58within cooling aluminium-rich magma containing trace elements.
14:02When they get exposed to those different elements, that's what gives them the colour.
14:06Iron stone gives you a nice yellow colour and green.
14:10Titanium gives you a nice blue.
14:12So every sapphire is unique.
14:17So basically, I'm just shoveling up some wash.
14:21The layer of gravel with the sapphires in it.
14:23Brad can barrow it out and put it into the bucket and send it up.
14:26Put it through the wash plant.
14:31I'll go down to the pub one night and Brad and I were playing pool.
14:35So yeah, that's how I've been even.
14:38We just had a few beers and then they come back and showed him the mine.
14:42Yeah, got a long lock of a house on fire.
14:45Tyson's, he's probably the most generous man I've met out here.
14:49He's just let us come down and help him out, digging in his mine.
14:52And let's just stay in his house any time.
14:55He's, yeah, he's a good guy to know out here.
14:59We target this season $60,000.
15:01So I've been set up the girlfriend in town at Emerald
15:04and a new little baby, little four-month-old, little William.
15:07So I try and get as much stone as I can to get the money up
15:10and support the family in town.
15:15We're hoping my brother and I can make it around $30,000 each.
15:19$60,000 all up.
15:20And that would cover all the expenses for our equipment
15:23to run our mines once they're approved.
15:26Shane has the two blocks.
15:28I have two claims.
15:29My mum has two claims.
15:33You know, look, we're a really close family.
15:36And our mum is like the keystone of it.
15:39She's ready to retire.
15:41And us boys, you know, we're ready to step up and help her out.
15:46It's all about, you know, making mum's life easier
15:48and our line's better in the process.
15:54Yeah, I've cut them in on percentage on the stone.
15:56So I'll take 51%.
15:59They'll take 49%.
16:01So, um, they can share what they get and, yeah,
16:04look at all the running costs to go on top as well.
16:11We've sent seven buckets up at the top.
16:13It's filled up his little hopper.
16:14Any more than that, it just starts overflowing.
16:18So we all go at the top and then we'll process.
16:23Fingers crossed there's something to start showing up.
16:27Well, that's what I'm hoping anyway.
16:31Turn the water on.
16:34Turn the pulsator on.
16:35Turn the trommel on.
16:41That's plenty of dirt.
16:42You don't want much more than that.
16:43Yeah.
16:46The pulsator, it separates the heavies from the lights.
16:50So all your sapphire, zircons, spinel,
16:53all your heavier stones sink to the bottom
16:54because it's actually got a little suction feeling as well.
16:57Pulls it down to the bottom
16:59and all the lights, all the quartz,
17:01all the light stuff just comes straight over the end.
17:04For a beautiful sapphire that's nice and clear
17:07and it has no fractures,
17:10you could basically say when it's cut,
17:12it'll be about $1,000 a carat.
17:14Righto.
17:14I'll turn it all off now and we'll scrape it out, eh?
17:17And we'll see what tests up.
17:19See ya.
17:24Just scoop it all up.
17:27Nice flip.
17:28Oh, nice form.
17:31Now you just slowly go through it, sort through it.
17:33Here we go.
17:34What, you got one?
17:35No, it's a dud.
17:36Oh, it's a dud.
17:37Yeah, but that's still a sapphire.
17:39Still an Australian sapphire, guys.
17:40That's a nice blue sapphire,
17:42but it's what they call a bomb or a dud.
17:45It's not clear.
17:47Yeah, right here, this one.
17:50Right there.
17:51It's a pretty little stone, isn't it?
17:52Look at him.
17:53Jeez, that's clear, hey?
17:55Yeah.
17:56So that's what we want, just larger.
17:58Yeah, just a lot bigger.
17:59Yeah.
18:00So there's no money in that.
18:01I'll try the other way.
18:03Fingers crossed we find some big ones.
18:13There we go.
18:15Good.
18:16Health ball.
18:17Good work, mate.
18:21So we're in the upstairs wall room now.
18:23There's a little bit of incentive left in the walls here, as you can tell.
18:26This is the reason why we want to shore this up and make it safer,
18:28because there's some beautiful croak hiding here left to be retrieved.
18:33Righto, now we can move.
18:35On the top level of a 120-year-old mine,
18:40Jaren and Hugh must reinforce a crumbling roof
18:43for claim owner Mike Phelan.
18:46So this is a bit of mesh, basically to hold it all together.
18:49Put it over me head, right?
18:50Yeah, it's going to be over you like that.
18:54How big are they?
18:56Then we're going to push it up.
19:01What is the mine collapses?
19:04Oh.
19:10F*** me.
19:13F*** me.
19:14F***.
19:16Let's just get it up and get the f*** out of here.
19:21Now we've put the plank on top.
19:23Drive some wedges.
19:29All right.
19:31If we try this again, it's slightly different.
19:36There we go.
19:37I'll hold the bottom.
19:39Now we're getting somewhere.
19:42Ready?
19:43Yeah.
19:48All right.
19:49I'm quite happy with that.
19:50That is beautiful.
19:51This will make it nice and safe for Mike.
19:53You won't have to worry about big bundies falling on his back.
19:56He'll be safe as houses.
20:00Mind your heads again.
20:02The first job complete,
20:04Jaren and Hugh can now attempt to extract croquite for Mike
20:08in the claustrophobic depths of the mine.
20:11So under all this mess, I've got a shaft.
20:13I've got a presence of confined space.
20:17Now there you go.
20:21Down the hole.
20:43Now we've got a little bit of croquite visible in our working face.
20:46It just shows that this little vein extends a foot and a half above what we can see here visible.
20:51That's why we've just got to get through this iron stone.
21:03Nice.
21:04Just f*** me.
21:07Get up there.
21:08Get me.
21:09Come in.
21:11I've got the wrist slowly dropping on my head.
21:20Where's it, Brian?
21:21It's right above my head.
21:25Big falding in the ground right up here above my head where I essentially have to sit as I jack
21:29this.
21:30I'll get that little bar.
21:31Yeah.
21:32Swap places and I'll have a bit of a go at it in there.
21:38Look at that.
21:41That.
21:42Oh, yeah.
21:42Yeah.
21:43I'll just say when it stays this smaller sort of rock and we don't have a bit of a collapse
21:47in here.
21:58I think because we've got this great big rock wanting to come down in the roof, bright as it's faith.
22:07Look out.
22:17Look at that massive centipede.
22:19Oh, my God.
22:19Don't.
22:20Don't.
22:21Get me out of here.
22:22That's the biggest one I've seen.
22:23Oh, f***.
22:24It gave me such a cry.
22:28Oh, far out.
22:30Honest to God, I wouldn't want that biting you.
22:33That would absolutely hurt.
22:34Nah, yeah.
22:35Get it away.
22:36Gotta watch him.
22:38Hiding in the rock.
22:39Nah, that's spooky.
22:40Yeah, there's always something there to creep and crawling around us, so you always got to keep those eyes peeled.
22:44Yeah, so those types of centipedes can be quite venomous.
22:48They can land you in hospital if they do bite you.
22:50And we're, you know, really far away from hospital.
22:52So, yeah, you've just got to watch your surroundings, constantly being aware of, you know, the rocks that you're turning
22:58over, just so you don't get bitten.
23:03While the girls are up the top digging the aqua, we've come down here.
23:08We're getting back into the zone that we're digging last year.
23:12So, yeah, hopefully it pops again and we get another pocket of aqua.
23:16One little rocky boulder at a time here.
23:20Patrick and his team are relying on unearthing aquamarine and the sale of a 21-tonne amethyst cluster to recoup
23:28hundreds of thousands of dollars invested in new mining equipment.
23:32All those big rocks in the floor are all quartz with beryl in it, so I think I'll pop the
23:37breaker on, see if I can bust through it.
23:40Yeah, righty-ho, Pat.
23:42In that quartz, you can see there's, like, lines of low-grade beryl, but then sometimes those beryl sections will
23:50actually open up into, like, a clay pocket full of gem-quality aquamarine.
23:53So, if there's nothing under there, I'm just going to have to really hope that there's something else on this
23:57hill because I've poured a lot of money into just this one spot.
24:01This is just the nature of crystal mining is you just never know, though.
24:05You know, like, you've just got to hope there's something down there.
24:16So, Kelly and I are just about to go along this, um, sort of ridge area where Pat has cleared
24:22using the excavator to see if we can spot, um, any signs for a potential pocket.
24:27This is a spot to dig, too, just saying.
24:30Do you reckon?
24:30Yeah.
24:31Stuff coming out.
24:33Kelly just pulled out, um, a piece of quartz, and this is a really good sign, actually.
24:38You can see here there's, like, crystallisation happening.
24:41Like, that's a partial crystal there.
24:43So, that's a sign that there is some sort of crystallisation happening within this area.
24:52Surely there's something good in here.
24:54Do you reckon?
24:54I don't know.
24:59Oh, my God!
25:03Checker, you're joking!
25:06Oh, my gosh!
25:08Oh!
25:09Kelly!
25:10Oh, my God!
25:12There's something good on!
25:14Oh, that's a good one!
25:16Oh, we just come across an aquavirine.
25:19Oh, my God.
25:20That is, like, one of the nicest I've seen from here.
25:24Oh, my God.
25:25Is that one there?
25:26Is that another one?
25:27Get it!
25:27Oh, my gosh!
25:28It is!
25:28It is!
25:29It is!
25:29It is!
25:30It is!
25:31It is!
25:31It is!
25:31It is!
25:31Oh!
25:32Oh!
25:33Look at that one!
25:35Oh!
25:35Oh!
25:35Oh, my gosh!
25:37Oh!
25:37Now, you've got no idea.
25:39It's next.
25:39Oh!
25:40What are you doing?
25:44Oh, I was not expecting that.
25:45It's a feeling that.
25:47Oh, I could cry.
25:48Oh, I could.
25:49There wouldn't be more in there.
25:51I don't know.
25:52Surely not.
25:54Oh!
25:55There's not a baby one.
25:59Oh, what a pocket.
26:01I was not expecting to find this many.
26:06We did it.
26:15Just give me a radio check when you get down there.
26:18Will do, mate.
26:19So, yesterday, I hit a bit of bad wash.
26:21It was looking good to start with, and then they pinched off,
26:24so there's no more stone left there.
26:26I just want that jackhammer to keep on digging all day.
26:28I don't want it to stop.
26:30That's how we find stones.
26:32The Ruby Vale boys need a massive sapphire hole
26:36to bankroll the high-cost expansion of their mining operation.
26:41So, we've got a bit of moving and a fair bit of dirt today.
26:45OK, the plan is here.
26:46As you can see, it's all pinched off in there.
26:48There's a lot of sand starting up here in the middle.
26:50It's widening out this way, heading west up me claim.
26:52So, I want to test by taking all this out
26:55to make sure that there's still trace
26:59or even hopefully some sapphires
27:01and will let us know if they're coming from that direction.
27:23There's one.
27:24Oh, yes!
27:25You!
27:26Right!
27:26Get him out!
27:27It's one worth getting so excited.
27:29Look at this!
27:29This is a beauty!
27:30All right.
27:31I'll come and look for the size of him.
27:33Is that just the edge of it?
27:34That's just the edge of it.
27:35Oh, yeah, boy!
27:37Yeah!
27:37If that's clear, I've made me weak.
27:42Oh, yes, baby!
27:44Yes!
27:45The size of him.
27:47That's like 30 carats.
27:48Oh, yeah!
27:4930 carats.
27:49Come on, mate.
27:50This is what we're digging for.
27:52Oh, and if that's clear.
27:55Oh, yeah, what is it?
27:58Oh!
28:02Yeah.
28:03Yeah, I can see she's a bomb.
28:05Yeah.
28:05It cracks all through it.
28:07Unlucky, guys.
28:09Stones that size are very hard to find crystal clear.
28:12Yeah.
28:15I'm going to head up the top and start processing
28:17what I've just dug out of the wall.
28:18Make sure, hopefully, there's a little bit of stone
28:20or at least trace.
28:22We can find something in it.
28:37Down, big girl, eh?
28:38Get a laugh on this chest.
28:42Bit of a problem.
28:45Pulsator's got.
28:49Just hold off down there, boys, for a minute, eh?
28:51I've just got a bit of a problem.
28:51The pulseator's stopped.
28:57Smoking.
28:59Can I get a copy, please?
29:02Yeah, copy, mate.
29:04Yes, mate.
29:04Can I get Brad sent up, please?
29:06He's a tinkerer.
29:07I need him to have a look at something
29:08so we can bodge something up for today.
29:11I can't be broken down for this long all the time with other boys here.
29:14It costs too much, and they're not making money.
29:16They'll walk away.
29:18So we need to get this fixed real smart, otherwise it can ruin the whole day.
29:21It can ruin the mump, actually.
29:29Looks like it's pretty hard ground, Pat.
29:31Do you reckon we're going to be able to get down to where we need to be?
29:34I hope so.
29:35I mean, it is breaking up, but there's some big rocks in there.
29:37If there's nothing under this, we're stuffed.
29:41So I've just put the rock break run at the moment
29:44and starting to break up some of these boulders that have got the beryl in them.
29:48So, yeah, hopefully as we start pulling these boulders out,
29:51we'll start finding some pockets.
29:57Aquamarine is the gem variety of beryl.
30:00You know, it's not as hard as diamond.
30:02It's quite high on the Mohs scale, pretty close to an eight.
30:06Despite its hardness, it can still mean that they are quite fragile.
30:09So, you know, if you hit it with a hammer or an excavator bucket,
30:16you'd break them instantly.
30:18So we've got to be really careful when we're trying to uncover a pocket.
30:33Hey, Patrick.
30:34Yeah, mate.
30:35This is looking pretty good down here.
30:36What's that?
30:37I think you might need to come and have a look at it.
30:38Yeah, this is all, like, tiny fragments of aquamarine coming out, which is great.
30:44They're not gem quality, but it's just an indicator that there is actually something down there.
30:49So the next thing is to try and find something blue.
30:59Boy, that's a beauty.
31:02That's a good sign.
31:03The bigger the crystals we start finding now, it means the pocket's bigger.
31:07It's had more space to grow.
31:08So this is really exciting to actually pull out something of this size.
31:20Oh, wow.
31:22That's what we're looking for.
31:24Oh, good size, great clarity.
31:27Oh, we might be on.
31:29We're on to it.
31:30We might be on.
31:30This is the best sign we've had the last few days.
31:34This is unreal.
31:36Wow.
31:36Wait till we see this.
31:39No way.
31:41Where there's one.
31:42Hopefully there's more.
31:45There's a big chunk.
31:46Look at that.
31:47Oh, that's a beauty.
31:49This is insane.
31:52Oh.
31:52Oh, wow.
31:55I can't believe it.
31:57Nothing wrong with that.
31:59Nothing wrong with that.
32:00Moments like these don't come along too often.
32:02And there's just so much hard work that goes into a discovery like this.
32:07So, yeah, this is what I live for, is just seeing these incredible treasures just, yeah,
32:12coming out of the ground like this.
32:13This is a great handful.
32:16Wow.
32:17Well done.
32:19Stoked.
32:20What a find.
32:29Yeah, what?
32:30F***ing hell.
32:32Yeah, mate.
32:33We got you.
32:34I'm making sure you're safe as well.
32:36Yeah, no, I'm good.
32:37She could drop out.
32:39Yeah, that's all pretty good on the shoulder now.
32:41Well, I'm pretty happy with that.
32:45Oh, beautiful.
32:46I love it.
32:47Beautiful job.
32:48You all happy or I'm happy?
32:50We've got a lot less larger rocks hanging above our head now, so that essentially is a lot
32:54safer.
32:55So we can advance forward and chase this croquite.
32:58And it's actually showing a bit of colour, as you can see, right through here.
33:01Dude, I'll tell you, look at that luster in it.
33:04Deep in a crumbling 120-year-old mine, Jaren and Hugh can now begin the final phase of their
33:10dangerous operation.
33:12So we're nearly to the point where we're going to start extracting some specimens now.
33:16Now we're in the material, we've just got to go slower.
33:18We'll just keep picking it apart like a puzzle.
33:20It's got to be super delicate now.
33:22Yeah, really, really gentle.
33:23That little cutie right there.
33:25Yeah.
33:26That's a good little starter.
33:28Croquite is actually quite fragile.
33:30It really doesn't take too much to break the croquite.
33:33Any sort of wrong move and we'll break it.
33:35So we've got to take so much care to extract these specimens intact.
33:49Beautiful.
33:51They're beautiful little jemmy terminated crystals, so we'll put that one in for a bit
33:54of prep work and see how he ends up.
33:57Nothing world-breaking just yet, but we're starting to get a few, which is a saving grace.
34:03Look at that.
34:04Little ripper.
34:05Beautiful terminated crystals, lying on crystals.
34:08We call smaller specimens like that thumbnail specimens.
34:11It's quite a growing market at the moment.
34:12People with not a large budget or so much space to sort of store their minerals became
34:16really popular for people like that.
34:18This isn't what we're ideally wanting to get into, but how's the build?
34:23All right.
34:24I'd happily pull $20 an inch out of the wall all day.
34:28This one's going to come straight up.
34:32There we go.
34:34Oh, that's a nice one.
34:36Look at that.
34:44It's one of the luxuries of the jobs to get it right out.
34:53What do you reckon, mate?
34:54What value do you think we have here?
34:56It's not looking too bad.
34:58There's no standout collector specimens of world class.
35:01But we've got some good commercial grade for local collectors, I think.
35:05There's some nice little gems in amongst the rough.
35:07What do you reckon, mate?
35:09About $3,000?
35:10I think $3,000 is pretty realistic, mate.
35:12So what's adequate to 40% of $3,000?
35:15What's that?
35:15About $1,200?
35:16About $1,100 or $1,200, yeah.
35:18There's no gold mine, that's for sure.
35:21$1,200 between us this week probably wasn't ideally what we were looking for.
35:27But we're building for the future.
35:29It's a long-term goal out here, so we think we're heading in the right direction.
35:32It's not a massive hole, but the important thing is we help Mike out and get him all set up.
35:37It's super important to help these old guys because the wealth and knowledge that comes with it is invaluable.
35:44So basically all it's going to take this year to succeed is more hard work.
35:48Simple as that.
35:49Get stuck in and head down, bum up, fly into it.
35:52Let's keep going.
35:58All right, mate?
35:59Yeah, mate.
36:03Bit of a problem, mate, eh?
36:05Yeah?
36:06Yep, the old pulsator belt stretched.
36:10I'll come around here, I'll show you what's going on, see if you can come up with a better idea
36:12to fix it.
36:13It's all right, we can come up with something.
36:15Well, that's the only size belt we've got.
36:17Yeah.
36:19And she's just spinning.
36:20We'll put a tension, a wheel on the frame there.
36:25Actually, we'll pull a bit of pressure on that, and that'll help stop spinning between both of us.
36:30Should be able to sort it out.
36:32We need to, mate.
36:32Otherwise, the longer we're down, we're not making any money.
36:34Yeah, I know.
36:35We just ain't making money, use our own.
36:38Yeah, right.
36:39Well, let's get onto it.
36:44What side pulley you got?
36:45Oh, no, no, no, no, no.
36:46Not a pulley pulley.
36:47Not that kind of pulley.
36:48A tension, this is, we can use this as a tension pulley, mate.
36:51Oh, right.
36:51If we put this on and run the chain down, we can actually use it as a tensioner.
36:54Put the belt through that.
36:54Yeah, belt through that.
36:55All right, chill.
36:57All right.
36:59And it should fit.
37:01And maybe a peg, bro, so we can keep him pretty central.
37:05On an angle, yeah, it should be right there.
37:07An angle, mate.
37:08Bit of rope.
37:10Oh, it's good working with someone that knows a knot.
37:13Start with that, and we'll adjust it if we have to.
37:17Let me know how it goes, mate.
37:18No, no, mate.
37:18All good.
37:18Go for it.
37:19Ready?
37:27Needs more power.
37:33That's it.
37:37There it goes.
37:38You working?
37:38Here we go.
37:39She's going.
37:40She's going.
37:40Yeah.
37:42Good fix, mate.
37:43That'll get us through the day.
37:44Yeah.
37:45Woo-hoo.
37:47All right.
37:48All right, let's get back to it.
37:49Let's get back to it.
37:50Let's get back to it.
37:50Let's get back to it.
37:50Told you I'm not going home.
37:51Yeah.
37:54Check the suck.
37:55Sucking down really well.
37:56Just quick fixes.
37:57At the moment, the people have been gone, because the idea is fine stone and make some monies.
38:03Righto, boys.
38:03Let's see what we've got in there, eh?
38:05Look at that, boys.
38:07Holy ****.
38:08That's a stonker.
38:09Oh, that's just the edge of it.
38:10Oh, wow.
38:11Yeah.
38:12Something like that.
38:13It's like, wow.
38:15What do you reckon, bro?
38:16Yeah.
38:16That's all we're here for, mate.
38:17Oh, wow.
38:18Look at the size of this one.
38:19Holy ****.
38:20Look at the colour.
38:22They just chomp in there.
38:23Look at this.
38:24Look at this, man.
38:25I'm getting handfuls of them.
38:26Oh, wow.
38:28All right, all right.
38:28Let's get it out.
38:29Let's get it all out and get it on the table.
38:31Oh, nice.
38:32Oh, yeah.
38:36Four, five, six, seven, eight, nine.
38:41Oh, wow.
38:42Yeah.
38:42There's a blue in that.
38:43That's royal blue.
38:45My favourite colour.
38:47Beautiful.
38:47That's so clear, hey?
38:48Oh, that's nice.
38:49There's a colour in that.
38:50Look at that.
38:50Oh, man.
38:51That's crystal.
38:52That's different, eh?
38:53That's rare.
38:53I don't know.
38:54I've never seen one that colour.
38:56Righto, boys.
38:57That's a ripper haul for the week.
38:59Got a pretty good haul.
39:00A-grade cutters.
39:01B-grade stone there.
39:02Very nice.
39:04Yeah, just throwing the B-grades on them.
39:05We'll weigh them up.
39:0758.
39:09Times $20 a carat.
39:11$1,160.
39:13Beautiful.
39:14All righto.
39:15Take that one.
39:16So the B-grade.
39:17B-grade stones, yep.
39:18Now for the money makers.
39:19The big A-grades.
39:21This is what we've been waiting for.
39:22Yeah, this is it.
39:23This is it.
39:25This gets the mine and the machines going.
39:28What do we got?
39:30188 carats.
39:31188.
39:32Times.
39:33All right.
39:33$150 for these stones.
39:35$150 for a carat.
39:37$28,200.
39:39Wow.
39:40Yeah.
39:40Plus.
39:41Plus $1,060.
39:44So close to $29,500 for the week.
39:47Awesome.
39:48That's a bloody good week's work, eh?
39:50Well done, eh?
39:51Well done, eh?
39:51Well done, eh?
39:51Well done, eh?
39:51Well done, eh?
39:51Well done, eh?
39:52Well done, eh?
39:52Well done, eh?
39:52Well done, eh?
39:52Well done, eh?
39:52Well done, eh?
39:53Well done, eh?
39:54This season is pretty crucial.
39:56And we don't have any sort of backup funds or savings at the moment, and man, we've got
40:01an awesome haul.
40:02Definitely something to smile about, that's for sure.
40:05Well, let's go and have a beer, boys, eh?
40:06Let's go and celebrate.
40:07Hey, we've earned it.
40:09Awesome.
40:09Bring them in.
40:09Let's go.
40:23Oh, look at that.
40:27Look at all those pretty colours.
40:29They're beautiful.
40:30Really nice blue.
40:30How's that looking, guys?
40:32Oh, so good.
40:33They cleaned up amazing.
40:34Wow.
40:34Well, let's grade them and just see what we've actually got.
40:39Patrick Gunderson is banking on a high-quality aquamarine haul and the sale of his greatest
40:45find, a 21-tonne amethyst cluster to cover extensive setup costs for the new mining season.
40:53These are ones I think definitely can be cut.
40:56That's where the value's at, you know, just that gem quality.
41:00Pieces.
41:02I'd obviously see that one, you can get a few stones out of it, even though it's got
41:05the flaws.
41:07That's gorgeous.
41:08Oh, my God.
41:08Look at that.
41:10That's what dreams are made of just there.
41:13That's just under 700 carats there.
41:16Wow.
41:17Wow.
41:17That's a lot.
41:17Yeah.
41:18So we're going to lose, like, if that was all going to get cut, we'd only end up with
41:21about a 30% return.
41:22So that's around about 200 carats.
41:26Mm-hmm.
41:27And then I reckon that sort of colour would sell for, as a cut stone, would sell for around
41:31about $300 per carat.
41:34That's...
41:34That's not too bad.
41:35That's 60 grand.
41:3660 grand?
41:37No way.
41:38Is that right?
41:39300.
41:42300.
41:4260 grand away.
41:44Wow.
41:45Unreal.
41:46That's insane.
41:47Holy.
41:48I thought I'd had my maths wrong then for a sec.
41:50Oh, wow.
41:52Win-win.
41:58Okay.
41:59Yeah.
41:59Two secs.
42:02But that's about the cluster.
42:03No way.
42:04Yeah.
42:05Really?
42:05I hope it is.
42:06Yeah.
42:06I have a feeling it's about the cluster.
42:08I've just got a message from my buyer and it's either going to be good news or it's going
42:14to be bad news and I'm actually terrified to open it, to be honest.
42:18But I have to know.
42:19So, let's see.
42:31Wow.
42:35It's done.
42:37It's there.
42:39It's arrived.
42:46I did...
42:48I need a moment.
42:56It's pretty cool.
42:57That's beautiful.
42:58I've got some news for you guys.
43:00Is it about the cluster?
43:01Yes.
43:01Is it good news?
43:02It's good news.
43:03Oh.
43:04Is it?
43:04Yeah, it arrived.
43:05It arrived.
43:05It's good news.
43:07And congratulations, babe.
43:08Thank you, mate.
43:09Yes, son.
43:09Thanks, guys.
43:10Big hug for me.
43:11Oh, that's incredible.
43:12What a relief.
43:13Good work.
43:14Bring it in.
43:17Oh, you're going to make me cry.
43:19Oh, amazing, babe.
43:21That's awesome.
43:22Oh, you're actually making me cry.
43:25No, thanks, guys.
43:28Yeah, this was my life's work.
43:32And I'm so excited that it's finally made it safely.
43:36And, you know, hopefully the world can get to see this incredible piece.
43:42And, yeah, it's life-changing.
43:45We'll see you next time.
43:46Bye-bye.
43:57Bye-bye.
44:01Bye-bye.
44:01Bye-bye.
44:02Bye-bye.
44:02Bye-bye.
44:03Bye-bye.
44:05Bye-bye.
44:05Bye-bye.
44:06Bye-bye.
44:07Gracias por ver el video.
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