- 2 days ago
Outback Crystal Hunters - Season 2 - Episode 07: Red Lead Redemption
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Short filmTranscript
00:15I've been mining here for 35 years now, and this is, I've just never seen it this week before.
00:24This is usually a trickle, and it's got a fair flow in it now.
00:31This morning, I came in, and we've had a cave in.
00:40Well, has it peeled off the wall up here, has it?
00:42Yeah, it's fallen out up here, but there's now nothing supporting this rock and this whole section here.
00:49It's free hangings.
00:51Now, as a result of that, I'm going to close this whole end of the mine.
00:54It's just not going to be safe until we can fix this.
01:00Holy s***.
01:01We've got to get out of here.
01:02Yeah, I think that's a good call, mate.
01:05Here's another piece coming.
01:06Side.
01:07Oh, whoa, whoa.
01:07This is a good one.
01:08Oh.
01:11Oh.
01:15Oh.
01:17Oh.
01:20Oh.
01:21Oh.
01:21Oh.
01:26Oh.
01:30Oh.
01:33Oh.
01:39Bloody hell, that was a little bit hair-raising, wasn't it?
01:41Yeah, it was, yeah.
01:43Could have pulled the ceiling in
01:44and then it would have just kept unravelling to the point.
01:47It could have blocked the tunnel.
01:48Yeah, I guess, you know, I've sort of come all this way.
01:51Give you a hand with this order you've got
01:54and, yeah, to hear that we can't mine the stopes,
01:56pretty devastating.
01:59We're in the Red Lead Mine at Dundas in Tasmania.
02:03Yeah, it's actually a really bad time.
02:05I had a big order come in.
02:07It was a $50,000 wholesale order.
02:10I called up Kyle.
02:12I said, if we get this out, he can get a 25% cut.
02:16I'm sort of wondering, like, have you got a plan B or...?
02:20I've got a tunnel I discovered
02:22right on the other end of the mine through the rainforest.
02:25It's a bit of a long shot, but we might get something in there.
02:31The primordial forests of Dundas, western Tasmania,
02:36have just experienced a brutal storm,
02:39the aftermath threatening to destroy the crystal-rich mines
02:43scattered throughout the region.
02:45The mines are renowned for croquite,
02:49an extremely rare and fragile lead chromate crystal.
02:54Its formation requires a unique combination
02:57of oxidising lead minerals and chromium.
03:00A high-quality specimen can be worth over $50,000
03:05based on colour, clarity and size.
03:24Oh, whoa, so this is it, is it?
03:26Yep, we're here.
03:28How old would this ad be?
03:29Early 1890s.
03:30But the logistics of mining in here have just been impossible,
03:33but it's a last-ditch effort to actually find a bit of material.
03:36Yeah, I'm keen to see what's in there.
03:411.5 kilometres from the collapsed tunnel,
03:44veteran miner Shane Doant, Kyle Archer and rookie Ash Hubbard
03:48will attempt to extract the $50,000 worth of croquite
03:52from a long-abandoned part of the mine.
03:56I've known Ash for a few years.
03:58He's a very keen collector, and I said,
03:59how would you like to come on board and see how you go?
04:03Yeah, it's pretty scary going underground for the first time.
04:06Here we go.
04:07And I just...
04:08Point of no return.
04:10Knowing that there's probably 100 metres of hard rock and earth above me,
04:14the thought every second is that at any time,
04:17this could come down and crush me.
04:23Just be careful of these guys.
04:25You definitely don't want to get bitten by one of those guys.
04:29It's tough going.
04:31This is pretty full-on.
04:36Looks like there's actually a seam here,
04:38and it's even got some croquite in it.
04:41That might actually end up being OK.
04:46So I might just pop this out and see.
04:52Just, uh...
04:53You can see them.
04:59Holy smokes!
05:01Look at that.
05:03Who would have expected that?
05:17Last week, we've got a little hulk up and running.
05:20It's good to see.
05:21In position.
05:25There we go.
05:27Right, right now, I'm just trying to test the bucket
05:29to see if it comes up and down.
05:40Come on, baby.
05:41All the way.
05:46Where does it stop?
05:47How does it stop?
05:49Oh, my God!
05:52At the moment, the issue is
05:54that we haven't got a counterweight on there to pull it back,
05:57so it's just trying to use the whole spring to pull it back.
06:00Oh, da!
06:02Pay in the butt.
06:07In the dying days of the mining season,
06:10the Ruby Vale boys are gambling on ancient machinery
06:13to open up a second mine
06:15and double their sapphire production.
06:18Well, this is our last week out here.
06:21We've only set aside a certain amount of time off
06:23to be out here from our normal jobs,
06:25so this is our last chance to try and make our target.
06:29So we're just running into a few problems
06:30with the bucket getting stuck.
06:32You have to make up a counterweight
06:33with a spring poly on it,
06:35and once we get that fixed,
06:37we hopefully can get downstairs and start digging.
06:40We're still a little bit behind on our season target.
06:42We've got about 50 grand to make up,
06:44and this week's going to basically make or break us.
06:47This sort of work, it's seasonal.
06:49You know, you can only work when it's the cooler weather.
06:51We've all got to pay the bills when we're not out here working.
06:54Once the hulk's up and running,
06:56we'll have the two operations going,
06:58and that'll give us a way better chance
06:59of meeting our season target.
07:03This week, I'm going to have Brad and Shane
07:05down the other hole digging, trying to find more stone.
07:08While I bell this one out, so before I can get a drive in,
07:11so it's going to take probably a couple of days
07:13to get it sorted out down the bottom of this hole.
07:15But once it's ready to go,
07:16we'll have a good couple of days of moving some solid dirt
07:19and chasing the sapphires.
07:21Right-o.
07:22Let's get to work.
07:25After forming deep within the earth,
07:28Queensland sapphires were brought to the surface
07:30by volcanic activity.
07:32As the surrounding basalt weathered,
07:35the gems were exposed and transported via water,
07:39collecting in ancient gravel beds known as wash.
07:43Over time, the wash was buried beneath a layer of dirt and rock.
07:48We set our season target as high as we did
07:50because we need some money to get our mine going.
07:53I have a mine, Shane has a mine.
07:55We just haven't started digging down yet.
07:57And one day, hopefully, we can earn enough
07:59to get Mum moved out here and retired,
08:02and she can stop working.
08:05That's why I'm down here searching now.
08:07Who knows?
08:08I might pull a big ripper stone out of here.
08:10It could be any second now,
08:12and you never know.
08:18I'll drag all this dirt out,
08:19and I'll chuck it in the wheelbarrow,
08:20and then I'll wheel it round to the bucket,
08:22and I'll send it up and start processing.
08:29If I don't find any stones,
08:31and they don't fix the trommel and the pulsator
08:33and get that going,
08:34we'll have to rethink our whole plan,
08:37and we'll just spend heaps of money
08:39and a week or more wasted.
08:47All right, in you go.
08:48Ready?
08:52Hey.
08:53Hey.
08:54All right.
08:55All right.
08:56Shane and I have whirled up a little contraption,
08:58a cylinder,
09:00with a spring underneath it on a shackle,
09:01so when the bullhorns go over,
09:05the counterweight will pull it back.
09:07So we're going to see if it works.
09:09We might have issues with the spring.
09:11It's going to stretch quite a long way
09:12for those bull arms to go up and over.
09:14We're really hoping that it doesn't just let go
09:17when it's fully under tension
09:18and shoot out the top.
09:19So, yeah, there's a lot of things
09:21that can go wrong right here.
09:30All right, here we go.
09:38Holy...
09:39That's unintentional.
09:50Oh, my God.
09:52Yes!
09:53It worked.
09:54Yee-haw!
09:56Unreal.
09:57Oh, man.
09:57There you go, eh?
09:58She's up and over.
10:00That worked perfect.
10:01Oh, that's awesome.
10:02What a relief, eh?
10:03It's awesome.
10:04Well, we're mining.
10:05We're mining, boys.
10:06Yeah!
10:18Oh, the grass is long.
10:23Just watch your step.
10:26Oh, man, this grass will make it really hard
10:28to see anything at all.
10:30Look how covered the ground is.
10:33I'm not seeing anything here.
10:37So, just trying to use the sun
10:39to see any, like, little crystal faces.
10:41I'm starting to pick up
10:42a little bit of quartz there now.
10:47Not having any luck here, Frankie?
10:49Yeah, it's probably just the aspect that we're at.
10:51We might have to move.
10:52Oi, hey!
10:52No, wait, get back, get back, get back.
10:55There's a snake in there, man.
10:58We probably should back her.
11:00Hey, Ed, there's a snake up here.
11:02A snake?
11:03Yeah.
11:04It's probably coming your way.
11:05Do you know what snake it was?
11:06Nah, I didn't see it.
11:07I just seen the end of his tail.
11:08I'm not taking my chances.
11:10I'm out.
11:13Mount Garnet, far north Queensland.
11:22We've been given such a good opportunity here to dig on this mine and to find some really
11:27rare gross filler garnets and almondines.
11:29The only challenge here is going to be the grass and just being able to find enough for our
11:33business in the short amount of time that we have here.
11:36Crystal miners Frankie Antony and Ebony Rawlins are on the hunt for garnets at the Noble Garnet
11:42Mine, the oldest in Queensland.
11:45This season, our goal is to get a bit more stock for our online crystal business.
11:50People often expect you to have new material, so I'm really depending on finding some stuff.
11:57Gross filler garnets are found in many colours, influenced by specific trace elements in the gem.
12:03Armandine garnets feature red hues from the iron in their chemical composition.
12:09Measuring 6.5 to 7.5 on the Mohs scale for hardness, garnet is an ideal jewellery stone.
12:16Due to their durability, they're often the last remaining materials left in creeks and riverbeds
12:21after millions of years of erosion.
12:25Let's stay ahead down the creek, Ebbs.
12:26At least you can see where we're walking and that, so...
12:28Yeah, it'll be a bit less risky in the creek, hopefully.
12:31Yeah, you don't want to get bitten by a snake, that'll end the day real quick.
12:36So I'm just hoping that it's all weathered down into these hills towards the creek.
12:40Just got to try and look in all the crevices.
12:46This is looking pretty promising, Frankie.
12:48Nice.
12:49No long grass, no snakes, hopefully.
12:51Yeah.
12:52Let's do it.
12:56I'm just going to try and speck along in the sun.
12:59Look, already I'm seeing signs of garnets.
13:01You can see the shiny faces and then some of the crystallisation in the rock as well.
13:05Don't be frightened to dig in there a little bit and just scratch a bit off the top.
13:09So many little...
13:10Oh, f*** that!
13:11Oh!
13:12Oh, centipede, centipede!
13:14You're the big one.
13:15Oh, my God.
13:16There you go, this sucker.
13:17Gross.
13:18Come on, mate.
13:19You can dig here, I'm going to dig somewhere else.
13:21All right.
13:22On the ark.
13:23Oh!
13:24I bet there's a big garnet under there.
13:34There's actually quite a big crystal up there.
13:36Yeah.
13:40We've come up to the end of the mine.
13:41We had a bit of a jackhammer and it's sort of opened up into quite a decent space.
13:46And you can see up behind this part of the wall, there's actually a void or a fissure that's full
13:53of really nice deep red croquite crystals.
13:58In a crumbling, abandoned lead mine, Shane, Kyle and Ash have uncovered a fissure of rare croquite needed to fill
14:07a $50,000 wholesale order.
14:10It seems like it's just going up through there and you take this piece off...
14:13You don't know what could be behind it.
14:15Yeah, it's going to be awesome.
14:16Might actually be worth having a bit of a go with the pry bar.
14:19Yeah, if you reckon it's going to come out, you want to catch it?
14:21I guess so.
14:23I get the short straw all the time.
14:25The only problem is, if it's too heavy, it's going to go straight down across the pocket and sheath, destroy
14:33the whole thing.
14:34Croquite's a very fragile mineral and it doesn't take much to break it.
14:38Even sudden temperature changes will cause crystals to fracture.
14:42So you reckon bar in there?
14:44Yeah.
14:48Okay, keep it going.
14:50Okay.
14:51How's the weight feel?
14:53Okay, I think I've got it.
14:56Oh, I've still got it.
14:58Okay, and down and out.
15:00Pretty heavy.
15:02Oh, look at that.
15:04Check that out.
15:05Holy smokes.
15:09Look at that.
15:12That's a really nice beast.
15:16There's no damage to it.
15:18The crystals are all complete.
15:20Once it's cleaned and prepped, probably five grand.
15:26And it keeps going too.
15:29High value specimen sitting right here.
15:32So that one's our main priority, sitting right there.
15:34So, yeah, with a bit of luck, it will just go pop and sit right in our hands.
15:44She ain't going nowhere.
15:46No.
15:50That rock is...
15:51The one the pockets on is solid as.
15:53Yeah.
15:54Maybe you and Ash have a chisel at that.
15:59Yeah, the conditions in there are actually quite muggy.
16:02It's quite awful.
16:04It's tight, it's hot, it's humid.
16:08The matrix is extremely hard as well.
16:10So, with this portable power, it is making it extremely difficult.
16:16So, we've decided that we're going to drill the jackhammering slow.
16:20It's prone to sort of vibrate the crystals off.
16:23So, our best bet at the moment is to drill a succession of holes
16:27and then try and make a bit of a line of weakness
16:30and then, yeah, exploit that and pop it out in one piece.
16:42If that's not annoying, I don't know what it is.
16:45The drill just starts to overload.
16:49It is extremely annoying.
16:51It's really preventing me from doing the hole that I really need to do.
16:55And, yeah, with every hole that we can't drill, it also makes it harder to get this piece out and
17:00tack.
17:00So, yeah, it's a bit of a fighting battle at the moment.
17:05That's what...
17:06You know what?
17:09Ah, f***.
17:11Our little point off the jackhammer is actually stuck in the matrix.
17:16Yeah, you know, this is proving extremely difficult.
17:20Very time consuming.
17:22This piece in front of us has really slowed us down.
17:28Are you winning there?
17:29Slowly.
17:36Yeah, it's been solid.
17:38No, I gave it a little tap and it's...
17:40I thought it might have been maybe a little bit loose, but it's not at all.
17:45Yeah, the rate we're going, that's going to take us 500 years to get this off.
17:51And it's not worth spending that much time on.
17:54If we don't get anything, that order's lost and that puts me with no mind to work, no rocks to
18:01sell.
18:02For me, it's just as important as it is for Shane to get this order filled.
18:07If I was to go home empty-handed now, I'd be, yeah, pretty defeated.
18:20Well, that's seven barrows up.
18:22Go and process that and see how we go.
18:25We've got bilge, water.
18:31I'm really, really hoping there's some sapphires in here today
18:34because we haven't got anything this week.
18:36We've got no money coming in.
18:37It's just been money going out.
18:39This is our chance to actually get back on top.
18:45Spending an entire week and thousands of dollars to bring a second mine online,
18:51the Ruby Vale boys must find sapphires to make up for a $50,000 season shortfall.
18:58It's looking pretty grim at the moment.
19:04Out of all that digging...
19:08There's bloody nothing in there.
19:13Oh, look, tiny little bits.
19:16Tiny little bits, man.
19:17I've got to give him the bad news.
19:20Spewing.
19:22Spewing.
19:28Yeah!
19:31What's going on, Mr. Lloyd?
19:32Working, mate.
19:33Yeah!
19:34About time.
19:35Finally got two mines going now.
19:37I can get out and belly out and work.
19:38How'd you go?
19:39Disappointing, man.
19:40A little bit disappointing.
19:41I can't fit in that hole.
19:43They used it, Doug, so I took the roof out.
19:44Yeah.
19:45But there's nothing in it.
19:45Nothing in it.
19:46Just trace.
19:46Just trace.
19:48Righto.
19:49Do you want to go and dig that bottom out where you were digging yesterday where you found
19:51the stone?
19:52Yeah.
19:52They seem to be in that last couple of foot of wash.
19:54You go dig them out for Brad and let him bust them up and send them for you.
19:58Brad can find anything, so I've just sent Shane off to show him where they were.
20:02He's seen to be taking the ceiling out.
20:04It was in the wrong spot.
20:05This is the pain in the butt process.
20:07I'm stoked to have two mines going at once.
20:10It's been a bit of a mission trying to get it going, but now it's time to find the stone.
20:16I'm going to head down the hole.
20:18I'm going to start bailing it out.
20:22Down the bottom of the ladder, when the bucket's down there, it's pretty tight.
20:26I've got to go down, start jackhammering out a hole so I can stand in the wall for when
20:30the bucket goes up and down.
20:31Go on, Bruce.
20:32You just tied your ways.
20:34That's how you bail out a hole.
20:43Right, I'm going to send some up.
20:49Oh, mate.
20:50So much easier with your bro here.
20:54First of all, he can fit in there, so he can do the small stuff, and I'll just run buckets
21:00along the wheelbarrow.
21:01So, happy days.
21:07The last time Brad focused mainly on the roof, and we only got small sapphires, we're thinking
21:13that the larger stuff, because it's heavier, is going to be sitting on the floor, basically
21:18down on the granite floor at the lower level.
21:19So I'm just going to work the bottom foot of the wash, basically take the cream, all the
21:25good sapphires, the bigger ones, and that's our theory, and look, hopefully it pays off.
21:40Hey, buddy.
21:41How are you?
21:42Coming up.
21:44It's good to see it working, man.
21:46It's going good, eh?
21:47Yeah.
21:48Bloody, I've bailed out enough to get in now.
21:51Yeah.
21:51I might fill the bucket up and send it, so I'm going to test run for me being down there,
21:57hiding in the wall, setting the bucket up, come back down.
22:00If it gets stuck, I'll need you to release the brake up, bang that off.
22:04Yeah.
22:05If it's sitting anywhere up there, you've got to slowly push it back, but it's going to
22:08be a full bucket of dirt.
22:09Yeah.
22:10So it's going to come down quick.
22:14This is pretty much the most dangerous part, when you bail out a little bit, to be able
22:17to work on your own down there.
22:18You won't have anyone up top later on.
22:21So, yeah, you've just got to make sure this whole system's working right, otherwise you
22:25just can't be underneath the bucket.
22:26If you're under the bucket, you just get squashed, it'll kill you instantly.
22:32There'll be no messing around with this one.
22:33We'll be 110% onto it.
22:35This is the time when things can go wrong, so, yeah, we've got to be onto it.
22:41I'm ready to go, boys.
22:43Righto, you better tuck your knees in.
22:45They're in.
22:46I'll pull the coil, like that.
22:48Righto.
22:53Righto, here she goes.
22:59Come on, get up and over.
23:02Up and over.
23:03Up and over we go.
23:06Come on, come on, come on.
23:08Come on.
23:09Come on.
23:15Come on, buddy.
23:17You don't want to get bitten by one of these or it won't kill you, but very, very unpleasant.
23:23So we'll just put him back in the grass and he can hunt some grubs.
23:27Okay, I'm going to head up the creek, Frankie, away from all these creepy crawlies.
23:31Good luck with your garnets here.
23:34You know, we've seen a snake today, or Frankie's seen a snake, and I just came across this giant centipede.
23:40So I'm just a little bit on edge, but still determined.
23:46In remote far north Queensland, Frankie and Ebrony are scouring a dry creek bed on the search for garnets to
23:55stock their online crystal business.
24:01Probably only the first six inches that we're looking for, so probably just what the last flood has laid down
24:07for us.
24:08As soon as you start getting down, everything turns brown and makes it really hard to see.
24:13Because the green garnets are only semi-precious stones, the name of the game is to try and collect as
24:17many as we can.
24:19They're not worth as much as your precious stones, so it's just the quantity will get us over the line
24:26at the end of the day.
24:27I swear I just knocked one out of the ground then.
24:31That's how easy it is to lose one.
24:33I swear I just spotted one and knocked it out, and now I can't see it again.
24:41Holy s**t, what's this?
24:46Ho-ho-hey!
24:50Awesome!
24:51That's really nice.
24:52That's a massive big chunk.
24:54Wow.
24:54That's a massive big chunk of garnet.
24:57Looks like a bit of pyrope, to tell you the truth.
24:59Which is a red garnet.
25:01This is actually the biggest garnet I've ever found in my life.
25:05That's...
25:06I'm a bit overwhelmed at the moment.
25:08Man, that's the kingstone of the day.
25:10That's a monster.
25:11I actually can't wait to show you this one.
25:13She'll be over the moon.
25:17Pyrope, or fire-eye in Greek, is found exclusively in hues of red.
25:23One of the most famous pieces of pyrope jewellery is an antique hair comb crafted in the Victorian era, from
25:30garnet's mind in the Czech Republic.
25:34You ready, spaghetti?
25:37What is it?
25:39Oh!
25:39Oh my god!
25:41What?
25:42Biggest garnet I've ever found in my life.
25:44That is incredible!
25:46Is that pyrope?
25:47I think so.
25:48Look at the fiery colours in there.
25:50He's scratching around.
25:51It just came out right there, like six inches, yep.
25:54I'm going to head back up there, but if I don't find anything, I'll come back here and join you,
25:57because it looks like you're having some good luck here.
25:59Yeah, you'll need a stick to get me away from this big.
26:01Drag you up, are you?
26:02Yeah, you'll have to.
26:03I'm not leaving.
26:04That's epic, Frankie.
26:05I can't believe it.
26:07Biggest one yet.
26:09Stain of the day.
26:13I'm just scratching here on the eastern side of the hill, where the sun's, you know, reflecting onto the ground,
26:18and I've been finding a couple of rough pieces of garnet, you know, they're nothing too special.
26:23A lot of people are looking for perfect crystals in the crystal market, so our customers like to see, first
26:30and foremost, Aussie hand-collected minerals, so that's why we try and get out into the field as much as
26:35we can.
26:36To keep our socks up, but they also, some people can be very picky about it, and they want perfect
26:41crystallization, no damage.
26:49It's getting the best shot.
26:54Oh, my God.
26:55No way.
26:58That's a huge gross-dealing garnet.
27:00Oh, my God.
27:01Look at that.
27:03That is incredible.
27:06The color in it, everything, the formation, there's no damage at all.
27:10What a special piece.
27:11I can't wait to tell Frankie.
27:14What you got there, big girl?
27:16Come on, Frankie.
27:18Wait till you see this one.
27:21What is it?
27:22Hold out your hand.
27:24You ready?
27:25Holy shit.
27:27It's huge.
27:29Wow.
27:29Can you imagine the value on that piece?
27:31That one crystal there would be worth more than everything that we've found so far.
27:35I can't believe it.
27:36Good work, Ed.
27:37I can't believe it.
27:38Good work.
27:39All right.
27:41Game on.
27:42I accept the challenge.
27:58I am really short for time.
28:01It's our last chance in Shane's order.
28:03And also, my 25% is kind of hinging on getting as many pieces out of this pocket as possible.
28:09So, we have to get this out today.
28:12On the final day for Kyle and rookie miner Ash to fill Shane's $50,000 wholesale order,
28:20almost impenetrable host rock has brought their fragile croquite extraction to a standstill.
28:26Ah, we're going to use the feathering pins, three pieces of metal.
28:32When you tap the pin in with the hammer, it forces the feathers outwards, creating pressure,
28:38and it cracks the rock, hopefully, across an even plane, which we have set up with the drill holes.
28:46All right, Ash, I think we're ready.
28:48You ready again?
28:49Don't have much other choice, but...
28:51Yeah.
28:53I'm a little bit nervous whether this thing's going to break through all the crystals.
28:56I don't know yet.
28:57It's all coming down to now.
29:00I'm a little bit nervous because it could go all the way, but it's got me right on the edge.
29:05So, you're going to need to hold this the whole time just in case it pops.
29:09Just cradle it.
29:19Now, just a little bit of wriggle.
29:20Is it moving?
29:22No, it's too loud.
29:24That's deceiving, isn't it?
29:29So, that's it.
29:35Ready?
29:37Yes, nice.
29:39Good job.
29:40Wow.
29:41That's...
29:41Yeah, that's a really good job.
29:42That is beautiful.
29:47Well done, mate.
29:49You know, $2,000 to $3,000 worth of crow karts sitting there.
29:52Wow.
29:53Once that's trimmed up, that's going to look amazing.
29:57Still plenty of stuff up in there, too, mate.
29:59Just keeps going.
30:00Yeah, you know, all this section here is all of crow karts.
30:09Oh, look at that.
30:11What a piece.
30:13Now that this big piece is out, we're basically just doing a cash grab.
30:17We don't have a lot of time left, so basically just trying to get as much material out as possible
30:22in the time left today.
30:23Get him off.
30:25That's it.
30:25Keep going.
30:26Yes, good lad.
30:28Look at that.
30:29That is a piece.
30:30Well done, mate.
30:31Well done.
30:32That's sick.
30:33Yeah, we're going to walk each and every one out by hand.
30:37We'll just take them up to Shane's ute now.
30:41Better do this with every single box, so it's good fun.
30:44It'll keep me fit.
30:50Well, that's the last one for our week.
30:54It's been a long week.
30:55I guess we're at the pointy end of it now, Shane.
30:58Give us a number.
30:59What are we looking at here?
31:04I've got some bad news.
31:07We're not going to go anywhere near close to our target of 50 grand for the wholesale order.
31:13Maybe 25 grand for the wholesale material.
31:17We've got at least three pieces that are going to probably add another 10,000, 12,000 to the tally.
31:24The number I came up with was 32,000.
31:29So that's probably looking at about 8 grand for the 25%.
31:33Yeah.
31:34That's a big shame, but I think there are a couple of pluses out of this.
31:39The rainforest at it, which we started as just a maybe, is probably going to be the future of the
31:46mine that we really put in the effort.
31:48You know, what we've got here is a credit to everybody.
31:51Yeah, you know, the 32,000 is obviously short of the target, but considering all the challenges that we had
31:57this week, it's a damn good effort, and I'm still pretty happy with how we went.
32:01No, I think we've all done a really good job, especially you, mate.
32:04This week's been a big...
32:05First couple of crow kite specimens, you're doing well.
32:07Yeah, big learning curve.
32:08Yeah, I reckon I'll be better for it.
32:10Next season, mate, you might be running the show.
32:13We'll see.
32:14Let's wrap it up and get out of here.
32:16Oh, yeah, definitely.
32:20So I was doing really well in there an hour ago, but as I've moved up the creek, it's started
32:24to peter out a little bit.
32:30Just trying to dig really softly, because you start going hammering in there, you're just going to destroy all your
32:35specimens that you want to find.
32:38At the Noble Garnet Mine, Frankie and Ebrony are searching the kilometres of crystal-rich grasslands for any sign of
32:46garnets to meet increasing buyer demand.
32:50You've just got to take it steady, steady.
33:00That's really cool.
33:02I've been in there at the excavator.
33:09Looks like they were pulling out all the big tuft of garnet.
33:15There's like garnet specimens everywhere here, and if you can...
33:22Wow.
33:27Yeah, it's a beautiful specimen.
33:29It's unbelievable.
33:31Well, the aspect of the stone is pretty much nearly all covered.
33:36And little garnet crystals.
33:38I'd say 70%, 80%.
33:40And this one here is just a little bit of quartz.
33:42Maybe some tiny little garnets in there as well.
33:45Specimens like this will have to be wrapped in a newspaper, because you don't want to be having them banged
33:50together, and it'll lose all their value.
33:53Oh, I'd love to take all these rocks home, but you only put so much in the bag, so you've
33:58just got to try and select the best ones.
34:01That you can carry back out.
34:06A place like this, you need like, maybe 10 years.
34:09More.
34:10More.
34:21Oh, f**k.
34:23Oh, no.
34:26Frankie, are you still in the creek?
34:29Yeah, what's that?
34:31You need to get up on the hill and have a look.
34:32There's smoke all around us.
34:47All right, I'm going to just, um, get out.
34:49I just don't want to take any chances here.
34:52Just because there's so much grass at the moment, and if it does catch fire, you know, we're in a
34:56very risky situation.
34:59The strange thing is, I just can't indicate where the fire's coming from, because we're surrounded by smoke.
35:06It's really hard to pull yourself away from the stones when you're actually finding something.
35:11It's, yeah, it's, uh, it's really hard.
35:13But at the end of the day, safety's paramount, so we'll have to, we'll have to leave, so.
35:19Disappointing, but that's just the way the cookie crumbles.
35:28Do you reckon we'll be safe here?
35:30Yeah, we'll be fine.
35:31Okay.
35:31It's all mowed around.
35:32That's a good fire break, so.
35:34We should be fine here.
35:41You know what, Frankie?
35:42I think we've done pretty good here today.
35:44Yeah, they're going to clean up pretty good.
35:45Look, look.
35:46Oh, look.
35:48That's where I should get home and actually get into it.
35:50That is stunning.
35:52He has a really good ratio of crystals on there.
35:54Yeah, around 90%, that one, I reckon.
35:56Oh, pretty special piece.
35:59So what do you think all this is worth, Frankie?
36:01Well, I'm not too sure, Ebs.
36:03You're the expert in the pricing for the business, so.
36:05So we've got some of our rough stuff here.
36:07There would be a few facet grades in that.
36:09We've got pyrope, grosula.
36:12Some more of our rough specimens here,
36:14leading on to our specimens with the high ratio of crystallization.
36:18Nice.
36:18And the bigger crystals as well.
36:20Beautiful.
36:20So they'll be more valuable over this side.
36:23Oh, and not to mention, our two beautiful pieces here.
36:26We've got the big pyrope specimen and the grosula garnet.
36:30So these ones, I reckon they'd have to be at least $500 each.
36:35Wow.
36:35Just because they're so rare, you don't really come across these every day.
36:39Just like a once in 50 year fine.
36:41Wow, that's amazing.
36:42$500 each.
36:44And with everything else on the table,
36:49I'm thinking...
36:53$4,000?
36:54Really?
36:55Yeah.
36:55That's awesome.
36:56Yeah, I think that's pretty good.
36:57I didn't expect that.
36:58That's amazing.
36:59The short amount of time that we're here, I'm pretty happy with that.
37:01Yeah, me too.
37:02That's amazing.
37:03Yeah.
37:07What do you reckon we pack up, wrap all these up, chuck them in the car and head off for
37:11our next adventure?
37:12Sounds good, Etsy.
37:13Woo!
37:14Well done.
37:23Come on, come on, come on.
37:25Come on.
37:26Come on.
37:31Yeah!
37:32Woo!
37:34It's coming back, bro.
37:36She made it?
37:37It made it, bro.
37:38It made it, and it's coming back down.
37:42Woo!
37:47You're a good thing.
37:49Yes.
37:51Awesome.
37:51Awesome, lands.
37:52Are you happy?
37:54I'm happy.
37:54Thanks, mate.
37:55Get back over there and help China.
37:57Rightio.
38:00Well, that was some scary s***.
38:02Oh, I'm watching that go up and down.
38:04I'm glad it worked.
38:06It's all hands on deck now.
38:07I can start getting into it.
38:12On the last day of their season, the Ruby Vale boys finally have their second mine up and running,
38:18doubling their chances of finding precious sapphire to reach their $120,000 target.
38:25It'd be amazing if I just start digging and find a beautiful wash layer of sapphires in it.
38:31We're doing it for.
38:33You never know, though.
38:34It's a big gamble.
38:36Hopefully this hole pays off.
38:42Get more.
38:44Mask is filling up with dirt, dust, sweat.
38:48It's making it hard to breathe.
38:50I haven't seen anything come through yet, so I haven't seen anything in the wall or any sort of as
38:55I'm scraping the wash.
38:57We really need to start seeing some good sapphires poking their heads out soon.
39:23I've seen a little shimmer of light reflect back at me.
39:28And this is a bloody good sign.
39:31Oh, it's bigger than I thought it was.
39:34Hey.
39:34Here we go.
39:39Oh, let's hope.
39:41Let's just hope.
39:42Oh, yes.
39:45Oh, finally.
39:47Oh, that's such a relief.
39:50It's not a bomb.
39:51It's a good sapphire.
39:52Nice blue.
39:53Oh, thank you.
39:55A little bit closer to that target that we sent.
39:59Oh, yes.
40:00Woo!
40:08Good wash.
40:09Good iron.
40:11Nice little layer of stone down here.
40:15On the granite floor.
40:18Nice chocolate colour and dark.
40:28There's one there.
40:29Look at that.
40:33Oh, beauty.
40:37Yeah, she's clear.
40:39That's awesome.
40:40Just as I thought, right in amongst all this dark iron, hard against the floor, the boys would be stoked
40:45to see that we've actually drilled out where there's some stone.
40:49Oh, I know.
40:50You going to see what we've got in the bin?
41:03How'd you boys go?
41:04All right, I think, man.
41:05How'd you go?
41:07Flip it on the table and have a look, eh?
41:08Yeah, let's flip it.
41:11Hey, look at that.
41:14That's a beauty.
41:15It's beautiful, isn't it, bro?
41:17Look at that.
41:18That's an A-grade stone, mate.
41:19Oh, man.
41:20That is, like, exactly what you're after.
41:23Looking all right.
41:24We're collecting a little bit.
41:26We've got a few nice little cutters there.
41:28Right, eh?
41:28Here comes mine, boys.
41:29This is the money bucket.
41:33Beautiful, right?
41:34That looks better.
41:36Straight away.
41:38All right, well, it's looking up, boys.
41:40We might hit our target, eh?
41:42Oh, isn't it?
41:42There we go.
41:43Oh, man.
41:45Look at that, bro.
41:46Look at that.
41:47Look at the colour.
41:48Get a blade.
41:49That's nice.
41:50Here's a nice one here, guys.
41:51Look at this.
41:52That's what you're looking for.
41:53Clear.
41:54Oh, nice.
41:55A little light green, a little bit of white.
41:59That's it, boys.
42:00Hell yeah.
42:01Let's go and have a look through these and see what we got.
42:03Yeah.
42:03Woo!
42:04Woo!
42:04Woo!
42:06Woo!
42:07All we can do is just take it around about 100 bucks a carat.
42:09It looks like 168 carats, boys.
42:15Yeah!
42:15Oh, that's good.
42:16Yeah?
42:16That's good.
42:17Not bad, eh?
42:17Not bad.
42:17Bloody oath.
42:18There is A and B grey stone there, so it's mixed.
42:20So the cut ones are going to be worth a lot more, obviously.
42:23Yeah.
42:24But if we take an average of around 100 a carat, we get 16,800.
42:31So we got 16,800, plus 10 last week, plus around 85 grand, I reckon.
42:38Hey!
42:39Woo!
42:40That's all right, eh?
42:40It's not bad.
42:41It's not bad.
42:41We had a go.
42:4285 grand, bro.
42:43It was close.
42:47Let's go and have a beer, then, eh?
42:48Woo!
42:49Let's go.
42:49Let's go celebrate with a beer.
42:50Awesome.
42:56Hey, guys.
42:57How are you going?
42:57Yeah.
42:57How are you?
42:58Just please.
42:59No worry.
42:59What a season, boys, eh?
43:01Hey, yeah.
43:01It's been a river.
43:02You didn't know much when you got out here, and look who he is now, eh?
43:04Special miners.
43:05Yeah, you're killing it.
43:06Fell short of our target, but, you know, 85,000 ain't nothing to sneeze at.
43:10Yeah, that's...
43:10Bloody oath.
43:11We've got the second mine going next season, boys, eh?
43:13Come out and give me another hand if you want, and I'll help you set up your mine for
43:17sure.
43:17Help us set up.
43:17Yeah.
43:18To the Ruby Bay, boys.
43:19To the Ruby Bay, boys, yeah.
43:20We're going to stick, eh?
43:21About time I'll whoop your ass this time.
43:22No, this is going to be easy.
43:24This is going to be like a...
43:25Remember that walk in the park we had?
43:26This is going to be like...
43:27Yeah, yeah.
43:28Here we go.
43:28I've heard all the bulls*** now.
43:31Ooh, here we go.
43:34Oh, look, eh.
43:37Oh, look, eh.
44:02Ooh, here we go.
44:07Well, that's going to be easy.
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