Starting a new mine

Please do Rodney.
Thats great and l hope it cools down for you.
Cheers

Cheers Rodney I see that vid with the digger are there any around to buy. How do I put it it out there I want equipment cheers good luck with your new ground. Onya

Will be following with interest,cheers for posting!

Gemo there is a group on Facebook called buy and sell mining gear and Opal lightning Ridge a bloke put a blower and digger for sale a couple of days ago have a look at that if you do no good with that let me know.

What do you mean by "the channel"? Which field are you in - it looks like Bulldog Shale or similar and not Queensland (presumably the field is not secret - Coober Pedy or Lightning Ridge - I don't recall a lot of thick silcrete at Lightning Ridge)? There is more than one Nine Mile and I don't know Pony. Looking at your video, have you got multiple widely-separated in levels of opal dirt? Sounds like it would have been worth blasting the silcrete out first since usually at surface. That would be one unhappy driller.

Goldierocks a Channel is the dirt on the inside of the channel is completely different to the dirt on the outside. Its about about 3 m wide here. I work out near the sheepyards so it is seam country and there is plenty of thick silcrete at the Ridge. It certainly would have been worth blasting we are not allowed explosives any more.

Hi mate I avoided fb like the plauge anyways I got onto the buy and sell mining gear and Opal lightning Ridge and hit join its a closed group hope someone accepts cheers for the heads up

The gear that was on there has sold let me know what your looking for I might be able to help.

Hi hows it going..Not a bad turn around for gear. I'm totally unequiped I have some big holes the face shows 2 x levels 1 top 1 right on the bottom, nobby ground with plenty of middle. So i want to get the dirt out the hole and dig it .I have small tools gen rickshaw electric pick so I'm in the market to tool up on the cheap ..as usual..cheers looking forward to seeing the facebook site anyway. Do u sell opal on it.?

Gemo I can probably help we the gear you need. I assume your mine is in the Ridge im at Sheepyards. Wheneer you want message me and you can come out and have a look.

[video=480,360]https://youtu.be/boXsA70dkWQ[/video]

Cool vid mate! Keep em coming. Love to see some pics of your finds!

never seen in a mine b4 very interesting Many thnx

G'day Rodney, like your posts, great videos and some beautiful stones, good to have someone spread the word on opal mining.

I will be up the Ridge next week and would like to meet you. I'm an opal tragic who caught the opal bug in the late 80's when working a patch at Thorleys Six Mile. Recently I've purchased a house in the Ridge, and currently setting up equipment to go full time mining (agi, blower, digger & drill). I can't message you as I haven't made 10 posts yet, if your are interested could you message me with your contact details.

Thanks, Rod.

G'day Rodney,l am coming to the Ridge in March when it cools down a bit!Great if You could find me a Long throw hoist..max 1500..I Will try to get a claim at mulgas Or wherever it has potential!Easy to find a 9 inch drill out there?Worth it to get a lease and go for virgin land! IF You find me a good hoist,then l buy You av case of beer)!if l drill some colour,then No worries to Share some info like a good gesture))Ok,Good luck!

I love this thread! My grandfather was an opal miner and I've always had an interest in it.
Fell in love with black opal when I saw his spectacular one for the first time - awesome red flash in it!

Watching the last video (4) did anyone else see the line of 'flash' at 1:56?
I'd love to know if there was something there! It flashed like a neon sign - try here!!

Then again, it might just be potch... Ahh the joys and heartache of opal mining...
You have to be dedicated and have the perseverance of... whatever has a heap of perseverance!

Best of luck mate! Keep those videos coming - they're great!

Would love to see some of the opal coming out of it - show us the colour!!

Cheers, :beer:
Megsy

Rodney hasnt posted since March. Hope you are ok Rodney.
Mackka

You're right Mackka - I didn't notice that.
I hope he's been so busy finding the flashy stuff that he hasn't had time to upload more videos here, and everything's OK with him.

Rodney has been having internet problems,

Goody

Gday sorry I have not posted for awhile as goody said I have had a lot of trouble with my Internet they wont fix our existing service because the NBN is coming but wont tell us when.
We ring up every couple of months and have a Winge but it doesnt do any good.
I am not working in this mine any more we were digging with jackhammers and the ground got too hard. I couldnt get my big digger down the shaft on this mine and my driller wouldnt put down a bigger one because the ground here was too hard to drill. I have since bought a smaller digger that I can get down the shaft. I will be going back next year sometime it was good ground and showed a lot of potential. I really didnt think people were that interested in the videos but I can make some more and put them up if people are interested.