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Gold Rush: Freddy Dodges Mine Rescue - Season 5 - Episode 05: All the Pretty Gold
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TVTranscript
00:06last season we found an old-timers tunnel in the mountain mining an old river channel it was really
00:14good gold this year we expected fully get in that same channel continue on good gold it's
00:23not there channels not there just dried up overnight we've scraped we've socked it twice if we don't find
00:31gold this season we're done we've got issues with the plant that I don't know how to fix rocks plug
00:39it
00:39up I can't do anything about it I don't have savings everything that could have been savings
00:47has gone into this we are staking our future on this there isn't a fallback plan this is it we
00:55need
00:55Freddie go on Freddie Dodge I'd rather have gold in the bank then gold in the mountain and Juan Ibarra
01:03not bad for built in the field want to make you rich it turns your dream out here into a
01:09reality
01:11in the past five years the value of gold has doubled there's a three thousand dollar nugget
01:17right there but rookie miners find it more elusive than ever if we don't recover more gold then we
01:26could lose everything but there is hope miracles they do happen to turn desperation into fortune
01:33Freddie and Juan have one week what you just did this genius to deliver a golden payday they have a
01:41future
01:41and they know what they need to do
01:58one oh hey Fred how you doing buddy oh doing all right I'm just outside of Virginia City where we're
02:04gonna meet where are you at bud I'm actually making a detour I'm feeling a little nauseous
02:09easy something's not right oh no kidding huh yeah I gotta go get a shot well I'll be thinking about
02:15you buddy okay love you buddy love you too buddy talk to you in a bit bye
02:23one thing about Juan is he's one tough son of a gun and for him not to not to make
02:28it there's
02:28something something haywire but when we say we're coming no matter what we keep our promise
02:38freddy is on route to the opie mine where a husband and wife team worked their 13 acre claim
02:44a stone's throw from the legendary alder gulch one of the most significant placer mining districts in the
02:51U.S. in 1863 this area produced Montana's largest gold strike of over a million ounces of gold but when
03:03the easy pickings were mined out prospectors tunneled into the hillside above in search of gold rich ancient
03:21river channels how's it going guys Rob and Connie I assume yeah good to see you oh it's really good
03:27to see you good to see you good to see you well hopefully uh hopefully we can help you out
03:34here
03:34I know you're expecting Juan and myself but Juan's not feeling well right now I hope he gets feeling
03:40better yeah I hope so and he can he can make it so this your plant huh yeah yeah it's
03:46uh boy I didn't
03:47know much when I got it my plant does need help I'm losing a fair amount of gold various places
03:54I don't
03:54know how to solve it we'll watch it running okay so do you have any gold from here oh yeah
04:00this is kind
04:02of the normal gold but we get quite a few pickers too and some bigger nuggets it's pretty gold yeah
04:12we
04:12think so it makes a nice wedding ring nice how long have you been mining here been actually mining four
04:20years once we knew we were going to gold mine everything was going to go towards that saving what
04:27we can slowly getting what a little equipment piece by piece yeah on auction is working towards
04:32to where we could actually mine right for the past 10 years construction worker Rob has dreamt of being
04:41a miner most of my career was building log homes but there is no pension 2008 you know the economy
04:52just
04:53crashed my last job ended and nothing else it got desperate pretty quick shortly after that I saw the
05:04first gold rush show and man that that really spoke to me big time going to look for gold taking
05:13charge of
05:14your own future that was a direction that's what I wanted to do and that's what all my efforts were
05:20going to go towards everything we have is invested in this I'm 70 years old now and the binding is
05:31something that I can definitely see I can do another 10 years and Connie's with me on that that is
05:39the dream for
05:40sure how much gold you do last year we did 15 ounces last year we were in a channel
05:50mm-hmm and we were following the old timers drift tunnel they knew where the gold was and so we
05:55followed it the opi's claim is dotted with signs of mining tunnels known as drifts
06:05old timers dug into the hillside following ancient rivers chasing gold rich pay deep underground
06:15things a little different this year so far this season we got two and a half ounces I believe
06:25I it's really dismal yeah sounds like we need to look at your ground too huh oh I'd appreciate it
06:33what's your goal this year well I need 25 ounces that's our goal with eight weeks before winter could
06:42shut them down they need another 22 and a half ounces to hit their goal that'll pay wages anyway and
06:49pay
06:50your pay your bills off yeah that's how I approach this I never was looking to get rich I am
06:56still
06:56work in over the winter in construction because I have to but my goal was if I could replace my
07:02construction wage that would be a retirement to us yeah you know working retirement yeah but I just I
07:09really need the help because I don't know what else to try let's do a test run sounds good
07:22Rob and Connie if you can tell they love each other you can tell that they're a team their dream
07:28is
07:28to stay gold mining and not have to go back to their other jobs these guys need to get gold
07:34in their
07:34pockets so for the time being they're running what they've got really excited to see what Freddy
07:41comes up with first bucket okay Connie paid from the Opie's existing cut is loaded into a feed hopper
07:58where material travels up a conveyor and into an 11 nozzle spray deck from there the pay funnels into a
08:0813 foot long trommel where the gold rich material is washed down into the sluices
08:21we like to be very independent but asking for help actually feels really good
08:29you can see some of these rocks right they're still carrying quite a bit of dirt
08:35so Freddy inspects the tailings from the spray deck
08:39so you know if there's gold in the ground it's in this material right
08:43that tells me they're going to be losing gold
08:50you can see like this rock that are even going through the trommel
08:54like that material that's stuck to that rock may have gold in it it's going to have some
08:59gold we want this material right here that's on my fingers going down the sluice box not out the tailings
09:05conveyor gold is being lost in both the fine and the coarse tailings
09:14so here's another problem there's rocks getting stuck in there
09:19Freddy identifies a pinch point in Rob and Connie's operation
09:24you see Connie there have to do manual labor we need to fix that situation for sure
09:32I have to stand here and watch this oil get turned up
09:37I have a big problem
09:41material sticks to that belt
09:44you can see some of it on there
09:47fine material sticks to the feed conveyor belt
09:51this material then spills onto the ground around the plant
09:54so if dirt can stick to it gold can stick to it
10:0929 30 31 32
10:16let's say there's at least 40 colors in the pan
10:19this is something that will definitely have to be fixed in some fashion
10:26having Freddy here this is an amazing opportunity
10:33these guys have put this plant together without ever mining before
10:36they've done a pretty good job but it's still losing gold
10:42last bucket
10:46after four hours
10:47Freddy calls time on the test
10:53let's have a look at the sluice guys
10:54all righty
10:58I don't see anything guys but that doesn't mean anything right
11:02uh yeah
11:04there's only one way to find out and that's do a clean up I guess huh
11:07yeah sounds good
11:09take care guys
11:10take care
11:11all right see you in the morning
11:14looking forward to hear what Freddy says
11:17I hate to say you know it's our last hope
11:21but the reality of it is
11:23it is
11:38good morning guys
11:39good morning Freddy
11:39at the Opie homestead in Montana
11:42you got your gold ready
11:43we got her
11:45nice
11:45with one out of action
11:47Freddy weighs the results from the four hour test
11:50I got a scale here
11:51you ready guys
11:54let's weigh it up
11:58to hit their season goal of 25 ounces
12:02this result must deliver at least a quarter of an ounce
12:070.17
12:08so not even a quarter of an ounce
12:14so
12:14yeah
12:15you know that's
12:16300
12:17about 360 dollars worth of gold
12:20so 90 bucks an hour
12:22so that's not enough for the equipment you're running out there
12:25no
12:27but that's why I'm here
12:29is to try to help you guys
12:30right
12:30absolutely
12:31but I just gotta
12:33get some stuff through my head
12:34on what we need to do to your plant
12:36and uh
12:37you know looking at your ground
12:38we'll help you
12:39so
12:39yep
12:40I know you guys well
12:40okay
12:41so
12:41I'll leave you guys to it
12:43and uh
12:43I'll be back with you later
12:45and
12:45yeah
12:45get some stuff figured out
12:46yeah
12:48well it's
12:49it's of course not what I hoped
12:51so much less than last year
12:53we're way behind this year
12:55it's been
12:56devastating
12:56yeah
12:57it's gotta improve
12:59in order to make it
12:59in order to continue
13:02everything that we have planned for
13:03is in the balance
13:05literally
13:05we just gotta make it happen
13:07somehow or other
13:14Rob told me he was on a channel
13:16that the old timers mined
13:17so
13:18he was getting pretty good gold
13:19out of what they didn't get
13:21but
13:22then the channel
13:23ran out
13:23one of the big things
13:25I'm gonna have to do here
13:26as well as working on the plant
13:27and getting it tuned up
13:28is uh
13:29do some prospecting around
13:31and try to find that channel
13:33he was on before
13:39I know they're losing gold
13:41and
13:42I know I can remedy most of that
13:45we look at that feeder
13:47right now the opening
13:48where that material's dropping
13:49onto the conveyor
13:51it's uh causing issues
13:52what I want to do
13:53is open it up more
13:54to the maximum amount possible
13:56the screen itself
13:58I want it to get where it's
14:00washing the rocks better
14:00I want to hang white rubber
14:03down off of those spray bars
14:05to slow that material down
14:07going down the screen
14:07and hold it there for a second
14:09so those spray bars
14:10can really hit it hard
14:11they're definitely losing gold
14:13on that conveyor
14:14I did a pan off the ground on it
14:16and got 40-50 colors in the pan
14:19a lot of them
14:20so what I want to do
14:21on the end of that conveyor
14:22I want to put a wiper there
14:23spring loaded
14:24that pushes up against the belt
14:25so when it comes around
14:26it knocks that dirt off
14:27and it goes into the plant
14:28not onto the ground
14:30to reduce manual labor
14:32and increase production
14:34Freddy will adapt the hopper
14:36and enlarge the feed hole
14:38to allow more pay
14:39onto the belt
14:42fine material sticks to the conveyor
14:44which spills gold
14:46onto the ground
14:48Freddy will install
14:49a spring-loaded wiper
14:51onto the end of the frame
14:52this will scrub the belt
14:55and keep the fine pay
14:56in circulation
14:59coarse tailings
15:01leave the spray deck
15:02coated in fine material
15:05Freddy will attach rubber strips
15:07to the spray bars
15:08to slow the rock flow
15:11allowing them to be washed
15:12for longer
15:15finally
15:15Freddy will add baffles
15:17to the inside of the trommel
15:19the flicking motion
15:20will give each rock
15:22the chance to be cleaned
15:23before the pay
15:24is then sent down the sluices
15:34how's it going guys
15:35hey Freddy
15:36hey Freddy
15:37we got a plan maybe
15:39yeah I got sort of a plan
15:41see if you guys are up for it
15:43I know from panning
15:44that you're losing gold
15:45on the feed conveyor
15:46I took a pan out
15:47from under it
15:48where the dirt's
15:49falling off the belt
15:49oh right
15:50and I had 40-50 colors
15:52there was a lot of gold
15:53you're losing gold
15:54on your other conveyors too
15:55on the rocks
15:56that are coming off that
15:57because the rocks
15:57aren't really clean right
15:58right
15:59so what I want to do
16:00is put a wiper
16:01a belt wiper
16:01on your feed conveyor
16:03so that gold's going down
16:04your sluice box
16:05not over there
16:05great
16:06on your screen
16:07what I want to do
16:08is hang rubber
16:09off those spray bars
16:10like fingers of rubber
16:12like a solid piece across
16:13okay
16:14that'll slow those rocks down
16:15so they get that longer shower
16:17in your trommel
16:18a lot of those rocks
16:19have material stuck
16:20to them as well
16:21so if there's material
16:22stuck to them
16:22there's going to be
16:23gold stuck to them
16:23so if we put lifting
16:24bars in there
16:25it's going to flip it over
16:26flip it over
16:27flip it over
16:27right
16:29I also want to
16:30eliminate your job
16:31right
16:32you sitting there
16:33with a bar
16:34or a hoe
16:35having to clean
16:36that feeder out
16:37where the rocks
16:38jam up in there
16:38right
16:39so what I want to do
16:40is open that up
16:42and I figure
16:43it's going to be
16:43about $1,500
16:46in material
16:46and then I'd like
16:48to see two ounces
16:49of gold
16:50when you get it
16:51you don't have to do it now
16:52for the labor
16:55that just kind of
16:56covers expenses
16:57is what it does
16:57right
16:58I'm hoping to
16:59at least double
17:00what you're doing now
17:02I also
17:03want to find that channel
17:05that you know
17:06you had decent gold in
17:07that sounds good
17:08yeah
17:08it's going to be
17:09a really important thing
17:10okay
17:10deal
17:11deal
17:13thank you
17:13Freddy
17:14deal
17:17Freddy's hopeful
17:18and so that gives me hope
17:20I'm looking forward to it
17:21big time
17:27right now Rob
17:28we'll start on the trommel itself
17:31Freddy's first job
17:32to modify
17:33the Opie's trommel
17:35we need to take that
17:37shoot off
17:37so we can get inside
17:39of there
17:39and work on those
17:40baffles inside
17:41you bet
17:44Rob and Connie
17:45you're helping me
17:45start on these fixes here
17:47since one's not here
17:48just keep plugging along
17:55what we're going to do here
17:57is put lifting bars in here
17:58so
17:58this is going to
17:59roll those rocks
18:00where they're
18:01washing each other
18:02because they're rolling on top
18:03kind of like
18:04you use two hands
18:04to wash your hands
18:05right
18:06that's what we're going to do
18:07we're going to make
18:08these rocks cleaner
18:09well I need to
18:10remove this little hopper
18:12here
18:13so that we can get
18:14inside the end
18:15of the trommel
18:19so what I'm going to do
18:20is tap these
18:20and then we'll put bolts
18:21in them
18:27daughter
18:27there we go
18:28the work's underway
18:30that's the exciting part
18:31we're on our way
18:33I just need to turn it
18:37okay there we go
18:39it's too tight
18:40to get in this trommel
18:41to weld lifting bars in
18:44so we're bolting them in
18:45from the outside
18:46with some self-tapper screws
18:49so sometimes
18:50these self-tappers
18:51they'll break off
18:53going through steel
18:54so
18:55basically what I'm doing
18:56is putting some lubricant
18:57on there
18:58and just a
18:59just cooking spray
19:00but I do have this
19:01in the lunchbox
19:01it just keeps them
19:02from snapping off
19:05thank you
19:06fairly close
19:14there we go
19:15lifting bars are in
19:17I knew some of the
19:18problems we were having
19:19but I didn't know
19:19how to fix it
19:20now I think we've got
19:22a really good direction
19:25it's working good
19:26Connie
19:27go ahead and shut it off
19:30on to the next project
19:32huh
19:32yep
19:36coming up
19:37Wano
19:40holy cow
19:41there's a sight for
19:42sore eyes
19:43I was actually a little
19:44nervous that I was
19:44having a stroke
19:58what we're going to do
19:59Connie
20:00yep
20:00this rubber
20:02on the Opie mine
20:03in Montana
20:04Freddie's next job
20:06is to slow the rocks
20:07on the spray deck
20:09we're going to cut
20:09some pieces of it
20:10to go behind
20:11your spray bars
20:12up there
20:13so if you want
20:14to cut this for me
20:15the spray nozzles
20:16are not washing
20:17the rocks properly
20:19Freddie will hang
20:19rubber dampening strips
20:21so the coarse tailings
20:22will be sprayed
20:23for longer
20:24so we need a piece
20:2628 long
20:26and we're going to
20:28cut two pieces
20:29and then we're going
20:30to split the bottom
20:31so what this is going
20:32to do
20:32it's going to slow
20:33those rocks down
20:34so they get washed
20:34better
20:36thank you Connie
20:37thank you for the help
20:39over the last
20:40three years
20:40actually we've dealt
20:41with this problem
20:42Rob has changed out
20:44the type of shaker
20:44the power of the shaker
20:46the angle of the shaker
20:47so many attempts
20:50he's come to a place
20:51now of asking for help
20:52which I'm very proud of
20:56Rob and I met a bit
20:58later in life
21:00one of my very first dates
21:02Rob took me
21:03gold mining
21:04gold mining
21:05initially
21:06was new to me
21:07but it grew on me
21:10we're going for it
21:11and we hope to have
21:12success
21:13long into our years
21:15we started out
21:16this season
21:17all of a sudden
21:18we're not finding
21:19the gold
21:21Rob said he wanted
21:22to quit
21:23and it just
21:24it just broke my heart
21:30we have to make
21:31this work
21:35want to hold it up
21:36about right there
21:37right there
21:38on both sides
21:39we can just do
21:40one side at a time
21:47perfect
21:48I'm proud of this
21:49this is gonna
21:50clean the rocks
21:51a lot better
21:58cutting material here
21:59for that conveyor belt
22:02with the dampeners
22:03complete
22:04Freddy turns his
22:05attention to building
22:06a new wiper
22:07for the conveyor
22:15wano
22:22holy cow
22:22there's a sight
22:23for sore eyes
22:24how you doing buddy
22:25good how are you
22:26doing good
22:26you feeling all right
22:27oh doing better
22:28doing better
22:29yeah
22:29I ended up having
22:30a really bad ear infection
22:31that went viral
22:32and it caused
22:33Bell's palsy
22:34yeah
22:35right now I have
22:36no no control
22:37of any of the muscles
22:38on the side of my face
22:38on the right hand side
22:40when I called you
22:41the other day
22:41I was actually
22:42a little nervous
22:42that I was having
22:43a stroke
22:43what else do you think
22:44I'd never heard
22:45of Bell's palsy
22:46before
22:46me either
22:47well thank god
22:48it wasn't a stroke
22:49yeah brother
22:49it's so good
22:50to see you
22:51thank you
22:53really it's bad
22:54Botox is what it is
22:55try to save a few bucks
22:56it wasn't worth it
22:57should have spent the money
22:59I went to your guy
23:00messed me up
23:03well let's park the truck
23:04and uh want to take me
23:05up there and show me around
23:05yeah
23:06all right
23:06sounds good
23:16that's a heck of a relief
23:17to know it wasn't a stroke
23:19it's good to see Wano
23:20that's for darn sure
23:23it's a little difficult
23:24right now just because
23:24all the issues I have
23:26going on with my face
23:26so it's hard to talk
23:27but uh nonetheless
23:29I'm happy to be here
23:30happy to be able to help
23:31and uh hopefully
23:32we can get this rescue done
23:39there they are
23:40got a surprise for you
23:42you do
23:42yeah
23:43Juan
23:43Juan's here
23:45oh my goodness
23:46how you doing Rob
23:47oh good to meet you
23:48nice to meet you
23:48hello Connie
23:49nice to meet you
23:50I'm a little late
23:51but
23:51you're here
23:52that's good
23:53well it was great
23:54meeting you guys
23:54what do you want me
23:55to jump on
23:56I can jump on
23:57whatever you want
23:57well let's go up
23:58and measure for the wiper
23:59and if you want to burn
24:00that out
24:01all right
24:02with time running out
24:04on the rescue
24:04Juan takes on
24:06Freddy's plans
24:07for the conveyor belt
24:08wiper
24:09we have angle iron
24:10here right
24:11for that way
24:11you've got a pivot point
24:12and then have the
24:13spring up top
24:14okay
24:14sounds like a plan
24:16let's do it
24:22while Juan
24:23while Juan tackles
24:23the wiper
24:24Freddy turns
24:25his attention
24:26to the ground
24:26what we need
24:27to do here
24:28is find out
24:30if that channel
24:30that he was getting
24:31the good gold out of
24:32still exists
24:33there's no guarantees
24:34on that
24:35there's no guarantees
24:36in gold
24:45well you can see
24:46that drift right there
24:47in the Opie's cut
24:49Freddy inspects
24:50a drift tunnel
24:51near the spot
24:52Rob lost his river channel
24:54there's a reason
24:55the old timers
24:56drifted there
24:56and stopped
24:58because they had
24:59gold out here
25:00I'm guessing
25:01good enough gold
25:02to keep working it
25:03keep working it
25:04keep working it
25:04and they're like
25:05well let's see
25:06how it does
25:06going deeper
25:07into the hill
25:08and as they got
25:09deeper into the hill
25:10they started running
25:11out of gold
25:11most likely
25:12so they stopped
25:17streams carry gold
25:19from veins in the hillside
25:20down the valley
25:23over thousands of years
25:24they are buried underground
25:26by movements in the earth
25:29using hand tools
25:31and wooden carts
25:32prospectors dig drift tunnels
25:34to find and chase
25:35these gold rich channels
25:37as the old timers
25:39tunnel underground
25:40they dig test drifts
25:42in the hope
25:43they'll find other
25:44ancient channel deposits
25:48so I'm trying to piece
25:49this puzzle together
25:50to try to get a full
25:51picture out of it
25:52sure
25:56this is no good
26:00there's no rhyme
26:01or reason to it
26:02right
26:02it's given us a picture
26:04but a bad picture
26:05it's saying
26:06I haven't been reworked
26:08in nature's sluice box
26:10the material in Rob's cut
26:12has not been concentrated
26:13by flowing water
26:14and there's no sign
26:16of his missing river channel
26:19I've seen a lot of deposits
26:20right
26:21but this one
26:22this one's really tricky
26:24to read
26:35so putting this puzzle
26:37together
26:38on the op claim
26:39in montana
26:41freddie is on the hunt
26:42for a lost channel
26:43of gold
26:45when a stream
26:46cuts through
26:46there's not just
26:48one channel
26:49because that creek
26:50moves over time
26:51we know it's not
26:52right here
26:53but that doesn't mean
26:54it's not 20 feet
26:55that way
26:55another channel
26:57that they missed
26:59yeah
27:00let's have a look
27:01down here
27:03with no sign
27:04of Rob's channel
27:05freddie turns
27:07his attention
27:07to a lower section
27:08of bedrock
27:17see how this all
27:18smoothed off
27:19down the face
27:19oh yeah
27:20it tells me water
27:21and material
27:21is pushing rocks
27:22sand
27:23everything down
27:24right
27:24yeah
27:26you know
27:27this may be
27:27another channel
27:29that would be huge
27:31there's only one way
27:32to find out
27:33let's get in the
27:34excavator
27:34and start digging
27:39oh I'd love to find
27:41that channel again
27:43I'm hopeful here
27:44we'll see
27:51pretty interesting
27:52Rob
27:53yeah
27:54I agree
27:58that looks good
28:02those big boulders
28:03Rob
28:04are a really good
28:04sign
28:05that looks really good
28:07yeah
28:09large boulders
28:10often collect
28:11on the bedrock
28:12of river channels
28:13acting like riffles
28:15in a sluice box
28:16they trap gold
28:17in place
28:18oh boy
28:19that's exciting
28:20last year
28:22when I was on
28:22that channel
28:23that had the
28:25really good gold
28:25in the bottom
28:26that's the kind
28:27of stuff
28:28I was seeing
28:29and I didn't
28:30see that this year
28:31up to this point
28:37we found a channel
28:38at least I think
28:39it's a channel
28:40yeah
28:41but this excites me
28:43more than finding
28:44that old channel
28:45that they mined
28:45because this is
28:46virgin ground
28:47they missed this
28:48yeah
28:48from that hole
28:49in the wall
28:50over there
28:50they went right
28:51over the top
28:51of it
28:53which is a good
28:54thing for you
28:56let's run this
28:57stuff
28:59and we'll go
29:00from there
29:01okay
29:03the discovery
29:04of an unbind
29:05river channel
29:06has the potential
29:07for a huge payday
29:08and could get
29:09Rob and Connie
29:10back on the gold
29:12I skipped right
29:13over it
29:14because the bedrock
29:15is higher
29:15on both sides
29:16of it
29:16so Freddie
29:18identifying
29:18is yeah
29:19that is a channel
29:20there
29:20yeah
29:20this is
29:21this is really
29:21a good thing
29:30it's going to
29:31be a simple
29:31wiper
29:32at the cut
29:33trailer
29:34one's wiper
29:35takes shape
29:37these are the
29:37brackets I can
29:38mount onto the
29:39conveyor
29:39and we'll just
29:40have a couple
29:40springs that pull
29:41up on it
29:41and that way
29:42it'll actually
29:42put constant
29:43pressure on that
29:43belt
29:44it can scrape
29:44all that material
29:45that has gold
29:46off
29:46and that way
29:47we can sluice it
29:58so these are
29:59the side arms
30:00for the wiper
30:01they're going to
30:02pivot on a
30:02on a 5 8 pin
30:04that way you can
30:05adjust it where
30:06you need it
30:06if you need to
30:07pull it out
30:07you can pull
30:07the pins out
30:08and remove it
30:15what I did
30:15I cut the rubber
30:16out
30:16I made these
30:17holes slotted
30:18so that way
30:18we can adjust
30:19it where we
30:19need to have
30:20it
30:20and that way
30:20as it wears
30:21out
30:21we can adjust
30:22it up a
30:22little bit
30:23and be able
30:23to make
30:23better contact
30:24with the belt
30:32let me show
30:32you what I'm
30:33thinking on
30:33here
30:34new pay
30:35secured
30:36Freddie and
30:37Rob turn
30:37their attention
30:38to the feed
30:39hopper
30:39I cut the
30:41front out
30:41first
30:42thinking we
30:43go up
30:43four inches
30:44at this angle
30:46here
30:47then I just
30:48cut the edge
30:49here
30:50with the grinder
30:52quarter inch
30:53in
30:53quarter inch
30:54in
30:54and cut
30:55that out
30:56Freddie's
30:57plan
30:57to relieve
30:58the pinch
30:58point
30:59and prevent
31:00blockages
31:02okay
31:02you got this
31:03I do
31:04okay
31:19well that line
31:20didn't go too
31:21bad
31:28oh look at
31:29that
31:31oh I thought
31:31I was going
31:32to have to
31:32really work
31:33those corners
31:35oh nice
31:36okay
31:38that should
31:39solve my rock
31:40problem
31:41because what
31:41happened is
31:42I'd get a rock
31:43down here
31:44and another one
31:45would kind of
31:45just sit right
31:46on it
31:46back in there
31:47and then
31:48they'd get
31:48jammed
31:49and then
31:49they'd pin
31:50in really
31:51hard
31:52bad enough
31:52we'd get a
31:53shutdown
31:53just to get
31:54them undone
31:54because
31:54the material
31:55behind it
31:55would pack up
31:56and
31:57big problem
32:01got her
32:02done
32:02huh
32:02yeah
32:03well looks
32:04good one
32:04simple
32:05it'll work
32:05though
32:05yeah
32:06let me start
32:07my welder
32:07up here
32:07and get
32:08my hood
32:09Juan's
32:10conveyor
32:10wiper
32:11is ready
32:12to be
32:12welded
32:12in place
32:13I'd weld
32:14it but I
32:14can't see
32:15real well
32:15so
32:15yeah
32:16I understand
32:17buddy
32:20having
32:21Juan
32:22show up
32:22feeling
32:23not 100%
32:26well that
32:27shows his
32:28heart
32:28he puts
32:29everything
32:29into it
32:30regardless
32:31he's totally
32:31professional
32:32and just
32:33a sweetheart
32:35we'll get
32:35an idea
32:36roughly
32:36where we're
32:36at
32:37right there
32:38is about
32:38where it
32:38should be
32:41just tack
32:42that right
32:42there
32:42you want
32:43to give
32:43me your
32:43hood
32:43and I'll
32:44do it
32:44I think
32:45I can get
32:45it on
32:50did I get
32:51it
32:51yeah
32:52you got
32:52her
32:52okay
33:01that looks
33:01good
33:01red
33:02looks good
33:03that's the
33:03last of the
33:03fixes
33:04yeah
33:05well let's
33:05clean up our
33:06tools and
33:06head out
33:07huh
33:07yeah
33:07tomorrow's a
33:08big day
33:08yeah
33:09that channel
33:10I found
33:10that's pretty
33:10exciting
33:11sounds good
33:17it's gonna
33:18be hot
33:18thanks
33:18you're
33:19welcome
33:19in Montana
33:21miners Rob
33:22and Connie
33:23share their
33:24camp comforts
33:25when we
33:27first started
33:28coming up here
33:29just in the
33:29very beginning
33:30we would come
33:31up and we'd
33:31camp out
33:32and just a
33:33little
33:33tent so to
33:34speak
33:34on the ground
33:35it was nice
33:37but you know
33:38we're not young
33:38chickens anymore
33:39so we took
33:40our living
33:41situation to
33:42the next level
33:42Rob would
33:43get some
33:44materials on
33:45sale or
33:45he would
33:46make them
33:46himself
33:47out of
33:48iron or
33:49scraps of
33:50wood that he
33:50had left over
33:51and then I
33:51had a kitchen
33:52all of a sudden
33:53he really wanted
33:54to eat real
33:55food I guess
33:55if I was
33:56gonna eat
33:57good I
33:57better give
33:58her a good
33:59kitchen that
33:59she's gonna
34:00like being
34:00yeah
34:01she's frugal
34:02I'm frugal
34:03make what I
34:04can and
34:04we just turned
34:05into a home
34:06away from
34:06home and
34:08now it's just
34:09something we
34:10really look
34:10forward to
34:11this is the
34:12life we
34:12want to live
34:13we want to
34:13be out here
34:14camping and
34:15enjoying nature
34:24let's do a test
34:25run huh
34:26let's do it
34:26yeah
34:27on the Opie
34:27mine in
34:28Montana
34:29head on down
34:30I'm gonna
34:30start the
34:30water pump
34:31the moment
34:32of truth
34:32for Rob
34:33and Connie
34:34has arrived
34:36having found
34:37the channel
34:37I'm really
34:38really excited
34:39if all these
34:40fixes work
34:41out
34:42it gives us
34:43the direction
34:44we were hoping
34:45for for the
34:45next 10 years
34:46but until I
34:48see it done
34:48I won't know
34:49exactly
34:49where we're at
34:51first bucket
34:52one
34:52yeah
34:53see how it
34:54does
34:56that channel
34:57I found
34:58yeah
34:58let's hope
34:59it's as good
35:00as I think
35:00it could be
35:01okay
35:01yeah
35:02the Opie's
35:03are running
35:03pay from the
35:04newly discovered
35:05virgin river
35:06channel
35:06it's working
35:08perfect
35:12that wiper's
35:13still working
35:14good
35:14yeah
35:16Juan's wiper
35:17is scrubbing
35:18fine material
35:19off the
35:19conveyor belt
35:20and into the
35:21spray deck
35:22it's getting a lot
35:23better washed
35:24yeah
35:26see they pile up
35:28in the next one
35:29perfect
35:30and the new
35:31dampers
35:32on the
35:33spray deck
35:33mean more
35:34material is being
35:35washed off the
35:36coarse tailings
35:40every one of
35:41these rocks
35:42before had a
35:43thin layer of
35:43dirt on them
35:44yeah it looks
35:44pretty clean now
35:45yeah have a look
35:46at that
35:46that's real clean
35:47yeah
35:50Freddy's new
35:51baffles in the
35:52Opie's trommel
35:52means more fine
35:54material is washed
35:55into the sluice box
36:01hey Connie
36:02are you feeding it
36:03faster than before
36:04I'm starting
36:06a little cautious
36:07speed her up
36:07okay got it
36:08it'll handle it
36:09okay
36:11right now
36:12at the pace
36:13we're running the
36:14plant it's over
36:15double what they
36:16were running before
36:18halfway through
36:18the test run
36:19and the Opie
36:20crew are running
36:21nearly 20 yards
36:22an hour through
36:23their plant
36:24we haven't had
36:25one blockage in
36:26the feeder
36:26you had to get
36:27off and do
36:28anything
36:28I haven't had to
36:30get off and do
36:30anything
36:31it's like so
36:32good
36:32wow that is
36:34amazing
36:36I'm stoked
36:37it is tear
36:38jerker material
36:39it's amazing
36:42nothing is getting
36:43jammed up at all
36:46I'm proud of what
36:47we've done here
36:48you know seeing the
36:50amount of material
36:51going through this
36:51plant now is pretty
36:52exciting
36:56hey Connie
36:57last bucket
37:05that was amazing
37:08the plant ran really
37:09well so let's keep
37:11our fingers crossed
37:12and go look in the
37:12sluice
37:13have a look at this
37:18guys
37:19how much is buried
37:21in there
37:21no way
37:22hey hey hey
37:24hey look at that
37:24look at that nugget
37:26there we go
37:27we've never seen that
37:28before
37:29oh look
37:30there's another nugget
37:31little nugget in there
37:32oh it's pretty
37:33good grief
37:34I'm excited guys
37:36and I'm more excited
37:37than you are
37:38well clean it up guys
37:40yeah we'll head out
37:41we'll see you guys in the
37:42morning
37:44this is amazing
37:46this is so good
37:47I'm kind of in shock
37:50what does that mean
37:51we'll find out
37:53this is this is incredible
38:08let's see what it did
38:11well hello
38:12that looks good
38:13oh that looks good
38:14that's exciting
38:15in order to hit their goal
38:17of 25 ounces in eight weeks
38:19this test needs to produce
38:21at least a quarter of an ounce
38:23well let's weigh it up
38:24let's do it
38:26we did 0.17 the first test
38:34well we just went over
38:35your first weigh
38:36there it is right there
38:37the first test
38:39look at that's crazy
38:41half an ounce
38:42that's half an ounce
38:43a little over half an ounce
38:44let's put the rest in
38:47three quarters of an ounce
38:48over three quarters of an ounce
38:50wow
38:501.221
38:53that's awesome
38:54yeah that's pretty good
38:55yeah proud of that
38:57over four times
38:59what they need
39:00to reach their goal
39:02ounces
39:03not grains
39:04ounces
39:05no
39:06no there's $2,900
39:10worth of gold in that pan
39:12guys I don't know
39:14this is incredible
39:15I never dreamed
39:16that was possible
39:18it's been an absolute pleasure
39:21working with you guys
39:22straight back at you
39:23yeah
39:24good working with you
39:27you're welcome
39:27thank you so much
39:33I'm blown away
39:34it's so far beyond
39:36what I hoped
39:37you know
39:39even when I was hoping
39:40really big
39:41I'm so excited
39:42to get in there
39:43and start digging
39:44some more of this channel up
39:45we did this
39:46we dug it
39:47it's on our ground
39:48we processed it
39:49it's real
39:51it's amazing
39:52it is truly
39:53our future
39:54and a lot of dreams
39:56and a lot of hard work
39:57come to fruition
40:03thanks for not letting me quit
40:05without you I would have
40:06you realize that right
40:09I do
40:10thank you
40:12a 700% increase
40:13that's more than
40:14I could have hoped for
40:15that's more than
40:15I could have dreamed for
40:16they had very little light
40:18at the end of the tunnel
40:19when I got here
40:20now they got a bright light
40:22at the end of the tunnel
40:22and they just got to keep
40:23following it upstream
40:24and their future
40:26could be set now
40:27I couldn't be happier
40:36hi Freddie and Juan
40:38hey guys
40:39I want to give you an update
40:40on what's been happening
40:42since you left
40:43the fixes have been working
40:44really well
40:45all those fixes together
40:47have contributed
40:49to gold in this loose box
40:52which we actually can see now
40:54I don't believe this
40:58look at those nuggets
40:59in this nose mat
41:03it is beyond what we expected
41:05and what we hope for
41:07Freddie and Juan
41:07we really want to thank you
41:09because of the tools
41:10you guys have given us
41:11to succeed
41:12we are totally confident
41:14going forward
41:15and we're excited
41:16we're going to take the step
41:18and we're going to become
41:19full-time miners
41:20construction will be
41:22something that I can
41:23leave behind
41:24and we are so grateful
41:27for that
41:27thank you again guys
41:30thank you
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