We go under the earth to learn how to find opal in a mine

Our Lightning Ridge road trip was way overdue, however, we finally were able to jump in the car and head south-west to the best mining town in Australia - in our humble opinion.
Our good friends Dave and Sebastian agreed to let us tag along, stick a camera in their faces, and hit them with a barrage of questions (lucky they love us).
Our objective was to showcase two of the different ways of mining and techniques.
Settle in, grab a coffee or whiskey, and come along with us to the Ridge.
blackopaldirec...
Thanks for watching :)
Make sure to follow us on socials:
/ blackopaldirect
/ blackopaldirect
/ blackopaldirect

[@mariemoss2475]

I was very spoiled this Mother's Day and was given an Opel pendant.... From a very early age I have been in love with opal, it's a natural wonder ...and now I know how it dug. A fantastic video so interesting. love from the UK 💕

[@blackopaldirect]

That is awesome!

[@ifishdoyou1]

A big thanks to everyone who permitted you to film! It was fascinating to see all of these things without the staging or scripting of commercial productions. Really makes you think about the journey a particular stone has made and all the hands that have touched it. Very special!

[@younggunsopalhunters]

Awesome video! David is a top bloke took us down the same mine for a look while we where out filming opal hunters hope he gets the goods! 🤠⛏

[@blackopaldirect]

Fingers crossed!

[@shawnagunther7762]

I'm just now taking the time to see this. I been saving it for today. I stayed up all night so I would be able to get my kitty to the vet by 8:15am. Now I'm watching this so it will keep me alert so I can take her home later. I am so excited 😊🤗

[@calvinsplan4774]

With all the dung hitting the fan here in the U.S. its great to see positive vid's from good people, good on you mate & a big thank you from Portland Oregon.

[@stevenpolack4444]

Was a great video. Thank you for taking us along. Learned some things, caught up with the old timer, and got to see some beautiful stones. Appreciate the effort and best of luck with the rough😁🤘

[@sandmaker]

It's always fun to see where they come from and all the work that it entails. Thanks for sharing your trip and thanks to the miners for stopping work and letting us have a look around. It looks like you have a few good ones to cut. Fingers crossed. Hi to the superb cameraperson. She dood, Now back to go to the office and get cutting.

[@steveclark4291]

I love the Opal that you got from a friend of your father and glad that you're going to keep it ! I'm sure that you will show us you cutting it and polishing it ! It looks like it might a Black Opal and possibly two sided if that's possible !

[@steveclark4291]

Justin thank you for the adventure and information about Opal mining ! I really enjoy learning more about Opals !

[@steveclark4291]

Thank you for sharing this with me as I really enjoy and appreciate it !

[@catherinenelson4162]

Justin, my father was a mining engineer until they closed the gold mines in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. Now my brother volunteers as a tour guide at one of the mines my dad worked at. But I'm the one that inherited my father's love of gems and minerals.

[@blackopaldirect]

Love it

[@nickfranklin1867]

Great to see the mining side of the the opal industry, so happy that Tamika got to go on a "road trip" as well

[@blackopaldirect]

We agree!

[@cweave02]

So nice! Thank you so much for taking us on that journey with you!

[@blackopaldirect]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Doxymeister]

Great fun Justin. Really enjoyed sitting around the table shooting the breeze with you all--made me feel as if I were sitting right there, swatting at flies and sipping a lemonade. Love learning about opal mining, and appreciate Sebastian especially for taking so much time for us. Cheers!

[@susanturcotte3176]

Awesome adventure and educational experience for you to share with us, Justin. I haven't seen a video showing all the different ways of mining opal. Yes, it is a very dangerous endeavor when mining anything above or below ground. I usually scream at videos as the safety issue is a main problem Ibface as a registered nurse. That always comes first. The beautiful gems you bought have an awesome potential for brilliant outcomes. The piece you got from your father's close friend is a beauty! I can't wait to see you cut it into something unique! Thanks for sharing, and be blessed, my friend! Hugs from Alabama ❤️

[@blackopaldirect]

Thank you Susan

[@MrJacksaun]

Hello from the US. Thanks for the great videos, I enjoy them all. The stories about you and your father are always heartwarming. please keep them coming.

[@blackopaldirect]

Thanks for watching!

[@randomguy3988]

Great video Justin! Been watching for years and you've helped me learn alot, started Buying and selling opals because of you ❤

[@nancycurtis7315]

Great tour. Thanks to all that participated in the making of this video. Greetings from Dimboola, in Victoria.

[@christinechildress5021]

Sebastian is a brave man working solo! I do hope he has someone to check on him during the day! What a jack of all trades! My dad was like that too. If he couldn’t figure something out on his own he either read up on it or found someone who could teach him. Love the video! Can’t wait to see the gems you have polished ❤

[@susannesamuelsson2930]

👋👩‍🦳👍 Thank you for taking us with you to the opal fields, it was an interesting journey and much appreciated Justin and Tamika! I think we will see a lot of good opals being cut in the near future! Greetings to your friends in Lightning Ridge and greetings to you all at BOD! 💎👍 Susanne

[@blackopaldirect]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@terryvincent3788]

who is Tamika ?

[@thenodiggardener]

Loved this, and especially the Worm Farming in the tunnels. Not that I'd do mine down there. Whilst I think you're all very brave going down there, I learned along time ago I suffer with claustrophobia, so I'd not be doing that at all. I used to have to do a lot of mental gymnastics just to use the Tube in London lol Can't wait to see that last stone cut!

[@hannable3871]

As a former coal miner, I can say. Mines are a dangerous place. It might be boring and feel like a waste of time. But just think it could save your life. You can never be too careful

[@dj1rst]

It's very interesting to hear Sebastian talking with a thick Bavarian accent. He could not deny that he is from Germany.

[@blackopaldirect]

Spot on

[@whybutwhy4137]

Omg I’m so excited to see those cut! I have a ring that my grandfather bought for my grandmother back before my time lol. He drove 18 wheelers and would pick her up little gifts from the places he went. They didn’t cost much but she loved them. He stopped at a place called The Trading Post where they sold Native American jewelry. Turquoise and sterling silver handcrafted by their own hands. I am named after my grandmother so when she died the ring was left to me. I had to wait a long time to get it because she died when I was 7. I got to see the ring every once in awhile and I feel in love with it. I tell you this story because no matter how much money something is worth it’s true value comes from the memories it invokes when you see, hold, hear, or smell it. I’m not rich and I could have used the money a lot of times but I never thought about parting with it. I told my kids to not bury me with that ring! Do not size it! Do not change it in any way, and do not sell it! I love hearing about you and your dad. ❤❤❤

[@blackopaldirect]

Thank you yes I will be seeing that stone

[@kam70111]

Thank you, Justin. I hope we get to see you cutting/ finishing them.

[@blackopaldirect]

You bet!

[@steveclark4291]

If I ever get to Australia I hope that I could visit some Opal mines !

[@frostypop934]

Takes real guts to go down there! Kudos.

[@aerorobnz]

A really great video, I like all the important context that shows why Opal has such value. There look to be some great gems in your purchases.

[@Charlie-wq1gi]

It's good to see a mining video where they use the proper names for the minerals. 😜🤣😇😇😍

[@shelleysteward3041]

What a wonderful informative video. Loved going along with you on this journey 💕

[@blackopaldirect]

Thanks so much!

[@Madlintelf]

It's really nice seeing you out in the field, thanks for the trip Justin.

[@blackopaldirect]

Thank you 🙏

[@A_Bone1972]

fascinating variety of everything Australian black opal in this video! what a jack-of-all-trades in Sebastian as well! looking forward to your cuts, and will try not to imagine the dollar amounts involved in order to keep a glimmer of a dream alive for a person such as myself 😉 ✌️🐝➕

[@connifilteau2678]

Love a fieldtrip, learn so much. Thank you from another that's sentimental and that's one beautiful Opal. Great vid, cheers

[@opalonly]

Very cool to see the hard work to find some colors. Thanks for sharing.

[@blackopaldirect]

Thanks for watching!

[@bradcurtin8434]

Looking forward to seeing you cutting those beautiful stones Justin! Really appreciate getting to meet some of your friends too! I hope you can get some stories out of your father's friends on camera next time! Be well!

[@blackopaldirect]

You bet!

[@LaSierraAcresQuailFarm]

Thanks fot another great video Justin, really nice to see some insight on what the mining process is..

[@blackopaldirect]

My pleasure!

[@lorenrobertson8039]

Looks like you all had a good time on your trip. So happy for you! I can't wait to see what all you will share with us as you work on the rough you were able to bring back. Sure looks like the miners have a hard time these days with all the legal stuff, and simply finding good and healthy opal. But I have faith that it's there and one day some miner will hit the big time and blow us all away!

[@MrENT18]

Really great video on how Opal is mined. Really informative and appreciated. Thanks so much.

[@blackopaldirect]

Glad you liked it!

[@whitesupraturbo7505]

Nice Video! The second guy has an austrian ( european accent ) or i am wrong? A hard working man alone in the outback.

[@blackopaldirect]

Hes German

[@bentationfunkiloglio]

Really enjoyed the video! Helps me better appreciate the hard word required to find the modest amount of rough opal I buy. Gives me a bit of an emotional connection, I think.

[@AndyFromBeaverton]

9:50 What a cute gecko! Those guys have probably never seen soft hands before without calluses before. I couldn't help myself, sorry. :) I hope you do more of these videos.

[@blackopaldirect]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@landofahhs_1]

Excellent video. I learned things from your video that I've never heard from hours of watching miner channels.

[@markf5653]

Thanks for takings us down into a mine. What an adventure!

[@philmairu2500]

Great informative video Justin, Sebastian reminds me of my stepdad, a wealth of knowledge and hard working. Would love to take a trip out to these places and meet locals who love sharing their knowledge. Thank you

[@seantiz]

So much goes into opals. Thanks for sharing

[@blackopaldirect]

Yes it does!

[@edwardcrocker6827]

first newfoundlander to make the list

[@rohantherockwiththerocketh7871]

I'd love to give those a hand with their mines and learn everything I can about mining opals! I still want to open a shop or two with a large inventory of both sapphire and opal jewellery. Hopefully in a year or two I'll be able to get to lightning ridge. Have a ripper Justin!

[@louise3993]

I am generally not claustrophobic but I was feeling it for you went you were down in those mines. Almost had to stop watching lol. Thanks for sharing. Brave souls going in those mines much respect and admiration. 😊

[@blackopaldirect]

Hahah yes many are

[@topcat43truffles15]

Love watching your videos, you’ve cut some amazing opals. Was interesting to see what you have to deal with to find these beauties. I think if I had to spend time outside like that, a screen house might be a worthwhile investment. 😁 Thank you for the wonderful education on your craft. 👍🏻🍻❤️😎

[@joeybrown2089]

Cool mine trip video. As always, beautiful Opals.

[@davidleslie1963]

I love this video...most people don't understand the dangers and hard work that goes into finding the colors. Thanks Justin! Did Tamika mine some opal? She rocks...

[@judithburke1539]

Now that was punny!😂

[@michaelslater2519]

Justin, I've always loved your videos. I just want you know that I'm going through a marriage breakup and sitting in a room each night alone. Not asking for pity. Just want you to know that your videos and your personality are keeping me company at this difficult time for me. I thank you ❤

[@didisinclair3605]

Well that was a great video!!! I learned a lot. Thanks, Justin!!!

[@michealklonowski5267]

thank you for sharing the adventure and information 😀

[@blackopaldirect]

Our pleasure!

[@weisswurstfruhstuck8523]

Very interesting. Would be nice to see stuff like that again from time to time :)

[@denttech2515]

Thanks Justin. Please do more of these, when you can

[@lloydbellis7360]

Thank you for sharing this with us, really good information. What a hard life. Appreciate what they go through. 👍👍👍👍

[@blackopaldirect]

It sure is

[@Dawgzihk]

Thanks for taking us with you. You got some gorgeous rough there!!

[@blackopaldirect]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@mtnvalley9298]

Thanks for this Justin and Co!! Completely fascinating stuff. Greetings from Mike and family from Granby, Co!!

[@Biglukedozerlife70]

Thank you Sebastian for allowing us to see your mine and thanks Justin mint as usual

[@blackopaldirect]

Our pleasure!

[@seanstevenson7762]

Awesome video Justin, wish you would go more frequently to the fields as I enjoy seeing them.very nice parcels, cant wait to watch you cut them. As you always ask... Virginia, USA. Cheers mate!

[@blackopaldirect]

Glad you like them!

[@steveshoemaker6347]

Justin this is an amazing video and very interesting to......Thanks so very much my friend ❣👍 Shoe🇺🇸

[@blackopaldirect]

Thank you im glad you enjoyed

[@tomdemay6147]

"im going in" never gets old. love it

[@offyarocka]

That was a really cool insight into the hard work that goes into getting opal out of the ground!!! Thank you for sharing

[@robertwolfe8680]

Love to watch you guys, your always working and making a profit. Keep up the great work and keep putting out more videos.

[@blackopaldirect]

Thanks so much!

[@archermathews8562]

What an awesome trip ...excellent ...loved this video

[@blackopaldirect]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@juliaboam4436]

That was a brilliant watch Justin and Sebastian's voice is so much like Arnie Swarzenegger😊

[@eirintowne]

Everything about opal mining is terrifying to me, even though my claustrophobia is really mild and I can easily catch spiders and carry them outside and just shutter afterwards. Hated the year that I lived in a basement studio and woke up to big spiders crawling across my face, though, so now I would much rather live on a top floor! The darkness, dust, and risk of collapse down those mines is bad enough, then on top there's hard physical labour and the need to invest greatly without any guarantee of getting anything out of it. And then there's those spiderwebs... Australians probably think of the rest of us as total sissies, but I can't imagine willingly spending time mining opal surrounded by spiders, snakes, and all kinds of other things that can so easily kill you, including the sun. My gratitude to the miners is immense, so every opal I carve will be exposed in full glory!

[@Gigi-14]

I really enjoyed this video Justin. It was informative and cool. Looking forward to watching you cut those stones. 😊

[@sirkriskringle]

What a Awesome Vid Justin Thank you for Sharing WOW 😀👍👍👍👍👍😎 . SKK .

[@Diablofeb4]

Love the video! Waited years for this! Lol Next time in Canada, come down to Manitoba. Take you for tours of my silicate mine(starts full production summer 2023...4 years in the making), pegmatite gold mine, and my potash mine!

[@kaynef6637]

Hope you had a great Easter

[@TraumaQueen65]

Looking forward to watching you cut and polish these beauties up

[@dasavage]

Had a friend I was in the service with moved to somewhere around Adelaide mid 80's. Used to invite me all the time. Wish I had come. Always wanted to go to Coober Pedy or Lightning Ridge..

[@keithlong701]

Watching from Kentucky. Thanks for sharing. Excellent video.

[@flyingcheff]

Justin, this was one of your more cerebral publications, I really enjoyed it. It actually made me feel that much more hopeful about the goodwill in the opal industry - which had been a tough go for too long. Thank you for shining a light on a few brighter spots, maybe even a bit of color there....😅❤

[@blackopaldirect]

Glad to hear it!

[@obieobrien5883]

Interesting adventure!

[@tvon698]

This was a really cool and informative video. Thanks for sharing it..

[@raulanyoung2509]

Love the mining videos

[@candyontherag8248]

Dropping in to say hello and thanks for sharing ! WHOO HOOO FROM CALIFORNIA!!!! WHAT !!!!

[@blackopaldirect]

Thanks for coming

[@candyontherag8248]

We really enjoy your videos Justin ! They are very informative and truly appreciated! WHOO HOOO FROM CALIFORNIA!! WHAT !!!!

[@ThatOpalGuy]

so good, I am going to have to watch it again and then leave a real comment.

[@FransBlaas1]

Amazing views of the hard work…. Amazing also that heavy trucks run right over these mines, might drop in any time.. but then you can do open mining… 😅😅😊😊

[@rarecollections]

So far the best video. I like it.

[@blackopaldirect]

Glad to hear that!

[@adamgc73]

Great video justin very entertaing..im looking forward to heading back to lightning ridge in a few months. That witches hat nobby is gorgeous 😍

[@jayef10]

THIS IS AWESOME

[@sfacets]

A future video idea could be to take us through the tools you use to shape the gems and what other people use etc, maybe talk about beginner kits

[@syarifidayat]

Please share more video about mining, pleaseee Soo fascinating ❤

[@shawnagunther7762]

I just now seen the notification! Yay, I have been looking forward to this for a while ☺️👍👍

[@Teleman01]

I love this!!!!

[@northyorkshireuk1]

You gave the game away at the end pal

[@silverwishes6000]

Questions for you, do you prefer getting rough stones are ones they have polished? Do you think the opal will ever run out in Australia? It seems a lot videos the miners are going back over the piles old timers left. Will I ever get plane tickets from you to visit 😂😂😂in my dreams Love your videos Mary Nampa Idaho

[@blackopaldirect]

Their is less risk in a cut stone but rough opal with a bit of knowledge can be very exciting

[@DRMLbyJeffrey]

OMG! THE 2ND RUB, NOBY WITCHES HAT & DADS FRIENDS STONE!! 🎉

[@V27RV]

I like the BOD shirt..can one get it on Etsy?

[@ThatOpalGuy]

at his website

[@alaskangirl7675]

So interesting! Thanks for sharing.

[@blackopaldirect]

Thanks for watching

[@artslife3876]

Great video! Thanks for this 😊🇮🇪

[@blackopaldirect]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@loganmurray7238]

Wow ❤❤❤

[@conken5623]

Enjoyable documentary

[@kpturn42]

You’d make a lovely Travel Channel program presenter.

[@terrybrady1644]

wow . great show ,😊

[@blackopaldirect]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@phillipbottrell]

awesome video Justin.

[@blackopaldirect]

🙏