Mineral Explorers (2015 - 2016)

Every day, millions of dollars worth of emeralds are traded on the streets of Bogota - Colombia's thriving capital city. But few ever venture to the source of these elusive gems, located deep in the valleys of the Andes Mountains. Thomas leads viewers over treacherous mountain roads and past gun-toting locals to explore Colombia's gorgeous but rugged countryside, the lives of its people and the amazing world of emeralds. Then, it's back to the big city to visit the world's largest emerald district.

This episode finds Thomas traveling the famed Estrada Real, or "Royal Road," exploring Brazil's rich diamond and gold history. En route he also discovers the odd formations at Chapada Diamantina National Park and the highly-coveted imperial topaz, found exclusively in Brazil. Along the way, we meet the "Laser Cowboys" who dig for long, beautiful laser quartz crystals, and one of Brazil's best-known mineral collectors who invites Thomas to view his extensive, private collection.

This journey takes us both above and below eastern Brazil as Nagin explores Governador Valadares, the center for minerals in Brazil, as well as one of the world's best places for paragliding before traveling to Minas Gerais. Famed for its gemstones, we see how Brazil's minerals are cut, polished, and prepared for market. Thomas travels to local mines to find gems in their natural, but equally beautiful form, visits the renowned Pederneira tourmaline mine, and an aquamarine mine where he explores a newly found gem pocket as it's being uncovered.

It's one of the most abundant minerals on Earth, but quartz is anything but ordinary. In this episode, Thomas explores the metaphysical side of quartz and a local curiosity that's long been closed to the public, The Crystal Cave. He also meets a unique cast of characters while judging the World Championship Quartz Crystal Dig and visits the renowned Coleman's Mine to help extract a newly discovered pocket of quartz.

It's the world's largest producer of silver with modern companies ruling the trade but Mexico's silver mining tradition dates back hundreds of years and helped shape the country we know today - a country alive with history and culture. Thomas visits several colonial towns built from the riches of silver mines and explores the ancient craft of silversmithing. Along the way, he finds a great lot of crystallized Mexican minerals but his biggest prize is the opportunity to journey deep inside the world's largest primary silver mine.