Latest news with #miningclaims
Yahoo
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Couple's incredible $3,000 find in deep hole after digging for months in Aussie bush
For more than 20 years, Cherië and Michael have spent countless hours searching for 'elusive' treasures on a rural piece of land they also call home. Through rain and sweltering heat, the Aussie couple have 'dug deep' in the hope of unearthing their 'next brilliant find' in Queensland's Sapphire Gemfields. And it appears their persistence is paying off, with Michael recently discovering a roughly $3,000 'beauty' glimmering deep inside in a 2.5 metre hole he had been chipping away at for months. Video footage capturing the 'magical' moment shows the fossicker hone in on 'something that just popped out'. After removing rock chucks and dirt using his hands and a pick axe, Michael exclaims 'holy dooley' as he pulls the 183-carat sapphire from the ground. Speaking to Yahoo News, Cherië explained that the couple have multiple off-grid mining claims about six kilometres from Rubyvale, a precious gemstone area that attracts both commercial interest and amateurs. 'We live on the mining claims, and we have done for a bit over 20 years with our five children,' she said, adding they leased the area where the gem was found about two years ago. 'About two months ago we started that hole, and we have found little pieces but that one he ended up catching on camera. You just never know… you see a glint and you think 'oh is it one?'' 183-carat gemstone revealed to be a parti sapphire While the large gem is 'nice stone', Cherië admitted it's 'not perfect' and does have some issues. In its current state its worth about $3,000. 'It looks like a bit of a parti sapphire,' the mum said, meaning it has a natural blend of multiple colours. 'I think it has a little bit of yellow, blue, maybe green.' For now, the stone will be tucked away, but the couple hope to be able to retrieve a couple of five to 10-carat pieces which will then be sold at Cherië's shop Sapphire Gem Cuts. 'I'll get Michael to saw it up into little pieces, and then just take the parts off that aren't gem quality,' she told Yahoo, noting buyers often like knowing the origin of where and how the stone was found. 🏕️ Aussie families flock to campground in search of $10,000 treasure Man's 'very rare' find at famous campground after digging for six hours 💎 Man's incredibly rare discovery in Aussie dirt after wild weather Aussie couple still hoping to unearth 'retirement stone' Since moving to central Queensland, the couple's dedication to the thrill of the chase hasn't waned, with the pair even delivering their two youngest children on one of the mining claims. 'You might hit a patch where you get stones, and then you might go for six months or nine months without getting much at all,' Cherië, who grew up camping in the gemfields with her family, told Yahoo. Last year Michael unearthed a very clear 123-carat parti sapphire worth up to $12,300 while fossicking, she added, but they have also found 300 to 500-carat 'bombs', meaning they are 'not good quality whatsoever'. 'We're still waiting for the big one. We're still hoping to find that retirement stone,' she said. And they're not the only ones. While travelling families and their young children were once a rare sight in the gemfields, the demographic has changed since Covid, Cherië explained. 'It's great to see the families come out. I think it's an experience that you can't get anywhere else. It's very special.' Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Aussie's 'magical' $3,000 discovery in deep hole after digging for months
For more than 20 years, Cherië and Michael have spent countless hours searching for 'elusive' treasures on a rural piece of land they also call home. Through rain and sweltering heat, the Aussie couple have 'dug deep' in the hope of unearthing their 'next brilliant find' in Queensland's Sapphire Gemfields. And it appears their persistence is paying off, with Michael recently discovering a roughly $3,000 'beauty' glimmering deep inside in a 2.5 metre hole he had been chipping away at for months. Video footage capturing the 'magical' moment shows the fossicker hone in on 'something that just popped out'. After removing rock chucks and dirt using his hands and a pick axe, Michael exclaims 'holy dooley' as he pulls the 183-carat sapphire from the ground. Speaking to Yahoo News, Cherië explained that the couple have multiple off-grid mining claims about six kilometres from Rubyvale, a precious gemstone area that attracts both commercial interest and amateurs. 'We live on the mining claims, and we have done for a bit over 20 years with our five children,' she said, adding they leased the area where the gem was found about two years ago. 'About two months ago we started that hole, and we have found little pieces but that one he ended up catching on camera. You just never know… you see a glint and you think 'oh is it one?'' 183-carat gemstone revealed to be a parti sapphire While the large gem is 'nice stone', Cherië admitted it's 'not perfect' and does have some issues. In its current state its worth about $3,000. 'It looks like a bit of a parti sapphire,' the mum said, meaning it has a natural blend of multiple colours. 'I think it has a little bit of yellow, blue, maybe green.' For now, the stone will be tucked away, but the couple hope to be able to retrieve a couple of five to 10-carat pieces which will then be sold at Cherië's shop Sapphire Gem Cuts. 'I'll get Michael to saw it up into little pieces, and then just take the parts off that aren't gem quality,' she told Yahoo, noting buyers often like knowing the origin of where and how the stone was found. 🏕️ Aussie families flock to campground in search of $10,000 treasure Man's 'very rare' find at famous campground after digging for six hours 💎 Man's incredibly rare discovery in Aussie dirt after wild weather Aussie couple still hoping to unearth 'retirement stone' Since moving to central Queensland, the couple's dedication to the thrill of the chase hasn't waned, with the pair even delivering their two youngest children on one of the mining claims. 'You might hit a patch where you get stones, and then you might go for six months or nine months without getting much at all,' Cherië, who grew up camping in the gemfields with her family, told Yahoo. Last year Michael unearthed a very clear 123-carat parti sapphire worth up to $12,300 while fossicking, she added, but they have also found 300 to 500-carat 'bombs', meaning they are 'not good quality whatsoever'. 'We're still waiting for the big one. We're still hoping to find that retirement stone,' she said. And they're not the only ones. While travelling families and their young children were once a rare sight in the gemfields, the demographic has changed since Covid, Cherië explained. 'It's great to see the families come out. I think it's an experience that you can't get anywhere else. It's very special.' Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
CBC
23-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
First Nations leaders in Ontario's Ring of Fire region demand Bill 5 be struck down
Rudy Turtle says the people of Grassy Narrows First Nation will never stop defending the land. In the case of Ontario's Bill 5 — proposed legislation aimed at expediting development — he says "we're not going to back down." "We need to continue to protect our environment and make sure that things are done properly," said Turtle, former chief of Grassy Narrows. "Any changes that are made at any time, we have to really look at the pros and cons." Turtle is chair of the First Nations Land Defence Alliance, a group of First Nations that's been pushing back against development without Indigenous consultation. This includes the surge of mining claims staked in northwestern Ontario using the province's online, free-entry system. Northwestern Ontario is home to the Ring of Fire, a crescent-shaped mineral deposit in the James Bay lowlands that's long been eyed as a critical source for the electric vehicle battery industry. According to the Wildlands League, a not-for-profit conservation organization, more than 40,000 mining claims have been staked in the Ring of Fire area — a 60 per cent jump since 2022. Under Bill 5, the Ring of Fire could become designated as a special economic zone, where those considered to be trusted proponents could conduct business while being exempt from provincial or municipal laws and regulations, including requirements for permits. The province says Bill 5, called the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, will reduce red tape by making it easier for developments to get off the ground. But dozens of First Nations leaders and advocates across the province are questioning what this means when it comes to Indigenous consultation and environmental protections. "They're saying that Native people will prosper," said Turtle. "We've never benefited from an industry coming into our area." "We always end up [with] the short end of the stick." 'This is so wrong' Bill 5 was introduced by Ontario Minister of Energy and Mines Stephen Lecce last month. In addition to the creation of special economic zones, it would revoke a number of regulations related to development and procurement, and change just under a dozen provincial laws. Through this legislation, the Endangered Species Act would be replaced with a new Species Conservation Act, which "introduces tougher penalties, including hefty fines, jail time and additional compliance tools, ensuring no tolerance for bad actors," Hannah Jensen, a spokesperson for the premier's office, told CBC News in an email. On Thursday, Ontario's standing committee of the interior debated Bill 5 before holding the first public hearing about the legislation. Sol Mamakwa, the NDP MPP for Kiiwetinoong and a member of Kingfisher Lake First Nation, describes the bill as "a step backwards." "It's very colonial, very oppressive," Mamakwa said. "This is so wrong." The provincial government says the bill aims to respond to economic threats coming from U.S. President Donald Trump, while maintaining high environmental standards, labour laws and the province's duty to consult with First Nations. They're saying that Native people will prosper. We've never benefited from an industry coming into our area. "Projects streamlined through our proposed special economic zones are also of common interests for First Nations — they support legacy infrastructure and will unleash additional economic opportunity by bringing road construction, hydro hookups, healthcare, schooling, jobs and other services back to their community," said Jensen. For Mamakwa, it comes down to competing definitions of economic reconciliation. "When we talk about economic reconciliation, it is not the same as inherent Aboriginal and Treaty rights," he said. "The government can certainly invest as much as it wants in economic reconciliation, but without first and foremost respecting the rights of First Nations rights holders, these projects cannot move forward." More than 130 written submissions were received by the standing committee about Bill 5, said Mamakwa, and an unprecedented number of speaker requests. Thursday's meeting saw presentations from numerous First Nations leaders in the northwest, including Nishnawbe Aski Nation, Anishinabek Nation, Sandy Lake First Nation and Neskantaga First Nation. "Ontario is claiming they are fast-tracking this legislation and eliminating red tape to respond to tariffs and global economic instability. However, it is clear their goal is to fast-track development in our territories, and eliminating red tape really means eliminating our rights," said Nishnawbe Aski Nation's Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler in a news release issued Thursday. A final public hearing will be held Monday before the bill is debated, amended and put forward for a third reading, which Mamakwa expects will happen the first week of June before the legislature rises for the summer. Replacing the Endangered Species Act Grassy Narrows First Nation is known for its more than 20-year blockade against clear-cut logging in its territory. Its members understand the impact of industrial pollution first-hand, after the Dryden Paper Mill dumped about nine tonnes of mercury into the English-Wabigoon River System in the 1960s and '70s. About 90 per cent of the First Nation's members experience symptoms of mercury poisoning as a result. One of Turtle's main concerns with Bill 5 is the repeal of the Endangered Species Act. He used the example of the removal of wolves from Yellowstone National Park in the U.S. and how that disrupted the entire ecosystem for decades. "There's a real environmental impact any time the environmental chain is broken," he said. "That's why many of our people are speaking up, because they know that." Anna Baggio, conservation director for the Wildlands League, describes the government's proposed Species Conservation Act as a "shell" of the Endangered Species Act. It is clear their goal is to fast-track development in our territories, and eliminating red tape really means eliminating our rights. - Nishnawbe Aski Nation's Grand Chief Alvin Fiddler "They've narrowed the definition of habitat to only focus on nests and dens. They have eliminated recovery and protection objectives for species. They are going to allow harmful activities to go ahead, as long as the proponent registers first," she said. However, the provincial government says the legislation includes "an enhanced Species Conservation Program, which will directly invest $20 million each year in projects to conserve and protect species across Ontario, quadrupling current funding." Court challenges, protests on the horizon Several First Nations in the region have already taken the Ontario government to court over its Mining Act, including Grassy Narrows. A dozen Treaty 9 First Nations are also suing the province over the way resource and land management decisions are made in the region. Three First Nations in Treaty 9 have already said they'll challenge Bill 5 if it's passed in the legislature. Jason Rasevych, president of the Anishnawbe Business Professional Association and a member of Treaty 9 community Ginoogaming First Nation, called Bill 5 an example of "political theatre." "We knew it wasn't going to be viable, that it was impossible to do without the government approaching it from an aspect of achieving free, prior and informed consent of communities," he said. He anticipates developments fast-tracked through Bill 5 may also end up in the courts, he said. Meanwhile, Mamakwa says he expects resistance from First Nations will play out "not just in the courts; it'll be on the land." The First Nations Land Defence Alliance has led multiple protests outside of Queen's Park over developments without Indigenous consultations. A citizens' protest of GTA residents against Bill 5 is already planned for Friday afternoon at Premier Doug Ford's office at 4 p.m. ET.
