1
00:00:03,482 --> 00:00:05,965
I don't think that
what I'm doing here
2
00:00:06,068 --> 00:00:07,379
needs to be addressed.
3
00:00:08,689 --> 00:00:09,758
This may be a tough one.
4
00:00:09,862 --> 00:00:11,655
Yee-haw!
5
00:00:11,758 --> 00:00:14,620
When I got here, I saw
Mike needed help.
6
00:00:14,724 --> 00:00:17,448
I think Freddy, he might learn
something from what I'm doing.
7
00:00:17,551 --> 00:00:19,206
You know, I'm curious
to watch it run, Freddy.
8
00:00:19,310 --> 00:00:20,379
There's a lot
of moving parts here.
9
00:00:20,482 --> 00:00:22,275
So, there's about four,
10
00:00:22,379 --> 00:00:24,689
five, six, seven,
eight, nine pieces of gold.
11
00:00:25,344 --> 00:00:27,034
It's a bad sign.
12
00:00:27,137 --> 00:00:29,206
If there's
nine pieces in a pan,
13
00:00:29,310 --> 00:00:30,689
that could be millions.
14
00:00:32,448 --> 00:00:33,655
I've brought my wife and kids.
15
00:00:33,758 --> 00:00:35,137
So, this needs
to work out well.
16
00:00:36,793 --> 00:00:38,172
Sharp mother--
17
00:00:38,275 --> 00:00:39,931
- You all right?
- Yeah.
18
00:00:40,034 --> 00:00:41,448
This mountain is my life.
19
00:00:44,034 --> 00:00:45,068
This is all he has.
20
00:00:45,172 --> 00:00:46,448
He has no one else up here.
21
00:00:46,551 --> 00:00:47,793
This place...
22
00:00:47,896 --> 00:00:49,000
it's where my heart is.
23
00:01:04,586 --> 00:01:07,103
Good to be with my buddy
in his home state of Nevada.
24
00:01:08,620 --> 00:01:09,793
So, what do you know
about Miner Mike?
25
00:01:11,413 --> 00:01:13,172
He's been at it
for a long time.
26
00:01:13,862 --> 00:01:15,448
So, he's a seasoned miner.
27
00:01:17,068 --> 00:01:18,655
Sometimes,
it takes us coming in
28
00:01:18,758 --> 00:01:19,965
before they're
willing to shut down
29
00:01:20,068 --> 00:01:21,758
for a day or two to fix stuff.
30
00:01:21,862 --> 00:01:24,344
'Cause they just wanna
keep making gold, you know.
31
00:01:24,448 --> 00:01:26,827
This might be our first
mine intervention, Juano.
32
00:01:30,172 --> 00:01:32,862
Freddy and Juan are
in the Snake Mountain Range
33
00:01:32,965 --> 00:01:34,827
south of Nevada's great basin,
34
00:01:34,931 --> 00:01:36,862
en route to a struggling claim
35
00:01:36,965 --> 00:01:39,206
run by veteran miner,
Mike Stephens.
36
00:01:41,586 --> 00:01:44,310
Gold was discovered
here in the 1860s
37
00:01:44,413 --> 00:01:47,137
by miners on their way
west to California.
38
00:01:47,241 --> 00:01:50,068
Historically seen
as big gold's country,
39
00:01:50,172 --> 00:01:54,275
in 1865,
a 25-pound gold nugget,
40
00:01:54,379 --> 00:01:57,310
worth over half a million
dollars today,
41
00:01:57,413 --> 00:02:00,586
was discovered a few miles
north of Mike's claim.
42
00:02:09,793 --> 00:02:11,896
- It's beautiful here.
- I like it a lot.
43
00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:13,103
Yeah.
44
00:02:13,206 --> 00:02:14,862
For nearly three decades,
45
00:02:14,965 --> 00:02:17,344
Mike has made a living
hunting nuggets here.
46
00:02:18,448 --> 00:02:21,137
But struggles
of the past two seasons
47
00:02:21,241 --> 00:02:22,517
threatened to sink more
48
00:02:22,620 --> 00:02:24,586
than just his own livelihood.
49
00:02:24,689 --> 00:02:25,896
- I'm Juan.
- Hi, Juan.
50
00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:27,034
- Will Mercer.
- Will.
51
00:02:27,137 --> 00:02:28,241
- Mike, nice to meet you.
- Will.
52
00:02:28,344 --> 00:02:29,689
- Yes, sir.
- And Mike I assume.
53
00:02:30,965 --> 00:02:33,068
Well, it's a cool-looking
little plant you got here.
54
00:02:33,172 --> 00:02:35,413
Thank you,
it's a work in progress.
55
00:02:35,517 --> 00:02:37,206
So is it just you two
guys out here right now?
56
00:02:37,310 --> 00:02:39,206
- Right now, yes it is.
- Okay.
57
00:02:39,310 --> 00:02:41,172
How much gold
have you done this year?
58
00:02:41,275 --> 00:02:43,655
Well, we just
got started so far.
59
00:02:43,758 --> 00:02:45,482
Bad year
would be hundred ounces.
60
00:02:45,586 --> 00:02:48,620
We need
four ounces a day,
and we're just not getting it.
61
00:02:49,827 --> 00:02:51,758
Well, this is
my 28th season up here.
62
00:02:52,620 --> 00:02:53,689
You know,
there was nothing here.
63
00:02:53,793 --> 00:02:55,137
I built this place
64
00:02:55,241 --> 00:02:56,379
from experience.
65
00:02:57,137 --> 00:02:58,586
I didn't open up a textbook.
66
00:02:59,275 --> 00:03:00,793
No one told me how to do this.
67
00:03:00,896 --> 00:03:02,275
It was all from experience.
68
00:03:03,896 --> 00:03:06,551
The resulting operation
is all things that work.
69
00:03:08,137 --> 00:03:09,482
What seemed to be the...
70
00:03:09,586 --> 00:03:11,206
the main issues?
What do you need out of us?
71
00:03:12,517 --> 00:03:14,310
Thanks for coming,
but right now...
72
00:03:14,413 --> 00:03:16,275
we do a pretty good job
on catching everything
73
00:03:16,379 --> 00:03:17,620
with about a two percent loss.
74
00:03:21,931 --> 00:03:23,586
So, Will's the one
that called you in.
75
00:03:26,931 --> 00:03:29,896
I'm on my second season
in Nevada with this great guy.
76
00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:33,448
But, there's a lot of
things that I'm seeing
that need a lot of help.
77
00:03:33,551 --> 00:03:37,689
Um, he doesn't want
to accept the fact that he's
probably throwing gold away.
78
00:03:37,793 --> 00:03:39,620
He's real big
on catching nuggets.
79
00:03:39,724 --> 00:03:43,103
I think we're not
focusing on the other gold
that we could be capturing.
80
00:03:43,206 --> 00:03:47,068
Um, if there's any way
that we can get y'all
out here to give us a hand,
81
00:03:47,172 --> 00:03:49,758
we could probably
get this thing dialed in
and make more money.
82
00:03:51,517 --> 00:03:53,724
There's a lot of things that
I saw right when I got here
83
00:03:53,827 --> 00:03:54,965
that I didn't even know
how to fix.
84
00:03:55,482 --> 00:03:56,275
Oh, yeah.
85
00:03:56,931 --> 00:03:58,172
I'm pretty sure that
86
00:03:58,275 --> 00:04:00,379
- we're losing a lot of money.
- Okay.
87
00:04:00,482 --> 00:04:03,172
Will joined
the operation two seasons ago.
88
00:04:06,068 --> 00:04:07,448
Mike is
looking for a partner
89
00:04:07,551 --> 00:04:09,068
to come up
and help him with his mine.
90
00:04:10,620 --> 00:04:12,379
So, I contacted him and
91
00:04:12,482 --> 00:04:14,862
next thing I know,
I brought my family
across the country
92
00:04:14,965 --> 00:04:16,068
to do some mining.
93
00:04:17,965 --> 00:04:20,689
When I got here, I saw
Mike needed help.
94
00:04:22,137 --> 00:04:24,068
I could see
there's a lot of problems.
95
00:04:26,241 --> 00:04:27,965
If Freddy and Juan
didn't come this week
96
00:04:28,068 --> 00:04:31,689
to help to get his
mine more productive
and catching more gold,
97
00:04:31,793 --> 00:04:34,241
I don't know that Mike would
be able to sustain mining.
98
00:04:36,862 --> 00:04:39,206
And, you know, I get it.
But, you know,
99
00:04:39,310 --> 00:04:41,137
I brought
my wife and kids, so...
100
00:04:41,241 --> 00:04:42,172
that's a lot
of mouths to feed.
101
00:04:45,275 --> 00:04:46,862
Well, you got
any of your gold with ya?
102
00:04:46,965 --> 00:04:49,965
I do, I do, it's uh,
this stuff is near
and dear to me.
103
00:04:50,068 --> 00:04:51,379
- So...
- We won't steal it, promise.
104
00:04:51,482 --> 00:04:52,862
I'd like you
to see some of the...
105
00:04:52,965 --> 00:04:54,482
some of the typical stuff
we get up here.
106
00:04:54,586 --> 00:04:56,379
- Ah, it's beautiful.
- Very chunky.
107
00:04:56,482 --> 00:04:58,068
Yeah, nice.
108
00:04:58,172 --> 00:04:59,793
In the 28 years
I've been doing this...
109
00:05:01,344 --> 00:05:05,172
I would put it the certainty
at about 100% that
I've thrown away
110
00:05:05,275 --> 00:05:07,689
- a large nugget,
something very big.
- Mmm-hmm.
111
00:05:07,793 --> 00:05:08,896
That would make my eyes water.
112
00:05:10,551 --> 00:05:12,827
Concentrate on
your small stuff.
113
00:05:12,931 --> 00:05:15,310
I'd rather have
a bucket of that, than...
114
00:05:16,103 --> 00:05:17,206
Oh, yeah.
115
00:05:17,310 --> 00:05:19,000
...a bucket of those,
to be honest with ya.
116
00:05:19,103 --> 00:05:21,172
- That's real space.
- I'd rather have
a bucket of both.
117
00:05:21,275 --> 00:05:23,586
Right. Yeah.
118
00:05:24,862 --> 00:05:26,310
Well, show us
around your plant, guys.
119
00:05:26,413 --> 00:05:27,931
Okay, how about
we start at the beginning?
120
00:05:28,034 --> 00:05:28,827
Works for me.
121
00:05:31,137 --> 00:05:33,379
I think that
when they see it...
122
00:05:33,482 --> 00:05:35,137
they're going to
respect what I've done.
123
00:05:36,068 --> 00:05:37,586
I do things
a little differently here
124
00:05:37,689 --> 00:05:39,827
than most
placer operations do.
125
00:05:39,931 --> 00:05:42,068
But, maybe Freddy and Juan
can figure a way out
126
00:05:42,172 --> 00:05:43,068
to catch those nuggets.
127
00:05:43,793 --> 00:05:46,620
This is my CAT 773 haul truck.
128
00:05:46,724 --> 00:05:47,793
I think he's gonna be
a little guarded
129
00:05:47,896 --> 00:05:49,000
because this is his baby.
130
00:05:49,103 --> 00:05:51,655
This is all he has,
he has no one else up here.
131
00:05:51,758 --> 00:05:52,827
He has his excavators,
132
00:05:52,931 --> 00:05:54,413
his rock truck
and his trommel.
133
00:05:55,793 --> 00:05:58,862
Cut 1,700 holes
in there with the torch.
134
00:05:58,965 --> 00:06:02,448
Diamond shape seemed to
work best instead of round.
135
00:06:02,551 --> 00:06:03,965
Does a really good job.
136
00:06:04,068 --> 00:06:05,896
And I think
anyone trying to
make a change to it,
137
00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:07,827
I think he might
be a little stubborn.
138
00:06:09,241 --> 00:06:10,310
It used to be
139
00:06:10,413 --> 00:06:12,931
gear-driven,
and a couple years ago,
140
00:06:13,034 --> 00:06:14,931
14 teeth snapped off of it.
141
00:06:15,034 --> 00:06:17,034
So, instead of trying
to repair that,
142
00:06:17,137 --> 00:06:19,655
I just ripped the gear off
and then put a drive system in
143
00:06:19,758 --> 00:06:21,448
- and driving it with a tire.
- Yeah.
144
00:06:21,551 --> 00:06:22,896
So, that works great.
145
00:06:23,000 --> 00:06:24,793
Well, what do you think?
Let's run it for four hours
146
00:06:24,896 --> 00:06:26,586
and see how much gold you get.
147
00:06:26,689 --> 00:06:27,655
- Hell, yeah.
- Let's do it.
148
00:06:27,758 --> 00:06:28,551
Right on.
149
00:06:29,517 --> 00:06:30,793
They may
see some things that
150
00:06:30,896 --> 00:06:32,482
may not work in their minds,
151
00:06:32,586 --> 00:06:35,758
but after a little bit of
explanation, I think that, uh,
152
00:06:35,862 --> 00:06:37,620
Freddy, he might
learn something
from what I'm doing.
153
00:06:37,724 --> 00:06:39,344
Now, I'm not a rookie.
154
00:06:39,448 --> 00:06:41,275
And I believe
I know the ground.
155
00:06:41,379 --> 00:06:42,758
I know how to catch gold.
156
00:06:44,275 --> 00:06:45,793
Let's go!
157
00:06:45,896 --> 00:06:47,551
Get some gold!
158
00:06:56,275 --> 00:06:57,310
First bucket, Juan.
159
00:07:00,241 --> 00:07:02,275
Hope we can get
lucky with some gold today.
160
00:07:04,931 --> 00:07:05,758
Whoo-hoo!
161
00:07:08,172 --> 00:07:09,448
Twenty eight years ago,
162
00:07:09,551 --> 00:07:11,758
Mike gave up his job
as an electrician
163
00:07:11,862 --> 00:07:13,034
to hunt for gold.
164
00:07:14,310 --> 00:07:15,344
I was making good money,
165
00:07:15,448 --> 00:07:16,862
insurance benefits
and whatnot.
166
00:07:16,965 --> 00:07:18,379
Then I said, it's time to go.
167
00:07:18,482 --> 00:07:20,137
It's time to stop this
for a little while.
168
00:07:20,241 --> 00:07:21,793
You just take
a little vacation.
169
00:07:23,241 --> 00:07:25,896
I drove through
this area and, uh,
170
00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:27,620
uh, I started seeing
these mountains and
171
00:07:27,724 --> 00:07:29,275
the very first thing
that came to my mind was...
172
00:07:30,103 --> 00:07:31,655
there's gold there.
173
00:07:31,758 --> 00:07:34,482
I decided I was gonna
make a living in these
mountains and you know,
174
00:07:34,586 --> 00:07:36,689
I was gonna get
this gold that's in
the ground out of it.
175
00:07:38,724 --> 00:07:39,793
It was a learning experience.
176
00:07:39,896 --> 00:07:41,931
This is
the real deal out here.
177
00:07:42,034 --> 00:07:43,896
There's nobody
standing behind ya
178
00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:46,034
showing you how to do this
and I had to learn it all...
179
00:07:46,620 --> 00:07:47,413
right from scratch.
180
00:07:49,241 --> 00:07:51,137
Mike spent
nearly three decades
181
00:07:51,241 --> 00:07:54,551
building this mine
into not just his livelihood,
182
00:07:54,655 --> 00:07:55,758
but also his home.
183
00:07:56,862 --> 00:07:58,827
This is my life,
what I do here.
184
00:07:58,931 --> 00:08:00,241
I wanna keep doing it forever.
185
00:08:02,137 --> 00:08:04,103
To live out in the country,
186
00:08:04,206 --> 00:08:06,137
and look at God's creation
every day.
187
00:08:09,586 --> 00:08:11,103
You know, I'm curious
to watch it run, Freddy.
188
00:08:11,206 --> 00:08:12,862
There's a lot
of moving parts here.
189
00:08:12,965 --> 00:08:14,551
Yeah. You know,
it's been around a while.
190
00:08:15,965 --> 00:08:17,103
This may be a tough one.
191
00:08:17,206 --> 00:08:18,103
- Yeah.
- You know,
192
00:08:18,206 --> 00:08:20,310
without rebuilding
their plant.
193
00:08:20,413 --> 00:08:22,655
It would take
us two-three weeks just
to get everything redone.
194
00:08:24,172 --> 00:08:27,172
He's worried
he may be losing good nuggets.
195
00:08:27,275 --> 00:08:29,793
We'd need to start
with what's going to
get him the most gold
196
00:08:29,896 --> 00:08:31,862
in his pocket,
in the time that we're here.
197
00:08:35,689 --> 00:08:36,862
Mike feeds pay dirt
198
00:08:36,965 --> 00:08:40,586
into the 1940s
converted asphalt dryer
199
00:08:40,689 --> 00:08:42,275
he uses as a trommel.
200
00:08:42,379 --> 00:08:44,344
Large rocks pass out the end
201
00:08:44,448 --> 00:08:47,137
where Will collects them
in a waiting dump truck.
202
00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:51,551
The small material
caught by the trommel
203
00:08:51,655 --> 00:08:54,620
passes down through
a series of pipes into a jig.
204
00:08:57,034 --> 00:08:59,724
Anything smaller
than one-eighth of an inch,
205
00:08:59,827 --> 00:09:01,793
should fall
through the jig screen
206
00:09:01,896 --> 00:09:04,000
and into Mike's
first sluice run.
207
00:09:05,793 --> 00:09:09,275
The larger material passes
into a nine-inch wide chute
208
00:09:09,379 --> 00:09:12,068
which funnels into
a repurposed oil barrel.
209
00:09:12,965 --> 00:09:15,206
Calling this
a de-watering barrel,
210
00:09:15,310 --> 00:09:17,448
Mike punched
holes into the drum
211
00:09:17,551 --> 00:09:18,724
so when it spins,
212
00:09:18,827 --> 00:09:21,137
the material gets
broken up and dried out.
213
00:09:22,620 --> 00:09:25,931
This finest material then
passes down through the holes
214
00:09:26,034 --> 00:09:28,620
and into his last chance
sluice boxes.
215
00:09:36,655 --> 00:09:37,758
You know,
it's a little rough, but...
216
00:09:37,862 --> 00:09:39,758
you know, he's got it set up
the way he wants it.
217
00:09:41,379 --> 00:09:45,068
Mike believes his
plant's still very productive,
218
00:09:45,172 --> 00:09:46,827
but there's a lot
of problems, you know,
219
00:09:46,931 --> 00:09:48,275
it's not that
Mike's stubborn, it's just,
220
00:09:48,379 --> 00:09:50,000
"Hey, we'll get to it,
we'll get to it,
we'll get to it.
221
00:09:50,103 --> 00:09:51,241
It's patch, patch, patch."
222
00:09:51,344 --> 00:09:52,965
You know, just, "Let's go,
let's go, let's go."
223
00:09:54,413 --> 00:09:55,379
It's a crap shoot.
224
00:09:56,620 --> 00:09:58,586
We've been running this plant
for so many years,
225
00:09:59,586 --> 00:10:01,000
there's so many
things worn out.
226
00:10:02,793 --> 00:10:04,137
We fix them when we have time.
227
00:10:06,517 --> 00:10:07,655
Look at that sluice
down there.
228
00:10:09,172 --> 00:10:11,172
We're only here
for a week, so...
229
00:10:11,275 --> 00:10:13,344
just trying to look
and see if there's any things
230
00:10:13,448 --> 00:10:16,172
that we can, uh, help them
recover more gold with.
231
00:10:18,241 --> 00:10:20,000
And he's doing
a pretty good job.
232
00:10:20,103 --> 00:10:22,931
You know, honestly,
the big, chunky gold he has,
233
00:10:23,034 --> 00:10:23,965
it's easy to catch.
234
00:10:24,068 --> 00:10:26,000
- Easy to catch those nuggets.
- Yeah.
235
00:10:26,103 --> 00:10:27,793
It's the fine gold
you gotta worry about.
236
00:10:29,310 --> 00:10:31,482
So, maybe
the bottom boxes...
237
00:10:31,586 --> 00:10:32,344
That little guy?
238
00:10:33,103 --> 00:10:34,758
What are you thinking?
239
00:10:34,862 --> 00:10:36,586
It's got
all nugget riffles in there.
240
00:10:37,758 --> 00:10:39,862
They're just
plugged right solid.
241
00:10:39,965 --> 00:10:42,517
Yeah. That's something
we're gonna have to address.
242
00:10:44,827 --> 00:10:45,965
Just keep on looking.
243
00:10:48,689 --> 00:10:51,000
This little chute here.
244
00:10:51,103 --> 00:10:54,586
That really isn't
gonna do anything,
the way he's got it set up.
245
00:10:54,689 --> 00:10:56,793
You know, with the amount of
water you got coming off here,
246
00:10:57,965 --> 00:10:59,965
there's gotta be
some fine gold in there too.
247
00:11:00,689 --> 00:11:01,689
Yeah, I would imagine so.
248
00:11:07,413 --> 00:11:09,000
Pulling out
all kinds of big rock.
249
00:11:10,344 --> 00:11:12,137
Big rock means big gold.
250
00:11:16,689 --> 00:11:18,103
This de-watering trommel,
251
00:11:18,206 --> 00:11:19,517
it's just getting packed up.
252
00:11:22,344 --> 00:11:23,241
We can fix that.
253
00:11:24,206 --> 00:11:25,241
We'll figure something out.
254
00:11:26,862 --> 00:11:28,586
To keep those
holes cleaned out.
255
00:11:28,689 --> 00:11:30,620
Keep them getting blinded up.
256
00:11:30,724 --> 00:11:33,965
The de-watering
trommel spins water
off the wet rocks
257
00:11:34,068 --> 00:11:35,793
and reroutes any material
258
00:11:35,896 --> 00:11:38,551
that is 3/16th
of an inch or less
259
00:11:38,655 --> 00:11:40,551
into the last chance sluice.
260
00:11:40,655 --> 00:11:42,862
Anything larger
is sent up the conveyor
261
00:11:42,965 --> 00:11:44,448
to the tailings pile.
262
00:11:46,793 --> 00:11:49,551
I'll keep looking around,
you wanna start panning?
263
00:11:49,655 --> 00:11:51,758
- Yeah, I'll take a look at it,
see what we're losing.
- Okay.
264
00:11:54,931 --> 00:11:58,310
Juan will sample
the tailings out of the
de-watering trommel
265
00:11:58,413 --> 00:12:02,724
where, if Mike's right about
catching 98% of his gold,
266
00:12:02,827 --> 00:12:04,931
there should be
nothing but clean gravel.
267
00:12:09,137 --> 00:12:09,931
And there's gold in it.
268
00:12:12,551 --> 00:12:13,655
See, right there.
269
00:12:13,758 --> 00:12:15,689
There's about four,
270
00:12:15,793 --> 00:12:17,896
five, six,
seven, eight, nine...
271
00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:19,551
nine pieces of gold.
272
00:12:19,655 --> 00:12:21,724
One of them's
actually pretty sizeable.
273
00:12:21,827 --> 00:12:23,068
The other eight,
they're not real big
274
00:12:23,172 --> 00:12:24,137
but they're there.
275
00:12:24,896 --> 00:12:25,896
It's a bad sign.
276
00:12:28,758 --> 00:12:30,172
You know that
de-watering screen?
277
00:12:31,275 --> 00:12:33,137
What we're doing there,
I think we're actually
278
00:12:33,241 --> 00:12:34,896
creating kind of,
a muddy mass,
279
00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:37,172
and we're actually pushing it
out the tailings conveyor.
280
00:12:37,275 --> 00:12:39,379
We're never even
having a chance
to be able to sluice it.
281
00:12:42,206 --> 00:12:44,758
Last bucket. One more.
282
00:12:48,137 --> 00:12:50,275
Hoping to see
some big nuggets.
283
00:12:50,379 --> 00:12:52,000
Come on, big gold.
284
00:12:58,206 --> 00:12:59,034
Shut it down.
285
00:13:05,551 --> 00:13:07,310
Now, Mike...
286
00:13:07,413 --> 00:13:09,586
so I panned
some of your tailings
coming on that conveyor.
287
00:13:11,034 --> 00:13:13,241
Out of one pan,
it was three-quarters full.
288
00:13:13,344 --> 00:13:14,344
Had about nine pieces in it.
289
00:13:16,137 --> 00:13:17,000
Freaking dumping gold.
290
00:13:17,965 --> 00:13:19,103
They're little,
but they're there.
291
00:13:20,206 --> 00:13:21,137
I'm shocked.
292
00:13:22,275 --> 00:13:23,517
And, that's out of one pan.
293
00:13:23,620 --> 00:13:25,965
- Whoa!
- We send pans
through, all day, every day.
294
00:13:27,448 --> 00:13:28,827
Damn.
295
00:13:28,931 --> 00:13:31,517
If there's nine pieces
in a pan going up,
296
00:13:31,620 --> 00:13:33,241
that could be millions.
297
00:13:36,482 --> 00:13:38,275
Heart-broken?
298
00:13:38,379 --> 00:13:39,931
Don't be heart-broken,
that's why we're here, Mike.
299
00:13:43,137 --> 00:13:45,896
Freddy and I, we're here,
we wanna help as best we can.
300
00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:48,793
Uh, I'm just hoping
that he's gonna be
open to changes, you know.
301
00:14:01,172 --> 00:14:02,137
What's going on, Mike?
302
00:14:04,034 --> 00:14:05,620
Today was
quite a shocking day.
303
00:14:06,724 --> 00:14:09,931
When I saw the gold
that was in the conveyor,
304
00:14:10,034 --> 00:14:11,793
it's made my belly churn
a little bit.
305
00:14:14,137 --> 00:14:15,551
Honestly,
you got a lot of it down.
306
00:14:15,655 --> 00:14:17,344
You know, you've done a lot
of work out here,
307
00:14:17,448 --> 00:14:19,448
and you did all this
with your money.
308
00:14:21,068 --> 00:14:23,655
This mountain is my life.
309
00:14:23,758 --> 00:14:25,379
And I put my heart
and soul into this place.
310
00:14:27,310 --> 00:14:29,413
I met my ex-wife
and we got married.
311
00:14:31,448 --> 00:14:33,413
So, I took her daughter
under my wing
312
00:14:33,517 --> 00:14:35,793
and, uh, did the best
I could to be her father.
313
00:14:36,551 --> 00:14:38,310
And, uh, you know,
314
00:14:38,413 --> 00:14:40,310
I worked really hard
to be that...
315
00:14:40,413 --> 00:14:41,827
that person in her life.
316
00:14:42,586 --> 00:14:43,620
That was solid.
317
00:14:47,413 --> 00:14:49,034
But when she was 19,
318
00:14:51,517 --> 00:14:52,379
she passed away.
319
00:14:55,137 --> 00:14:57,000
I'm sorry to hear that.
320
00:14:57,103 --> 00:14:59,034
That's a tough thing,
man, that's a tough thing.
321
00:15:00,793 --> 00:15:01,758
Shortly thereafter,
322
00:15:02,620 --> 00:15:04,862
uh, I got divorced,
so, lost my wife,
323
00:15:05,931 --> 00:15:06,862
lost my daughter.
324
00:15:08,620 --> 00:15:09,655
So, this place...
325
00:15:11,241 --> 00:15:12,137
it's where my heart is.
326
00:15:15,517 --> 00:15:16,517
This has been my crutch.
327
00:15:18,275 --> 00:15:19,620
- That's real.
- Yeah. Yeah.
328
00:15:20,103 --> 00:15:21,448
Real. Man.
329
00:15:24,724 --> 00:15:27,586
It's a big concern
that I've invested my life,
330
00:15:27,689 --> 00:15:30,310
I've given up my career,
to be out here.
331
00:15:30,413 --> 00:15:32,551
Like, right now, I need help.
332
00:15:34,344 --> 00:15:37,137
Honestly, this mine's
more than just a mine for him.
333
00:15:37,241 --> 00:15:39,241
This is what's holding him
together, this is his purpose.
334
00:15:39,344 --> 00:15:41,172
This is his reason
for being right now, so...
335
00:15:42,137 --> 00:15:43,896
we really gotta
pull out all the stops
336
00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:45,310
and help him out
as much as we can.
337
00:16:07,448 --> 00:16:08,793
Time to lay some gold up, huh?
338
00:16:08,896 --> 00:16:11,241
Yeah, and this is the gold we
got from that four-hour run.
339
00:16:12,344 --> 00:16:13,103
Dump her in.
340
00:16:14,655 --> 00:16:16,758
To cover
the soaring cost of fuel,
341
00:16:16,862 --> 00:16:19,379
repairs and make a profit...
342
00:16:19,482 --> 00:16:21,517
There's some
chunky stuff in there.
343
00:16:21,620 --> 00:16:22,689
... Mike needs around
344
00:16:22,793 --> 00:16:24,103
four ounces per day.
345
00:16:24,206 --> 00:16:25,827
And there's
some fine stuff too.
346
00:16:27,793 --> 00:16:29,655
This four-hour
test must deliver
347
00:16:29,758 --> 00:16:31,965
no less than two ounces.
348
00:16:33,689 --> 00:16:35,241
There's 1.37.
349
00:16:36,482 --> 00:16:37,689
Drop that guy in there too.
350
00:16:38,448 --> 00:16:39,551
1.60.
351
00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:45,413
We have some ideas.
352
00:16:45,517 --> 00:16:47,482
One thing is, we know
we're losing fine gold
353
00:16:47,586 --> 00:16:49,379
and we need
to focus on that, so,
354
00:16:49,482 --> 00:16:51,068
it's not the most
ideal situation,
355
00:16:51,172 --> 00:16:52,896
but I know you're worried
about your nuggets, right?
356
00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:54,793
- Yeah.
- Those big nuggets
going off the end.
357
00:16:54,896 --> 00:16:56,172
A guy I know...
358
00:16:56,275 --> 00:16:58,206
he's a metal-detecting
professional.
359
00:16:58,310 --> 00:17:00,758
I thought about
bringing him in to just
360
00:17:00,862 --> 00:17:03,000
swing a metal detector
around your tailings piles
361
00:17:03,103 --> 00:17:04,931
and see if he finds
a nice nugget there.
362
00:17:05,517 --> 00:17:06,551
Sounds great.
363
00:17:06,655 --> 00:17:07,931
- Sounds good.
- See you in a minute, guys.
364
00:17:08,034 --> 00:17:10,310
You know my...
my deal structure with Mike
365
00:17:10,413 --> 00:17:13,137
is I get a percentage of the
gold at the end of the season.
366
00:17:13,241 --> 00:17:16,379
If he can't get his
mine more productive
in catching more gold,
367
00:17:16,482 --> 00:17:18,448
eventually,
it's all gonna give.
368
00:17:18,551 --> 00:17:20,586
It's truly, financially,
it's a burden.
369
00:17:22,862 --> 00:17:24,862
Looking for lost nuggets,
370
00:17:24,965 --> 00:17:26,482
- Freddy!
- How's it going, Steve?
371
00:17:26,586 --> 00:17:28,000
Oh, man, great.
372
00:17:28,103 --> 00:17:30,620
Freddy calls in
an old friend
and treasure hunter
373
00:17:30,724 --> 00:17:33,586
to search hundreds of tones
of coarse tailings.
374
00:17:33,689 --> 00:17:35,206
Mike, the claim owner here,
375
00:17:35,310 --> 00:17:36,793
he is worried
and I can see why
376
00:17:36,896 --> 00:17:39,793
that's he's losing
some substantial
size pieces of gold.
377
00:17:39,896 --> 00:17:41,206
Okay, sure.
378
00:17:41,310 --> 00:17:44,000
What I was hoping
you'd do, Steve, is uh,
379
00:17:44,103 --> 00:17:47,206
get your detector
and start hitting
some of his tailings piles.
380
00:17:47,310 --> 00:17:48,931
Sure. Yeah, I'd be more
than happy to.
381
00:17:49,034 --> 00:17:50,724
I know you know
what you're doing, so...
382
00:17:50,827 --> 00:17:52,551
- All right.
- ...I'll let you be
and let you get busy.
383
00:18:01,758 --> 00:18:03,965
I have dug
some half-pound nuggets.
384
00:18:04,551 --> 00:18:05,862
Metal detecting and, uh,
385
00:18:06,896 --> 00:18:08,793
this machine will do
a fabulous job at that
386
00:18:08,896 --> 00:18:09,965
if you just get over one.
387
00:18:15,034 --> 00:18:16,896
That's what I would
call a screamer.
388
00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:17,931
It's really loud.
389
00:18:19,172 --> 00:18:20,862
Really obvious target.
390
00:18:20,965 --> 00:18:22,724
It's exactly what a gold
nugget would sound like.
391
00:18:24,241 --> 00:18:26,655
If Steve finds
nuggets in the tailings,
392
00:18:26,758 --> 00:18:28,482
it will confirm Mike's fear
393
00:18:28,586 --> 00:18:31,379
that his plant's allowing
nuggets to pass right through.
394
00:18:32,034 --> 00:18:33,448
And where is it?
395
00:18:38,206 --> 00:18:39,517
Okay, I got it in a scoop.
396
00:18:41,551 --> 00:18:43,310
Okay, now it's not
in the scoop.
397
00:18:43,965 --> 00:18:44,758
Put that down.
398
00:18:46,482 --> 00:18:47,965
Back in the scoop and...
399
00:18:52,758 --> 00:18:53,586
unfortunately...
400
00:18:54,793 --> 00:18:56,344
in this case,
it was a shell casing.
401
00:18:57,827 --> 00:19:01,241
While Steve
continues the hunt
for lost big gold,
402
00:19:01,344 --> 00:19:02,482
Well, honestly Freddy,
there's...
403
00:19:03,655 --> 00:19:05,413
there's a few things
we can do here.
404
00:19:05,517 --> 00:19:07,344
Freddy and Juan
devise a plan
405
00:19:07,448 --> 00:19:10,275
to capture the equally
valuable finer stuff.
406
00:19:11,586 --> 00:19:13,103
He's got that little trough, right?
407
00:19:13,793 --> 00:19:15,206
I think we, uh,
408
00:19:15,310 --> 00:19:17,241
cut in to here,
make a wider sluice,
409
00:19:17,344 --> 00:19:19,068
so that water is just deep
in there, right?
410
00:19:19,172 --> 00:19:20,689
It's not catching any gold.
411
00:19:20,793 --> 00:19:22,241
This de-watering trommel,
412
00:19:22,344 --> 00:19:24,689
what do you think
about maybe putting
a spray bar or a jet in here?
413
00:19:24,793 --> 00:19:26,517
- So it's blowing
through those holes.
- Absolutely.
414
00:19:26,620 --> 00:19:27,689
No, I think that's good.
415
00:19:27,793 --> 00:19:29,689
Then he's got
these little sluices here.
416
00:19:29,793 --> 00:19:32,586
But he's got all
nugget riffles in there.
417
00:19:32,689 --> 00:19:34,137
They're just
plugged right solid.
418
00:19:34,241 --> 00:19:35,896
I think when you pull
the nugget riffles out,
419
00:19:36,793 --> 00:19:38,000
get it set for fine gold.
420
00:19:38,103 --> 00:19:40,655
'Cause even if they're losing
it here and here,
421
00:19:40,758 --> 00:19:43,448
we get the opportunity
to catch it here after that,
422
00:19:43,551 --> 00:19:46,551
that's the number one goal
right there.
423
00:19:46,655 --> 00:19:49,413
Freddy and Juan
will target three key areas
424
00:19:49,517 --> 00:19:51,655
where Mike
is losing fine gold.
425
00:19:53,275 --> 00:19:56,931
The jig sends material
through a narrow
nice-inch chute.
426
00:19:57,034 --> 00:20:00,862
A new 22-inch wide
sluice box will slow the water
427
00:20:00,965 --> 00:20:02,551
and allow the gold to settle.
428
00:20:04,551 --> 00:20:07,137
The holes in the de-watering
trommel block up,
429
00:20:07,241 --> 00:20:10,517
letting gold pass out
onto the tailings conveyor.
430
00:20:10,620 --> 00:20:13,103
A high-powered
spray bar will blast it
431
00:20:13,206 --> 00:20:14,620
through the holes
in the barrel
432
00:20:14,724 --> 00:20:17,310
and safely into
the sluices below.
433
00:20:17,413 --> 00:20:19,827
The nugget riffles
on the sluices clog
434
00:20:19,931 --> 00:20:22,241
causing gold
to wash over the top.
435
00:20:22,344 --> 00:20:25,620
A new set of fine gold riffles
will prevent build up
436
00:20:25,724 --> 00:20:28,517
and catch any gold brought
down from the barrel.
437
00:20:33,137 --> 00:20:34,827
After seven hours searching...
438
00:20:34,931 --> 00:20:36,689
How's it going, Steve?
439
00:20:36,793 --> 00:20:39,586
... Steve delivers the result
from his nugget hunt.
440
00:20:39,689 --> 00:20:43,655
Well, I think Mike's doing
a good job honestly, uh,
441
00:20:43,758 --> 00:20:47,724
found a lot of goodies,
but none of it was
gold nuggets, unfortunately.
442
00:20:47,827 --> 00:20:50,241
There might be
a lost nugget or two out
there, but there's not like,
443
00:20:50,344 --> 00:20:52,448
- a pile of lost gold. No.
- Nothing to lose sleep over?
444
00:20:52,551 --> 00:20:54,172
- No. I mean...
- Good, he'll be
happy to see that.
445
00:20:56,172 --> 00:20:57,862
Steve not finding
a big piece of gold,
446
00:20:58,689 --> 00:21:00,103
you know, that's the final
447
00:21:00,206 --> 00:21:02,965
decision for me,
not to try to catch nuggets.
448
00:21:03,068 --> 00:21:04,517
Thank you.
449
00:21:04,620 --> 00:21:06,620
You know, thank you, Steve,
for not finding a nugget,
450
00:21:06,724 --> 00:21:08,413
and I don't know that I'll
ever say that ever again.
451
00:21:12,758 --> 00:21:14,517
With lost
nuggets ruled out...
452
00:21:15,793 --> 00:21:17,724
Well, we came up with
a little bit of a game plan.
453
00:21:17,827 --> 00:21:20,620
Freddy and Juan
propose their fixes.
454
00:21:20,724 --> 00:21:22,310
You know, one of the big
issues that we did have
455
00:21:22,413 --> 00:21:23,758
that we saw was
456
00:21:23,862 --> 00:21:25,379
that material coming
off the end of the conveyor,
457
00:21:25,482 --> 00:21:26,655
it had gold in it still.
458
00:21:28,413 --> 00:21:31,206
Try losing some
of your smaller gold
off the end of the jig,
459
00:21:31,310 --> 00:21:32,655
we got an opportunity
to catch it
460
00:21:32,758 --> 00:21:34,551
with the new
sluice box right there.
461
00:21:34,655 --> 00:21:37,413
Which now, you're so narrow,
it doesn't have much
of a chance to find a home.
462
00:21:39,034 --> 00:21:40,862
So, we talked about it and...
463
00:21:40,965 --> 00:21:43,068
you know, with everything
we're doing for you,
464
00:21:43,172 --> 00:21:45,310
we'd like a...
two ounces of gold.
465
00:21:48,344 --> 00:21:49,241
Well...
466
00:21:49,344 --> 00:21:50,103
Each.
467
00:21:51,206 --> 00:21:52,827
- Two ounces each?
- Two ounces each.
468
00:21:53,793 --> 00:21:55,000
And that would
cover our expenses.
469
00:21:57,241 --> 00:21:58,689
It's a tough choice,
but I'd say,
470
00:21:58,793 --> 00:22:00,310
let's go, let's do it.
471
00:22:00,413 --> 00:22:02,068
- Deal then.
- Sounds good, it's a deal.
472
00:22:02,172 --> 00:22:02,965
- Let's do it.
- Appreciate it.
473
00:22:03,068 --> 00:22:04,379
Well, we'll start working.
474
00:22:04,482 --> 00:22:06,827
- Yes, sir, sounds good.
- Thank you. Thank you.
475
00:22:06,931 --> 00:22:09,172
You know,
if I'm losing $50,000 a year,
476
00:22:09,275 --> 00:22:12,413
well, that's substantial,
and over a 20-year period,
477
00:22:12,517 --> 00:22:14,827
$50,000 a year
is a million bucks.
478
00:22:14,931 --> 00:22:18,275
So, that's a good trade-off
for four ounces of gold,
479
00:22:18,379 --> 00:22:19,827
and the price
of some material.
480
00:22:21,724 --> 00:22:23,241
I don't know how much
481
00:22:23,344 --> 00:22:25,241
longer that plant would run
the way Mike has it.
482
00:22:25,344 --> 00:22:27,965
But he needs to make, you know
his last stand on this thing.
483
00:22:28,068 --> 00:22:29,931
And right now, with Freddy
and Juan coming up,
484
00:22:30,034 --> 00:22:32,379
I think that they'll help him
make that last stand
485
00:22:32,482 --> 00:22:34,379
and get right back on track
where he needs to be.
486
00:22:43,758 --> 00:22:46,241
What I'm doing is
designing the sluice box
that Freddy wants to build.
487
00:22:46,965 --> 00:22:48,206
In the cut trailer,
488
00:22:48,310 --> 00:22:52,206
Juan gets to work fabricating
the first of their fixes.
489
00:22:52,310 --> 00:22:53,379
It's gonna be
a little different,
490
00:22:53,482 --> 00:22:54,862
it's not just a regular
straight sluice box
491
00:22:54,965 --> 00:22:56,379
it's gonna have a little bit
of a taper at the front.
492
00:22:57,862 --> 00:23:01,103
A bespoke
22-inch fine gold sluice
493
00:23:01,206 --> 00:23:03,724
to replace Mike's
narrow nine-inch chute.
494
00:23:19,241 --> 00:23:21,655
You know, right now fuel costs
is just killing everyone.
495
00:23:21,758 --> 00:23:23,413
But it's gone
to the point where
496
00:23:23,517 --> 00:23:24,965
this extra percentage
could actually mean
497
00:23:25,068 --> 00:23:27,551
the difference of him
eating or actually
putting fuel in the plant.
498
00:23:46,620 --> 00:23:48,137
One thing you
wanna do with materials,
499
00:23:48,241 --> 00:23:49,827
you can't let it
have its own way.
500
00:23:51,241 --> 00:23:52,724
You gotta force it
into the situation
501
00:23:52,827 --> 00:23:53,931
you want it into.
502
00:23:54,034 --> 00:23:56,172
- Yeah, by funneling it.
- Especially with gold.
503
00:23:56,275 --> 00:23:58,551
In eastern Nevada,
Freddy and Juan
504
00:23:58,655 --> 00:24:00,482
are battling
a patched up plant.
505
00:24:00,586 --> 00:24:03,310
It's kinda like
putting chutes in for cattle.
506
00:24:03,413 --> 00:24:05,655
And a miner
who's set in his ways.
507
00:24:06,758 --> 00:24:07,655
This may be a tough one.
508
00:24:08,448 --> 00:24:09,620
Freddy's first fix,
509
00:24:09,724 --> 00:24:12,379
converting Mike's
nine-inch steel chute
510
00:24:12,482 --> 00:24:15,689
into a 22-inch
gold-catching sluice.
511
00:24:15,793 --> 00:24:18,379
If we catch it here,
we don't have to worry
about losing it farther down.
512
00:24:20,034 --> 00:24:22,241
Let's say if we make
that bottom in square...
513
00:24:23,896 --> 00:24:25,448
then we got
rock wearing on rock
514
00:24:25,551 --> 00:24:27,551
cause rocks are gonna build up
in these corners, right?
515
00:24:29,068 --> 00:24:30,896
Then, when all those rocks
are coming down,
516
00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:32,517
they're gonna hit that,
517
00:24:32,620 --> 00:24:34,896
they're gonna go over and
down, but it's not wearing
your steel off that way.
518
00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:36,896
- It's gonna wear
the rocks out.
- Yup.
519
00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:38,413
- I love it.
- So, I'll go get started.
520
00:24:38,517 --> 00:24:39,517
- Sounds good.
- Laying out material.
521
00:24:39,620 --> 00:24:40,586
- Thank you, sir.
- Thank you.
522
00:24:45,172 --> 00:24:47,448
Water is flowing too fast
523
00:24:47,551 --> 00:24:49,931
through Mike's
narrow nine-inch chute,
524
00:24:50,034 --> 00:24:52,689
giving the gold
no opportunity to be caught.
525
00:24:54,172 --> 00:24:55,620
The new wider sluice
526
00:24:55,724 --> 00:24:59,000
will allow the material
to fan out and slow down,
527
00:24:59,103 --> 00:25:03,000
allowing gold to settle in the
new expanded metal riffles.
528
00:25:14,758 --> 00:25:16,482
One of the things
that we really wanna focus on
529
00:25:16,586 --> 00:25:18,482
is we wanna make sure
everything is completely
530
00:25:18,586 --> 00:25:20,413
level and square and straight.
531
00:25:21,896 --> 00:25:23,103
At the cut trailer,
532
00:25:23,206 --> 00:25:24,931
the new sluice
is taking shape.
533
00:25:25,931 --> 00:25:27,931
If there's any kind
of bows or bends,
534
00:25:28,034 --> 00:25:31,310
what it'll do, it'll create
a spot for that gold to go
underneath and get lost.
535
00:25:36,724 --> 00:25:39,000
These magnets are set up,
so they're a true 90.
536
00:25:39,103 --> 00:25:40,655
You put 'em in,
you turn 'em on,
537
00:25:40,758 --> 00:25:42,689
and it actually
holds your plate in place,
538
00:25:42,793 --> 00:25:44,310
so that way you can weld it
and when you weld it,
539
00:25:44,413 --> 00:25:46,482
you know it's 100%,
it's gonna be a 90 degree.
540
00:25:48,413 --> 00:25:50,896
To make the angle
stay perfectly straight,
541
00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:52,551
Juan has a clever trick.
542
00:25:54,827 --> 00:25:55,620
So, what we're doing here...
543
00:25:57,034 --> 00:25:59,068
we call these ribs,
but what this does...
544
00:26:01,000 --> 00:26:04,413
is basically gives the box
itself a little more rigidity.
545
00:26:04,517 --> 00:26:06,655
So that way,
when we're moving it,
or when it's on the plant
546
00:26:06,758 --> 00:26:08,310
and it's turning,
it's twisting, you know,
547
00:26:08,413 --> 00:26:09,724
it doesn't get distorted.
548
00:26:09,827 --> 00:26:10,862
So by putting these ribs in,
549
00:26:10,965 --> 00:26:12,344
it doesn't flex,
it doesn't move.
550
00:26:12,448 --> 00:26:14,103
And there's no water
going underneath the sluice.
551
00:26:16,586 --> 00:26:18,000
All right, we got
the last weld here.
552
00:26:23,206 --> 00:26:24,206
Last weld, that was it.
553
00:26:30,931 --> 00:26:32,965
Juan's up there
building that new sluice box
554
00:26:33,068 --> 00:26:35,000
for this area right now.
555
00:26:35,103 --> 00:26:39,000
I think he got the easy job,
me and Mike got the hard job.
556
00:26:39,103 --> 00:26:41,896
Before they
can install the new sluice,
557
00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:44,310
Freddy and Mike
must remove the old chute.
558
00:26:51,551 --> 00:26:53,689
- Not moving at all.
- Mmm-hmm.
559
00:26:53,793 --> 00:26:57,551
After 20 years,
the old chute is stuck firm.
560
00:26:59,862 --> 00:27:01,620
- Felt like it moved that time.
- Didn't budge.
561
00:27:02,241 --> 00:27:03,000
Shoot.
562
00:27:13,310 --> 00:27:16,137
While Juan
waits for them to
remove the old chute...
563
00:27:16,241 --> 00:27:17,965
Some things are nice,
you got your family
here with ya.
564
00:27:18,551 --> 00:27:19,793
Oh, I love it.
565
00:27:19,896 --> 00:27:21,724
I don't know how I'd be able
to do it out here all summer,
566
00:27:22,517 --> 00:27:23,689
you know, without them.
567
00:27:23,793 --> 00:27:25,517
He heads
to meet Will's family,
568
00:27:25,620 --> 00:27:28,620
who traveled
2000 miles across the country
569
00:27:28,724 --> 00:27:29,827
for a better life.
570
00:27:29,931 --> 00:27:30,862
- Come on, Calvin.
- Hi.
571
00:27:30,965 --> 00:27:33,379
Come say hi to Daddy.
Hi, Mr. Juan.
572
00:27:33,482 --> 00:27:35,758
- Nice to meet you.
- How you doing?
Nice to meet you, too.
573
00:27:35,862 --> 00:27:37,275
- Juan.
- Juan, Lauren.
574
00:27:37,379 --> 00:27:38,758
- Nice to meet you, Lauren.
How you doing?
- Very nice to meet you.
575
00:27:38,862 --> 00:27:40,827
- Andrew, Mr. Juan.
- Andrew, how you doing, bud?
576
00:27:40,931 --> 00:27:41,931
- Good.
- Why don't you show
577
00:27:42,034 --> 00:27:43,896
Mr. Juan what
you got going on?
578
00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:46,862
The main reason
that I came out to mine is...
579
00:27:47,655 --> 00:27:48,655
because of my son, Andrew.
580
00:27:48,758 --> 00:27:50,655
Maybe he could fix
your sluice box too.
581
00:27:50,758 --> 00:27:51,862
- What have you got going on?
- Hey, bud.
582
00:27:51,965 --> 00:27:53,137
He has cystic fibrosis.
583
00:27:54,379 --> 00:27:57,482
It's a genetic lung disease
and it's hard on his lungs.
584
00:27:57,586 --> 00:27:59,413
- I just crushed up this.
- Mama.
585
00:27:59,517 --> 00:28:00,862
You crushed it?
How'd you crush it?
586
00:28:02,827 --> 00:28:04,896
The average
life expectancy right now
587
00:28:05,000 --> 00:28:08,448
in the US is about 42.
588
00:28:08,551 --> 00:28:10,862
As a parent,
when you get a
diagnosis like this,
589
00:28:10,965 --> 00:28:12,931
specially something
you don't fully understand,
590
00:28:13,034 --> 00:28:14,379
it hits you hard.
591
00:28:14,482 --> 00:28:15,724
Can I take a look at your pan?
592
00:28:15,827 --> 00:28:17,000
Yes.
593
00:28:17,103 --> 00:28:20,379
On the surface,
he's a happy six-year-old,
594
00:28:20,482 --> 00:28:24,206
ready to get out and enjoy
life, run, jump, play.
595
00:28:24,310 --> 00:28:27,620
But, you know, if Andrew
catches a cold or the flu,
596
00:28:28,931 --> 00:28:31,103
it could lead to permanent
lung damage in his lungs.
597
00:28:33,275 --> 00:28:36,896
Since birth, Andrew
has needed daily treatment.
598
00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:40,068
But the clean Nevada air
has made a big difference.
599
00:28:41,482 --> 00:28:43,896
Since coming
back from, um, last year,
600
00:28:44,000 --> 00:28:45,931
his lungs were crystal clear.
601
00:28:46,034 --> 00:28:48,379
The doctors were
just ecstatic, as were we.
602
00:28:48,482 --> 00:28:50,206
And that's why we knew...
603
00:28:50,310 --> 00:28:51,827
we're gonna continue
this gold mining.
604
00:28:53,137 --> 00:28:54,689
Andrew's got his rock crusher
605
00:28:54,793 --> 00:28:56,413
that he can
do his gold panning,
606
00:28:56,517 --> 00:28:59,103
and find that gold
like his daddy does 'cause...
607
00:28:59,206 --> 00:29:01,068
he looks up to everything
that Will does
608
00:29:01,172 --> 00:29:03,586
and wants to be just like him.
609
00:29:03,689 --> 00:29:05,517
I just trickle it on there.
610
00:29:05,620 --> 00:29:07,620
This gold is actually
the heaviest
611
00:29:07,724 --> 00:29:09,724
so that means
the water can't carry it.
612
00:29:10,931 --> 00:29:13,758
- Or all the dirt will go down.
- That's right.
613
00:29:13,862 --> 00:29:17,413
Cystic fibrosis is a very,
um, expensive disease.
614
00:29:17,517 --> 00:29:19,413
- Nice to meet you, bud.
- Good.
615
00:29:19,517 --> 00:29:20,862
There are
a lot of doctor visits,
616
00:29:20,965 --> 00:29:22,827
there is a lot of medications
617
00:29:22,931 --> 00:29:24,482
he takes in a days' time,
618
00:29:25,413 --> 00:29:27,068
twenty-five pills roughly
619
00:29:27,172 --> 00:29:29,620
that help, you know,
keep his lungs
as healthy as possible.
620
00:29:29,724 --> 00:29:30,793
Bye.
621
00:29:34,241 --> 00:29:36,068
I got four littles ones and...
622
00:29:36,172 --> 00:29:37,931
you know, really,
what we do is for them.
623
00:29:38,034 --> 00:29:40,137
You know, so I totally get
what you're doing now.
624
00:29:40,241 --> 00:29:41,965
Makes a lot more sense.
625
00:29:42,068 --> 00:29:43,206
Yeah, who else is crazy enough
626
00:29:43,310 --> 00:29:44,862
to drag their family
across the country?
627
00:29:47,000 --> 00:29:48,482
It's amazing what he's
doing out here with his son
628
00:29:48,586 --> 00:29:50,068
and honestly,
it's helping his son's health.
629
00:29:52,068 --> 00:29:54,241
To me, that's one
of the most noble things
he could be doing.
630
00:29:55,724 --> 00:29:56,827
Andrew's a great kid.
631
00:29:56,931 --> 00:29:58,655
I'm gonna talk to Freddy,
see what we can do
632
00:29:58,758 --> 00:30:00,103
'cause now I wanna do
something special for him.
633
00:30:22,172 --> 00:30:22,965
Perfect.
634
00:30:25,965 --> 00:30:26,862
Hey, Juano.
635
00:30:27,689 --> 00:30:29,344
Give it a shot, huh?
636
00:30:29,448 --> 00:30:32,000
With two
build days remaining,
637
00:30:32,103 --> 00:30:35,344
it's all hands on deck
to install the new sluice box
638
00:30:35,448 --> 00:30:37,137
in the 20-year-old system.
639
00:30:38,896 --> 00:30:41,931
Well, it's gonna be sad
to see that old girl go,
640
00:30:42,034 --> 00:30:43,310
but out with the old,
in with the new.
641
00:30:45,862 --> 00:30:48,655
We didn't
wanna cut it out till
we had it safely secured.
642
00:30:48,758 --> 00:30:50,379
'Cause if we'd have just
cut it loose before,
643
00:30:50,482 --> 00:30:52,586
it would have just fell before
we would have tied on to it.
644
00:30:52,689 --> 00:30:55,206
So, we gotta get it done safe.
645
00:30:55,310 --> 00:30:57,310
- All right, it's got
tension on it, Freddy.
- Okay.
646
00:30:57,413 --> 00:30:59,586
Ready to cut?
647
00:31:04,379 --> 00:31:05,793
- Coming up.
- Let's fly this kite.
648
00:31:07,896 --> 00:31:08,862
Bye-bye, baby.
649
00:31:12,344 --> 00:31:14,344
There's Mike over there
saying goodbye to his baby.
650
00:31:14,448 --> 00:31:15,827
Oh.
651
00:31:15,931 --> 00:31:17,724
That's part
of his life right there.
It just got taken away.
652
00:31:18,655 --> 00:31:19,862
Nice knowing ya.
653
00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:23,517
You know how many patches
we put in the damn thing?
654
00:31:27,379 --> 00:31:29,000
Let's just get in there
see what it looks like.
655
00:31:31,586 --> 00:31:32,965
Cross your fingers,
let's hope it fits.
656
00:31:37,344 --> 00:31:40,000
Whoa! Oh, oh, oh!
Pull that in that way.
657
00:31:42,896 --> 00:31:44,620
Give it a push
into that corner over there.
658
00:31:45,793 --> 00:31:46,586
It's almost there.
659
00:31:47,896 --> 00:31:50,379
There it is.
The eagle has landed.
660
00:31:50,482 --> 00:31:51,586
Let's weld it.
661
00:31:51,689 --> 00:31:53,275
- Take it down just a smidge.
- I did.
662
00:31:54,931 --> 00:31:57,068
- Right there.
- You're too high.
663
00:31:57,172 --> 00:31:59,517
- Bring it down just a--
- Mike, I'm looking
right at the top of it.
664
00:32:00,137 --> 00:32:01,310
Okay.
665
00:32:01,413 --> 00:32:02,965
- You happy, Will?
- Yes.
666
00:32:03,068 --> 00:32:04,103
Lock it in right there.
667
00:32:05,827 --> 00:32:06,620
Bingo!
668
00:32:08,241 --> 00:32:09,793
Ready to put
some dirt through this thing.
669
00:32:23,896 --> 00:32:27,172
Well, no matter what,
we've got a lot
to get done today.
670
00:32:27,275 --> 00:32:29,586
It's the last day here we can
work on stuff and...
671
00:32:30,620 --> 00:32:32,931
you know, we're behind
schedule as it is.
672
00:32:33,034 --> 00:32:34,689
All we can
do now is just press on.
673
00:32:36,103 --> 00:32:37,689
And just work, work, work.
674
00:32:37,793 --> 00:32:39,896
With just 24 hours to go,
675
00:32:40,000 --> 00:32:42,758
Freddy needs to complete
the de-watering fix.
676
00:32:43,586 --> 00:32:44,379
Fishing.
677
00:32:46,172 --> 00:32:47,965
I'm gonna throw it
right there.
678
00:32:52,034 --> 00:32:53,827
What we're gonna try to do
is get some more water
679
00:32:53,931 --> 00:32:55,517
into that de-watering screen.
680
00:32:57,034 --> 00:32:58,620
I know it sounds crazy
681
00:32:58,724 --> 00:33:00,620
but by getting
more water into it,
682
00:33:00,724 --> 00:33:02,655
it's gonna clean
that material better,
683
00:33:02,758 --> 00:33:04,965
and hopefully get it to those
lower sluice boxes
684
00:33:05,068 --> 00:33:07,896
we're gonna modify,
instead of it going
up in the conveyor
685
00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:09,000
into the tailings pile.
686
00:33:10,793 --> 00:33:12,931
The holes
in the de-watering trommel
687
00:33:13,034 --> 00:33:14,620
are packed with debris
688
00:33:14,724 --> 00:33:18,172
allowing fine gold
to escape up the conveyor.
689
00:33:18,275 --> 00:33:21,793
Freddy and Juan's fix
adds a high-powered spray bar
690
00:33:21,896 --> 00:33:23,379
to keep water flowing,
691
00:33:23,482 --> 00:33:27,103
cleaning material
and the punch plate
at the same time.
692
00:33:27,206 --> 00:33:30,482
There is no chance
of catching that piece of gold
if it hits that conveyor.
693
00:33:30,586 --> 00:33:33,275
But if we can get it before
it hits that conveyor,
694
00:33:33,379 --> 00:33:34,517
it's in these guys' pocket.
695
00:33:40,448 --> 00:33:41,827
Gotta put some spurs on.
696
00:33:43,517 --> 00:33:46,827
Back to my rodeo days.
Back when I was barrel racing.
697
00:33:46,931 --> 00:33:48,034
Freddy's first step,
698
00:33:48,137 --> 00:33:50,551
weld a bracket
to mount the spray bar
699
00:33:50,655 --> 00:33:52,896
inside the
free-spinning barrel.
700
00:33:53,000 --> 00:33:54,241
Gonna weld the stand there.
701
00:33:55,896 --> 00:33:57,034
Long range welding.
702
00:34:02,379 --> 00:34:04,068
Don't roll in.
703
00:34:07,448 --> 00:34:08,793
Sharp mother--
704
00:34:10,896 --> 00:34:12,551
When you guys
retire this drum,
705
00:34:12,655 --> 00:34:14,965
you can sell it
to a razor blade company.
706
00:34:17,724 --> 00:34:19,310
I can't say, it's, uh,
707
00:34:19,413 --> 00:34:22,448
super uncomfortable
but I've been a heck
of a lot more comfortable.
708
00:34:23,620 --> 00:34:26,103
Well, one more job done.
709
00:34:29,275 --> 00:34:30,965
Spray bar installed,
710
00:34:31,068 --> 00:34:33,413
Freddy connects it
to Mike's water supply.
711
00:34:34,137 --> 00:34:35,965
Lots of stuff to do.
712
00:34:36,068 --> 00:34:38,827
We gotta cut into his
main line, put a valve on it.
713
00:34:38,931 --> 00:34:40,689
Get a hose up there
and get it hooked up.
714
00:34:40,793 --> 00:34:42,896
So when we fire this plant
back up, it's ready to go.
715
00:34:43,965 --> 00:34:45,689
- Well, you wanna cut that?
- Yeah, definitely.
716
00:34:51,827 --> 00:34:53,482
So, you enjoying it
out in the west?
717
00:34:53,586 --> 00:34:54,724
Oh, yeah,
I love it out here.
718
00:34:54,827 --> 00:34:57,965
I mean, Mike has been a wealth
of knowledge, you know,
719
00:34:58,068 --> 00:35:01,448
and what I've
learned in the last
few years with him is...
720
00:35:01,551 --> 00:35:03,551
feel like I can go
to the Yukon
and just strike it big.
721
00:35:05,517 --> 00:35:06,655
Nah.
722
00:35:08,379 --> 00:35:09,379
Stick with this spot.
723
00:35:09,482 --> 00:35:10,586
- Yeah, I like it here.
- Yeah.
724
00:35:18,827 --> 00:35:19,862
- There she is.
- Yeah.
725
00:35:23,448 --> 00:35:24,724
Plumbing complete,
726
00:35:24,827 --> 00:35:26,689
it's time to get back
on the horse
727
00:35:26,793 --> 00:35:28,000
for the finishing touches.
728
00:35:28,103 --> 00:35:30,586
- Got some glue?
- Yes, sir.
729
00:35:30,689 --> 00:35:31,655
We'll get this on there.
730
00:35:32,517 --> 00:35:33,931
Kinda see where it's at now.
731
00:35:34,034 --> 00:35:35,310
- What do you think?
- Yeah, make sure
it clears.
732
00:35:36,896 --> 00:35:38,172
I think it's going to.
733
00:35:40,172 --> 00:35:42,206
- We're clearing that?
- Yeah,
we're gonna clear.
734
00:35:42,310 --> 00:35:43,620
- Oh, yeah.
- Yeah, we're good.
735
00:35:43,965 --> 00:35:44,793
I like it.
736
00:35:44,896 --> 00:35:46,103
- Perfect fix.
- Perfect, man.
737
00:35:48,000 --> 00:35:50,448
Only a few hours
of daylight remaining.
738
00:35:50,551 --> 00:35:53,034
Freddy rushes to
complete his final fix
739
00:35:53,137 --> 00:35:54,482
on the end sluices.
740
00:35:54,586 --> 00:35:56,344
Well, right now,
we're running
out of time in here.
741
00:35:56,448 --> 00:35:58,068
We got a lot
of stuff to get done
742
00:35:58,172 --> 00:36:01,827
so we can fire
this plant up for
another four-hour test run.
743
00:36:01,931 --> 00:36:04,482
So we're gonna tune these up
with some fine gold riffles.
744
00:36:08,172 --> 00:36:11,206
The nugget
riffles in Mike's final
chance sluice run
745
00:36:11,310 --> 00:36:15,034
quickly pack up,
allowing gold to
wash over the top.
746
00:36:16,137 --> 00:36:18,448
A new set of fine gold riffles
747
00:36:18,551 --> 00:36:20,068
made from expanded metal,
748
00:36:20,172 --> 00:36:21,724
will prevent that build up
749
00:36:21,827 --> 00:36:24,827
and catch any gold
brought down from the barrel.
750
00:36:24,931 --> 00:36:28,068
Do you have
those heavy Hungarian
riffles that are made...
751
00:36:28,172 --> 00:36:31,310
that are made
for coarser material, right?
752
00:36:31,413 --> 00:36:33,896
What those were doing is
they were blinding over on ya.
753
00:36:34,000 --> 00:36:35,620
So whatever gold
you were catching in here,
754
00:36:35,724 --> 00:36:37,448
you were probably
catching the first day.
755
00:36:38,862 --> 00:36:40,551
And then, after that,
the thing
756
00:36:40,655 --> 00:36:42,137
locked up on you like concrete
757
00:36:42,241 --> 00:36:43,827
and then any gold
you would have caught in here
758
00:36:43,931 --> 00:36:45,206
is now in your tailings pile.
759
00:36:46,482 --> 00:36:48,482
So, this will alleviate that.
760
00:36:48,586 --> 00:36:49,724
Win, win, win, win, win.
761
00:36:54,724 --> 00:36:56,724
It's been awesome
to see those guys
762
00:36:56,827 --> 00:37:00,103
find all the problems in
someone's plant and operation
763
00:37:00,206 --> 00:37:01,931
and not embarrass 'em,
but show 'em
764
00:37:02,034 --> 00:37:03,965
a good, easy, solid fix.
765
00:37:04,551 --> 00:37:05,379
Eyeballs.
766
00:37:05,482 --> 00:37:06,655
You know,
seeing the passion
767
00:37:06,758 --> 00:37:08,241
that they have for it
and seeing that they truly...
768
00:37:09,034 --> 00:37:10,275
do care to try to help
769
00:37:10,379 --> 00:37:13,034
us capture more gold, I mean,
it's absolutely been amazing.
770
00:37:13,137 --> 00:37:15,482
- How's it look?
- Actually, that
one's not square.
771
00:37:15,586 --> 00:37:17,241
We're working
late tonight 'cause...
772
00:37:17,344 --> 00:37:19,379
there's more to this
than what we initially thought
773
00:37:19,482 --> 00:37:20,896
like just cutting
that stuff out.
774
00:37:21,000 --> 00:37:22,206
Coming along
all right down there?
775
00:37:22,310 --> 00:37:24,275
Little by little,
it's kind of, uh,
776
00:37:24,379 --> 00:37:26,137
- small.
- Yeah.
777
00:37:26,241 --> 00:37:27,896
You burn yourself in one spot
778
00:37:28,000 --> 00:37:30,310
to weld to burn your plants
off in another spot.
779
00:37:30,413 --> 00:37:31,620
Oh, yeah.
780
00:37:31,724 --> 00:37:33,758
You look at it and you think,
"I can do that in two hours."
781
00:37:38,206 --> 00:37:39,413
Four hours later, you're still
782
00:37:39,517 --> 00:37:41,000
screwing with it,
trying to tear it apart.
783
00:37:44,034 --> 00:37:45,206
- You all right?
- Yeah.
784
00:37:46,137 --> 00:37:47,034
We gotta get it done.
785
00:37:48,482 --> 00:37:50,620
'Cause tomorrow's
judgement day to see if
786
00:37:50,724 --> 00:37:53,103
what we've done here is gonna
work or not gonna work.
787
00:38:09,482 --> 00:38:11,862
Gold mining is thirsty work,
788
00:38:11,965 --> 00:38:13,689
and lucky for Andrew,
789
00:38:13,793 --> 00:38:15,689
there's only one stand
in town.
790
00:38:15,793 --> 00:38:17,758
- How you doing, buddy?
- Hi, Mr. Freddy,
hi, Mr. Juan.
791
00:38:17,862 --> 00:38:18,965
- Hey, bud.
- Bump.
792
00:38:19,068 --> 00:38:20,172
- How you doin' buddy?
- Hey, buddy.
793
00:38:20,275 --> 00:38:22,137
All right, tell them
what you're selling today.
794
00:38:22,241 --> 00:38:24,137
- AU Lemonade.
- What? Lemonade?
795
00:38:24,241 --> 00:38:26,413
You probably don't get
many visitors out here, huh?
796
00:38:27,724 --> 00:38:29,034
So what's "AU" stand for?
797
00:38:30,206 --> 00:38:32,896
- Gold.
- Gold! That's right,
give me five!
798
00:38:33,000 --> 00:38:34,241
- There you go.
- Knuckle-buster.
799
00:38:34,344 --> 00:38:35,862
- There you go.
- Attaboy.
800
00:38:36,827 --> 00:38:38,379
I'll take
the yellow lemonade.
801
00:38:38,482 --> 00:38:40,172
- All different...
- I'll take one of everything.
802
00:38:40,758 --> 00:38:41,551
Excellent.
803
00:38:44,034 --> 00:38:45,931
Do you take
debit card, Andrew?
804
00:38:46,034 --> 00:38:47,689
No, but you
can give me some gold.
805
00:38:47,793 --> 00:38:49,310
I'll tell you what,
here you go.
806
00:38:52,206 --> 00:38:53,275
- Thank you, sir.
- Oh, my goodness.
807
00:38:53,379 --> 00:38:54,862
What do you say?
808
00:38:54,965 --> 00:38:55,724
- Thank you, sir.
- Thank you.
809
00:38:55,827 --> 00:38:57,000
- Bye, guys.
- Bye, buddy.
810
00:38:57,103 --> 00:38:58,137
- Thank you, pleasure
to meet you guys.
- Bye.
811
00:38:58,241 --> 00:38:59,620
Don't drink too much of that,
okay, Calvin?
812
00:39:02,758 --> 00:39:04,620
World's most
remote lemonade stand.
813
00:39:19,724 --> 00:39:21,724
You know, we've had
to go shut down for
a couple days now but...
814
00:39:21,827 --> 00:39:23,172
- Yes, you have.
- I'm hoping that...
815
00:39:23,275 --> 00:39:26,103
you know,
the improvements we made
are gonna help you guys out.
816
00:39:26,206 --> 00:39:29,896
It's the
final day on Freddy
and Juan's mine intervention.
817
00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:33,068
Time to see if their fixes
can rescue Mike's dream.
818
00:39:33,172 --> 00:39:34,413
You know, it's our goal that
819
00:39:34,517 --> 00:39:37,241
the increased recovery will
make up for it in short order.
820
00:39:37,344 --> 00:39:39,379
- I'm really looking forward
to seeing the results of it.
- Yup.
821
00:39:40,724 --> 00:39:43,689
Right here, we teed
into your existing water line.
822
00:39:43,793 --> 00:39:45,068
Now, we've got water
823
00:39:45,172 --> 00:39:47,827
going into that
de-watering barrel.
824
00:39:47,931 --> 00:39:49,965
So, it will wash that material
more and hopefully,
825
00:39:50,068 --> 00:39:51,827
keep that gold
from going up that conveyor
826
00:39:51,931 --> 00:39:52,862
and gone forever.
827
00:39:53,965 --> 00:39:56,896
Well, before, guys,
you had some riffles in here
828
00:39:57,000 --> 00:39:59,896
but it wasn't really a sluice
box, it was a chute.
829
00:40:00,000 --> 00:40:02,724
It was a good chute
to transfer material,
830
00:40:02,827 --> 00:40:04,862
but it was also
transferring the gold
831
00:40:04,965 --> 00:40:06,931
to go up that conveyor, right?
832
00:40:07,034 --> 00:40:08,862
We actually
built you a new sluice run.
833
00:40:08,965 --> 00:40:10,379
Every chance
we can give that gold
834
00:40:10,482 --> 00:40:11,862
to get settled out
and get trapped,
835
00:40:11,965 --> 00:40:13,000
we want to make sure
we can do that,
836
00:40:13,103 --> 00:40:15,517
and that's what
we're doing with that sluice.
837
00:40:15,620 --> 00:40:16,931
Yeah, we're looking
forward to seeing what that
838
00:40:17,034 --> 00:40:18,172
sluice box actually gives us.
839
00:40:19,310 --> 00:40:21,931
Well, in that little
sluice down there, guys,
840
00:40:22,034 --> 00:40:23,344
the riffles you had in it,
841
00:40:23,448 --> 00:40:26,172
were the wrong riffle
for that type of material.
842
00:40:26,275 --> 00:40:27,793
We simplified it,
843
00:40:27,896 --> 00:40:30,172
and we've got a riffle
configuration in there now
844
00:40:30,275 --> 00:40:32,275
that's gonna go
after that fine gold.
845
00:40:32,379 --> 00:40:35,103
I'm looking forward to those
green mats turning yellow.
846
00:40:35,206 --> 00:40:37,206
Well, really guys,
there's only one
thing left to do, huh?
847
00:40:37,310 --> 00:40:38,448
- Run, run, run.
- Let's run it.
848
00:40:38,551 --> 00:40:39,344
- Let's fire it up.
- Run, run, run.
849
00:40:39,448 --> 00:40:40,482
- Fire it up!
- Let's do it.
850
00:40:43,413 --> 00:40:44,517
All right, firing up.
851
00:40:49,793 --> 00:40:50,758
There it is.
852
00:40:50,862 --> 00:40:52,241
- Started our run.
- Four hours.
853
00:40:57,206 --> 00:40:59,172
Hope we can get lucky
with some gold today.
854
00:41:00,724 --> 00:41:01,517
Whoo-hoo!
855
00:41:03,517 --> 00:41:04,517
First bucket, huh?
856
00:41:04,620 --> 00:41:06,275
- First bucket.
- This site is ready.
857
00:41:07,965 --> 00:41:09,344
Yee-haw!
858
00:41:11,482 --> 00:41:15,241
Done first scoop
with his new riffles.
859
00:41:15,344 --> 00:41:19,241
Boldly put this dirt
where no dirt has gone before.
860
00:41:22,827 --> 00:41:25,000
So we built
the real sluice box here.
861
00:41:27,241 --> 00:41:30,275
Now the gold that's
getting by that jig,
has a fighting chance.
862
00:41:31,724 --> 00:41:33,551
As long as it's got
a fighting chance,
863
00:41:33,655 --> 00:41:34,896
we've got
a chance to catch it.
864
00:41:38,827 --> 00:41:40,655
Well, the final chance sluices
are running
865
00:41:40,758 --> 00:41:43,241
a hell of a lot better
than they were before.
866
00:41:43,344 --> 00:41:44,965
You can see them
doing their job now.
867
00:41:49,310 --> 00:41:51,172
You can
actually see in the drum.
868
00:41:51,275 --> 00:41:53,310
How the drum
from halfway over...
869
00:41:53,413 --> 00:41:54,551
- Clean. Yup.
- ...it's a little cleaner.
870
00:41:54,655 --> 00:41:56,379
And look at the material,
a bit cleaner.
871
00:41:56,482 --> 00:41:57,689
Oh, yeah, definitely.
872
00:41:57,793 --> 00:41:59,655
You can see it
right now, it's visible.
873
00:41:59,758 --> 00:42:01,482
It's already clean.
874
00:42:01,586 --> 00:42:03,172
Compared to what
the drum was before,
875
00:42:03,275 --> 00:42:04,896
- it was completely brown,
the whole thing.
- Yeah. Yup.
876
00:42:06,206 --> 00:42:08,620
Moment of truth.
I'm gonna take a pan.
877
00:42:08,724 --> 00:42:10,862
- Can it?
- Juan took it there.
878
00:42:10,965 --> 00:42:12,310
- We'll see what's in it.
- Right off the conveyor.
879
00:42:17,793 --> 00:42:19,551
Well, let's go pan this, guys.
880
00:42:21,758 --> 00:42:22,689
It sounds counterproductive
881
00:42:22,793 --> 00:42:24,310
because of
the watering trommel.
882
00:42:24,413 --> 00:42:25,724
But what it's doing
is help break up
883
00:42:25,827 --> 00:42:27,586
the rest of that
material up and get it down.
884
00:42:28,068 --> 00:42:29,758
Get it screened.
885
00:42:29,862 --> 00:42:32,241
Rather lose
a little water
than a lot of gold.
886
00:42:32,344 --> 00:42:33,517
Yeah, for sure.
887
00:42:35,931 --> 00:42:37,241
The first test run
888
00:42:37,344 --> 00:42:39,344
showed Mike
was hemorrhaging gold
889
00:42:39,448 --> 00:42:41,965
with nine pieces
in just a single pan.
890
00:42:49,793 --> 00:42:50,724
Not a speck of gold.
891
00:42:51,310 --> 00:42:52,344
No. No gold.
892
00:42:53,137 --> 00:42:54,758
Juano.
893
00:42:54,862 --> 00:42:56,827
- Way better.
- That's all you wanna
see right there.
894
00:42:57,379 --> 00:42:58,172
I'm happy with that.
895
00:42:58,275 --> 00:42:59,241
- Yeah.
- Extremely happy.
896
00:43:00,206 --> 00:43:02,620
'Cause you have
to make the material
897
00:43:02,724 --> 00:43:04,344
do what you want it to to.
898
00:43:04,448 --> 00:43:06,448
You have to force it to do it.
899
00:43:06,551 --> 00:43:07,827
If you let it go on its own,
900
00:43:07,931 --> 00:43:09,620
it's gonna do
whatever it's gonna do.
901
00:43:09,724 --> 00:43:10,655
I'd say y'all did it.
902
00:43:11,965 --> 00:43:14,000
What Freddy just
pulled off the conveyor,
903
00:43:14,103 --> 00:43:15,448
I mean, it's a complete
game changer.
904
00:43:19,000 --> 00:43:22,517
Mike, last bucket! Four hours!
Last bucket!
905
00:43:23,551 --> 00:43:24,620
Moment of truth.
906
00:43:54,965 --> 00:43:55,827
So, how does it look?
907
00:43:55,931 --> 00:43:57,000
- It looks good.
- Yeah?
908
00:43:58,620 --> 00:44:00,206
The results
of this test
909
00:44:00,310 --> 00:44:02,689
will determine if Freddy
and Juan's fixes
910
00:44:02,793 --> 00:44:07,137
have successfully
secured Mike and
Will's future here.
911
00:44:07,241 --> 00:44:10,517
If we get a 10% increase,
I'll really be happy.
912
00:44:10,620 --> 00:44:13,034
It'll also
make me sad because...
913
00:44:13,137 --> 00:44:14,344
we've been throwing
some gold away.
914
00:44:17,482 --> 00:44:19,827
This is what we got
in the four-hour run.
915
00:44:19,931 --> 00:44:21,241
Okay.
916
00:44:21,344 --> 00:44:23,000
And once again,
we got a nice, flat nugget
917
00:44:23,103 --> 00:44:24,517
that didn't fit in the vial,
918
00:44:24,620 --> 00:44:25,931
so I'm just gonna
pour it in there what we got
919
00:44:26,034 --> 00:44:28,379
in the four-hour run,
a little bit better material.
920
00:44:29,931 --> 00:44:33,758
The first test
delivered 1.6 ounces.
921
00:44:33,862 --> 00:44:37,000
Anything more than two ounces,
promises a profit.
922
00:44:38,413 --> 00:44:39,344
2.20.
923
00:44:40,793 --> 00:44:42,551
2.2 ounces.
924
00:44:42,655 --> 00:44:46,241
A 37% increase
on the first run,
925
00:44:46,344 --> 00:44:48,206
- over a 100-day season.
- Whoo-hoo!
926
00:44:48,310 --> 00:44:51,862
This could
deliver Mike 440 ounces,
927
00:44:51,965 --> 00:44:55,379
worth over three-quarters
of a million dollars.
928
00:44:55,482 --> 00:44:56,655
I am so happy
929
00:44:56,758 --> 00:44:59,448
with you guys coming up here
and the work you did.
930
00:44:59,551 --> 00:45:00,620
You're gonna
make us a lot of money
931
00:45:00,724 --> 00:45:01,931
in the long run
with this stuff.
932
00:45:02,034 --> 00:45:03,172
That's right.
933
00:45:03,275 --> 00:45:04,758
That's gonna be a windfall.
934
00:45:04,862 --> 00:45:08,103
It's fabulous.
I'm so happy for it.
935
00:45:08,206 --> 00:45:10,586
And now we've got a better
outlook on the future.
936
00:45:10,689 --> 00:45:12,034
It's gonna help
keep us afloat.
937
00:45:13,551 --> 00:45:14,793
I think it's
absolutely amazing.
938
00:45:14,896 --> 00:45:17,379
I mean, y'all took something
made an adjustment,
939
00:45:17,482 --> 00:45:20,344
and it's proof
right there that, I mean,
it's gonna change our season.
940
00:45:20,448 --> 00:45:22,448
When I work with Mike,
you know we have a partnership
941
00:45:22,551 --> 00:45:24,034
on this mine and...
942
00:45:24,137 --> 00:45:26,689
just that increase in gold
by the end of the year,
943
00:45:26,793 --> 00:45:29,034
what I'll see different,
it's gonna be a big change,
944
00:45:29,137 --> 00:45:30,586
it's really gonna
make life a lot easier.
945
00:45:31,758 --> 00:45:32,689
It's amazing.
946
00:45:32,793 --> 00:45:34,344
And I appreciate it.
Thank you very much.
947
00:45:34,448 --> 00:45:35,620
- Oh, you're welcome.
- Thank you.
948
00:45:42,793 --> 00:45:44,793
Well, Andrew, I think
Freddy's got a little
bit of a gift for you, bud.
949
00:45:51,413 --> 00:45:52,793
- Ready, Juan?
- Yeah, let's pull it out.
950
00:45:56,965 --> 00:45:58,862
This is your wash plant.
- Your wash plant.
951
00:45:58,965 --> 00:46:01,000
This was Juan's idea.
952
00:46:01,103 --> 00:46:02,137
- It's got your name on it.
- Know what that says?
953
00:46:03,689 --> 00:46:04,724
Andrew.
954
00:46:04,827 --> 00:46:05,896
- Yeah!
- Yeah, it does.
955
00:46:06,000 --> 00:46:07,758
- Give Juan five on that one.
- Here you go, buddy.
956
00:46:08,862 --> 00:46:10,551
I think at first
he was almost speechless,
957
00:46:10,655 --> 00:46:13,103
'cause he wasn't sure
what to expect, but...
958
00:46:13,206 --> 00:46:15,137
once they explained to him
exactly what it is
959
00:46:15,241 --> 00:46:16,310
and how to use it,
960
00:46:16,413 --> 00:46:19,068
he can't wait to start running
some paydirt through it.
961
00:46:19,172 --> 00:46:22,827
If Mike's trommel
happens to break down,
I'd lease him this for like...
962
00:46:22,931 --> 00:46:24,206
a hundred dollars an hour.
963
00:46:24,310 --> 00:46:26,206
so you can keep
making gold out here.
964
00:46:33,241 --> 00:46:35,310
With my new wash plant,
I'll find so much gold.
965
00:46:36,172 --> 00:46:38,862
I'll find more gold
than Mr. Mike.
966
00:46:38,965 --> 00:46:41,689
Right on, buddy.
It's your own wash plant.
967
00:46:41,793 --> 00:46:42,689
Thank y'all very much.
968
00:46:42,793 --> 00:46:43,793
- You're welcome.
- No problem, man.
969
00:46:43,896 --> 00:46:45,931
Absolutely a pleasure.
970
00:46:46,034 --> 00:46:47,758
In the last
few days that Freddy
and Juan have been here,
971
00:46:47,862 --> 00:46:49,689
it's just been
absolutely amazing.
972
00:46:49,793 --> 00:46:51,586
For what Mike
has going on up here,
973
00:46:51,689 --> 00:46:53,482
I think it's gonna
change his outlook
974
00:46:53,586 --> 00:46:55,586
on the production
of this mine.
975
00:46:55,689 --> 00:46:59,172
I'm glad Juan and
Freddy answered my call
to get them to come up here.
976
00:46:59,275 --> 00:47:01,068
- Well, you guys take care.
- Bye guys, appreciate it.
977
00:47:01,172 --> 00:47:02,517
- We're outta here.
- Thank you,
thanks again.
978
00:47:02,620 --> 00:47:04,000
- Hey, I appreciate it.
- Y'all be safe.
979
00:47:05,551 --> 00:47:08,103
Well, what we've
done for 'em this week is, uh,
980
00:47:08,206 --> 00:47:10,551
we've emphasized
on catching more
of that fine gold.
981
00:47:11,758 --> 00:47:13,862
Thanks, guys.
See ya. Good luck.
982
00:47:17,344 --> 00:47:20,000
Where these guys
were... were losing
983
00:47:20,103 --> 00:47:22,551
quite a percentage
of it in the past but, uh,
984
00:47:22,655 --> 00:47:23,827
you know,
we got the plant tuned up.
985
00:47:26,344 --> 00:47:28,172
What that means
is more gold in his pocket,
986
00:47:28,275 --> 00:47:29,482
means more
money in his pocket.
987
00:47:32,379 --> 00:47:33,862
It has been
an emotional week.
988
00:47:35,241 --> 00:47:36,758
It's a tough life.
989
00:47:36,862 --> 00:47:38,724
And I've had
a few issues that
I've had to deal with
990
00:47:38,827 --> 00:47:41,310
but thank God
I have this place.
991
00:47:41,413 --> 00:47:44,137
And it's helped
me make it through
some of the difficult times.
992
00:47:45,758 --> 00:47:48,344
Man, I'm sure glad
Will's called Freddy and Juan.
993
00:47:48,448 --> 00:47:51,000
And the changes that they made
are awesome.
994
00:47:52,172 --> 00:47:53,586
And it's gonna
help us stay afloat.
995
00:47:55,034 --> 00:47:56,862
Thank you, Freddy and Juan.
996
00:47:56,965 --> 00:47:59,862
You helped me out
and you taught an
old dog some new tricks.