Archon Mining

12/12/2025

Praying everyone is safe and ok.🙏

AT 00:2:46AM ON FRIDAY MORNING, the Coober Pedy Mine Rescue Squad and Coober Pedy CFS responded to a call at Larkins Folly Opal Field, where it was reported "Man down mine shaft".
No official report has been issued at this stage.

12/12/2025

OpalAI just got a fresh new look! 🔍✨ Same image… completely upgraded experience.

We’ve rolled out a cleaner UI with updated buttons, sharper colours, better positioning, and a more modern workflow across the whole OpalAI app. The goal? Make it faster and easier to identify opal out in the field - whether you’re above ground or underground.

Old vs New shown below 👇 Let us know what you think of the updated interface!

11/12/2025

Another day in the trench chasing color. Most people only ever see the final stones - not the sweat, dust, and stubborn walls you have to fight through to find them.

This ground has been hard going, but every shovel, every pick strike, and every cloud of dirt gets us one step closer to the next pocket.

No shortcuts out here (well maybe some AI!). Just work, patience, and a bit of hope. 🔨💎

10/12/2025

A little green showing in the wall 👀💚 Nothing beats the feeling of spotting color exactly where you don’t expect it… then gently teasing it out before the wall collapses on you.

This is the stuff that gives you that opal miner fever - that moment right before you pull it free.

09/12/2025

I recorded a breakdown of how OpalAI actually works behind the scenes (after a long day down in the trenches!) - not the mining side, but the technology powering it.

If you’ve ever wondered how AI can be trained to recognise opal, potch, seams, and host material out in the field — this video runs through the process from a tech standpoint:

🔹 How the model learns from real-world images
🔹 Why opal detection is harder than it looks
🔹 What challenges we’ve had to solve
🔹 Where OpalAI is heading next

The tech is already proving itself.

Appreciate everyone who’s been following the journey - more updates coming soon. 🤖💎

09/12/2025

A little dusty, a little rough, but that’s the good stuff.
This is the kind of material that gets you excited - not because it’s flashy, but because it means you’re in the right country. 👀✨

Dropped this one through OpalAI for a test run… let’s just say the model agreed. 😎🤖

08/12/2025

🚀 OpalAI Keeps Leveling Up!

Testing the latest version of OpalAI, and it just keeps getting sharper.

With 20,000+ images now in its training database, OpalAI is becoming even better at spotting opal, potch, and key geological features in real time!

What’s even better? 💡 It works fully offline!

No signal? No worries. Perfect for mine shafts, underground noodling, or anywhere reception disappears but the opal dreams don’t.

Big things are coming. And we’re just getting started. 🔵✨

08/12/2025

Opal Mining to Continue at Vergemont!

Sharing a recent ABC News article covering the Queensland Government’s decision around mining at the former Vergemont Station.

Key points:
• Existing opal mining tenures inside Restricted Area 257 will remain in place.
• Miners can continue operating in the designated areas despite the surrounding land becoming part of a new national park.
• The decision follows months of uncertainty for local miners and leaseholders.

Worth a read for anyone following the situation:
🔗 https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-04/opal-miners-continue-operations-vergemont-station-national-park/106095772

The Queensland government's purchase of Vergemont Station last year led to months of uncertainty for miners with tenures inside the former cattle station, which is larger than the Australian Capital Territory.

07/12/2025

⚠️ SARCASTIC POST - PLEASE READ WITH A SENSE OF HUMOUR ⚠️

🚨 BREAKING DISCOVERY 🚨

After days of trekking through the outback, crawling into holes, dodging falling dirt, and negotiating with a very judgmental kangaroo…

We’ve finally captured undeniable video proof of the one creature everyone said I’d never find:

🐙✨ THE OPALISED OUTBACK OCTOPUS ✨🐙

According to some people, these things turn up everywhere, in the field, out front of Centrelink, in the middle of town, under rocks and… well… looks like Facebook was right again. 😆

Please enjoy this totally authentic and absolutely not AI-generated field footage of a glowing octopus casually emerging from a dugout like it owns the lease.

Reminder: SARCASTIC. No known octopus fossils exist. None. Zero. But they definitely make exploring a lot more entertaining. Let's wait for the experts and see what they have to say

02/12/2025

⚠️ SARCASTIC POST — PLEASE DO NOT TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY ⚠️

After seeing so many “fossil octopus discoveries” on Facebook lately, I thought I’d put OpalAI v2 to the test.

Good news everyone: 🐙 OpalAI has officially confirmed the world’s first opalised octopus fossil

Clearly this is groundbreaking science, destined to rewrite cephalopod palaeontology…😆

If anyone out there is an expert in identifying octopus-shaped rocks, feel free to weigh in.

02/12/2025

GOVERNMENT RELEASES LAND FOR EXPLORATION NEAR COOBER PEDY

Energy and Mining Minister Tom Koutsantonis announced on Friday at an industry conference that the state government would release more than 11,000 square kilometres of land in the state’s north for mineral exploration.

“Releasing parcels of land of this size and scope is rare. This is a province-scale opportunity that we are confident will attract very serious bids,” Koutsantonis said.

The 16 parcels of land in the Northern Gawler Craton, near Coober Pedy, will be available for competitive tender in February next year.

The parcels of land were subject to a Geological Survey of South Australia National Drilling Initiative (NDI), with data suggesting the region had significant potential for copper discovery. READ MORE:
https://www.indailysa.com.au/news/business/2025/12/01/govt-releases-new-plots-of-sa-land-for-miners-to-explore

02/12/2025

MVP Daniel Brown uncovers how he is revolutionising mining to find opals in the harsh Australian climate.