Discovery mines gems in Outback

Outback Opal Hunters premieres in February

Discovery has ordered Outback Opal Hunters, an original Australian series that will land on Discovery Channel in the country in 2018.

Shot in Lightning Ridge, Opalton and Coober Pedy in Australia, the eight-part factual series is produced by Prospero Productions and will launch on the US factual giant’s Australian channel on February 8 at 20.30.

Prospero is also behind Outback Truckers, now in its seventh season, Outback Pilots and National Geographic’sWild Survivor.

Outback Opal Hunters follow crews of opal miners as they seek to unearth gems in some of the harshest and most remote landscapes down under.

The series focuses on rookies Justin Lang and Daniel Becker, who take up the challenge in Coober Pedy. At Lightning Ridge, Kelly Tishler is one of only a few women who are actively mining in Australia.

Operating out of Opalton, Col’s Crew is led by veteran Col Duff, who quit his job as a telecommunications technician in 1990 to become a full-time miner.