Blasting:

In some instances, the cap rock is too hard to easily rip with the bulldozer, so explosives are used to blast the top 6 - 10 feet. This picture graphically shows the explosion mid blast.

Ripping:

This shot shows a bulldozer reversing close to a sheer drop in order to rip the cap-rock. Another couple of metres back and the machine would fall!  Fortunately, only very skilled operators attempt these feats.

Ripping:

Here, the ripper exposes a drive that was previously excavated by miners working underground.  Checkers need to be careful when ripping close to drives, so that they don't fall in.

Pushing:

A large open cut project.  Open cuts like these can take up to 6 months to complete.  Usually the crew works on a percentage basis, and must survive until the entire cut is complete before the opal is sold and they are paid. Sometimes, after all the hard work, the cut may not produce any opal.