1 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:06,799 I've been in the gold room doing someone else's job, 2 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:10,000 and I'm unaware of the issues that we're having up here 3 00:00:10,120 --> 00:00:11,439 at the wash plant. 4 00:00:11,440 --> 00:00:13,799 [narrator] On this episode of "Mine Rescue"... 5 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:15,039 - [heavy crash] - [bleep]! 6 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:16,240 Argh! 7 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:19,599 A widowed mine owner makes a last stand 8 00:00:19,600 --> 00:00:21,639 on her inherited claim. 9 00:00:21,640 --> 00:00:23,400 Everyone just need to be on the same page. 10 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:26,640 - Whoa, whoa, whoa! - Shut it down. 11 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:29,760 But with winter closing in... 12 00:00:30,840 --> 00:00:33,120 We've been broke down more than we've been able to run. 13 00:00:33,240 --> 00:00:35,479 The frustration levels are very high for me. 14 00:00:35,480 --> 00:00:37,199 That's got to be one of the shortest test runs, huh? 15 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:38,199 Two seconds. 16 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:41,320 ...and more than just gold at stake... 17 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:43,800 [Chrisie] He would have been so proud of me that I can ride 18 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:46,839 the loader, drive the loader, that I can mine. 19 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:50,239 ...the pressure is on for Freddy and Juan to help them 20 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:51,639 find fortune. 21 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:53,800 I was hoping to see more gold in the pan. 22 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:55,640 Or face failure. 23 00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:58,040 [Juan] We are trying to cram two weeks worth of work in a week. 24 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:01,839 [Freddy] I just spotted a huge problem, guys. 25 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:02,880 Could be a season-ender. 26 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:12,720 Probably the highest mine rescue we've ever done, huh? 27 00:01:13,960 --> 00:01:16,560 I think it's 14,400 feet, that mountain. 28 00:01:17,560 --> 00:01:21,040 The thin air, lack of water, and shorter season make 29 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:24,279 Colorado's Rocky Mountains one of the hardest places 30 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:25,760 to mine in the U.S. 31 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:30,479 On the doorstep of winter, Freddy and Juan race to 32 00:01:30,480 --> 00:01:33,920 the Leadville Mining District, where the miners make what will 33 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:37,760 be their last stand before financial ruin. 34 00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:38,760 - Hi! - How are you doing? 35 00:01:38,880 --> 00:01:40,120 Good to see you. 36 00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:41,679 Good to see you guys. Freddy. 37 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:42,679 - Sean. - Nice to meet you, Sean. 38 00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:43,759 - Chrisie. - Freddy. 39 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:44,960 - Nice to meet you. - [Freddy] So how's it going? 40 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:46,399 Well, we're having our struggles. 41 00:01:46,400 --> 00:01:47,320 - [Juan] Yeah? - Struggles. 42 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:49,000 We've only ran 36 days. 43 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:50,639 [Juan] You've only ran 36 days, huh? 44 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:52,200 You broke down a lot then? 45 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:54,600 [Chrisie] On and off for about five months. 46 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:56,200 [Sean] Lots of breakdowns. 47 00:01:56,320 --> 00:01:58,679 [Juan] What have been your main issues as far as breakdowns go? 48 00:01:58,680 --> 00:01:59,880 Everything. 49 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:02,400 It's been from one end to the other. 50 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:05,719 It's cost employees, health, friendships. 51 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:07,240 It's been a real heartache. 52 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:09,480 Never really had frustrations this bad. 53 00:02:09,600 --> 00:02:10,760 But on top of that, when we drove in, 54 00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:12,359 it was a little snowy, so... 55 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:14,959 [Freddy] The trees are changing colors, so that says mining season 56 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:15,960 up here is coming to an end. 57 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:17,319 - [Sean] Yeah, sir. - [Chrisie] Yep. 58 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:19,119 You know, it may not seem like a whole lot, but, you know, 59 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:21,199 genuinely, when you don't have a whole lot of time left, 60 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:22,320 you know, it could be a big hurdle. 61 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:23,360 That is true. 62 00:02:23,480 --> 00:02:24,600 That's part of our struggle as well. 63 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:25,760 We're running out of time. 64 00:02:26,720 --> 00:02:31,080 Originally a family business, Chrisie has taken over running 65 00:02:31,200 --> 00:02:34,040 the 3,000-acre Willow Creek Mine. 66 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:37,280 The plan was for my husband and I to run the mine 67 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:39,079 and have our family here. 68 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:41,240 Things happened, he passed away... 69 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:42,480 [sighs] 70 00:02:46,480 --> 00:02:48,679 [Sean] Chrisie never got an opportunity to do anything 71 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:51,520 with her husband on this mine, and they just kind of let 72 00:02:51,640 --> 00:02:53,519 everything go dormant. 73 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:55,920 Her and I crossed paths and struck a deal, 74 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:57,800 and here I am. 75 00:02:57,920 --> 00:03:02,199 My relationship with Sean is like a brother-sister 76 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:05,599 kind of relationship. We kind of joke about that. 77 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:07,080 He's great. His family's great. 78 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:09,640 - Almost got me. - [Chrisie] Almost got you. 79 00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:11,119 I've learned so much from him. 80 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:13,080 Chrisie, do you have somewhere to put this? 81 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:16,239 [Chrisie] There's no other person who's going to lease your land 82 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:17,680 and then let you come and help. 83 00:03:17,800 --> 00:03:19,080 Ooh, that's a pretty one. 84 00:03:19,200 --> 00:03:20,320 [Sean] That's a nice one. 85 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:22,360 Or be any part of what they're doing. 86 00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:24,519 All right, I'm sticking it in my pocket. 87 00:03:24,520 --> 00:03:25,960 Don't let me forget. 88 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:30,119 But for Sean, this season isn't just critical. 89 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:33,480 Failure could end his mining career for good. 90 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:39,600 I always had a passion for gold, so that led me to 91 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:41,639 chase the dream. 92 00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:44,120 Mining has put a strain on my family. 93 00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:46,320 I've lost quite a bit of money in the past, you know, 94 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:48,039 some of our life savings. 95 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:51,959 My wife, she's given me one more chance to succeed at this, 96 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:53,279 and if I don't succeed, 97 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:54,880 then I'm gonna have to get out of gold mining. 98 00:03:57,720 --> 00:03:59,399 - [Freddy] Do you have any of the gold... - [Sean] Yes, sir. 99 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:00,600 ...that you're pulling out of the ground up here 100 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:01,920 that we can look at? - Yes, sir. 101 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:06,999 [Freddy] Combination of chunky and fine, huh? 102 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:08,239 - [Juan] Beautiful. - [Freddy] Yeah. 103 00:04:08,240 --> 00:04:10,040 Chunky and fine gold 104 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:12,880 indicate multiple events on the land, 105 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:16,999 a high potential target if the gold can be captured. 106 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:19,040 [Juan] So how much have you gotten this season so far? 107 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:21,119 We've gotten 87 ounces already this season. 108 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:22,040 [Juan] Not terrible. 109 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:23,719 Well, what's your goal for this season? 110 00:04:23,720 --> 00:04:26,080 We really need probably around 350. 111 00:04:27,840 --> 00:04:29,120 To keep up all the claims, 112 00:04:29,240 --> 00:04:32,159 all the equipment, the insurance. 113 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:33,920 It's going to be a hard one because the one thing about 114 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:35,999 being this high up is winter comes quick, right? 115 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:37,039 [Sean] Yes, sir. 116 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:38,799 [Juan] You probably only have 40 days left. 117 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:40,840 To help them run consistently, 118 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:44,040 a rescue must increase production to at least 119 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:46,200 6.5 ounces a day 120 00:04:46,320 --> 00:04:49,000 to stand any hope of hitting their goal. 121 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:50,879 What's been your best day? 122 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:54,440 We had a day where we got nine ounces out of a thousand tons, 123 00:04:54,560 --> 00:04:56,680 but we haven't been able to do that since. 124 00:04:56,800 --> 00:04:59,159 [Juan] So that tells us that there is some spotty ground here. 125 00:04:59,160 --> 00:05:01,960 So more than likely it's going to be a combination of working 126 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:04,119 on the plant, but then also trying to figure out where that 127 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:06,319 gold is and follow that. - Absolutely. 128 00:05:06,320 --> 00:05:09,839 'Cause if gold was everywhere, it wouldn't be worth anything. 129 00:05:09,840 --> 00:05:12,440 - True. - What have you invested so far? 130 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:15,959 I got a start up $50,000 on this. 131 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:17,239 [Freddy] And who loaned you that money? 132 00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:18,200 Chrisie did. 133 00:05:18,320 --> 00:05:19,320 [Freddy] OK. 134 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:22,679 Well, what happens, you know, if you don't get 135 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:23,760 your goal this year? 136 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:28,040 Well, I'm going to have to pay back my debt. 137 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:29,519 [Freddy] Right. 138 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:32,679 [Sean] And I'm gonna have to go get a real job and pay them 139 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:34,280 back out of my payroll. 140 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:35,880 Well, we'll do our best to help you. 141 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:38,200 [Sean] The frustration levels are very high for me. 142 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:40,600 We've been broke down more than we've been able to run. 143 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:42,560 [Juan] Well, you know, what we like to do is typically we want to 144 00:05:42,680 --> 00:05:45,639 watch a test run and go from there so we can kind of assess 145 00:05:45,640 --> 00:05:47,200 what's going on and figure out what we can do 146 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:48,640 to help you, OK? - [Chrisie] Sounds great. 147 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:49,999 - Thank you. - [Juan] All right. 148 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:51,800 Right off the get-go, they seem like really nice people, 149 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:53,600 but, you know, I think they might be a little 150 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:55,679 unrealistic with some of their goals right now, 151 00:05:55,680 --> 00:05:57,879 so they definitely need some help. 152 00:05:57,880 --> 00:06:00,119 I'm not 100% sure if their goal is really, 153 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:01,560 you know, attainable. - Fire it up. 154 00:06:08,360 --> 00:06:09,920 Let's do it. Start the gen. 155 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:12,920 The crew, led by Sean, 156 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:15,200 includes Chrisie's cousin, Dan, 157 00:06:15,320 --> 00:06:17,600 and contractor, Ezekiah. 158 00:06:19,360 --> 00:06:20,360 Start the timer. 159 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:23,600 [heavy crash] 160 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:25,400 [Freddy] Oh, [bleep]. 161 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:27,039 - Shut her down. - Whoa! 162 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:29,000 [bleep] Argh! 163 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:32,840 - [bleep] - [honking] 164 00:06:33,840 --> 00:06:35,279 [bleep] 165 00:06:35,280 --> 00:06:36,400 Are you kidding me? 166 00:06:38,960 --> 00:06:40,880 That's got to be one of the shortest test runs, huh? 167 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:42,679 Two seconds. 168 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:45,320 - Yeah, that's a record. - Unbelievable. 169 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:48,040 [Chrisie] Not good. 170 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:50,600 [Sean] Oh, man. 171 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:53,759 One of the clamps came apart from one of the water hoses 172 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:56,880 and got a little crazy. So now, once again, we're down. 173 00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:01,080 I'm being pushed to get gold, 174 00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:03,440 but it's just not happening because of the breakdowns. 175 00:07:04,520 --> 00:07:05,520 This is going to take forever. 176 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:08,440 Well, I'm keeping the clock running. 177 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:11,079 You know, it's still part of the four-hour run. 178 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:12,160 Exactly. 179 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:14,480 Big deal here, you know, the climate here is 180 00:07:14,600 --> 00:07:16,520 the same as [indistinct] Alaska. - Mm-hmm. 181 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:20,359 So, I mean, you only have so much of a season to run. 182 00:07:20,360 --> 00:07:22,960 Yeah, yeah. Well, it's not a good start, 183 00:07:23,080 --> 00:07:24,640 but I can see why they haven't ran a whole lot. 184 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:27,200 You guys ready to fire up again? 185 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:36,000 [Juan] Well, there we go. 186 00:07:37,480 --> 00:07:38,880 Hopefully we can get a bucket in there now. 187 00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:42,480 30 minutes later, first bucket. 188 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:44,119 Yep. 189 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:47,320 Pay is fed into a 40-foot rotating trommel, 190 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:52,799 where spray bars inside wash the pay from the gravels into 191 00:07:52,800 --> 00:07:56,999 a triple-sluice run where the gold should be recovered. 192 00:07:57,000 --> 00:08:01,159 While, to save their limited water, a sand screw separates 193 00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:05,079 fine tailings from the snow melt they need to rely on 194 00:08:05,080 --> 00:08:06,080 all season. 195 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:10,960 [Juan] That chain that's slapping on the bottom of the drive? 196 00:08:12,480 --> 00:08:13,880 - See how it's climbing? - Yeah. 197 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:15,520 [Juan] Eventually, it's gonna double up on itself. 198 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:19,959 Right now, the drive chain's getting hung up on the sprocket. 199 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:22,319 Eventually, it might break the chain or possibly 200 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:23,480 break the gearbox. 201 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:31,439 We're lean, lean, lean on water. 202 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:33,399 [Freddy] Yeah, way lean. 203 00:08:33,400 --> 00:08:37,400 Working at such elevation above the cloud line means 204 00:08:37,520 --> 00:08:42,040 the Willow Creek Mine gets just six inches of rain a year 205 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:44,640 to replenish the wash ponds. 206 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:47,640 [Freddy] The thicker the water gets, the more gold you lose. 207 00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:49,960 That's what happens when you sluice out of a mud puddle. 208 00:09:01,040 --> 00:09:03,719 [Juan] One whole section of the sluice box that's not being used. 209 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:06,640 This section right here is completely packed. 210 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:08,960 We've got a lot of issues here. 211 00:09:12,920 --> 00:09:15,239 Look at that big rock going up. 212 00:09:15,240 --> 00:09:17,680 - [Chrisie] Where? Uh-oh, uh-oh. - [Sean] Oh, [bleep]. 213 00:09:17,800 --> 00:09:19,560 Too big of rocks going through, man. 214 00:09:21,640 --> 00:09:23,000 Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! 215 00:09:25,680 --> 00:09:26,680 [Dan] It's going to shred this thing! 216 00:09:26,800 --> 00:09:29,080 [Sean] [bleep], get it out of there. 217 00:09:29,200 --> 00:09:31,960 [bleep], we gotta shut down again. 218 00:09:32,080 --> 00:09:33,120 [Dan] Yeah. 219 00:09:36,320 --> 00:09:37,560 Just shut the conveyor off. 220 00:09:37,680 --> 00:09:39,399 Oh, they did. Let's go take a look. 221 00:09:39,400 --> 00:09:40,520 [Sean] Another breakdown. 222 00:09:42,480 --> 00:09:43,840 Look, it shredded the belt up there. 223 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:45,160 [Chrisie] Oh, my [bleep]. 224 00:09:47,240 --> 00:09:49,679 We got some big rocks coming through and wedging in 225 00:09:49,680 --> 00:09:52,040 the frame, and it's tearing up my belt. 226 00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:53,600 Look at that big cut right up there. 227 00:09:55,160 --> 00:09:56,160 [bleep] 228 00:09:58,040 --> 00:09:59,359 [Juan] Well, I can see why they're not having 229 00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:00,560 a whole lot of runtime. 230 00:10:00,680 --> 00:10:02,560 A little problem here, a little problem there. 231 00:10:02,680 --> 00:10:04,120 - It shuts you down, yep. - [Juan] It adds up. 232 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:06,400 You have multiples throughout a day, yeah, 233 00:10:06,520 --> 00:10:07,960 you're losing hours of runtime. 234 00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:09,720 - [Freddy] Mm-hmm. - And motivation. 235 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:12,399 Man, this gets old. 236 00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:13,400 This is tiring, man. 237 00:10:15,560 --> 00:10:17,400 [Juan] That conveyor's not gonna last much longer anyways, Freddy. 238 00:10:17,520 --> 00:10:18,679 I think we should shut the test down. 239 00:10:18,680 --> 00:10:19,679 We're gonna have to. 240 00:10:19,680 --> 00:10:20,880 Hey, guys, just shut down. 241 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:23,080 All right. 242 00:10:27,440 --> 00:10:29,480 [Freddy] Not good on the conveyor, huh? 243 00:10:29,600 --> 00:10:32,880 You say you might have 40 days of a season left this year. 244 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:35,200 This conveyor will cost you 20 of them working on it. 245 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:37,760 The belt's too narrow 246 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:39,320 for the amount of material you're running. 247 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:41,319 That's why you're having rocks come off the side, 248 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:42,599 and that's a safety issue. 249 00:10:42,600 --> 00:10:45,960 This conveyor is not gonna make the rest of the season. 250 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:50,839 I know it was only an hour, but let's clean the box up 251 00:10:50,840 --> 00:10:52,799 and see what we got so we kind of have, you know, 252 00:10:52,800 --> 00:10:53,840 at least-- - [Freddy] A baseline. 253 00:10:53,960 --> 00:10:54,999 - [Juan] Baseline, yeah. - OK, sounds good. 254 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:56,399 [Juan] To figure out what we got in that hour, 255 00:10:56,400 --> 00:10:57,840 and then Freddy and I are gonna put our heads together 256 00:10:57,960 --> 00:10:59,119 and figure out what we can do. 257 00:10:59,120 --> 00:11:00,519 - We'll come up with a game plan. - [Chrisie] Sounds good. 258 00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:01,639 - Sounds good? - Thank you so much. 259 00:11:01,640 --> 00:11:02,640 - Appreciate it. - Thanks, guys. 260 00:11:04,120 --> 00:11:06,920 [Chrisie] I have a lot of responsibility to make this happen. 261 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:11,320 My family is relying on me, but with all the breakdowns, 262 00:11:11,440 --> 00:11:12,959 I'm just not sure how much longer 263 00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:15,000 we can survive. 264 00:11:15,120 --> 00:11:17,599 Now I see what Sean's up against. 265 00:11:17,600 --> 00:11:20,360 You know, it's frustrating, and it's really kind of brings 266 00:11:20,480 --> 00:11:22,400 to light why he hasn't been able to run all that much. 267 00:11:33,920 --> 00:11:35,360 [rugged music playing] 268 00:11:36,400 --> 00:11:37,440 [Freddy] How's it going, Chrisie? 269 00:11:37,560 --> 00:11:39,040 In Colorado, 270 00:11:39,160 --> 00:11:40,759 at the Willow Creek Mine... 271 00:11:40,760 --> 00:11:42,400 - Hey, Freddy, what's going on? - [Freddy] Didn't scare you, did I? 272 00:11:42,520 --> 00:11:44,280 Oh, no. [laughs] 273 00:11:44,400 --> 00:11:45,879 I was mesmerized by the table. 274 00:11:45,880 --> 00:11:49,719 Freddy checks in with mine owner Chrisie, who cleans up 275 00:11:49,720 --> 00:11:52,280 the gold from the aborted one-hour test. 276 00:11:52,400 --> 00:11:53,439 [Chrisie] There we go. 277 00:11:53,440 --> 00:11:54,759 There's a little bit of gold in it, huh? 278 00:11:54,760 --> 00:11:56,679 A little bit, a little bit. 279 00:11:56,680 --> 00:11:58,920 [Freddy] What got you into gold mining? 280 00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:02,320 [Chrisie] Well, my dad bought into this quite a few years ago. 281 00:12:02,440 --> 00:12:06,839 Shortly after that, I was up here with my husband. 282 00:12:06,840 --> 00:12:08,800 - [Freddy] Yeah. - [Chrisie] We came up, spent a month up here, 283 00:12:08,920 --> 00:12:11,959 and surveyed the whole area here with my dad. 284 00:12:11,960 --> 00:12:15,400 We were gonna start a new life, do some gold mining, 285 00:12:15,520 --> 00:12:17,799 and unfortunately my husband passed away. 286 00:12:17,800 --> 00:12:19,839 - Massive heart attack. - I'm sorry to hear that. 287 00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:20,880 Thank you, thank you. 288 00:12:30,320 --> 00:12:34,960 What made me want to be a gold miner was probably just 289 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:37,760 the adventure of it, just coming up here 290 00:12:37,880 --> 00:12:39,399 and learning more about it. 291 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:42,040 And that intrigued me, and so I just got more involved in it. 292 00:12:43,920 --> 00:12:46,080 It's hard being here without my husband being here. 293 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:50,360 I feel that this is where I'm supposed to be. 294 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:55,439 Without her husband's help to run the mine, Chrisie nearly 295 00:12:55,440 --> 00:12:58,439 abandoned it until Sean stepped in. 296 00:12:58,440 --> 00:12:59,439 [Chrisie] This is where I am, 297 00:12:59,440 --> 00:13:00,959 and I'm going to make it happen. 298 00:13:00,960 --> 00:13:04,080 The ultimate dream for this mine is for our family's 299 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:09,000 interests to help make it very successful for years to come. 300 00:13:09,120 --> 00:13:11,920 Everyone recovering gold and being miners. 301 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:14,399 I think Matt, my husband, would be very proud 302 00:13:14,400 --> 00:13:16,039 of what I'm doing today. 303 00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:17,200 I can't-- [voice breaks]. 304 00:13:21,720 --> 00:13:23,439 [Freddy] Kinda knocked the wind out of your sails. 305 00:13:23,440 --> 00:13:27,039 Yeah, it's been difficult at times, but it's good, too, 306 00:13:27,040 --> 00:13:31,439 because I know he's watching over us and I think he's happy 307 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:33,520 that I'm up here. - [Freddy] Yeah, I bet he is. 308 00:13:35,400 --> 00:13:38,280 [Chrisie] I want to do better, bigger things with this mine. 309 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:40,159 [Freddy] Well, this year's super important then. 310 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:41,720 - [Chrisie] It's very, very important. - Yeah. 311 00:13:41,840 --> 00:13:44,320 You know, it's either make it or break it, you know. 312 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:45,960 [Freddy] Well, hopefully we can help you make your goal. 313 00:13:47,320 --> 00:13:50,160 It's important for Chrisie to make this a success. 314 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:52,360 And I tell you what, she's a devoted person. 315 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:55,599 You know, she wants to learn. She works hard. 316 00:13:55,600 --> 00:13:58,000 So if the season lasts long enough, 317 00:13:58,120 --> 00:13:59,440 there's a good chance they'll succeed. 318 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:06,039 [Juan] How we doing? Got it all cleaned up? 319 00:14:06,040 --> 00:14:07,119 [Sean] Yes, sir. 320 00:14:07,120 --> 00:14:08,520 Cleanup complete, 321 00:14:08,640 --> 00:14:11,919 Freddy and Juan join the crew to weigh the gold 322 00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:14,319 from the one-hour test run. 323 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:15,559 Let's have a look. 324 00:14:15,560 --> 00:14:17,519 - Here's what we got. - [Freddy] OK. 325 00:14:17,520 --> 00:14:19,120 Nice, clean gold. 326 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:21,159 Well, let's do it. 327 00:14:21,160 --> 00:14:22,199 [Chrisie] Excited to see what we got? 328 00:14:22,200 --> 00:14:24,160 [Sean] Yeah. 329 00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:25,800 [Juan] Oh, there's a little chunk in there, too. 330 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:27,279 [Freddy] Little nugget in there. 331 00:14:27,280 --> 00:14:28,960 - Quarter ounce. - [Juan] Quarter ounce, yeah. 332 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:32,800 [Freddy] Half ounce. 333 00:14:36,280 --> 00:14:37,920 - Here's an ounce. - [Chrisie] There's an ounce. 334 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:43,279 [Juan] That's pretty decent, 1.18. 335 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:44,319 - [Freddy] Yeah. - [Juan] Yeah. 336 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:45,720 - [Freddy] Yeah, it's good. - [Juan] Wow. 337 00:14:45,840 --> 00:14:46,999 Yeah, considering the breakdowns, 338 00:14:47,000 --> 00:14:48,320 that's not bad at all. - [Sean] Right. 339 00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:51,959 [Freddy] Looks like you got decent gold here, but if you can't run, 340 00:14:51,960 --> 00:14:53,319 you know, you can't get it. 341 00:14:53,320 --> 00:14:55,040 Yeah, and you know-- and the truth is, 342 00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:56,440 you might have hit a hot spot, you know. 343 00:14:56,560 --> 00:14:58,640 You guys have mentioned before that you guys had really great 344 00:14:58,760 --> 00:15:00,800 cleanups and then the next day, nothing, right? 345 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:02,640 That is true. That is true. 346 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:05,039 But let us get back to the truck and figure out what 347 00:15:05,040 --> 00:15:07,440 we can do, and we'll come back and see you guys in just a bit. 348 00:15:07,560 --> 00:15:09,200 - That sounds great. - OK, we appreciate it. 349 00:15:12,280 --> 00:15:13,639 [Freddy] There's a lot of issues with that plant. 350 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:14,759 [Juan] Yeah. 351 00:15:14,760 --> 00:15:16,759 [Freddy] We've got distribution and water issues. 352 00:15:16,760 --> 00:15:19,319 [Juan] Right now, all three sluice boxes are packed with sediment. 353 00:15:19,320 --> 00:15:21,200 I think we need to start thinking about ground as well. 354 00:15:21,320 --> 00:15:23,159 [Freddy] You know, the ground's going to be a big part of it. 355 00:15:23,160 --> 00:15:24,599 [Juan] That conveyor, we need to get rid of it. 356 00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:26,520 - [Freddy] It needs to go. - Yeah, put a pit in there, 357 00:15:26,640 --> 00:15:27,760 they can muck the material out. 358 00:15:27,880 --> 00:15:30,159 - Yeah, pit and a ramp to get in with the loader. - Yep. 359 00:15:30,160 --> 00:15:32,640 On that drive system, I think maybe just an idler 360 00:15:32,760 --> 00:15:34,639 or something there to be able to take up that slop. 361 00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:35,680 - [Freddy] Yeah. - Because eventually, 362 00:15:35,800 --> 00:15:37,280 that chain's gonna double up on itself. 363 00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:39,799 Uh-huh, and it's gonna tear that gearbox apart. 364 00:15:39,800 --> 00:15:41,880 - Let's go talk to 'em. - Let's do it. 365 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:43,320 [hawk screeching] 366 00:15:44,640 --> 00:15:46,479 - How's it going, guys? - [Chrisie] Hey, guys. 367 00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:48,320 [Juan] Kind of came up with a few ideas of what we can do 368 00:15:48,440 --> 00:15:49,879 to help you guys out. 369 00:15:49,880 --> 00:15:51,880 One of the things that we're a little worried about is just 370 00:15:52,000 --> 00:15:53,959 the inconsistency of the ground, right? 371 00:15:53,960 --> 00:15:55,719 - I want to go into the cut with you. - [Sean] OK. 372 00:15:55,720 --> 00:15:58,199 So we'll have a look at the geology up here and, 373 00:15:58,200 --> 00:16:00,199 you know, do a bunch of test panning. - OK. 374 00:16:00,200 --> 00:16:02,760 But then we want to get your plant tuned up, too. 375 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:04,559 Most important is that distribution. 376 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:06,240 We'll try to get it where it's an even feed into 377 00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:08,480 all your sluices. - [Sean] OK. 378 00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:11,080 [Freddy] And then we want to put a tensioner on your chain 379 00:16:11,200 --> 00:16:13,079 because your chain's not long for the world 380 00:16:13,080 --> 00:16:14,319 the way it's running. 381 00:16:14,320 --> 00:16:15,640 - [Sean] A big mess. - Oh, it is. 382 00:16:15,760 --> 00:16:16,880 [Freddy] A very expensive mess. 383 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:18,680 You know, you break that box, you know, you're probably 384 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:20,239 25 grand for that box. 385 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:22,080 The biggest thing we want to do is make sure that the plant is 386 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:24,680 reliable, that you guys are able to run a full 10-hour day 387 00:16:24,800 --> 00:16:26,079 with no issues. - [Chrisie] Yes. 388 00:16:26,080 --> 00:16:28,560 [Freddy] It takes a lot of resources to get water out here. 389 00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:31,399 So every bit we can save is gonna save money 390 00:16:31,400 --> 00:16:32,559 down the line. 391 00:16:32,560 --> 00:16:34,400 [Juan] We can introduce more water on the backside. 392 00:16:34,520 --> 00:16:37,599 And with all that said, you know, we want 393 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:39,040 an ounce of gold apiece. 394 00:16:39,160 --> 00:16:40,839 Yeah, and then as far as the material goes, 395 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:43,039 $6,000 for material. - [Sean] OK. 396 00:16:43,040 --> 00:16:44,439 [Freddy] Conveyor's number one. 397 00:16:44,440 --> 00:16:45,400 All right. Well, let's do it. 398 00:16:45,520 --> 00:16:46,400 You guys are good with it? 399 00:16:46,520 --> 00:16:47,519 - Yeah. - [Freddy] Deal? 400 00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:48,520 - Yeah, yeah, all right. - Yeah, deal. 401 00:16:48,640 --> 00:16:49,720 - Sounds great. - All right. 402 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:54,559 In an ambitious wash plant overhaul to improve 403 00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:58,480 reliability, Freddy and Juan will remove the conveyor 404 00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:02,120 and replace it with a hassle-free tailings pit that 405 00:17:02,240 --> 00:17:03,560 can be easily cleared. 406 00:17:04,920 --> 00:17:08,959 On the trommel, the drive chain has become slack. 407 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:12,560 Juan will fabricate an idler to regulate the tension. 408 00:17:14,520 --> 00:17:18,079 And a new distribution chute will direct the silt-heavy 409 00:17:18,080 --> 00:17:22,280 concentrates into the sluice runs, which will be sealed, 410 00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:25,960 leveled, and raised to help catch more gold. 411 00:17:31,080 --> 00:17:32,560 [Juan] I got my rig right here for it. 412 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:34,519 Juan's first task? 413 00:17:34,520 --> 00:17:36,560 Remove the nine-ton conveyor. 414 00:17:38,120 --> 00:17:39,919 We should be able to lift it and get it out from underneath 415 00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:41,440 that stand and then be able to bring it down. 416 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:44,399 You want to just go with the chain around it 417 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:45,560 and back to your hook? - Yep, yep. 418 00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:50,639 Right now, we've got the legs 419 00:17:50,640 --> 00:17:54,280 dug out, and we're going to see if we can lift that conveyor. 420 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:57,040 [Juan] There's a lot of things that could go wrong right now. 421 00:17:57,160 --> 00:17:58,720 You know, if it's too much weight and we get off 422 00:17:58,840 --> 00:18:00,239 the stand, it could pull the truck over. 423 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:02,080 What I'm going to do is I'm going to lift it just a little 424 00:18:02,200 --> 00:18:04,479 bit to see if I can handle it. If I can handle it, great. 425 00:18:04,480 --> 00:18:06,480 If not, then we'll reposition. 426 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:07,600 OK. 427 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:12,920 There you go. 428 00:18:30,280 --> 00:18:31,879 [Dan] Yeah! 429 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:32,880 [Juan] That'll work. 430 00:18:34,440 --> 00:18:36,520 Got it done in a few minutes, but-- I appreciate it. 431 00:18:36,640 --> 00:18:37,640 - No worries, no worries. - Thank you. 432 00:18:39,280 --> 00:18:42,960 I am new to mining, but, yeah, I probably have 433 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:45,199 a little bit of gold fever. 434 00:18:45,200 --> 00:18:48,839 Sean's right-hand man is Chrisie's cousin, Dan, 435 00:18:48,840 --> 00:18:52,440 who came for family, but stays for gold. 436 00:18:52,560 --> 00:18:53,799 [Dan] I'm here to help Chrisie. 437 00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:56,440 She's trying to prove that she can make 438 00:18:56,560 --> 00:18:58,400 this mine successful. 439 00:18:58,520 --> 00:19:00,880 Very exciting to see your results when 440 00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:03,319 you do have a good run and a good cleanup. 441 00:19:03,320 --> 00:19:06,879 But I'm also doing this for my family, my two daughters 442 00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:09,240 and my wife, so that I can make a better life for them. 443 00:19:10,680 --> 00:19:13,400 Listen, once I get this dragged back a little bit, come with me. 444 00:19:14,680 --> 00:19:16,519 Now it's down on the ground, they can manage it, 445 00:19:16,520 --> 00:19:17,640 get it out of here. 446 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:23,800 ♪ 447 00:19:23,920 --> 00:19:25,120 [donkeys braying] 448 00:19:30,320 --> 00:19:33,719 We won't have any more problems with our conveyor belt. 449 00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:36,319 Freddy and Juan had us get that conveyor belt 450 00:19:36,320 --> 00:19:38,040 out of the way. 451 00:19:38,160 --> 00:19:41,720 So I'm digging out a tailings pit here, nice and deep. 452 00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:46,720 Definitely going to work out a lot better having that 453 00:19:46,840 --> 00:19:49,759 conveyor belt that always breaks down on me. 454 00:19:49,760 --> 00:19:50,920 We're going to speed things up. 455 00:19:52,200 --> 00:19:53,759 [Freddy] How's it going, Sean? 456 00:19:53,760 --> 00:19:55,000 [Sean] Good, Freddy. How are you doing? 457 00:19:55,120 --> 00:19:56,959 [Freddy] Doing all right. 458 00:19:56,960 --> 00:19:58,960 I'm just finishing up on this ramp here. 459 00:19:59,960 --> 00:20:02,679 What do you think about sloping it a little more gentle 460 00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:04,000 for your loader? - [Sean] We can do that. 461 00:20:04,120 --> 00:20:05,399 [Freddy] Save you a bunch of fuel. 462 00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:06,439 [Sean] Yeah, right. 463 00:20:06,440 --> 00:20:08,080 And wear and tear on your loader. 464 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:09,280 Yeah, absolutely. 465 00:20:09,400 --> 00:20:11,120 But that should hold some tailings, huh? 466 00:20:11,240 --> 00:20:12,479 [Freddy] Yeah, it looks good. 467 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:13,680 No, this'll work. 468 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:16,560 Getting rid of that conveyor's the best thing for this plant. 469 00:20:17,680 --> 00:20:19,359 I agree, 100%. OK, Freddy. 470 00:20:19,360 --> 00:20:20,480 - See you in a bit. - [Sean] Thank you. 471 00:20:24,400 --> 00:20:28,239 Freddy and Juan showed up just right at the nick of time. 472 00:20:28,240 --> 00:20:31,560 When Chrisie first came up here, she was sad. 473 00:20:31,680 --> 00:20:33,400 She was very heartbroken. 474 00:20:33,520 --> 00:20:37,040 This ship was ready to sink, and now there's a glimmer of 475 00:20:37,160 --> 00:20:41,000 hope that I can repay my debts and end this season 476 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:43,080 on a good note. 477 00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:45,840 That should be deep enough. 478 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:01,719 At 14,000 feet in the Rocky Mountains... 479 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:04,479 Let me design it out real quick and we'll get it cut. 480 00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:07,920 ...Juan begins work on a new distribution chute for 481 00:21:08,040 --> 00:21:09,760 the Willow Creek Mine. 482 00:21:09,880 --> 00:21:12,320 When you have a limited season, I'm hoping that once 483 00:21:12,440 --> 00:21:13,360 we get it in there, 484 00:21:13,480 --> 00:21:14,719 it's really going to help the production. 485 00:21:14,720 --> 00:21:16,759 But ultimately, we don't know until we actually put it 486 00:21:16,760 --> 00:21:17,920 in place and try it out. 487 00:21:19,920 --> 00:21:22,799 The chute will focus the pay from the trommel 488 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:24,200 to a central box. 489 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:28,999 A dampener will slow the material down and force it 490 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:32,000 to divide equally across the three sluices. 491 00:21:35,040 --> 00:21:37,239 And that way that material comes over, hits that center 492 00:21:37,240 --> 00:21:39,279 chamber, so it can fan out over the box 493 00:21:39,280 --> 00:21:41,560 and have equal distribution over the sluices. 494 00:21:43,080 --> 00:21:44,800 So we got all the parts cut out. 495 00:21:44,920 --> 00:21:46,960 Now I'm going to get down to the plant, get it installed. 496 00:21:56,360 --> 00:21:58,000 - This your cut then, huh? - Yes, sir. 497 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:00,440 [Freddy] Well, let's go have a look. 498 00:22:00,560 --> 00:22:02,279 [Sean] All righty. 499 00:22:02,280 --> 00:22:06,680 After a season of inconsistent cleanups, Freddy gets eyes on 500 00:22:06,800 --> 00:22:09,279 the material Sean is running. 501 00:22:09,280 --> 00:22:11,120 [Freddy] Why did you pick this area here, Sean? 502 00:22:11,240 --> 00:22:12,960 You're looking up at the mountain 503 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:14,960 and how the draw came down, 504 00:22:15,080 --> 00:22:16,600 and it came down through here. - [Freddy] Yeah. 505 00:22:17,840 --> 00:22:20,920 [Sean] This would be the stuff I took for our test right here. 506 00:22:21,040 --> 00:22:22,520 - [Freddy] Looks like clay, huh? - [Sean] Yeah. 507 00:22:24,040 --> 00:22:26,359 My thoughts here without panning yet... 508 00:22:26,360 --> 00:22:29,400 - [Sean] Uh-huh. - ...is that top layer 509 00:22:29,520 --> 00:22:31,599 is probably low grade. 510 00:22:31,600 --> 00:22:33,479 It hasn't been reworked a lot. 511 00:22:33,480 --> 00:22:35,639 It's kind of a glacial till on top. 512 00:22:35,640 --> 00:22:38,879 And this material down below, you can see how the rocks 513 00:22:38,880 --> 00:22:40,439 are laying in there. 514 00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:43,959 So this got reworked by a stream system at some point. 515 00:22:43,960 --> 00:22:46,280 That did not. That got pushed there. 516 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:47,519 [Sean] Do you think this could have been 517 00:22:47,520 --> 00:22:48,959 a really wide river at one time? 518 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:50,919 [Freddy] Don't know. Don't know. 519 00:22:50,920 --> 00:22:53,199 A stream doesn't have to be really wide, right? 520 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:55,399 But it's gonna go back and forth over millions 521 00:22:55,400 --> 00:22:56,640 of years, right? - [Sean] OK, yeah. 522 00:22:57,720 --> 00:23:00,600 - So it makes a valley wider. - Interesting. 523 00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:04,039 [Freddy] Well, let's take a sample of this and see what we get. 524 00:23:04,040 --> 00:23:05,200 [Sean] OK. 525 00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:14,720 Ooh, that water's cold. 526 00:23:16,160 --> 00:23:17,160 Ice cold. 527 00:23:19,120 --> 00:23:20,680 Not a tremendous amount of heavies in it. 528 00:23:25,240 --> 00:23:26,240 Hm. 529 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:31,720 [Sean] Is that hit-and-miss thing here, huh? 530 00:23:32,960 --> 00:23:35,160 Usually not with gold like this, though. 531 00:23:35,280 --> 00:23:38,440 Fine gold spread fairly evenly through a layer like that. 532 00:23:40,800 --> 00:23:42,680 I was hoping to see more gold in the pan 533 00:23:42,800 --> 00:23:43,880 after that gold weigh. 534 00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:47,120 And there's gold in it, but not much. 535 00:23:47,240 --> 00:23:48,480 [Sean] Well, it's surprising that 536 00:23:49,760 --> 00:23:51,160 you're seeing very little in there, 'cause... 537 00:23:52,520 --> 00:23:54,120 I've done a few pans along here, 538 00:23:54,240 --> 00:23:55,360 and they've been pretty good. 539 00:23:55,480 --> 00:23:56,720 [Freddy] Hm. 540 00:23:56,840 --> 00:23:58,200 Now, you pick a spot this time. 541 00:23:58,320 --> 00:23:59,360 OK. 542 00:24:11,400 --> 00:24:13,040 - See anything? - Nope. 543 00:24:17,360 --> 00:24:19,240 Let's take it down farther. You want me to take-- 544 00:24:19,360 --> 00:24:20,560 you want me to finish it? - Yeah, yeah. 545 00:24:22,160 --> 00:24:23,839 [Freddy] So right now I'm watching that tip out there. 546 00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:25,080 So if there's a piece of gold in there, 547 00:24:25,200 --> 00:24:26,520 you're going to see it. 548 00:24:28,680 --> 00:24:29,680 Two specks. 549 00:24:33,120 --> 00:24:34,240 - [Sean] I see them. - [Freddy] There and there. 550 00:24:35,320 --> 00:24:36,599 So it's no better than the other one. 551 00:24:36,600 --> 00:24:37,720 [Sean] Huh. 552 00:24:38,720 --> 00:24:40,280 I'm pretty surprised about that. 553 00:24:41,880 --> 00:24:44,120 You know, we did that one hour run, got over an ounce. 554 00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:48,679 I'm really shocked that we're not seeing the gold in the pans 555 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:50,400 like I'm seeing up there at the plant. 556 00:24:51,960 --> 00:24:54,200 [Freddy] There's gold in it, but nothing like that test. 557 00:24:56,160 --> 00:24:58,080 So, I'm going to call a buddy in, 558 00:24:58,200 --> 00:25:01,080 that mine's just down the hill here, and bring him up. 559 00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:03,959 He probably knows more about, you know, this type deposit 560 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:05,560 up here than anybody alive today. 561 00:25:05,680 --> 00:25:08,560 So, his information may be very helpful. 562 00:25:14,520 --> 00:25:15,640 [Juan] Hell yeah. 563 00:25:15,760 --> 00:25:19,240 At the plant, Juan assembles the distribution box, 564 00:25:19,360 --> 00:25:22,279 which will feed pay evenly to the sluices. 565 00:25:22,280 --> 00:25:23,280 [Juan] We'll make it work. 566 00:25:30,560 --> 00:25:31,520 That's good. Perfect. 567 00:25:33,320 --> 00:25:35,480 We're going to funnel all that material in, and then we have 568 00:25:35,600 --> 00:25:36,959 this little bit of a dampener. 569 00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:38,720 What this does is going to force the material in the water 570 00:25:38,840 --> 00:25:41,719 to be able to level out, and then that way it can divide 571 00:25:41,720 --> 00:25:43,880 three ways evenly across these sluice boxes. 572 00:25:45,480 --> 00:25:47,799 I still got to get everything built for the idler, 573 00:25:47,800 --> 00:25:50,599 and we have a lot of stuff we got to get fabricated before 574 00:25:50,600 --> 00:25:51,760 we can install it on the plant. 575 00:26:03,760 --> 00:26:05,119 [Freddy] How's it going, Lance? 576 00:26:05,120 --> 00:26:07,559 At the entrance to the mine... 577 00:26:07,560 --> 00:26:08,480 Good to see you, sir. 578 00:26:08,600 --> 00:26:10,319 [Lance] Good seeing you, as always. 579 00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:13,399 ...Freddy calls in friend and fellow mining mogul 580 00:26:13,400 --> 00:26:18,000 Lance Baller to get an insider's read on the ground. 581 00:26:18,120 --> 00:26:19,560 [Freddy] I appreciate you coming up the mountain. 582 00:26:19,680 --> 00:26:20,960 So, how is-- how are things looking? 583 00:26:21,080 --> 00:26:23,160 [Freddy] Well, I'd sure like to pick your brain on this area. 584 00:26:23,280 --> 00:26:24,880 You probably know it better than anybody. 585 00:26:25,000 --> 00:26:27,400 Let me grab my hard hat and I'll be right over. 586 00:26:27,520 --> 00:26:28,520 [Freddy] All righty. 587 00:26:31,720 --> 00:26:33,439 Here's where they got that pay from, Lance. 588 00:26:33,440 --> 00:26:34,519 [Lance] Uh-huh. 589 00:26:34,520 --> 00:26:35,520 [Freddy] Right over here. 590 00:26:37,640 --> 00:26:38,880 Looks like it's been reworked 591 00:26:40,080 --> 00:26:42,359 and it looks good, but the pans weren't good 592 00:26:42,360 --> 00:26:44,319 out of it. Have you ran any of this stuff? 593 00:26:44,320 --> 00:26:45,599 [Lance] Yeah, so, 594 00:26:45,600 --> 00:26:48,719 we lost a lot of money over those first few years trying to 595 00:26:48,720 --> 00:26:52,040 figure this stuff out. We panned a lot of it. 596 00:26:52,160 --> 00:26:55,159 It was very marginal. We couldn't figure it out. 597 00:26:55,160 --> 00:26:57,999 It was just not paying good. It didn't look good. 598 00:26:58,000 --> 00:27:00,200 And then we found out that there was a seam in there that 599 00:27:00,320 --> 00:27:04,879 was about 24 inches thick and 95% of all the gold was 600 00:27:04,880 --> 00:27:06,320 just in that seam. 601 00:27:06,440 --> 00:27:07,839 [Freddy] Do you see that seam in here? 602 00:27:07,840 --> 00:27:11,679 [Lance] Yeah, so you got your bigger rock coming down here and then 603 00:27:11,680 --> 00:27:14,320 you hit this layer and it looks like it's pay, 604 00:27:14,440 --> 00:27:15,880 it has rocks in there. 605 00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:17,319 It's not. 606 00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:21,360 It's going to be very, very low gold content until it hits this 607 00:27:21,480 --> 00:27:23,319 clay layer in here, as you see. 608 00:27:23,320 --> 00:27:25,960 So there's going to be a layer in between those clays that 609 00:27:26,080 --> 00:27:27,760 most of that gold is in between. 610 00:27:28,960 --> 00:27:32,279 Millions of years ago, mineral-rich hot springs 611 00:27:32,280 --> 00:27:35,800 bubbled up beneath Leadville, turning rock into clay, 612 00:27:35,920 --> 00:27:38,679 which traps a rich layer of gold. 613 00:27:38,680 --> 00:27:40,880 So this stuff, I would run. 614 00:27:42,640 --> 00:27:44,119 It's gonna mess up his ponds. 615 00:27:44,120 --> 00:27:45,360 That's why he's probably not running it, 616 00:27:45,480 --> 00:27:47,920 but it has gold in it and a lot of gold usually. 617 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:49,559 But he doesn't have a whole lot of water 618 00:27:49,560 --> 00:27:50,799 looking at it up there. - [Lance] Yeah. 619 00:27:50,800 --> 00:27:51,959 I've seen his pond. 620 00:27:51,960 --> 00:27:54,319 So if he can just manage the clays to try to get as much 621 00:27:54,320 --> 00:27:57,919 gold as he can out of this, he's in a hot, hot area here. 622 00:27:57,920 --> 00:27:59,280 He's going to do really well on this. 623 00:28:01,640 --> 00:28:04,199 [Freddy] Well, I learned more about the geology of this area 624 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:07,440 in an afternoon with Lance than I could have done in maybe 625 00:28:07,560 --> 00:28:11,280 a season, because he's been mining up in here for a long 626 00:28:11,400 --> 00:28:13,879 time and he's had pitfalls of his own. 627 00:28:13,880 --> 00:28:15,840 So, he's learned his way through them, 628 00:28:15,960 --> 00:28:18,880 so now I can pass on that information to Sean, 629 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:21,680 and, well, he can run from there. 630 00:28:22,760 --> 00:28:24,400 Well, I appreciate your advice on it. 631 00:28:24,520 --> 00:28:25,560 [Lance] All right. 632 00:28:39,480 --> 00:28:42,319 In Colorado's Leadville Mining District... 633 00:28:42,320 --> 00:28:43,799 [Juan] I have a sprocket design. 634 00:28:43,800 --> 00:28:46,359 We're going to cut it on this one-inch piece of steel. 635 00:28:46,360 --> 00:28:48,959 ...Juan sets to work to build a new idler 636 00:28:48,960 --> 00:28:51,240 for the trommel drive chain. 637 00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:52,439 What it's doing right now is 638 00:28:52,440 --> 00:28:54,640 that chain, as it comes across, is getting caught. 639 00:28:54,760 --> 00:28:56,599 Eventually it's going to get caught and double-up on itself 640 00:28:56,600 --> 00:28:57,679 and break off. 641 00:28:57,680 --> 00:28:59,199 So what we're going to do is we're going to put 642 00:28:59,200 --> 00:29:00,880 an idler there so that way it actually pushes it down 643 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:02,000 and gets it out of the way. 644 00:29:06,640 --> 00:29:08,120 So this is gonna be the tensioner arm. 645 00:29:08,240 --> 00:29:09,280 It's real simple. 646 00:29:09,400 --> 00:29:11,680 It's going to have a pivot here with two pillow blocks. 647 00:29:11,800 --> 00:29:13,760 Over here, it has these flange bearings and it's gonna have 648 00:29:13,880 --> 00:29:15,319 a sprocket here that rides on the chain. 649 00:29:15,320 --> 00:29:19,119 It'll pull that and get all that excess slop out of there, 650 00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:20,600 so that way it doesn't have a chance to double up. 651 00:29:31,520 --> 00:29:33,800 Look at that. That is sweet. 652 00:29:38,040 --> 00:29:39,920 Idler complete, 653 00:29:40,040 --> 00:29:42,320 Juan heads to the plant for the install. 654 00:29:46,520 --> 00:29:47,880 I got it. 655 00:29:53,120 --> 00:29:55,040 [Sean] I'm very excited to have Freddy and Juan come up here 656 00:29:55,160 --> 00:29:57,040 and help me with this, because that'll definitely 657 00:29:57,160 --> 00:29:59,960 save us a lot of time. No more breakdowns. 658 00:30:06,760 --> 00:30:08,319 [Juan] We're always behind schedule. 659 00:30:08,320 --> 00:30:10,439 You know, we're trying to cram two weeks' worth of work 660 00:30:10,440 --> 00:30:11,800 into basically a week. 661 00:30:13,680 --> 00:30:15,040 It's just kind of what we do. 662 00:30:21,800 --> 00:30:22,800 Well, that looks great. 663 00:30:25,120 --> 00:30:28,560 Over in the cut, Sean stockpiles the high-grade 664 00:30:28,680 --> 00:30:32,960 pay identified by Freddy and local Lance Baller. 665 00:30:33,080 --> 00:30:35,199 [Sean] I'm pretty excited to see how it works now. 666 00:30:35,200 --> 00:30:37,840 Because it's been a big struggle all season long. 667 00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:43,120 See if these fixes really will help us. 668 00:30:43,240 --> 00:30:46,120 Proof will definitely be in the pudding here when we do 669 00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:47,880 our test run. 670 00:30:56,080 --> 00:30:58,760 Three, four. 671 00:30:58,880 --> 00:31:01,000 At the wash plant, Freddy and Dan 672 00:31:01,120 --> 00:31:03,200 tune up the sluices. 673 00:31:03,320 --> 00:31:06,440 Eight, nine, ten. 674 00:31:07,440 --> 00:31:10,079 It's super important to keep these sluices leveled, 675 00:31:10,080 --> 00:31:11,840 so if it's pitched to one side, 676 00:31:11,960 --> 00:31:12,999 where's all your material gonna go? 677 00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:14,079 [Dan] To that side. 678 00:31:14,080 --> 00:31:15,919 So you're making a three-foot-wide sluice into 679 00:31:15,920 --> 00:31:18,360 a one-foot-wide sluice, essentially what you're doing. 680 00:31:20,520 --> 00:31:22,680 All their sluices were out of level, 681 00:31:22,800 --> 00:31:24,040 and I want more pitch. 682 00:31:25,480 --> 00:31:27,319 Let's see how leveled it is. 683 00:31:27,320 --> 00:31:28,519 Pretty darn leveled. 684 00:31:28,520 --> 00:31:29,960 - [Dan] I think we're close, yeah. - [Freddy] Yeah. 685 00:31:31,520 --> 00:31:32,760 OK. 686 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:34,240 Let's see what we got for pitch now. 687 00:31:36,120 --> 00:31:37,440 - Almost perfect. - [Dan] Yeah. 688 00:31:37,560 --> 00:31:38,959 [Freddy] Yeah. 689 00:31:38,960 --> 00:31:41,479 Every little thing we're doing here, so let's say just 690 00:31:41,480 --> 00:31:45,639 leveling these boxes gets you another 3% of gold, right? 691 00:31:45,640 --> 00:31:48,839 - [Dan] Right. - Let's say getting the pitches set, another 3% gold. 692 00:31:48,840 --> 00:31:51,439 You start adding those things up, pretty soon, 693 00:31:51,440 --> 00:31:54,079 you know, let's say you increase by 10, 20, 30%. 694 00:31:54,080 --> 00:31:56,320 [Dan] That's big. That's really big. 695 00:31:56,440 --> 00:31:58,600 They're all adjusted to the best we can adjust them. 696 00:32:00,200 --> 00:32:01,399 [Dan] I enjoy working with Freddy. 697 00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:03,920 He's a wealth of knowledge, to be honest with you. 698 00:32:04,040 --> 00:32:06,759 He's shown us a lot of little tips and tricks along the way, 699 00:32:06,760 --> 00:32:09,840 and we'll be sure and put those to good use in the future. 700 00:32:12,000 --> 00:32:13,960 [Freddy] Let's check out the sand screws, Sean. 701 00:32:14,080 --> 00:32:15,279 [Sean] Yeah-- oh, yeah. 702 00:32:15,280 --> 00:32:18,679 Next, Freddy looks into the water system to prepare 703 00:32:18,680 --> 00:32:20,840 for the new clay-rich pay. 704 00:32:20,960 --> 00:32:21,960 [Freddy] Something's not right. 705 00:32:23,440 --> 00:32:25,040 I just spotted a huge problem, guys. 706 00:32:27,240 --> 00:32:29,320 The back of your sand screw's buried. 707 00:32:29,440 --> 00:32:31,080 You can see the after effects downstream. 708 00:32:32,160 --> 00:32:33,960 That sand should not be there. 709 00:32:34,080 --> 00:32:35,519 Well, let's go shut it down. 710 00:32:35,520 --> 00:32:39,319 Freddy has spotted a major issue with the sand screw. 711 00:32:39,320 --> 00:32:41,240 [Freddy] You see this opening right here? 712 00:32:41,360 --> 00:32:42,440 [Dan] Yes, sir. 713 00:32:42,560 --> 00:32:45,400 [Freddy] OK, that's supposed to be closed off. 714 00:32:45,520 --> 00:32:46,959 [Sean] Interesting. 715 00:32:46,960 --> 00:32:52,279 [Freddy] All that water is going fast backwards through there, 716 00:32:52,280 --> 00:32:53,600 and it's dragging sand with it. 717 00:32:54,600 --> 00:32:56,200 And that's why you're buried downstream. 718 00:32:57,600 --> 00:33:01,719 The sand screw separates fine tailings from sluice water, 719 00:33:01,720 --> 00:33:05,279 spiraling solids upwards while recycling water 720 00:33:05,280 --> 00:33:06,879 back into the system. 721 00:33:06,880 --> 00:33:10,559 But with a plate missing, both solids and water are 722 00:33:10,560 --> 00:33:13,040 carried backwards into the holding pond, 723 00:33:14,120 --> 00:33:17,560 silting up the fresh water supply, which if run through 724 00:33:17,680 --> 00:33:20,040 the plant will lose fine gold. 725 00:33:20,160 --> 00:33:22,079 [Freddy] That little hole right there is the reason why 726 00:33:22,080 --> 00:33:23,360 that's all buried back there. 727 00:33:24,800 --> 00:33:27,719 [Sean] Wow, just that little hole made that much damage. 728 00:33:27,720 --> 00:33:30,319 [Freddy] If this isn't fixed, the pond's going to fill up. 729 00:33:30,320 --> 00:33:32,880 It's going to keep building up more material downstream, 730 00:33:33,000 --> 00:33:34,160 and they won't be able to run. 731 00:33:47,000 --> 00:33:48,319 So we need to block that off. 732 00:33:48,320 --> 00:33:50,440 [Freddy] We need to block that off, yeah. 733 00:33:50,560 --> 00:33:53,720 Just hours from the second test run at Willow Creek... 734 00:33:53,840 --> 00:33:55,080 [Freddy] You got a tape measure handy? 735 00:33:55,200 --> 00:33:56,519 [Dan] Yeah. 736 00:33:56,520 --> 00:34:00,000 ...Freddy and the crew work through a last-minute setback 737 00:34:00,120 --> 00:34:01,920 with the sand screw. 738 00:34:02,040 --> 00:34:04,719 [Freddy] 28 by 6, OK. 739 00:34:04,720 --> 00:34:08,360 With it empty of water, you know, it's an easy spot. 740 00:34:08,480 --> 00:34:10,199 So I'm sealing up the hole, 741 00:34:10,200 --> 00:34:12,200 and that's going to help save their sluice pond. 742 00:34:14,960 --> 00:34:16,440 Look pretty straight to you, Dan? 743 00:34:16,560 --> 00:34:17,560 [Dan] Yeah. 744 00:34:26,680 --> 00:34:27,759 - All right. - [Freddy] We got her. 745 00:34:27,760 --> 00:34:28,920 [Dan] Yes, sir. 746 00:34:29,040 --> 00:34:31,200 [Freddy] It's simple, but it's gonna make a huge difference. 747 00:34:36,320 --> 00:34:37,800 Are you guys ready to do a test run? 748 00:34:37,920 --> 00:34:38,840 Let's do it, yeah. 749 00:34:38,960 --> 00:34:40,199 - Absolutely. - [Juan] Excellent. 750 00:34:40,200 --> 00:34:41,240 [Freddy] Well, let's do one hour, 751 00:34:41,360 --> 00:34:43,399 so it's apples to apples to the last one. 752 00:34:43,400 --> 00:34:44,400 - [Sean] OK. - [Chrisie] Let's fire it up. 753 00:34:47,800 --> 00:34:48,800 [Sean] Here comes the water. 754 00:34:52,800 --> 00:34:53,800 First bucket! 755 00:34:55,840 --> 00:34:58,279 During the first test run, you know, it only ran 756 00:34:58,280 --> 00:35:00,680 about two seconds before a hose blew off, 757 00:35:00,800 --> 00:35:02,480 so we're ahead of that game right now. 758 00:35:06,960 --> 00:35:08,519 I'm watching the arm. It's doing really well. 759 00:35:08,520 --> 00:35:10,919 It's actually pulling that excess chain out of the way, 760 00:35:10,920 --> 00:35:12,160 so it's not getting stuck. 761 00:35:13,360 --> 00:35:14,360 Yeah, dramatically better. 762 00:35:17,080 --> 00:35:18,439 Looks like we can go quite a while 763 00:35:18,440 --> 00:35:19,800 without having to dig this out, 764 00:35:19,920 --> 00:35:21,999 because this is gonna keep pushing over. 765 00:35:22,000 --> 00:35:23,040 Yep. 766 00:35:23,160 --> 00:35:25,039 Beats the hell out of that conveyor, doesn't it? 767 00:35:25,040 --> 00:35:27,280 [Sean] Yeah, man. Game changer. 768 00:35:32,440 --> 00:35:35,160 [Juan] You know, having this dampener plate is actually helping that 769 00:35:35,280 --> 00:35:38,960 material level out and feed evenly, so it's about as good 770 00:35:39,080 --> 00:35:40,360 as it's gonna get. 771 00:35:40,480 --> 00:35:42,919 - [Dan] Water's way better. - [Juan] Oh, yeah. A lot better. 772 00:35:42,920 --> 00:35:44,560 [Dan] Way better coming down those sluices. 773 00:35:47,080 --> 00:35:48,360 - [Freddy] That's working good. - [Juan] Yeah. 774 00:35:48,480 --> 00:35:50,039 [Dan] Yeah, it looks pretty good. Looks better than it did. 775 00:35:50,040 --> 00:35:51,439 - That's for sure - It does look good. 776 00:35:51,440 --> 00:35:54,000 [Freddy] See, now it's forcing that material to go under that weir. 777 00:35:54,120 --> 00:35:58,639 Before, it had such a velocity going through that opening that 778 00:35:58,640 --> 00:36:00,040 it was just dragging sand. 779 00:36:01,920 --> 00:36:03,840 Right now, you've got a little time left of the season. 780 00:36:03,960 --> 00:36:05,080 Just run as much as you can. 781 00:36:05,200 --> 00:36:07,160 Yeah, that's what we need to do. 782 00:36:07,280 --> 00:36:09,119 - Just run, run, run. - Yeah. 783 00:36:09,120 --> 00:36:12,359 If we get, like, a complete six-day week in... 784 00:36:12,360 --> 00:36:14,159 - [Juan] Oh, yeah. - Oh, my gosh. 785 00:36:14,160 --> 00:36:15,200 That's gonna be incredible. 786 00:36:16,480 --> 00:36:18,359 I'm proving that I can do this, 787 00:36:18,360 --> 00:36:20,400 with gold being so high as it is right now. 788 00:36:20,520 --> 00:36:22,200 - Awesome! - Whoo-hoo! 789 00:36:22,320 --> 00:36:24,160 I think I could make this a successful mine. 790 00:36:25,800 --> 00:36:27,599 - What you got? - Eight more minutes. 791 00:36:27,600 --> 00:36:30,080 - Looks good. - Yeah-- Juan. 792 00:36:30,200 --> 00:36:31,200 [Juan] Good job, buddy. 793 00:36:32,640 --> 00:36:33,640 [Freddy] Last bucket! 794 00:36:41,160 --> 00:36:42,160 - Looks good, Freddy. - Yeah. 795 00:36:44,000 --> 00:36:45,519 I see gold in here. 796 00:36:45,520 --> 00:36:47,120 There's a bunch in this middle one, too, Juan. 797 00:36:47,240 --> 00:36:48,399 [Juan] Yeah. 798 00:36:48,400 --> 00:36:50,199 It's like, a lot more consistent than the last cleanup. 799 00:36:50,200 --> 00:36:51,200 [Juan] Yeah, for sure. 800 00:36:53,800 --> 00:36:55,639 Yeah, we can see it in all three boxes 801 00:36:55,640 --> 00:36:57,000 instead of just the one. 802 00:36:57,960 --> 00:37:00,799 You guys want to pull the mats and do a cleanup, and we'll get 803 00:37:00,800 --> 00:37:01,839 ready for a gold weigh, huh? 804 00:37:01,840 --> 00:37:02,879 - Yeah, let's do it. - Yeah. 805 00:37:02,880 --> 00:37:04,600 Sounds good. All right, guys, let's pull it. 806 00:37:08,720 --> 00:37:09,840 I'm not sure what's gonna happen 807 00:37:09,960 --> 00:37:11,639 if this doesn't work out. 808 00:37:11,640 --> 00:37:15,000 I'm not sure how long that we can survive. 809 00:37:24,160 --> 00:37:26,599 How's it going, guys? Got it all done? 810 00:37:26,600 --> 00:37:28,160 - [Sean] Yes, sir. - [Chrisie] Got it ready for you. 811 00:37:28,280 --> 00:37:30,999 At the gold room, Chrisie and her crew gather 812 00:37:31,000 --> 00:37:34,039 for the results of the one-hour test. 813 00:37:34,040 --> 00:37:35,439 How does it look? 814 00:37:35,440 --> 00:37:36,599 - Well... - That looks good. 815 00:37:36,600 --> 00:37:37,839 Nice and clean. 816 00:37:37,840 --> 00:37:38,919 You go ahead and pour it, Fred. 817 00:37:38,920 --> 00:37:40,079 Let's see what we got. 818 00:37:40,080 --> 00:37:41,120 [Juan] Let's see what you got. 819 00:37:42,800 --> 00:37:47,480 To hit their season goal of 350 ounces in the remaining 820 00:37:47,600 --> 00:37:50,959 40 days of the season, they need to be able to run 821 00:37:50,960 --> 00:37:55,200 10 hours per day, and this test must produce at least 822 00:37:55,320 --> 00:37:57,559 0.65 of an ounce. 823 00:37:57,560 --> 00:37:58,759 [both] A half ounce. 824 00:37:58,760 --> 00:38:00,200 [Juan] There you go. 825 00:38:00,320 --> 00:38:02,400 Uh-huh. Three quarters of an ounce. 826 00:38:03,480 --> 00:38:04,600 - One ounce. - [Chrisie] Yeah, yeah. 827 00:38:04,720 --> 00:38:05,999 - [Juan] There we go. - [Chrisie] We're past it now. 828 00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:08,640 - Oh, there it is. - There's 1.18 right there. 829 00:38:08,760 --> 00:38:12,039 And I'm gonna say we got a quarter of an ounce left. 830 00:38:12,040 --> 00:38:13,040 [Juan] Excellent. 831 00:38:13,160 --> 00:38:14,280 [Freddy] Let's see what we got. 832 00:38:18,000 --> 00:38:19,520 - 1.57. - [Juan] There you go. 833 00:38:19,640 --> 00:38:20,759 - [Chrisie] All right. - [Juan] That's awesome. 834 00:38:20,760 --> 00:38:21,959 - All right. - It's really good. 835 00:38:21,960 --> 00:38:24,479 - You did it in an hour. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. 836 00:38:24,480 --> 00:38:28,399 That's $1,200 an hour more than the first run, 837 00:38:28,400 --> 00:38:29,719 first hour run. 838 00:38:29,720 --> 00:38:33,600 A potential of $50,000 a shift. 839 00:38:33,720 --> 00:38:37,399 If Sean and Chrisie run every day, they could nearly double 840 00:38:37,400 --> 00:38:41,480 their goal to a $2 million season. 841 00:38:41,600 --> 00:38:42,600 - [Freddy] Right there. - [Chrisie] That's great. 842 00:38:42,720 --> 00:38:43,880 That's really gonna change things. 843 00:38:44,000 --> 00:38:45,320 [Freddy] The biggest thing is 844 00:38:45,440 --> 00:38:46,720 now you can run without breaking down. 845 00:38:46,840 --> 00:38:48,079 - Yes. - [Juan] Yeah. 846 00:38:48,080 --> 00:38:50,680 Now, if you can stay on that material, you're making $4,500 847 00:38:50,800 --> 00:38:52,759 an hour right now. That's awesome, right? 848 00:38:52,760 --> 00:38:54,120 - Yes. - [Dan] Fantastic. 849 00:38:54,240 --> 00:38:56,760 You need to do six and a half ounces a day 850 00:38:56,880 --> 00:38:58,799 for the last 40 days of the season. 851 00:38:58,800 --> 00:39:00,760 I think this is really going to turn our season around. 852 00:39:00,880 --> 00:39:02,000 [Juan] It should, absolutely. 853 00:39:02,120 --> 00:39:04,280 This morning, you see how much snow is on the mountains? 854 00:39:05,400 --> 00:39:07,920 This time of year, I'd run seven days a week. 855 00:39:09,040 --> 00:39:10,400 - All the hours you can run. - [Chrisie] Yeah. 856 00:39:10,520 --> 00:39:12,480 [Freddy] Your motto for the rest of the season should be, 857 00:39:12,600 --> 00:39:15,239 "Run, run, run." - [Dan] Right. 858 00:39:15,240 --> 00:39:17,599 And when you think about stopping, keep running. 859 00:39:17,600 --> 00:39:19,040 - [Chrisie] There you go. - Thank you so much. 860 00:39:19,160 --> 00:39:20,040 Yes, thank you. 861 00:39:20,160 --> 00:39:21,120 That was amazing working with you guys. 862 00:39:21,240 --> 00:39:22,240 Again, thank you so much. Thank you, Freddy. 863 00:39:22,360 --> 00:39:23,519 - Appreciate it, thank you. - Yeah, you're welcome. 864 00:39:23,520 --> 00:39:24,680 - Thanks, Juan, I appreciate it. - Likewise. 865 00:39:24,800 --> 00:39:26,080 Freddy, thank you very much. 866 00:39:27,400 --> 00:39:28,280 [Juan] Here, you can have the pan. 867 00:39:28,400 --> 00:39:29,560 - We'll keep the gold. - Oh, wait. 868 00:39:29,680 --> 00:39:30,880 [laughing] 869 00:39:31,000 --> 00:39:32,159 [Freddy] That pan's worth $4,500. 870 00:39:32,160 --> 00:39:33,120 That's not a good trade. 871 00:39:33,240 --> 00:39:34,559 [Juan laughs] Not a good trade. 872 00:39:34,560 --> 00:39:35,600 [Chrisie] That's a better trade. 873 00:39:35,720 --> 00:39:37,199 - [Juan] All right. - [Freddy] Take care, guys. 874 00:39:37,200 --> 00:39:38,359 [Juan] All right. See you later. 875 00:39:38,360 --> 00:39:39,560 - [Dan] Thank you, appreciate it. - [Chrisie] Safe travels. 876 00:39:41,760 --> 00:39:43,960 [Freddy] I couldn't have been more pleased with that gold weigh. 877 00:39:44,080 --> 00:39:45,640 You know, they may have 30 days left. 878 00:39:45,760 --> 00:39:47,239 They may have 40. 879 00:39:47,240 --> 00:39:49,280 But with the material they're running now, 880 00:39:49,400 --> 00:39:50,839 well, they could do it. 881 00:39:50,840 --> 00:39:53,879 [Chrisie] So I'm very grateful that Freddy and Juan came out here. 882 00:39:53,880 --> 00:39:55,920 I got to make this happen for my family. 883 00:39:56,040 --> 00:39:57,759 And we keep saying, "Run, run, run." 884 00:39:57,760 --> 00:39:58,759 That's what we're going to be saying 885 00:39:58,760 --> 00:40:00,120 for the rest of the season. 886 00:40:00,240 --> 00:40:01,559 It changed everything, you know? 887 00:40:01,560 --> 00:40:05,599 We're gonna smash that goal of 350 now, no problem. 888 00:40:05,600 --> 00:40:08,959 And definitely get my debt paid, that 50 grand. 889 00:40:08,960 --> 00:40:11,200 I'll be able to keep my passion of gold mining alive. 890 00:40:12,560 --> 00:40:13,760 [Juan] Now they have a consistent plan. 891 00:40:13,880 --> 00:40:15,999 Instead of just running one hour, they can run 10 hours. 892 00:40:16,000 --> 00:40:17,160 I'm excited for them. 893 00:40:17,280 --> 00:40:18,479 Honestly, I'm really proud of 894 00:40:18,480 --> 00:40:20,800 what we did here. And it's a big win. 895 00:40:33,800 --> 00:40:37,080 With the fixes that Freddy and Juan did, we did increase 896 00:40:37,200 --> 00:40:39,199 our production for sure. 897 00:40:39,200 --> 00:40:43,399 Everything at the wash plant did help capture, 898 00:40:43,400 --> 00:40:45,000 and we're not losing anything. 899 00:40:49,520 --> 00:40:52,880 This season was a little difficult with history of 900 00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:54,839 the mine and history of, you know, my husband was 901 00:40:54,840 --> 00:40:55,880 supposed to be up there. 902 00:40:56,000 --> 00:40:57,440 We've held onto this for so long 903 00:40:57,560 --> 00:40:58,760 that this is going to happen. 904 00:41:02,400 --> 00:41:05,520 Unfortunately, we had a false weather freeze out, 905 00:41:05,640 --> 00:41:08,279 and we weren't able to process anymore. 906 00:41:08,280 --> 00:41:09,880 Our building wasn't insulated. 907 00:41:15,320 --> 00:41:19,920 We got 247.7 ounces, a little short of our 350 goal. 908 00:41:20,960 --> 00:41:24,599 We did get things paid, and Sean got his money paid 909 00:41:24,600 --> 00:41:26,039 back to us, the loan back to us. 910 00:41:26,040 --> 00:41:28,999 We got all the operation costs taken care of, 911 00:41:29,000 --> 00:41:31,480 and everyone left with a little gold in their pocket. 912 00:41:31,600 --> 00:41:32,600 So it was a good season.