- 8 months ago
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00:00Get some! Get some!
00:02Next, on Prospectors.
00:04Claim jumpers.
00:05It's really hard as a woman in this business.
00:07I got attacked, killed a gunpoint, threatened.
00:09Get down here! Face me like a man!
00:11I'm up here to find the next world-class aquamarine pocket.
00:15Could be a hundred grand down in there.
00:19Lightning is one of the big fears.
00:23This is definitely a tough way to make a living.
00:26It's do or die.
00:27If we don't find a big pocket this season, we're done.
00:29That is incredible.
00:31There's a lot of value here.
00:32Could be worth it.
00:33Holy cow!
00:38They're Rocky Mountain treasure hunters.
00:40Look at that! Look at that!
00:41It's jammy.
00:42Looking to strike it rich.
00:44Yes!
00:45But the quest for gems comes at a cost.
00:48Weather, rock slides, and greed make this a deadly gamble.
00:52It's coming!
00:54They are the extreme fortune seekers known as Prospectors.
00:58I'd put a value on this.
00:59$30,000 plus.
01:00Wow.
01:01Let's go get into the big one, man.
01:02Heck yeah!
01:03Gemstones can be found in all 50 states.
01:04But Colorado's gem fields are world-renowned.
01:06We have 64 different varieties of gemstone in this state.
01:08Topaz, smoky quartz, citrine, garnet, fluorite, amethyst.
01:09Top quality aquamarine is worth more than its weight in gold.
01:10Colorado gemstones are valued more because of the extremity of the locale.
01:11The gems were born billions of years ago from magma.
01:14And to get to them.
01:15These miners must brave extreme altitude.
01:16And to get to them.
01:17These miners must brave extreme altitude.
01:18These miners must be found in all 50 states.
01:19But Colorado's gem fields are world-renowned.
01:20We have 64 different varieties of gemstone in this state.
01:23Topaz, smoky quartz, citrine, garnet, fluorite, amethyst.
01:28Top quality aquamarine is worth more than its weight in gold.
01:31Colorado gemstones are valued more because of the extremity of the locale.
01:36The gems were born billions of years ago from magma.
01:41And to get to them.
01:42These miners must brave extreme altitude.
01:45These are the highest gemstone mines in North America.
01:48It's a dream.
01:49But it can turn into a nightmare pretty quick.
01:53Move! Get down now!
01:55This is a deadly place to work.
01:57Lack of oxygen slows your thinking down.
02:01We have claim jumpers and thieves.
02:03Hey! You jumped my claim!
02:04But there's one danger above all others.
02:10It's terrifying because of the weather.
02:12There will be hail, snow, rain, sleet.
02:14Freezing temperatures and wind chill.
02:17It'll go from 90 down to 30 and back again.
02:19Some of the scariest storms that I've experienced in my life
02:22have come right up from that valley.
02:24Lightning is one of the big fears.
02:26It'll eat ya.
02:28Big rock!
02:29Coming down!
02:30Get some!
02:31Get some!
02:32Get some!
02:33It's the first week of a 16-week mining season on Colorado's Mount Antero.
02:43And right now, maybe the best and most controversial miner on the entire mountain is Steve Broncato.
02:49You know, in 140 years of digging, there's only been a handful of legends up there.
02:59The kings of Antero.
03:00Well, right now, I'm the king of Antero.
03:02Over the last few years, nobody has unearthed better finds than Steve, including Antero's best smoky quartz and topaz finds.
03:13But perhaps nothing compares to his historic aquamarine find.
03:17Diane's pocket was appraised at $1.7 million.
03:22Now, are there any gemstones in the hole of it?
03:25In a typical year, most Colorado prospectors would be happy with a $20,000 season, but not Steve Broncato.
03:32I'm up here to find the next world-class aquamarine pocket.
03:36I want to blow away what I've done before.
03:38I want the retirement pocket, man.
03:40The best potential for our next biggest pocket, you know, right here.
03:47If Steve's the king of Mount Antero, then the queen has got to be Amanda Adkins.
04:00People look at me and think, well, she can't be a miner.
04:10They don't realize I've been mining successfully for 20 years.
04:14She's up there living it, breathing it. One of the most hardcore diggers I know.
04:19This season is particularly important for Amanda because her husband recently died of leukemia.
04:25This May, my husband died.
04:29So it's extra important for me to be able to support all my kids.
04:33I have seven kids.
04:35I hate this part right here.
04:38This is what's going to go.
04:40The initial road up, Antero, is about an hour's ride to beat your brains out rocks.
04:48Oh, this is crazy.
04:49If you sneeze while you're driving this, you're gone.
04:51You're dead.
04:58This is insane.
04:59100 miles south of Denver and 60 miles east of Steve and Amanda lay the gem fields of Lake George.
05:18At about 9,000 feet above sea level, the area is world famous for smoky quartz, topaz, and a blue-green crystal called Amazonite.
05:28The gems are used in jewelry and collected as objects of art.
05:34And one of the largest crystal mining operations in Colorado belongs to the Doris family.
05:46I'm Joe Doris, and I'm a prospector.
05:49I've been digging these minerals and crystals since I was 10 years old.
05:53My two sons, my daughter and her husband, you know, we want to get out here and hunt this stuff, and we want to keep it going.
06:00And I will keep it going as long as we can.
06:03The reason why we're different is we have mighty large machinery or big, heavy machinery.
06:12We got a 60-ton excavator and a smaller 22-ton excavator.
06:18Larger equipment means they can move more ground than Steve and Amanda, but it comes at a price.
06:24It's close to $2,000 a day to run those machines, make sure they're going, and that is without breakdowns.
06:32If we don't find a big pocket this season, we're done.
06:35And six weeks into the season, the Dorises are still looking for their first find.
06:40Okay.
06:41That might be a pocket.
06:43Might be.
06:44It better be.
06:45That better be a frickin' pocket.
06:47My goal this season is to find the million-dollar pocket.
06:51Okay.
06:52Here it is.
06:53Here it is.
06:54It's opening.
06:55But in 20 years, the closest the Doris family has come is a $125,000 fine that took them three years to sell.
07:03Nothing.
07:04Just pegged.
07:05Man, that should have opened up so much better.
07:07Should have opened up down there, too.
07:09The stress level, when you're not finding something, something of quality is through the roof.
07:16We've got to get serious here, don't we?
07:18You know this.
07:19I know this.
07:20I'm really discouraged.
07:22Every year, it's do or die.
07:25You know the old site, 100 meters below site A, where it started?
07:28What do you think?
07:30This section right here, Tim and I both think, you know, it's worth doing.
07:35If nothing happens there, we're bussed for this season.
07:39And I don't want to admit that that's the case.
07:42It's a great deal.
07:43It's a great deal.
07:52Back on Mount Antero, Amanda and her new mining partner, Daniel Barkas have arrived at the dig site.
07:59Mount Antero is public land, and the mining laws are the same as they were 140 years ago.
08:06A prospector stakes a claim with the government.
08:09If a miner can bring value out of the land, the government grants him or her the mining rights to the land for a small fee.
08:16Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for others to dig without these proper steps.
08:23Claim jumpers.
08:27Trying to see if they're actually in the blue spider.
08:29Oh, there's some are up there.
08:32There are absolutely crazy psychopaths out here.
08:35There's no police patrolling up there to protect us.
08:38Crazy people that will do you harm just to take your product away from you that you rightfully own.
08:43We carry guns up here because the bad guys carry guns up here.
08:47It's really hard as a woman in this business. I've had some experiences on this mountain that have scared me.
08:52I got attacked a couple times up there. I held a gunpoint, threatened.
08:56I don't know if that's an enemy, somebody else will hurt me.
08:59It makes me scared because they're willing to hurt somebody over it.
09:06But today, thieves won't be the biggest danger on the mountain.
09:11Mannis came in fast.
09:13Claim jumpers.
09:22I'm going up.
09:23On Mount Antero, Amanda Adkins and her mining partner, Daniel Barkas, discover they are not alone at the dig site.
09:30It's one of the only things that can make me mad is somebody coming between me and my kids and our income.
09:35Hey!
09:36Come on!
09:37Get down here!
09:38You jumped my claim!
09:39Face me like a man!
09:41Get down here now!
09:42Get down here!
09:43What the f**k?
09:44Before Amanda and Daniel can catch them, the thieves escape over the ridge.
09:53It is not fair for people to come up here and think that that's okay, to come up and steal.
09:58Meanwhile, on Steve Brancado's side of Mount Antero...
10:10There you go!
10:13Come on now!
10:15After days of moving boulders off the claim...
10:18Look at that! Look at that!
10:19Do you see that?
10:20Nice!
10:21Get over here!
10:22Steve and his mining partner of two seasons, Travis Anderson, finally uncover signs of a big pocket.
10:27Pulling smokies out.
10:28Quartz is always good.
10:30Quartz is one of the most common minerals on Earth.
10:33And smoky quartz is named for its brownish-gray color, which comes from exposure to low-grade radiation from surrounding rocks.
10:40Averaging $5 per carat, the world's best smoky quartz can be found in the Alps.
10:46Valued for its light color, often it's translucent enough to read a newspaper through.
10:50Oh my God, I gotta get in there.
10:52Could be a hundred grand down in there.
10:54Could be a big waste of f**king time if we keep talking.
10:56About it and jinx it.
10:58We've got a lot of work in front of us.
11:01But we're feeling it.
11:02Both of us are feeling it.
11:03The big pocket down there.
11:05We just gotta get through all this flipping rock to get at it.
11:08I know!
11:09Uh-oh.
11:1060 miles to the east and 4,000 feet lower in elevation, the Doris family is struggling through
11:22a potentially disastrous season.
11:24They've been digging for six weeks and have found nothing.
11:28Let's clear out of here.
11:29This is definitely a tough way to make a living.
11:34If you don't find anything, you can't make a paycheck.
11:38You have to find something.
11:39But as they open up a new section of their claim, they immediately see some positive signs.
11:46Okay, yeah.
11:47Good.
11:48Right there.
11:49See the change in the red?
11:53What we're watching for is a change in coloration.
11:57Iron oxide, which is orange, or sometimes a yellow mud clay-like substance.
12:01Look at that.
12:03This could be a pocket.
12:05These gem minerals got their start deep inside the earth as molten magma.
12:10Almost one billion years ago, the magma, rich in mineral substances, seeped up through
12:15the faults in the earth's crust, creating pockets.
12:18As the magma cooled, the different minerals crystallized, forming crystal-lined pocket cavities.
12:26There's one.
12:27Oh, there we go.
12:28That's a killer.
12:29Okay.
12:30That's a killer.
12:31Initial uncovering is like, you're the first person in a billion years to even look at this
12:36thing.
12:37Who knows what it's going to be?
12:38Who knows what's going to be in the pocket?
12:40Here's one.
12:41Hammer's Knight.
12:42Let me see that.
12:44That's actually pretty strong.
12:47Got a few small pieces, but that doesn't pay the bills.
12:51Get a big one out of there.
12:54To keep their season alive, the Dorises will need a big pocket.
13:01What they're about to find is a shock.
13:05Holy .
13:06Holy cow.
13:08That is incredible.
13:10100 miles south of Denver, at 9,000 feet, the Doris family has finally hit paydirt.
13:24Holy .
13:25Holy cow.
13:26That is incredible.
13:29A huge Amazonite and smoky quartz pocket that can possibly save their season.
13:35Yes.
13:36Oh, look at the color.
13:37Yeah.
13:38And what really makes this pocket incredible is the smoky quality.
13:41This dark mirror face, when it dries, I mean, it's incredible.
13:46But the most difficult task lies ahead, extracting the crystals without any further damage.
13:52Almost all pockets have violently ruptured, potentially pulverizing the crystals and decimating their value.
13:59Many of the bigger pockets have such severe damage that the quality isn't there.
14:04And they're almost not even worth collecting.
14:07Must determination is half the value of a rock.
14:11All right.
14:12I think that's ready to be pulled.
14:13I think so, too.
14:15You guys ready?
14:16Yep.
14:17Got it.
14:18I got it.
14:19I got it.
14:20It's out.
14:21And I got this part.
14:22That didn't work.
14:23Left.
14:24Left corner.
14:25Nice.
14:26I saw it delivered to you.
14:27That's gotta be good.
14:28Looks good, for the most part.
14:29Hey, nice.
14:30There you go.
14:31That's really good.
14:32Just an outstanding ceiling plate.
14:33That's the finest piece we pulled out today.
14:44Got a good one?
14:45Yeah.
14:46Estimate value of the entire pocket right now, I'd say pushing maybe $35,000, maybe $40,000.
14:52That's a good one.
14:54That's a killer piece right there.
14:57Good job, guys.
15:06Back on Mount Antero, Steve Broncato is closing in on his own pocket.
15:10Hard angles, man.
15:11Hard angles.
15:12Hard angles.
15:13It's extraordinarily hard physically, mentally, emotionally even.
15:17What I'm up here for, my cause, nowadays, is for my kids.
15:22I'm expecting a call from my little girl.
15:25It's her first day of school.
15:27How was your first day of school, Clover?
15:28It was good.
15:29I liked it.
15:30I got to work with us and made a couple new friends.
15:44I love you.
15:45Big squishes when I get down.
15:46You know, it's just nothing like hearing her voice up here on the mountain.
15:50Just minutes later, a disturbing sight becomes visible.
15:58Oh, my gosh.
15:59See how fast it moves?
16:00What?
16:01Well, it was like almost sunny there a little bit ago.
16:05Now it's all those clouds are closing in to right where your dad's working.
16:10Aquaman, this is Frog.
16:12Do you copy?
16:13Steve and his mining partner, Travis, are now out of Walkie Range.
16:20And they have no idea that on the other side of the ridge, there's a danger building that
16:25trumps all others.
16:28Weather.
16:30No, no, no.
16:31Not again.
16:32I think so.
16:33No.
16:34Amanda, a mining veteran of 20 years, is on the other side of Mount Antero and will be
16:45the first to experience the storm's full force.
16:49God.
16:50That one sounds like it's almost time to go.
16:55Above treeline, these miners are the only thing conducting electricity.
17:06In effect, they're human lightning rods.
17:09I've seen people get hit by lightning in front of me up here.
17:13You just can't risk that.
17:14It's very dangerous.
17:15That's your best chance is that you run.
17:18For Amanda, the weather keeps her from making a paycheck today.
17:24Man, this came in fast.
17:28On the other side of the mountain, Steve and Travis are just now getting a sense of the
17:32danger heading their way.
17:37Here it comes.
17:39It's building up.
17:40I've been keeping an eye on that thing for the past five minutes and it's gotten...
17:44They're not just blowing through.
17:47Well, we got lightning.
17:48Yep.
17:49Here it comes.
17:50Steve and Travis run for cover.
18:04And the Dorises find out if they've scored big.
18:08Holy cow.
18:09Wow.
18:10A violent thunderstorm has rolled on top of Mount Antero and lightning is hitting less than
18:23a mile from Steve Brancato's dig site.
18:25Here it comes.
18:26It's close.
18:27You know, you're above all the trees.
18:28You and your tools are the only thing that really conducts electricity.
18:29Nothing like holding a big old piece of iron, huh?
18:30That's getting a little closer.
18:31Smell the ozone.
18:32You ask yourself, why the hell are we up here doing this?
18:35Stupid.
18:36Let's get the hell out of here, man.
18:37You're not the only thing.
18:38I mean, you're not the only thing that really conducts electricity.
18:39I mean, you're not the only thing that really conducts electricity.
18:40Nothing like holding a big old piece of iron, huh?
18:41That's getting a little closer.
18:55Smell the ozone.
18:56You ask yourself, why the hell are we up here doing this?
19:02This is stupid, let's get the hell out of here man, let's go.
19:11For Steve and his mining partner Travis, the storm means they've made nothing for the day.
19:16What we pulled out of the mountain today wouldn't even cover the gas to get up here.
19:32You guys have been busy. Yeah, this is the pocket I was telling you about.
19:38Oh my goodness.
19:39Two weeks later, the Doris family is anxious to get a professional estimate of their pocket's potential value.
19:46Brian Lees and Steve Bailey run one of the world's premier mineral showrooms.
19:51They are really experts in this field, so I'm really excited to have them down here to look at the pocket.
19:57Wow, look at the quality of that specimen.
20:01Brian and Steve are looking for quality of color.
20:04Amazonite's a little bit translucent too, it's a very nice color.
20:07Shape and size of crystals.
20:09That's the best of those I've seen, with a blade that big.
20:12As well as crystal combinations.
20:14Collectors love to have the smoky quartz rising up above the Amazonite, and that's just a classic piece.
20:20My gut's telling me they're going to appraise it at roughly what I'm thinking, like $40,000, $50,000.
20:27There's a lot of value here.
20:29Yes sir, there is.
20:30You start doing the math, just do the numbers.
20:33Okay.
20:34Okay.
20:35What do you think?
20:36What do you think?
20:37I think you're looking up more in the quarter million dollar range.
20:46Holy cow.
20:47Wow.
20:48$250,000 for all of this.
20:49That's awesome.
20:50I think I'm going to be blown away.
20:51That's great.
20:52Yeah.
20:53That's a lot of money.
20:54Thanks.
20:55I'm just trying to help you out, Joe.
20:57So I'm excited.
20:59It's going to save our season.
21:00So this discovery made our year.
21:01I mean, it paid all our bills, and it made it possible for us to come back and continue
21:06what we're doing.
21:07Thanks so much.
21:08Thanks so much.
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