1 00:00:00,600 --> 00:00:02,033 [rattlesnake rattling] 2 00:00:11,467 --> 00:00:13,367 [Nick] I probably fell in love with gold mining 3 00:00:13,367 --> 00:00:14,767 when I was a kid. 4 00:00:14,767 --> 00:00:17,567 I've always had the dream to have my own mine. 5 00:00:17,567 --> 00:00:20,800 But right now, I'm lucky to break a gram or two a day. 6 00:00:20,800 --> 00:00:22,367 I mean, if I did two grams a day, 7 00:00:22,367 --> 00:00:24,066 I'd be tickled pink. 8 00:00:24,066 --> 00:00:26,567 I absolutely wanna be able to provide for my family. 9 00:00:26,567 --> 00:00:28,100 Come on, Arrow. 10 00:00:28,100 --> 00:00:29,767 There you go. Good girl. 11 00:00:29,767 --> 00:00:32,900 This is, uh, I guess, Casa del Dan, 12 00:00:32,900 --> 00:00:35,533 and got my little dog bed right here. 13 00:00:36,066 --> 00:00:37,667 Box of dog toys 14 00:00:37,667 --> 00:00:39,567 and pretty much everything I need. 15 00:00:39,567 --> 00:00:41,467 I'm the caretaker of the property, 16 00:00:41,467 --> 00:00:43,567 and it really is truly my little 17 00:00:43,567 --> 00:00:45,400 piece of paradise here. 18 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:48,467 It's something special. 19 00:00:48,467 --> 00:00:50,834 Hopefully, we can keep the place. 20 00:00:52,266 --> 00:00:54,367 [Nick] I mean, everything's on the line. 21 00:00:54,367 --> 00:00:56,133 Literally everything. 22 00:00:57,166 --> 00:01:00,066 Freddy and Juan's help is desperately needed. 23 00:01:03,066 --> 00:01:04,767 [Juan] Let's make some gold, guys. 24 00:01:04,767 --> 00:01:06,400 [narrator] Freddy Dodge... 25 00:01:06,400 --> 00:01:09,266 There's no guarantees in gold, buddy. 26 00:01:09,266 --> 00:01:11,166 [narrator] ...and Juan Ibarra... 27 00:01:11,166 --> 00:01:12,667 All right. Well, let's do it, huh? 28 00:01:12,667 --> 00:01:14,767 [narrator] ...have mastered the art of getting gold 29 00:01:14,767 --> 00:01:16,100 out of the ground... 30 00:01:16,100 --> 00:01:17,166 [Juan] Look at that. 31 00:01:17,166 --> 00:01:20,200 [narrator] ...in the most rugged places on earth. 32 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:22,100 [Juan] I'm feeling a little sick, Freddy. 33 00:01:22,100 --> 00:01:24,600 [narrator] Now, they rescued struggling miners... 34 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:26,567 Ooh. That's not good. 35 00:01:26,567 --> 00:01:29,567 [narrator] ...who've risked it all to be rich... 36 00:01:29,567 --> 00:01:31,200 [man] Whoa, whoa, whoa! Shut it down. 37 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:33,467 [narrator] ...but are about to lose everything. 38 00:01:33,467 --> 00:01:34,867 [man] Eyeballs. 39 00:01:34,867 --> 00:01:37,400 [narrator] To revive these failing mines, 40 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:40,200 Freddy and Juan engineer the impossible. 41 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:42,200 [man] Well, I've never heard of a under sluice before. 42 00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:44,300 [narrator] Deliver some hard truths... 43 00:01:44,300 --> 00:01:46,166 This material you're digging now 44 00:01:46,166 --> 00:01:47,367 is totally worthless. 45 00:01:47,367 --> 00:01:49,700 [narrator] ...and track down the gold. 46 00:01:49,700 --> 00:01:51,767 That's what dreams are made of right there. 47 00:01:51,767 --> 00:01:53,667 [narrator] But if they don't at least double 48 00:01:53,667 --> 00:01:55,767 the miner's gold recovery, 49 00:01:55,767 --> 00:01:58,166 they won't take a dime in return. 50 00:01:58,166 --> 00:01:59,900 So it's 10 times the amount of gold. 51 00:01:59,900 --> 00:02:01,166 -Whoo! -That's awesome. 52 00:02:01,166 --> 00:02:02,433 [all laughing] 53 00:02:13,867 --> 00:02:15,500 [Freddy] I don't know which way to go. 54 00:02:16,767 --> 00:02:18,300 They didn't tell me there was gonna be 55 00:02:18,300 --> 00:02:19,500 a fork in the road. 56 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:24,767 Hmm. 57 00:02:24,767 --> 00:02:26,800 -Let's flip a coin. -Let's do it. 58 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:27,600 Heads, right. 59 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:29,233 -Tails, left. -Tails, left. Yeah. 60 00:02:30,667 --> 00:02:32,867 -Heads. -[Freddy] Lady Liberty's up. 61 00:02:32,867 --> 00:02:34,000 [Juan] Yup. Go to the right. 62 00:02:34,467 --> 00:02:35,367 Perfect. Go. 63 00:02:35,367 --> 00:02:37,100 -[laughing] -[Freddy] He steals my coin. 64 00:02:37,100 --> 00:02:38,634 Thanks for the coin, Fred. 65 00:02:42,300 --> 00:02:45,533 [Freddy speaking] 66 00:02:48,700 --> 00:02:50,100 [narrator] 20 miles from the rim 67 00:02:50,100 --> 00:02:51,600 of the Grand Canyon, 68 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:54,500 Freddy and Juan follow a dusty desert road 69 00:02:54,500 --> 00:02:57,800 to the 180-acre Ballard Mine. 70 00:02:57,800 --> 00:02:59,667 Yeah, there's been a lot of gold come out of this area, 71 00:02:59,667 --> 00:03:01,100 huh, Fred, over the years? 72 00:03:01,100 --> 00:03:03,066 Yeah, my buddy had a mine 73 00:03:03,066 --> 00:03:06,300 about five, ten miles from here, and he did well. 74 00:03:07,066 --> 00:03:08,767 [narrator] Gold was discovered here 75 00:03:08,767 --> 00:03:10,500 during the Civil War, 76 00:03:10,500 --> 00:03:12,166 and was crucial to building 77 00:03:12,166 --> 00:03:14,800 Abraham Lincoln's union war chest. 78 00:03:15,467 --> 00:03:16,667 Since then, 79 00:03:16,667 --> 00:03:19,000 the rich mountain veins of the county 80 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:23,467 have produced more than 2.5 million ounces of gold 81 00:03:23,467 --> 00:03:27,800 worth $4.5 billion in today's money. 82 00:03:30,266 --> 00:03:31,400 [Nick] Hi, guys. 83 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:32,700 You made it. 84 00:03:32,700 --> 00:03:34,166 -Hey, guys. How's it doin'? -How you doing? 85 00:03:34,166 --> 00:03:35,400 -How are you doing? -Good, good. 86 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:36,767 -I'm Juan. -Hey. Good to meet you. 87 00:03:36,767 --> 00:03:37,867 [Danny] Nice. Thanks for being here. 88 00:03:37,867 --> 00:03:39,767 -Who's this killer? -This is Arrow. 89 00:03:39,767 --> 00:03:41,100 That's my guard dog. She's vicious. 90 00:03:41,100 --> 00:03:42,767 Watch your ankles. 91 00:03:42,767 --> 00:03:44,000 -[Juan] She's a cutie. -Thank you. 92 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:45,667 So, how long have you guys been out here? 93 00:03:45,667 --> 00:03:47,567 Uh, well, I started looking at the property 94 00:03:47,567 --> 00:03:48,500 about three years ago. 95 00:03:48,500 --> 00:03:50,300 The plant's been out a little over a year. 96 00:03:50,300 --> 00:03:52,000 [Freddy] Are you living here at the mine? 97 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:54,634 No, I live about 70 miles away. 98 00:03:55,567 --> 00:03:59,066 [narrator] Nick staked his savings of $10,000 99 00:03:59,066 --> 00:04:01,300 on a down payment for this land 100 00:04:01,300 --> 00:04:04,166 in prime Arizona gold country. 101 00:04:04,166 --> 00:04:06,100 But the lack of consistent pay 102 00:04:06,100 --> 00:04:08,667 has put his dreams of supporting his family 103 00:04:08,667 --> 00:04:10,000 on the line. 104 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:11,700 [Nick] I haven't even made this month's payment yet 105 00:04:11,700 --> 00:04:13,166 for this property. 106 00:04:13,166 --> 00:04:15,066 You know, if that forecloses on me, 107 00:04:15,066 --> 00:04:16,567 I could lose everything. 108 00:04:16,567 --> 00:04:18,066 How'd you get involved, Danny? 109 00:04:18,066 --> 00:04:20,800 So, his dad is my oldest brother. 110 00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:22,667 -This is my nephew. -You've known him a while. 111 00:04:22,667 --> 00:04:23,767 -Yeah. -[all laughing] 112 00:04:23,767 --> 00:04:25,667 A while. Forty years now. 113 00:04:25,667 --> 00:04:27,767 And unfortunately, I'd actually thrown my back out 114 00:04:27,767 --> 00:04:29,100 and couldn't walk. 115 00:04:29,500 --> 00:04:30,700 Nick had the property then, 116 00:04:30,700 --> 00:04:33,066 and so that brought me out here. 117 00:04:33,066 --> 00:04:35,567 And I got my back strengthened again, 118 00:04:35,567 --> 00:04:37,367 and I can walk without a cane, 119 00:04:37,367 --> 00:04:40,800 and I was designated the caretaker of the property 120 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:43,367 and have been out here since. 121 00:04:43,367 --> 00:04:45,567 [Nick] Danny, I used to look up to him big time 122 00:04:45,567 --> 00:04:46,700 when I was young. 123 00:04:46,700 --> 00:04:48,367 That's part of my motivation, too, 124 00:04:48,367 --> 00:04:50,767 is to be able to really fuel 125 00:04:50,767 --> 00:04:53,667 his next part of his journey. 126 00:04:53,667 --> 00:04:55,767 It's kind of a whole new start. 127 00:04:55,767 --> 00:04:58,266 So you got a camp out here or something? 128 00:04:58,266 --> 00:05:00,266 -[Nick] That's it. -[Danny] That's my domicile right there. 129 00:05:00,266 --> 00:05:01,767 -[Juan] Okay. -[Danny] That's my car V. 130 00:05:01,767 --> 00:05:03,367 [all laughing] 131 00:05:03,367 --> 00:05:04,867 [Freddy] You're staying in your car out here, then? 132 00:05:04,867 --> 00:05:07,200 Yup. Until I can get a little place built there. 133 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:08,300 [Nick] The plan is to build 134 00:05:08,300 --> 00:05:10,567 -a nice little rock house up there. -[Freddy] Okay. 135 00:05:10,567 --> 00:05:12,367 So for you, this is plan A, B, C, D, 136 00:05:12,367 --> 00:05:13,567 -all the way through on? -[Danny] This is it. 137 00:05:13,567 --> 00:05:15,300 If this fails, I'm in big trouble. 138 00:05:15,300 --> 00:05:17,467 I see that. Can we see some of your gold? 139 00:05:17,467 --> 00:05:18,667 Do you have any of it with you? 140 00:05:18,667 --> 00:05:20,800 [Nick] I sure do. 141 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:22,266 -[Juan] Oh, there you go. -[Nick] Yeah. It's pretty gold. 142 00:05:22,266 --> 00:05:23,734 [Juan] Real pretty. 143 00:05:24,166 --> 00:05:25,467 So, Nick, realistically, 144 00:05:25,467 --> 00:05:27,100 what do you got to get out of this ground? 145 00:05:27,100 --> 00:05:28,300 What's your goal for the year? 146 00:05:28,300 --> 00:05:31,367 [Nick] Well, I have to cover at least 50 ounces this year. 147 00:05:31,367 --> 00:05:32,867 Make sure the payments are paid, 148 00:05:32,867 --> 00:05:36,467 make sure there's fuel, and, you know, move forward. 149 00:05:36,467 --> 00:05:38,000 How many ounces you do last year? 150 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:39,500 One. 151 00:05:41,000 --> 00:05:42,500 -One? -[Nick] Yeah. 152 00:05:42,500 --> 00:05:44,200 -[Freddy] You know that's a huge leap. -Yeah. 153 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:45,867 That's, like, jumping the Grand Canyon 154 00:05:45,867 --> 00:05:47,367 that's over here somewhere. 155 00:05:47,367 --> 00:05:48,867 [Nick] Yeah. Yeah. 156 00:05:48,867 --> 00:05:50,300 [Juan] Well, let's go take a look at the plant, huh? 157 00:05:50,300 --> 00:05:52,467 -Let's do it. -Let's do it. 158 00:05:52,467 --> 00:05:55,767 Nick, you know, he's put his heart and soul 159 00:05:55,767 --> 00:05:58,567 and his money into this operation, 160 00:05:58,567 --> 00:06:00,667 so he doesn't wanna see it fail. 161 00:06:00,667 --> 00:06:03,000 It's his dream. He doesn't wanna lose it. 162 00:06:03,000 --> 00:06:05,567 But it's a tall, tall, tall cliff to climb after. 163 00:06:05,567 --> 00:06:07,600 We know they only got one ounce last year. 164 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:10,266 So here's the beast, huh? 165 00:06:10,266 --> 00:06:11,767 [Nick] That's the beast. 166 00:06:11,767 --> 00:06:14,400 It was out of my budget to drill wells 167 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:16,166 or haul water and just... 168 00:06:16,166 --> 00:06:17,767 It's dry, 100%. 169 00:06:17,767 --> 00:06:19,700 [narrator] Unlike most gold mines, 170 00:06:19,700 --> 00:06:22,233 dry plants use no water. 171 00:06:23,967 --> 00:06:27,166 Instead, inside Nick's dry sluice, 172 00:06:27,166 --> 00:06:29,600 an air compressor forces air 173 00:06:29,600 --> 00:06:31,367 to flow up through pay dirt, 174 00:06:31,367 --> 00:06:33,800 blowing away the useless material, 175 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:35,700 while heavier gold sinks, 176 00:06:35,700 --> 00:06:37,867 getting caught in an air cushion 177 00:06:37,867 --> 00:06:41,233 that traps the gold in backwards riffles. 178 00:06:43,367 --> 00:06:46,867 A dry plant is up to 15% less efficient 179 00:06:46,867 --> 00:06:48,266 than a wash plant, 180 00:06:48,266 --> 00:06:52,100 but allows mining in places with little to no water. 181 00:06:52,100 --> 00:06:54,200 [Juan] So did you build this entirely by yourself, Nick? 182 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:55,266 [Nick] For the most part. 183 00:06:55,266 --> 00:06:57,166 You'll have to pardon the rudimentary 184 00:06:57,166 --> 00:06:58,367 55-gallon drum. 185 00:06:58,367 --> 00:07:01,000 That's just what I was able to scrounge up. 186 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:03,000 -[Freddy] Well, let's fire it up. -[Nick] Let's do it. 187 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:06,166 Juan and myself, we'll just kind of stand back and... 188 00:07:06,166 --> 00:07:07,667 -Take a nap. -[Freddy] ...see what goes on. Yeah. 189 00:07:07,667 --> 00:07:09,100 -[Juan laughs] No. -All right. 190 00:07:09,100 --> 00:07:10,300 We'll watch it for sure. 191 00:07:16,100 --> 00:07:17,600 This is part of what's killing me. 192 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:21,100 You know, gas is not cheap, diesel's not cheap. 193 00:07:21,100 --> 00:07:23,667 So it's skin of my teeth every time. 194 00:07:23,667 --> 00:07:24,900 [Freddy] Fire it up. 195 00:07:26,066 --> 00:07:27,767 [narrator] Running the plant requires 196 00:07:27,767 --> 00:07:31,800 as much as $850 in fuel per month. 197 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:35,800 A heavy cost for an already cash-strapped operation. 198 00:07:36,266 --> 00:07:38,000 All right. First bucket. 199 00:07:39,967 --> 00:07:42,900 Timer's started. Four hours. 200 00:07:43,967 --> 00:07:46,500 [narrator] Nick feeds dirt into his hopper, 201 00:07:48,066 --> 00:07:49,967 which travels down to a trommel 202 00:07:49,967 --> 00:07:52,900 made from an old oil barrel. 203 00:07:52,900 --> 00:07:55,100 A drive system made from a motor 204 00:07:55,100 --> 00:07:58,333 and two small tires turns the trommel. 205 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:03,467 Steel mesh holes allow smaller gold bearing material 206 00:08:03,467 --> 00:08:06,800 to fall into the blow boxes or dry sluices, 207 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:10,900 where air blows away the dirt and traps the gold. 208 00:08:12,900 --> 00:08:14,867 [Freddy] I know it's a dusty son of a gun. 209 00:08:14,867 --> 00:08:16,600 [Juan] Yeah, my eyes are full. 210 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:20,800 [Nick] This mine means everything to me. 211 00:08:22,567 --> 00:08:25,600 Everything I've done for the last 12 years 212 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:28,800 has gone into getting to this point. 213 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:31,266 So it's been a long haul. 214 00:08:31,266 --> 00:08:32,634 [man] Here we go. 215 00:08:35,066 --> 00:08:37,600 [Nick] I do have big dreams and aspirations. 216 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:40,200 I would like to build a golden empire, if you will, 217 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:42,600 have many operations all over the place. 218 00:08:43,166 --> 00:08:45,000 But I realize that's a long way 219 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:47,100 from where I'm at now. 220 00:08:47,100 --> 00:08:49,867 I lost everything, and I mean everything 221 00:08:49,867 --> 00:08:51,400 in '08, '09. 222 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:54,500 My daughter, Grace, she's 20 now. 223 00:08:54,500 --> 00:08:56,734 She had to go live with my parents in Florida. 224 00:08:58,500 --> 00:09:00,400 It was very hard on me. 225 00:09:01,166 --> 00:09:03,500 And I really wasn't able to even... 226 00:09:03,500 --> 00:09:05,200 see her grow up after that. 227 00:09:06,066 --> 00:09:08,667 I hit the mountains, dredging. 228 00:09:08,667 --> 00:09:10,266 [narrator] To support his daughter, 229 00:09:10,266 --> 00:09:13,266 Nick turned to solo gold mining. 230 00:09:13,266 --> 00:09:14,333 [Nick] See down in there? 231 00:09:14,333 --> 00:09:16,100 I'm gonna start going into that a little bit more, 232 00:09:16,100 --> 00:09:17,100 underneath them boulders. 233 00:09:17,100 --> 00:09:20,300 Got a lot of gold, a lot of nice big nuggets. 234 00:09:20,300 --> 00:09:23,266 But then, all the places that I'd go 235 00:09:23,266 --> 00:09:25,200 that had water to dredge, 236 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:27,700 slowly but surely started drying up. 237 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:30,567 [narrator] In 2018, 238 00:09:30,567 --> 00:09:32,600 Nick met his current wife, Mikey, 239 00:09:32,600 --> 00:09:34,000 and her two sons. 240 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:37,233 And just six months ago, they had a baby daughter. 241 00:09:39,300 --> 00:09:41,900 [Nick] Got the Ballard family hanging out, 242 00:09:41,900 --> 00:09:45,000 came to visit, bring me some supplies. 243 00:09:45,000 --> 00:09:46,867 [narrator] With five mouths to feed, 244 00:09:46,867 --> 00:09:50,000 Nick decided to go big in 2021 245 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:52,066 and set up his own mine. 246 00:09:52,066 --> 00:09:55,066 [Nick] Some of the view. And then there's Grace. 247 00:09:55,066 --> 00:09:57,000 -What do you think of it? -I love it. 248 00:09:57,000 --> 00:09:59,367 -[Nick] Yeah? -Yeah. It's a lot of land. 249 00:09:59,367 --> 00:10:01,100 [Nick] Hopefully, we can make it work. 250 00:10:01,100 --> 00:10:02,500 -[Grace] I know you will. -[Nick] Hopefully. 251 00:10:02,500 --> 00:10:04,000 [Grace] It's gonna blow up. 252 00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:06,400 I don't much care for fancy houses 253 00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:08,367 and fancy cars and everything. 254 00:10:08,367 --> 00:10:10,100 It's really the ability to do things, 255 00:10:10,100 --> 00:10:11,600 to do things for my family, 256 00:10:11,600 --> 00:10:14,100 to do things for extended family like Danny. 257 00:10:14,100 --> 00:10:15,567 That... That's my passion 258 00:10:15,567 --> 00:10:17,333 and that's what I wanna be able to do. 259 00:10:20,166 --> 00:10:21,834 It's all looking pretty good. 260 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:25,567 [narrator] At the end of the plant... 261 00:10:25,567 --> 00:10:27,467 -Look at that. -[Nick] Yeah, I know. 262 00:10:27,467 --> 00:10:29,867 That should all be going into that dry wash sluice. 263 00:10:29,867 --> 00:10:31,100 Yup. 264 00:10:31,100 --> 00:10:34,266 [narrator] ...Juan sees pay dirt that could contain gold 265 00:10:34,266 --> 00:10:37,667 falling off the screen and into the waste pile. 266 00:10:37,667 --> 00:10:39,166 [Juan] He's got a punch plate up there. 267 00:10:39,166 --> 00:10:41,166 So really, all this smaller material 268 00:10:41,166 --> 00:10:42,867 should be going through that punch plate. 269 00:10:42,867 --> 00:10:44,400 It's never having a chance to get 270 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:47,133 properly sluiced in that box. 271 00:10:57,867 --> 00:10:59,433 [Nick] That's not good. 272 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:04,066 [narrator] Three hours into the test, 273 00:11:04,066 --> 00:11:05,533 the trommel stops. 274 00:11:06,467 --> 00:11:09,300 [Nick] I just about had it with this dang thing. 275 00:11:16,567 --> 00:11:18,800 [Nick] Get it spinning. It's a little heavy. 276 00:11:18,800 --> 00:11:20,734 Yeah, heavy. 277 00:11:21,800 --> 00:11:23,567 [Nick] I don't know if it's that wheel's getting 278 00:11:23,567 --> 00:11:25,266 too wore out or the other wheel. 279 00:11:25,266 --> 00:11:26,634 I don't know. 280 00:11:29,667 --> 00:11:30,600 [Freddy speaking] 281 00:11:30,600 --> 00:11:32,266 [Juan speaking] 282 00:11:34,567 --> 00:11:36,567 -[Freddy] What do you think? -[Juan] Honestly, I'm a little nervous. 283 00:11:36,567 --> 00:11:39,600 You know, I think there's so much that needs to be done here. 284 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:41,233 [Freddy] Massive amount of work. 285 00:11:44,900 --> 00:11:47,467 -That's four hours right there. -That is four hours. 286 00:11:47,467 --> 00:11:48,700 Why don't we call it, Freddy? 287 00:11:48,700 --> 00:11:50,367 Probably got blisters all over his hands. 288 00:11:50,367 --> 00:11:51,900 Just shut her down, Nick. 289 00:11:56,266 --> 00:11:57,367 [narrator] In the first test, 290 00:11:57,367 --> 00:12:01,266 Nick and Danny burned through $15 worth of fuel, 291 00:12:01,266 --> 00:12:04,200 running just two yards of pay dirt. 292 00:12:04,200 --> 00:12:08,166 The equivalent of four excavator buckets. 293 00:12:08,166 --> 00:12:09,867 [Freddy] You guys are working your butts off. 294 00:12:09,867 --> 00:12:12,567 Wrap a 3,000-foot rope around it. 295 00:12:12,567 --> 00:12:14,000 -and go for a run. -Yeah. 296 00:12:14,000 --> 00:12:15,266 -[Freddy] Well, yeah. -Yeah. Right? 297 00:12:15,266 --> 00:12:17,967 [Juan] That'd probably be more efficient. 298 00:12:17,967 --> 00:12:20,900 What we wanna do now is, let's clean both boxes. 299 00:12:20,900 --> 00:12:22,467 -We wanna do a gold weigh, see where we're at. -[Nick] Okay. 300 00:12:22,467 --> 00:12:23,767 -[Freddy] We'll go from there. -[Danny] Yup. 301 00:12:23,767 --> 00:12:25,467 [Nick] Good. 302 00:12:25,467 --> 00:12:27,867 [Freddy] Juan and myself ran across, you know, 303 00:12:27,867 --> 00:12:30,233 guys and their plant in need before, 304 00:12:31,100 --> 00:12:32,900 but this one's really needy. 305 00:12:32,900 --> 00:12:34,867 It's more of a manual labor plant 306 00:12:34,867 --> 00:12:37,000 than a motor-powered plant. 307 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:38,800 We're gonna help them all we can. 308 00:12:39,467 --> 00:12:41,100 But will it be enough? 309 00:12:49,867 --> 00:12:51,000 [Juan] How we doing, guys? 310 00:12:51,000 --> 00:12:52,200 [Freddy] How's it going, guys? 311 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:54,967 [narrator] On the Ballard claim in northern Arizona... 312 00:12:54,967 --> 00:12:57,166 -[dog barking] -How's killer doing today? 313 00:12:57,166 --> 00:12:59,100 -Oh, killing. -Oh, hey, buddy. 314 00:12:59,100 --> 00:13:00,700 [narrator] ...miners Nick and Danny 315 00:13:00,700 --> 00:13:02,767 prepare for a reality check, 316 00:13:02,767 --> 00:13:05,233 the results of their first test run. 317 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:07,900 There's not a lot there. 318 00:13:08,567 --> 00:13:10,767 [Juan] No, there really isn't. 319 00:13:10,767 --> 00:13:12,033 [Freddy] No. 320 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:19,400 It's not showing anything on troy ounces, 321 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:21,266 let's kick over to grams... 322 00:13:21,266 --> 00:13:22,800 -Grams. -...and see what it does. 323 00:13:27,867 --> 00:13:29,800 [Freddy] Two tenths of a gram. 324 00:13:30,867 --> 00:13:33,367 So that's a hundred and sixtieth of an ounce. 325 00:13:33,367 --> 00:13:34,600 Yeah. 326 00:13:35,967 --> 00:13:38,867 [narrator] Worth just $12. 327 00:13:38,867 --> 00:13:40,667 It's the worst gold weigh 328 00:13:40,667 --> 00:13:43,567 Freddy and Juan have ever seen. 329 00:13:43,567 --> 00:13:45,100 That's a tough one right there. 330 00:13:45,100 --> 00:13:46,700 -Yeah. -Yeah. Yeah. 331 00:13:46,700 --> 00:13:48,066 Yeah. 332 00:13:48,066 --> 00:13:50,000 Right now, you're burning more diesel fuel per hour 333 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:51,166 than you're getting gold. 334 00:13:51,166 --> 00:13:52,400 -Yeah. No kidding. -Yeah. 335 00:13:53,266 --> 00:13:55,667 Well, let's me and Juan 336 00:13:55,667 --> 00:13:58,467 figure some stuff out here and make a game plan. 337 00:13:58,467 --> 00:13:59,867 [Juan] We'll come back out in the morning 338 00:13:59,867 --> 00:14:01,166 and then we'll give you guys the ideas 339 00:14:01,166 --> 00:14:02,800 of what we got, and go from there. 340 00:14:02,800 --> 00:14:04,266 -[Freddy] All right. -All right. 341 00:14:04,266 --> 00:14:06,000 -Here you go, bud. -Hey, thank you. 342 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:07,700 -[chuckles] -See you in the morning. 343 00:14:09,700 --> 00:14:10,867 [chuckles] 344 00:14:10,867 --> 00:14:12,900 -Yeah. -Not that great. 345 00:14:12,900 --> 00:14:14,934 -No. -Yeesh. 346 00:14:16,900 --> 00:14:19,400 I'm sure they can help us sort that out, man. 347 00:14:20,467 --> 00:14:22,000 You know, 348 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:24,367 those guys are over there, I don't want them to hear me. 349 00:14:24,367 --> 00:14:27,166 So I'm gonna talk a bit softer, but... 350 00:14:27,166 --> 00:14:29,100 you know, they're in tough shape here. 351 00:14:29,767 --> 00:14:32,100 That spot he's digging in right now 352 00:14:32,100 --> 00:14:33,567 may not be good enough, 353 00:14:33,567 --> 00:14:35,500 but he's got a lot of land here. 354 00:14:35,500 --> 00:14:37,867 Maybe it has potential. 355 00:14:37,867 --> 00:14:40,300 [narrator] To get to their 50-ounce target, 356 00:14:40,300 --> 00:14:42,900 worth nearly $100,000, 357 00:14:42,900 --> 00:14:44,367 and keep their mine, 358 00:14:44,367 --> 00:14:49,000 the Ballards need almost 13 times this amount of gold. 359 00:14:50,100 --> 00:14:53,266 In a word... "terrible." 360 00:14:53,266 --> 00:14:55,066 I don't think I've ever seen Nick 361 00:14:55,066 --> 00:14:58,700 as disappointed as today when we did that weigh in. 362 00:15:00,100 --> 00:15:02,667 I can feel for him 'cause he's really on the line. 363 00:15:02,667 --> 00:15:05,500 He's got family and the property payments 364 00:15:05,500 --> 00:15:07,166 and everything, so... 365 00:15:07,166 --> 00:15:09,367 Yeah, I could really see him... 366 00:15:09,367 --> 00:15:11,333 Where that hit him really hard. 367 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:22,367 Man, Freddy, there's just... 368 00:15:22,367 --> 00:15:25,100 There's just so many things we gotta do to this plant. 369 00:15:25,100 --> 00:15:26,300 -Yeah. -But right now, 370 00:15:26,300 --> 00:15:28,700 he's spending a dollar to make a dime. 371 00:15:28,700 --> 00:15:30,567 More than a dollar to make a dime. 372 00:15:30,567 --> 00:15:33,266 Let's hope we can do some things for him 373 00:15:33,266 --> 00:15:36,200 and help him dig out of the hole he's in. 374 00:15:37,100 --> 00:15:38,767 Reality's reality. 375 00:15:38,767 --> 00:15:40,166 With the amount of material they can run, 376 00:15:40,166 --> 00:15:41,667 even if we triple it, 377 00:15:41,667 --> 00:15:43,000 it's still gonna be rough. 378 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:44,567 They'll do better, 379 00:15:44,567 --> 00:15:46,400 you know, but they aren't gonna get rich. 380 00:15:46,400 --> 00:15:48,533 But maybe they can make a living. 381 00:15:50,100 --> 00:15:51,467 How's it going, guys? 382 00:15:51,467 --> 00:15:52,800 -[Juan] Gentleman. -Good. And you? 383 00:15:53,500 --> 00:15:54,667 [Juan] How's that pup doing? 384 00:15:54,667 --> 00:15:57,066 [Danny] She's doing good. Waiting for good or bad news. 385 00:15:57,066 --> 00:15:58,300 [all laughing] 386 00:15:58,300 --> 00:16:00,200 Well, I don't know if it's good or bad, 387 00:16:00,200 --> 00:16:02,000 but we definitely wanna do a few things. 388 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:05,867 Obviously, the trommel drum is first and foremost. 389 00:16:05,867 --> 00:16:07,033 -That was just terrible. -[Danny] Yeah, yeah. 390 00:16:07,033 --> 00:16:09,100 [Juan] We actually wanna do, like, a drive system on it. 391 00:16:09,100 --> 00:16:12,266 -[Danny] Okay. -[Juan] To be able to actually drive it efficiently. 392 00:16:12,266 --> 00:16:14,500 As far as your recovery system, 393 00:16:14,500 --> 00:16:16,467 you know, right there we probably saw 20% of dirt. 394 00:16:16,467 --> 00:16:17,867 [Freddy] 20, 25% of stuff. 395 00:16:17,867 --> 00:16:19,700 [Juan] Was actually going off the end of it. 396 00:16:20,266 --> 00:16:21,567 [Freddy] We'll add a punch plate, 397 00:16:21,567 --> 00:16:24,100 -vibrating screen on the end. -[Nick] Okay. 398 00:16:24,100 --> 00:16:26,166 [Freddy] You know, it'll allow you to add more 399 00:16:26,166 --> 00:16:28,467 blow boxes on the end of that in the future. 400 00:16:28,467 --> 00:16:29,667 [Juan] Yeah. 401 00:16:29,667 --> 00:16:31,400 Another aspect is your prospecting. 402 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:32,667 You need better ground, you know, 403 00:16:32,667 --> 00:16:34,367 'cause you're not running a ton of material. 404 00:16:34,367 --> 00:16:35,767 -[Nick] Mmm-hmm. -[Freddy] You know, this gulch 405 00:16:35,767 --> 00:16:37,500 you're playing with right here, 406 00:16:37,500 --> 00:16:39,667 this is the last one I would touch here. 407 00:16:39,667 --> 00:16:41,266 Don't be discouraged 'cause, I mean, 408 00:16:41,266 --> 00:16:43,000 there's been a lot of mining here. 409 00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:44,266 [Juan] Sounds great. 410 00:16:44,266 --> 00:16:45,567 [Freddy] And then, right now, 411 00:16:45,567 --> 00:16:47,100 you're not getting enough gold 412 00:16:47,100 --> 00:16:49,166 to pay for the diesel, and that doesn't cut it. 413 00:16:49,166 --> 00:16:50,767 So we're gonna try to save you money 414 00:16:50,767 --> 00:16:52,667 -and get your efficiency up. -[Nick] Okay. 415 00:16:52,667 --> 00:16:54,066 And I'm no solar expert, 416 00:16:54,066 --> 00:16:56,066 but you've got a lot of solar here. 417 00:16:56,066 --> 00:16:58,767 -Yeah. -That's not a problem out here. [laughs] 418 00:16:58,767 --> 00:17:01,367 [Freddy] So what if we put a solar panel system in, 419 00:17:01,367 --> 00:17:03,467 then the solar will be running your whole plant 420 00:17:03,467 --> 00:17:04,967 without any more gas, 421 00:17:04,967 --> 00:17:06,700 -just the sun. -[Nick] Awesome. 422 00:17:07,467 --> 00:17:08,867 [Juan] This is kind of a first for us, 423 00:17:08,867 --> 00:17:09,967 and to me, that's exciting, 424 00:17:09,967 --> 00:17:12,600 because it's something that hasn't really been done. 425 00:17:12,600 --> 00:17:14,800 [Nick] You might be in luck, 'cause I actually have some solar. 426 00:17:14,800 --> 00:17:15,800 [Juan] You got some panels? 427 00:17:15,800 --> 00:17:16,867 Yeah, I've got solar at my house, 428 00:17:16,867 --> 00:17:18,700 and I've got a little extra. 429 00:17:18,700 --> 00:17:19,734 [Juan] Oh, awesome. 430 00:17:21,300 --> 00:17:22,967 [narrator] In addition to getting the Ballards 431 00:17:22,967 --> 00:17:24,500 on better ground, 432 00:17:24,500 --> 00:17:27,266 Freddy and Juan will attach a 3-foot wide 433 00:17:27,266 --> 00:17:29,300 custom sprocket around the trommel. 434 00:17:29,300 --> 00:17:32,900 A motorized chain will turn the barrel consistently 435 00:17:32,900 --> 00:17:35,000 to increase the amount of pay dirt 436 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:38,567 going through the plant by 400%. 437 00:17:38,567 --> 00:17:41,166 A new punch plate at the end of the trommel 438 00:17:41,166 --> 00:17:43,000 will be aided by a vibrator 439 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:45,266 to filter all gold-rich pay dirt 440 00:17:45,266 --> 00:17:47,367 into the dry sluice. 441 00:17:47,367 --> 00:17:49,667 Finally, in a first ever bid 442 00:17:49,667 --> 00:17:52,000 to not just increase recovery 443 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:54,266 but also decrease costs, 444 00:17:54,266 --> 00:17:56,800 the guys will construct an innovative 445 00:17:56,800 --> 00:18:00,600 solar panel trailer to power Nick's dry plant. 446 00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:01,600 The goal? 447 00:18:01,600 --> 00:18:05,600 To make all of his gold nearly pure profit. 448 00:18:05,600 --> 00:18:09,000 It's beautiful here, and I know you don't wanna lose your property. 449 00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:10,767 So it strikes home. 450 00:18:10,767 --> 00:18:14,066 When I was 16 years old, I lived in my car. Right? 451 00:18:14,066 --> 00:18:15,467 So I've been there, right? 452 00:18:15,467 --> 00:18:16,600 I had nothing. 453 00:18:16,600 --> 00:18:17,867 And nobody ever gave me anything. 454 00:18:17,867 --> 00:18:18,900 [Juan] Mmm-hmm. 455 00:18:18,900 --> 00:18:21,500 [Freddy] And I see the situation you guys are in. 456 00:18:21,500 --> 00:18:23,300 I've been in a similar one. 457 00:18:23,300 --> 00:18:26,567 So, it's even more important, you know, for us... 458 00:18:26,567 --> 00:18:28,300 For me and Juan, 459 00:18:28,300 --> 00:18:30,700 you know, to help you guys out the best we can. 460 00:18:30,700 --> 00:18:33,400 Freddy and I talked about it. We wanna do this %100 free. 461 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:35,467 That changes my life. 462 00:18:35,467 --> 00:18:36,934 It changes my life. 463 00:18:37,900 --> 00:18:39,667 [Nick chuckling] 464 00:18:39,667 --> 00:18:42,166 -I'm getting in on that. -Oh, bring it in, man. 465 00:18:42,166 --> 00:18:43,767 [Nick] Thanks guys. Man, I really... 466 00:18:43,767 --> 00:18:45,800 You don't even know, like, seriously. 467 00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:47,367 [Juan] No, we got limited time. 468 00:18:47,367 --> 00:18:48,767 -I think we should get to work, huh? -All right. 469 00:18:48,767 --> 00:18:50,900 -Let's go. -All right, guys. Appreciate it. 470 00:18:50,900 --> 00:18:53,200 [Nick] So I'm super excited with their ideas. 471 00:18:53,200 --> 00:18:54,867 I can't express my gratitude enough. 472 00:18:54,867 --> 00:18:56,467 I really can't. 473 00:18:56,467 --> 00:18:59,100 It's just a blessing to have them involved with this experience 474 00:18:59,100 --> 00:19:01,900 and the growth of this operation. 475 00:19:08,500 --> 00:19:10,767 [Freddy] We're gonna build a punch plate screen. 476 00:19:10,767 --> 00:19:11,734 [Danny] All right. 477 00:19:11,734 --> 00:19:13,367 [narrator] Freddy and Danny's morning task 478 00:19:13,367 --> 00:19:16,200 is to tag team the vibrating punch plate. 479 00:19:16,200 --> 00:19:17,667 [Freddy] We're gonna have holes here 480 00:19:17,667 --> 00:19:19,467 that allow that material to go through 481 00:19:19,467 --> 00:19:20,800 into their dry wash sluice. 482 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:22,467 [Danny] So I just pin her down? 483 00:19:22,467 --> 00:19:24,200 [machine whirring] 484 00:19:24,900 --> 00:19:26,500 [Freddy] Sounds good. 485 00:19:28,667 --> 00:19:30,066 [Nick] This is it. 486 00:19:30,066 --> 00:19:32,000 [narrator] While 70 miles away, 487 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:34,700 Juan retrieves spare solar panels 488 00:19:34,700 --> 00:19:36,400 at Nick's compound. 489 00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:38,367 -[Juan] There's the family, huh? -[Nick] Hey, yeah. 490 00:19:38,367 --> 00:19:39,967 [Juan] Let's go meet them. 491 00:19:39,967 --> 00:19:42,367 [Nick] This is Ivory and my wife, Mikey. 492 00:19:42,367 --> 00:19:43,700 [Juan] Mikey, how you doing? I'm Juan. 493 00:19:43,700 --> 00:19:45,100 -[Nick] Juan Ibarra. -Nice to meet you too. 494 00:19:45,100 --> 00:19:46,100 Oh, hello, little one. 495 00:19:46,100 --> 00:19:47,467 -[Nick] That's Ivory. -Hi cutie. 496 00:19:47,467 --> 00:19:49,033 I missed you guys. 497 00:19:49,867 --> 00:19:52,166 Oh, I missed you so much. Yeah. 498 00:19:52,166 --> 00:19:54,000 Nick, he's very caring, 499 00:19:54,000 --> 00:19:56,300 very passionate about what he does. 500 00:19:57,000 --> 00:19:58,767 He definitely sacrifices a lot. 501 00:19:58,767 --> 00:20:02,100 It's definitely hard being here without him 502 00:20:02,100 --> 00:20:04,767 while he mines quite often. 503 00:20:04,767 --> 00:20:07,300 But I'm behind him 100%. 504 00:20:07,767 --> 00:20:09,467 [Nick] This is the entryway. 505 00:20:09,467 --> 00:20:12,000 [narrator] Nick bought this remote barndominium 506 00:20:12,000 --> 00:20:13,900 eight years ago. 507 00:20:13,900 --> 00:20:15,600 Obviously, got a wood burning stove 508 00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:18,900 to keep warm, and AC to keep cool. 509 00:20:18,900 --> 00:20:21,367 You know, pretty much got everything we need. 510 00:20:21,367 --> 00:20:24,800 [narrator] Adding on living quarters bit by bit... 511 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:26,700 -[Nick] Four walls and a roof, right? -[Juan] Yeah. 512 00:20:26,700 --> 00:20:28,400 -All the essentials are here. -[Nick] Yup. 513 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:30,800 [narrator] ...the family went fully solar 514 00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:32,800 just over a year ago. 515 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:34,800 Here's the workhorse, 516 00:20:34,800 --> 00:20:37,266 and that provides power all the time during the day. 517 00:20:37,266 --> 00:20:39,100 The sun is shining, we got all the power we need. 518 00:20:39,100 --> 00:20:41,567 So yeah, without this thing, we were running the generator. 519 00:20:41,567 --> 00:20:42,900 [Juan] Oh, man. 520 00:20:44,300 --> 00:20:45,567 And are these new or are they used? 521 00:20:45,567 --> 00:20:46,600 -[Nick] They're used. -They're used? 522 00:20:46,600 --> 00:20:47,900 [Nick] They're pretty new, though. 523 00:20:47,900 --> 00:20:49,800 [Juan] Well, this is half the battle, finding the panels, so... 524 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:51,667 -[Nick] Yeah. Awesome. -it's great you got them. 525 00:20:51,667 --> 00:20:53,266 -Yeah. -Well, let's get them loaded up, huh? 526 00:20:53,266 --> 00:20:54,867 There you go. 527 00:20:54,867 --> 00:20:56,467 All right. 528 00:20:58,367 --> 00:21:00,166 [Juan] I don't know about you, Nick, but I'm excited about this. 529 00:21:00,166 --> 00:21:01,400 I'm super excited. 530 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:02,367 I can't wait. 531 00:21:02,367 --> 00:21:03,600 Go. 532 00:21:27,200 --> 00:21:29,867 Gonna help me with work this morning? 533 00:21:29,867 --> 00:21:31,367 [narrator] With the Ballard mine 534 00:21:31,367 --> 00:21:33,367 not yet producing enough gold... 535 00:21:33,367 --> 00:21:37,100 [Danny] This is basically one of my little ones I make. 536 00:21:37,100 --> 00:21:41,367 If I take them into town, I can make a few bucks. 537 00:21:41,367 --> 00:21:43,600 [narrator] ...Uncle Danny supplements his income 538 00:21:43,600 --> 00:21:46,300 with home-crafted clay tobacco pipes 539 00:21:46,300 --> 00:21:48,934 that he sells for up to $20 each. 540 00:21:50,100 --> 00:21:54,266 [Danny] At the moment, I have to rely on my skills 541 00:21:54,266 --> 00:21:56,700 to basically put gas in my car 542 00:21:56,700 --> 00:22:00,300 and food in my belly and feed my dog. 543 00:22:01,467 --> 00:22:02,433 That is a skull. 544 00:22:02,433 --> 00:22:05,567 And surprise, surprise, people like skulls. 545 00:22:05,567 --> 00:22:06,533 [chuckles] 546 00:22:08,567 --> 00:22:12,567 I would say that, Nick, he's a lot like me 547 00:22:12,567 --> 00:22:15,367 in being a free spirit. 548 00:22:15,367 --> 00:22:19,867 Both Nick and I have gone through some dark times. 549 00:22:19,867 --> 00:22:25,367 And getting out here has been a opportunity 550 00:22:25,367 --> 00:22:27,400 to focus my life again 551 00:22:27,400 --> 00:22:31,000 and really get it going in the right direction. 552 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:32,867 And if this is lost, 553 00:22:32,867 --> 00:22:36,066 I just don't wanna think about 554 00:22:36,066 --> 00:22:38,700 having to go and start again from there. 555 00:22:39,467 --> 00:22:41,500 And that would be my happy skull. 556 00:22:42,767 --> 00:22:44,433 Hi, Freddy and Juan. 557 00:22:49,367 --> 00:22:51,567 [Juan] There he is. 558 00:22:51,567 --> 00:22:54,000 -See how little Freddy's doing. -Yeah. 559 00:22:56,200 --> 00:22:57,400 -[Juan] Hola. -[Freddy] Hey, hola. 560 00:22:57,400 --> 00:22:58,166 How was was your trip, buddy? 561 00:22:58,166 --> 00:22:59,066 [Juan] Good, buddy. We're back. 562 00:22:59,066 --> 00:23:00,500 [Freddy] You find what you needed? 563 00:23:00,500 --> 00:23:02,000 [Juan] Yeah, we got the rest of the panels that we needed. 564 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:02,900 They're in the back of the truck, 565 00:23:02,900 --> 00:23:05,567 so I think we're ready to rock and roll. 566 00:23:05,567 --> 00:23:08,100 [narrator] The used panels are a vital component 567 00:23:08,100 --> 00:23:10,100 of the mobile solar trailer, 568 00:23:10,100 --> 00:23:12,266 which could save the Ballards hundreds 569 00:23:12,266 --> 00:23:14,100 in fuel costs a month. 570 00:23:14,100 --> 00:23:17,667 But the 140-mile round trip to retrieve them 571 00:23:17,667 --> 00:23:19,767 has cost half a day. 572 00:23:19,767 --> 00:23:21,166 You know, we've got about five days' worth of work 573 00:23:21,166 --> 00:23:23,000 and about three days to do it, so... 574 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:24,600 -Yup. Yup. -...we better get to it. 575 00:23:27,266 --> 00:23:29,233 [Nick] Flying by the seat of our pants. 576 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:33,400 Another day, as usual, 577 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:35,433 in my neck of the woods, anyway. 578 00:23:36,367 --> 00:23:38,433 [narrator] As Nick stacks the panels, 579 00:23:39,567 --> 00:23:43,166 Juan designs his ambitious new drive system. 580 00:23:43,166 --> 00:23:45,900 Right now, it takes two guys to constantly rotate 581 00:23:45,900 --> 00:23:47,400 that trommel drum. 582 00:23:47,400 --> 00:23:50,700 So, with this, it's gonna be about an 80% increase 583 00:23:50,700 --> 00:23:52,700 just in material going through the plant. 584 00:23:53,367 --> 00:23:54,667 [machine whirring] 585 00:23:54,667 --> 00:23:57,467 [narrator] The design is fed to the cut table, 586 00:23:57,467 --> 00:24:00,400 where a 25,000-degree beam of plasma 587 00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:05,500 cuts a giant 36-inch sprocket out of 3-gauge steel. 588 00:24:07,266 --> 00:24:09,200 This sprocket will then be fixed 589 00:24:09,200 --> 00:24:11,467 onto Nick's cement barrel trommel. 590 00:24:11,467 --> 00:24:14,900 A chain connected to a motor will turn it automatically, 591 00:24:14,900 --> 00:24:16,967 increasing the amount of pay dirt 592 00:24:16,967 --> 00:24:18,600 processed by the plant. 593 00:24:21,767 --> 00:24:22,667 [Juan] Well, there it is. 594 00:24:22,667 --> 00:24:24,300 There's the new sprocket we just cut out. 595 00:24:25,367 --> 00:24:26,767 I'll start working on the base plate 596 00:24:26,767 --> 00:24:28,166 for the motor and the gear box. 597 00:24:28,166 --> 00:24:30,033 Try to get those all knocked out today. 598 00:24:38,867 --> 00:24:40,100 [Freddy] How's it going, Danny? 599 00:24:40,100 --> 00:24:41,200 Good. 600 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:42,600 [narrator] By the plant, 601 00:24:42,600 --> 00:24:44,367 Freddy checks Danny's progress 602 00:24:44,367 --> 00:24:46,600 on the vibrating punch plate. 603 00:24:47,400 --> 00:24:49,567 So I laid out a grid for Danny 604 00:24:49,567 --> 00:24:51,100 to have him drill holes in here. 605 00:24:51,100 --> 00:24:52,667 So he got all the holes drilled. 606 00:24:52,667 --> 00:24:54,500 And now it's time to put it together 607 00:24:54,500 --> 00:24:55,734 and see what we got. 608 00:24:57,100 --> 00:24:58,500 [narrator] Freddy's punch plate 609 00:24:58,500 --> 00:25:02,000 will efficiently filter pay dirt into the dry sluice 610 00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:05,100 and increase the amount of gold in the box 611 00:25:05,100 --> 00:25:07,800 designed with expansion in mind. 612 00:25:07,800 --> 00:25:09,567 [Freddy] This is strictly custom 613 00:25:09,567 --> 00:25:11,200 for your wash plant right here. 614 00:25:11,200 --> 00:25:12,467 It's unique. 615 00:25:12,467 --> 00:25:14,400 All you gotta do is start drilling holes in it. 616 00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:15,600 -Okay. -Right? 617 00:25:15,600 --> 00:25:18,100 And then you can put another dry wash 618 00:25:18,100 --> 00:25:19,667 sluice right underneath there, right? 619 00:25:19,667 --> 00:25:20,767 [Danny] Right. 620 00:25:20,767 --> 00:25:22,667 [narrator] The length of the plate will allow Nick 621 00:25:22,667 --> 00:25:25,467 to add further dry sluices in the future, 622 00:25:25,467 --> 00:25:27,967 increasing the capacity of the plant. 623 00:25:27,967 --> 00:25:30,300 -You see what I'm doing here? -[Danny] I do. 624 00:25:30,300 --> 00:25:32,667 Do that on the other side if you would, sir. 625 00:25:32,667 --> 00:25:34,400 [drill machine whirring] 626 00:25:36,367 --> 00:25:37,900 [Freddy] Could you hand me one of those springs, bud? 627 00:25:37,900 --> 00:25:38,900 [Danny] You got it. 628 00:25:43,867 --> 00:25:45,600 [Freddy] This wind isn't helping us any, Danny, 629 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:48,300 -that's for dang sure. -[Danny] No, sir. 630 00:25:49,467 --> 00:25:51,867 It's been pretty gusty all day. 631 00:25:51,867 --> 00:25:53,567 I'm really worried about welding right now 632 00:25:53,567 --> 00:25:56,767 because any stray spark could start a fire. 633 00:25:56,767 --> 00:25:58,700 Let's just hope the wind slows down. 634 00:26:02,567 --> 00:26:03,667 [narrator] Back in the cut truck, 635 00:26:03,667 --> 00:26:05,900 Juan puts the finishing touches 636 00:26:05,900 --> 00:26:08,233 on the drive motor for the trommel. 637 00:26:09,367 --> 00:26:10,967 I'm gonna get it wired up, test it, 638 00:26:10,967 --> 00:26:12,800 make sure our rotation's the way we need it 639 00:26:12,800 --> 00:26:15,233 and then we'll get it down to the plant and get it welded on. 640 00:26:22,100 --> 00:26:23,934 [machine whirring] 641 00:26:29,467 --> 00:26:31,066 There it is. 642 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:35,367 [narrator] But with two and a half days left in the rescue... 643 00:26:35,367 --> 00:26:38,100 Hey, Juan, I'm coming up to the cut trailer to see ya. 644 00:26:38,100 --> 00:26:40,100 We've got a pretty big problem here. 645 00:26:40,100 --> 00:26:42,834 [narrator] ...Freddy bears bad news. 646 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:45,166 [Freddy speaking] 647 00:26:45,166 --> 00:26:47,166 -Oh man, it's bad out there. -Yeah. 648 00:26:47,166 --> 00:26:49,133 This whole trailer's shaking all over the dang place. 649 00:26:50,066 --> 00:26:51,467 [Freddy] There's a red flag warning. 650 00:26:51,467 --> 00:26:52,867 [Juan] Are you kidding me? 651 00:26:52,867 --> 00:26:54,400 [Freddy] We cannot strike an arc. 652 00:26:56,667 --> 00:26:59,100 [narrator] A red flag warning is put into effect 653 00:26:59,100 --> 00:27:02,200 when humidity is low and winds are high 654 00:27:02,200 --> 00:27:05,100 to prevent devastating wildfires. 655 00:27:05,100 --> 00:27:07,867 It makes fires of any kind prohibited, 656 00:27:07,867 --> 00:27:10,367 including welding sparks. 657 00:27:10,367 --> 00:27:13,767 The build must come to a standstill. 658 00:27:13,767 --> 00:27:15,266 [Freddy] The way the wind's blowing right now, 659 00:27:15,266 --> 00:27:18,567 it probably gusts 60, 70 miles an hour. 660 00:27:18,567 --> 00:27:20,300 But we're not gonna be the guy that catches 661 00:27:20,300 --> 00:27:21,667 this valley on fire. 662 00:27:21,667 --> 00:27:22,800 That's for damn sure. 663 00:27:24,500 --> 00:27:26,066 [Nick] Some doubt, you know, 664 00:27:26,066 --> 00:27:27,867 if we're gonna get it done in time. 665 00:27:27,867 --> 00:27:31,834 I want to be a very good provider for my family. 666 00:27:32,567 --> 00:27:34,000 I've got too much into this. 667 00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:35,767 Every single thing I have, 668 00:27:35,767 --> 00:27:39,934 every ounce of my being is invested into this project. 669 00:27:40,667 --> 00:27:42,333 I've got to make it work. 670 00:28:00,567 --> 00:28:02,000 How's it going, Nick? 671 00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:03,200 Good. And you? 672 00:28:03,800 --> 00:28:05,266 Fine, except the wind. 673 00:28:05,266 --> 00:28:07,166 Yeah, it's picked up today, huh? 674 00:28:07,166 --> 00:28:09,667 -Yeah, it's picking up. -Yeah. 675 00:28:09,667 --> 00:28:12,800 [narrator] At Nick Ballard's dry mine in Arizona, 676 00:28:12,800 --> 00:28:16,900 a red flag warning is in place for a second day. 677 00:28:16,900 --> 00:28:19,400 But the welding delay opens opportunity 678 00:28:19,400 --> 00:28:22,467 for another urgent need on the mine site. 679 00:28:22,467 --> 00:28:24,800 We cannot finish the plant right now. 680 00:28:25,400 --> 00:28:27,467 So, for the moment, 681 00:28:27,467 --> 00:28:29,767 we're gonna go do some prospecting, 682 00:28:29,767 --> 00:28:31,400 see what we can find. 683 00:28:32,767 --> 00:28:34,667 -Well, let's go look around. -Sounds good. 684 00:28:34,667 --> 00:28:36,567 -I'd like to see these draws. -Yeah. 685 00:28:36,567 --> 00:28:37,800 I'll follow you. 686 00:28:41,166 --> 00:28:43,400 [narrator] Each of Nick's gullies or draws 687 00:28:43,400 --> 00:28:44,900 was once a stream, 688 00:28:44,900 --> 00:28:47,667 slowly carving gold for mother lodes 689 00:28:47,667 --> 00:28:48,967 in nearby mountains 690 00:28:48,967 --> 00:28:51,700 and depositing it onto the rocky beds. 691 00:28:51,700 --> 00:28:53,700 The top of this one you're working here. 692 00:28:54,200 --> 00:28:55,567 Just by the look of the rock, 693 00:28:55,567 --> 00:28:57,600 you can see this hasn't been concentrated 694 00:28:57,600 --> 00:28:58,734 -a whole lot, right? -[Nick] Yeah. 695 00:28:58,734 --> 00:29:01,867 When you mine, you usually wanna start at the bottom. 696 00:29:01,867 --> 00:29:03,567 -[Nick] For sure. -[Freddy] Nature's sluice box. 697 00:29:03,567 --> 00:29:05,500 You know, you get that water going through there 698 00:29:05,500 --> 00:29:07,000 and it's concentrating that gold. 699 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:07,967 [Nick] Yeah. Yeah. 700 00:29:07,967 --> 00:29:10,200 I have found some stacks from some old-timers, 701 00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:12,300 you know, down below in this gulch. 702 00:29:13,166 --> 00:29:15,867 [narrator] 19th-century miners in Arizona 703 00:29:15,867 --> 00:29:18,000 often redirected streams 704 00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:20,667 to create powerful natural sluices. 705 00:29:20,667 --> 00:29:22,467 But they also used bellows 706 00:29:22,467 --> 00:29:26,066 to pump air into rudimentary dry sluices, 707 00:29:26,066 --> 00:29:28,467 using the exact same principles 708 00:29:28,467 --> 00:29:32,066 that Nick uses in his blow boxes. 709 00:29:32,066 --> 00:29:35,600 [Freddy] So we got three creeks confluence down there, right? 710 00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:37,367 So if you start where your best gold is, 711 00:29:37,367 --> 00:29:38,900 get that money in your pocket... 712 00:29:38,900 --> 00:29:40,000 And then work out, yeah. 713 00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:41,400 -And then work your way out. -Yeah. 714 00:29:41,400 --> 00:29:42,233 -[Nick] Yup. -[Freddy] Right? 715 00:29:42,233 --> 00:29:44,400 -See what you find. -[Nick] Mmm-hmm. 716 00:29:44,400 --> 00:29:46,367 Freddy just took me a little scouting mission, 717 00:29:46,367 --> 00:29:47,266 looking over the ground. 718 00:29:47,266 --> 00:29:49,467 And, I mean, I'm at the top of a hill. 719 00:29:49,467 --> 00:29:50,433 Then the farther down you get, 720 00:29:50,433 --> 00:29:53,000 the more of that concentration you will get. 721 00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:54,467 There's a plan here for down the line, 722 00:29:54,467 --> 00:29:55,900 and it's much appreciated. 723 00:30:18,367 --> 00:30:19,767 The wind slowed down a little bit, 724 00:30:19,767 --> 00:30:21,934 so that's helpful. 725 00:30:23,900 --> 00:30:26,667 The red flag warning isn't in effect right now, 726 00:30:26,667 --> 00:30:29,767 but I bet it will be this afternoon. 727 00:30:29,767 --> 00:30:32,367 [narrator] With less than 24 hours left in the rescue... 728 00:30:32,367 --> 00:30:34,467 Well, we're gonna try to get everything done 729 00:30:34,467 --> 00:30:36,400 that we said we were gonna get done. 730 00:30:36,400 --> 00:30:38,800 We just gotta keep going. 731 00:30:38,800 --> 00:30:42,100 [narrator] ...Freddy and Juan capitalize on the short wind break 732 00:30:42,100 --> 00:30:45,767 to finish their punch plate and drive system builds. 733 00:30:45,767 --> 00:30:47,166 But the clock is ticking 734 00:30:47,166 --> 00:30:49,266 to construct a solar-paneled trailer 735 00:30:49,266 --> 00:30:52,600 before the red flag shuts them down again. 736 00:30:55,367 --> 00:30:57,767 Get loaded up, head over to the plant, 737 00:30:57,767 --> 00:30:58,567 get the ring on there. 738 00:30:58,567 --> 00:31:00,266 We're gonna put the drive system on, 739 00:31:00,266 --> 00:31:01,400 get this trommel rolling. 740 00:31:04,800 --> 00:31:06,333 [Freddy] Ready to put this on, Danny? 741 00:31:07,266 --> 00:31:08,667 [Danny] Let's do it. 742 00:31:08,667 --> 00:31:11,100 [narrator] Freddy plans to install a vibrator 743 00:31:11,100 --> 00:31:14,100 underneath the punch plate that will shake the dirt 744 00:31:14,100 --> 00:31:17,133 and evenly classify it into the sluices. 745 00:31:18,066 --> 00:31:19,600 [Freddy] You go to that side, bud. 746 00:31:21,100 --> 00:31:22,400 So, push hard? 747 00:31:23,600 --> 00:31:24,867 Or fairly hard. 748 00:31:24,867 --> 00:31:26,500 [drill machine whirring] 749 00:31:31,066 --> 00:31:33,400 [Freddy] So we'll turn it on and we'll see. 750 00:31:33,900 --> 00:31:35,000 Fire in the hole. 751 00:31:35,000 --> 00:31:36,634 [drill machine whirring] 752 00:31:37,700 --> 00:31:38,800 [Danny] There we go. 753 00:31:38,800 --> 00:31:40,033 [laughs] 754 00:31:46,467 --> 00:31:49,166 It's loud, but that's what we're after right there, buddy. 755 00:31:49,166 --> 00:31:50,233 Right on. 756 00:31:51,800 --> 00:31:53,467 [narrator] One fix down, 757 00:31:53,467 --> 00:31:56,000 eight hours to go till nightfall. 758 00:31:58,166 --> 00:32:00,567 Right now, we gotta get this little project done 759 00:32:00,567 --> 00:32:02,200 and get onto the next one. 760 00:32:05,367 --> 00:32:07,567 [narrator] Juan races to fit the drive system 761 00:32:07,567 --> 00:32:11,200 that will turn the trommel, saving miner Danny's back 762 00:32:11,200 --> 00:32:13,300 and increasing the amount of pay dirt 763 00:32:13,300 --> 00:32:14,700 through the plant. 764 00:32:15,767 --> 00:32:16,533 Give that a shot. 765 00:32:16,533 --> 00:32:17,800 Let's see what that looks like. 766 00:32:17,800 --> 00:32:19,033 -Up here. -Thank you. 767 00:32:22,200 --> 00:32:24,767 I'm having to cut that new sprocket in half 768 00:32:24,767 --> 00:32:26,800 so I can get it around the drum, 769 00:32:26,800 --> 00:32:27,900 and I'm gonna weld it in place. 770 00:32:27,900 --> 00:32:29,066 Once it's welded in place, 771 00:32:29,066 --> 00:32:30,166 I'm gonna build off of it, 772 00:32:30,166 --> 00:32:31,900 put our new gear box, our new motor, 773 00:32:31,900 --> 00:32:33,000 and assembly there, 774 00:32:33,000 --> 00:32:34,934 so that way, we can actually turn the trommel drum. 775 00:32:39,967 --> 00:32:41,800 [narrator] As the wind picks up, 776 00:32:42,667 --> 00:32:44,266 Freddy takes on the final 777 00:32:44,266 --> 00:32:47,066 and most critical build at the Ballard mine. 778 00:32:47,066 --> 00:32:48,767 [Freddy] Juan's putting the drive system 779 00:32:48,767 --> 00:32:50,867 on the plant right now, 780 00:32:50,867 --> 00:32:53,600 and I'm just getting started on this solar trailer. 781 00:32:55,266 --> 00:32:57,567 This is my first adventure with 782 00:32:57,567 --> 00:33:00,867 anything over a solar panel about that big, right? 783 00:33:00,867 --> 00:33:02,567 You know, but that's how you learn. 784 00:33:02,567 --> 00:33:05,166 If you don't strive to learn new things, 785 00:33:05,166 --> 00:33:07,066 you never jump ahead. 786 00:33:07,066 --> 00:33:09,767 [narrator] Freddy will repurpose an old trailer, 787 00:33:09,767 --> 00:33:12,800 adding a steel framework for solar panels. 788 00:33:12,800 --> 00:33:15,066 The panels will then run the plant, 789 00:33:15,066 --> 00:33:18,000 eliminating Nick's expensive fuel costs 790 00:33:18,000 --> 00:33:20,100 and boosting gold profits. 791 00:33:21,367 --> 00:33:24,266 [Freddy] The wind's a nightmare, but it is what it is. 792 00:33:24,266 --> 00:33:25,734 We'll just fight through it. 793 00:33:26,567 --> 00:33:29,266 Oh [bleep] 794 00:33:29,266 --> 00:33:32,400 The wind's blowing so hard, it's moving my steel sideways. 795 00:33:35,367 --> 00:33:37,100 Right now, our major concern is 796 00:33:37,100 --> 00:33:40,667 if it's blowing angle iron and steel around like it is, 797 00:33:40,667 --> 00:33:43,266 trying to put these solar panels in place 798 00:33:43,266 --> 00:33:46,300 in this wind may be impossible. 799 00:33:47,467 --> 00:33:49,000 This [bleep] wind. 800 00:33:56,300 --> 00:33:58,667 [Juan] Let's get out of here and give Freddy a hand. 801 00:33:58,667 --> 00:34:01,300 [narrator] The third fix still not done, 802 00:34:01,300 --> 00:34:04,867 it's all hands on deck to complete Freddy and Juan's 803 00:34:04,867 --> 00:34:07,934 first-of-its-kind solar trailer. 804 00:34:08,667 --> 00:34:10,600 Nick, let's bring a panel over. 805 00:34:11,367 --> 00:34:13,867 Hey, Danny, you wanna hop up inside of there? 806 00:34:13,867 --> 00:34:14,834 You got it. 807 00:34:14,834 --> 00:34:17,133 We're gonna pick you this end up in the wind. 808 00:34:18,100 --> 00:34:19,300 Okay. 809 00:34:21,600 --> 00:34:22,900 [drill buzzing] 810 00:34:22,900 --> 00:34:26,000 Yeah, these solar generators sure come in handy for, 811 00:34:26,000 --> 00:34:28,567 you know, not having to put as much fuel in the generator. 812 00:34:28,567 --> 00:34:30,500 So, looking forward to that. 813 00:34:31,100 --> 00:34:33,266 Maybe I'll survive just yet. 814 00:34:33,266 --> 00:34:34,467 [narrator] Each solar panel 815 00:34:34,467 --> 00:34:37,667 will deliver up to 400 watts of electricity 816 00:34:37,667 --> 00:34:40,467 into the 125-pound batteries. 817 00:34:40,467 --> 00:34:42,300 [Freddy] Ouch. [bleep] wind. 818 00:34:42,300 --> 00:34:44,900 [narrator] Which will in turn power the plant. 819 00:34:47,767 --> 00:34:48,800 Look at that. 820 00:34:48,800 --> 00:34:50,767 -Oh. [laughs] -That's fancy. 821 00:34:50,767 --> 00:34:52,467 [Juan] It's part of our new green initiative. 822 00:34:52,467 --> 00:34:53,767 [Nick] Hopefully it works, huh? 823 00:34:53,767 --> 00:34:54,867 [Juan] Ah, I'm hoping so. 824 00:34:54,867 --> 00:34:56,266 [both laugh] 825 00:34:56,266 --> 00:34:57,467 [Juan] Get it down to the plant 826 00:34:57,467 --> 00:34:58,767 and get it running. 827 00:34:58,767 --> 00:35:00,200 [Freddy] Stop the wind, please. 828 00:35:06,567 --> 00:35:07,900 [Nick] It's flippin' hot out here in the desert. 829 00:35:07,900 --> 00:35:11,867 [narrator] 114 degree heat makes mining unbearable, 830 00:35:11,867 --> 00:35:14,467 but it has its advantages. 831 00:35:14,467 --> 00:35:16,367 [Freddy] We've got a solar-powered hot plate 832 00:35:16,367 --> 00:35:17,900 as long as the sun's out. 833 00:35:17,900 --> 00:35:20,266 It doesn't work real well in the winter. 834 00:35:20,266 --> 00:35:21,266 Cheap hamburger. 835 00:35:21,266 --> 00:35:23,600 I give it about 10 minutes and it'll be toasty. 836 00:35:25,066 --> 00:35:27,467 Done. It's hot. Cheese is melted. 837 00:35:27,467 --> 00:35:28,700 Time for lunch. 838 00:35:30,100 --> 00:35:32,333 Well, it's not the best lunch, but it's lunch. 839 00:35:40,767 --> 00:35:42,800 -Keep coming. -[Juan] Go. 840 00:35:42,800 --> 00:35:44,400 Chock the wheels there. 841 00:35:45,500 --> 00:35:47,166 Home sweet home. 842 00:35:47,166 --> 00:35:49,567 [narrator] At the Ballard mine in Arizona, 843 00:35:49,567 --> 00:35:53,500 trailer in place, it's the moment of truth. 844 00:35:53,500 --> 00:35:54,500 [Juan] All right, watch out, guys. 845 00:35:54,500 --> 00:35:55,934 Trommel's gonna start up. 846 00:35:57,700 --> 00:35:59,734 -[Freddy] Yeah. -[Juan] That's pretty sweet. 847 00:36:05,700 --> 00:36:07,200 So far, everything looks good. 848 00:36:07,200 --> 00:36:08,367 Batteries are holding up. 849 00:36:08,367 --> 00:36:10,700 Hopefully, it'll last the whole test. 850 00:36:10,700 --> 00:36:12,567 -That's pretty impressive. -[Freddy] Yeah. 851 00:36:12,567 --> 00:36:13,967 For our first attempt at solar, 852 00:36:13,967 --> 00:36:15,600 -I'm pretty happy with it. -I am, too. 853 00:36:16,367 --> 00:36:18,634 [Juan] Oh, four hour test. Here we go, huh? 854 00:36:19,667 --> 00:36:20,900 [Freddy] First bucket. 855 00:36:21,967 --> 00:36:24,000 [laughs] 856 00:36:24,000 --> 00:36:25,300 That is awesome. 857 00:36:25,667 --> 00:36:27,000 It's back saver, huh? 858 00:36:27,000 --> 00:36:30,266 [Danny] Oh, mate, you don't even know. 859 00:36:30,266 --> 00:36:33,066 Yeah. Look at that. 860 00:36:33,066 --> 00:36:34,800 [narrator] Instead of Danny and Nick 861 00:36:34,800 --> 00:36:37,400 hand turning the heavy barrel trommel, 862 00:36:37,400 --> 00:36:41,100 Juan's solar powered giant sprocket and chain motor 863 00:36:41,100 --> 00:36:44,367 allows nearly four times the amount of pay dirt 864 00:36:44,367 --> 00:36:46,000 to run through the plant. 865 00:36:47,166 --> 00:36:49,100 Way better. 866 00:36:49,100 --> 00:36:50,200 [Juan] This is perfect. 867 00:36:50,200 --> 00:36:51,600 It's like 6.7, 868 00:36:51,600 --> 00:36:53,333 almost 7 revolutions per minute. 869 00:36:55,000 --> 00:36:56,367 I'm very happy. 870 00:36:56,367 --> 00:36:59,333 My back's happy and Arrow is happy. 871 00:37:02,166 --> 00:37:04,467 [Nick] This is now the third hopper. 872 00:37:04,467 --> 00:37:06,967 I don't even think we're into an hour yet. 873 00:37:06,967 --> 00:37:10,600 So, it's already running way better. 874 00:37:12,567 --> 00:37:14,400 You see it on this sluice right here on the end? 875 00:37:14,400 --> 00:37:15,767 The material coming off of it 876 00:37:15,767 --> 00:37:17,266 is a lot cleaner than it was before. 877 00:37:17,266 --> 00:37:18,400 [Freddy] Yeah. 878 00:37:20,900 --> 00:37:22,400 [narrator] Freddy's new punch plate 879 00:37:22,400 --> 00:37:25,800 ensures gold-bearing pay dirt gets into the sluices, 880 00:37:25,800 --> 00:37:28,000 as well as adding more real estate 881 00:37:28,000 --> 00:37:30,567 for dry sluices in the future. 882 00:37:30,567 --> 00:37:33,667 Drive's running good, punch plate's running good, 883 00:37:33,667 --> 00:37:35,867 and the solar trailer's running everything. 884 00:37:35,867 --> 00:37:38,100 [Juan] Yeah. The solar system, this may be a game-changer 885 00:37:38,100 --> 00:37:39,300 for out here in the desert. 886 00:37:39,300 --> 00:37:40,400 We did good. 887 00:37:41,500 --> 00:37:43,600 [Danny] Oh, man. Yeah. 888 00:37:45,667 --> 00:37:47,166 [Nick] Last bucket. 889 00:37:47,166 --> 00:37:49,333 Hopefully, there's lots of gold in it. 890 00:37:51,166 --> 00:37:52,500 Shut her down, Nick! 891 00:37:55,667 --> 00:37:56,867 What do you think, guys? 892 00:37:56,867 --> 00:37:58,000 Yeah. 893 00:37:58,266 --> 00:37:59,300 Way better. 894 00:38:00,400 --> 00:38:01,266 [Juan] What do you guys say? 895 00:38:01,266 --> 00:38:02,867 If you guys wanna get this cleaned up, 896 00:38:02,867 --> 00:38:04,767 then we'll meet back up and see what that gold weigh is, huh? 897 00:38:04,767 --> 00:38:06,200 -[Danny] Yeah. Sounds good. -[Nick] Sounds good. 898 00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:21,567 [Freddy] Well, let's get it on the scale. 899 00:38:21,567 --> 00:38:22,700 -[Juan] Let's do it. -[Nick] That's good. 900 00:38:22,700 --> 00:38:23,967 Yeah. Yeah. 901 00:38:23,967 --> 00:38:25,166 -You got it? -I got it, bud. 902 00:38:25,166 --> 00:38:26,867 -All right, bud. -Short legs. 903 00:38:26,867 --> 00:38:28,367 [laughs] 904 00:38:28,367 --> 00:38:29,467 I was gonna make a comment, 905 00:38:29,467 --> 00:38:31,367 but I didn't wanna say nothing, Fred. 906 00:38:31,367 --> 00:38:33,600 Well, guys, moment of truth. 907 00:38:43,400 --> 00:38:45,567 Seven-tenths of a gram. 908 00:38:45,567 --> 00:38:47,200 So roughly at 40th an ounce. 909 00:38:47,200 --> 00:38:50,367 So, we did what, two-tenths last time of a gram? 910 00:38:50,367 --> 00:38:54,100 And now it's right at seven-tenths. 911 00:38:54,100 --> 00:38:56,900 [narrator] Nick has nearly quadrupled his recovery, 912 00:38:56,900 --> 00:38:59,000 while the solar panel system 913 00:38:59,000 --> 00:39:02,166 has reduced his costs to almost zero, 914 00:39:02,166 --> 00:39:05,166 allowing him to earn thousands a season 915 00:39:05,166 --> 00:39:06,266 from his operation. 916 00:39:06,266 --> 00:39:08,000 That's a really good increase, guys. 917 00:39:08,000 --> 00:39:10,000 -I really appreciate it. -[Juan] And having a trommel 918 00:39:10,000 --> 00:39:11,667 that turns without manual labor. 919 00:39:11,667 --> 00:39:13,367 -That trommel that turns... -[Juan laughs] 920 00:39:13,367 --> 00:39:14,967 -...is a game changer for me. -[Juan] And then on top of that, 921 00:39:14,967 --> 00:39:16,200 -that solar trailer... -...at the very least. 922 00:39:16,200 --> 00:39:17,600 [Juan] ...is pretty awesome, right? 923 00:39:17,600 --> 00:39:19,200 And if you had a wind turbine up here, 924 00:39:19,200 --> 00:39:20,367 you could run Las Vegas. 925 00:39:20,367 --> 00:39:22,100 [all laughing] 926 00:39:22,100 --> 00:39:24,867 Well, if gold mining fails I'll go into power generation. 927 00:39:24,867 --> 00:39:26,300 -There you go. -[all laughing] 928 00:39:26,300 --> 00:39:27,367 Yup. 929 00:39:27,367 --> 00:39:29,467 [narrator] But to stand a chance at his 50 ounce, 930 00:39:29,467 --> 00:39:34,000 $95,000 season target and keep his mine, 931 00:39:34,000 --> 00:39:36,767 he must move the plant to richer ground. 932 00:39:36,767 --> 00:39:38,567 All baloney aside. 933 00:39:38,567 --> 00:39:40,166 [Nick] I would move downstream. 934 00:39:40,166 --> 00:39:41,600 [Juan] It doesn't matter how efficient, 935 00:39:41,600 --> 00:39:43,467 how tricked out this plant's gonna be. 936 00:39:43,467 --> 00:39:47,166 If our ground that we're running is $5 a yard, 937 00:39:47,166 --> 00:39:48,700 it's gonna be a lot better down below. 938 00:39:48,700 --> 00:39:50,100 But honestly, guys, it's been a pleasure. 939 00:39:50,100 --> 00:39:52,300 We had a great time out here working with you, guys. 940 00:39:52,300 --> 00:39:53,500 -Come out anytime. -[Juan] Guys. 941 00:39:53,500 --> 00:39:55,066 -Thanks again, Freddy. -Thank you, guys. 942 00:39:55,066 --> 00:39:56,100 -Yeah. Thanks again. -Thanks, Freddy. 943 00:39:56,100 --> 00:39:57,734 -Sure, sincerely. -Yup. Thank you. 944 00:39:58,567 --> 00:40:01,000 So, Nick and Danny get the plant down 945 00:40:01,000 --> 00:40:02,500 where the gold should be, 946 00:40:02,500 --> 00:40:04,467 and start looking around. 947 00:40:04,467 --> 00:40:06,100 Who knows? 948 00:40:06,100 --> 00:40:08,266 You know, they may do really well down there. 949 00:40:08,266 --> 00:40:10,266 That's my hope. 950 00:40:10,266 --> 00:40:11,567 Well, let's get on the road, huh? 951 00:40:11,567 --> 00:40:12,967 -I'll follow you, buddy. -Okay. 952 00:40:12,967 --> 00:40:14,000 All right. 953 00:40:14,000 --> 00:40:15,767 [Nick] That definitely breathes some more life 954 00:40:15,767 --> 00:40:16,700 into my motivations, 955 00:40:16,700 --> 00:40:18,900 and it's not the end of the road anymore. 956 00:40:18,900 --> 00:40:21,367 I've got a little bit more wind in my sail, 957 00:40:21,367 --> 00:40:23,700 and I look forward to the future. 958 00:40:33,900 --> 00:40:36,700 Well, Freddy, Juan, since you've been gone, 959 00:40:36,700 --> 00:40:37,900 I've moved the plant. 960 00:40:37,900 --> 00:40:39,667 I'm on quite a bit better ground. 961 00:40:39,667 --> 00:40:41,000 At least double 962 00:40:41,000 --> 00:40:43,900 what I was getting up at that other spot. 963 00:40:43,900 --> 00:40:48,000 Here's some of the chunkies that I've gotten recently. 964 00:40:49,467 --> 00:40:51,567 [Danny] And I'm gonna build a little house. 965 00:40:51,567 --> 00:40:53,967 This is my dry storage that I'm making. 966 00:40:53,967 --> 00:40:57,300 That's gonna be my little herb garden and everything. 967 00:40:57,867 --> 00:41:01,500 And that's my view. 968 00:41:01,500 --> 00:41:04,000 [Nick] The solar trailer's just been a dream. 969 00:41:04,000 --> 00:41:07,000 I actually haven't even brought the generator out here. 970 00:41:08,500 --> 00:41:10,567 So, I hope things continue to progress 971 00:41:10,567 --> 00:41:13,166 because I've got some giant news. 972 00:41:13,166 --> 00:41:16,333 Mikey and I are expecting another baby. 973 00:41:18,500 --> 00:41:20,100 I learned a quote long time ago 974 00:41:20,100 --> 00:41:21,867 that if you shoot for the moon, 975 00:41:21,867 --> 00:41:24,266 even if you miss, you'll land with the stars. 976 00:41:24,266 --> 00:41:26,367 So, I'll keep doing it.