"Gold Rush: Dave Turin's Lost Mine" Blue Room Bonanza

1 00:00:06,140 --> 00:00:07,940 dave: It's just unbelievable. 2 00:00:07,940 --> 00:00:11,040 Why do we come to the wildest parts of the planet 3 00:00:11,040 --> 00:00:12,670 to find gold? 4 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:15,840 It's back to my roots -- in the snow prospecting. 5 00:00:15,850 --> 00:00:18,810 It gets into your blood, it doesn't go away, dave. 6 00:00:18,810 --> 00:00:22,620 Narrator: With winter about to close down the mining season, 7 00:00:22,620 --> 00:00:25,920 dave turin and gold-mining veteran juan ibarra 8 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:30,860 are hunting for gold at a remote 100-year-old claim. 9 00:00:30,860 --> 00:00:32,730 Any idea how far up they went? 10 00:00:32,730 --> 00:00:35,400 I'm just trying to find some virgin ground here. 11 00:00:35,400 --> 00:00:38,200 The best gold was right up the middle, 12 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:40,770 and they got it. 13 00:00:40,770 --> 00:00:42,600 Even this far out in the bush, 14 00:00:42,610 --> 00:00:44,570 I'm haunted by the old-timers. 15 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:50,210 So, juan, I'm just thinking, looking at this, 16 00:00:50,210 --> 00:00:51,710 I don't think this was worked. 17 00:00:51,710 --> 00:00:53,410 These have been here a long time. 18 00:00:56,950 --> 00:00:58,820 That's virgin ground. 19 00:01:01,020 --> 00:01:02,620 I'll go pan this. 20 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:10,074 Watch Online Movies and Series for FREE www.osdb.link/lm 21 00:01:12,170 --> 00:01:16,100 what the hell? No. 22 00:01:16,110 --> 00:01:18,210 me. 23 00:01:18,210 --> 00:01:20,070 do you see that? 24 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:21,540 Boom! -Yeah! 25 00:01:23,650 --> 00:01:26,650 -- captions by vitac -- www.Vitac.Com 26 00:01:26,650 --> 00:01:29,620 captions paid for by discovery communications 27 00:01:31,190 --> 00:01:32,490 dave: When you're mining for gold, 28 00:01:32,490 --> 00:01:34,690 you know the odds are stacked against you. 29 00:01:34,690 --> 00:01:36,820 That's the worst one yet. 30 00:01:36,830 --> 00:01:40,690 Last week, we widened our search at birdseye... 31 00:01:40,700 --> 00:01:42,700 Let's just take the fence down. 32 00:01:42,700 --> 00:01:44,800 I don't think it's gonna be a big deal, 33 00:01:44,800 --> 00:01:47,570 ...But we overstepped our mark. 34 00:01:47,570 --> 00:01:50,340 Get your excavator, get your car, 35 00:01:50,340 --> 00:01:52,440 float everything up, and just get out of here. 36 00:01:52,440 --> 00:01:54,040 Fence is boundaries, dave. 37 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:55,710 You crossed it. 38 00:01:55,710 --> 00:01:59,710 Now you got one pissed-off landowner. 39 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:02,280 Dave: And now we've only got three or four weeks max 40 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:04,120 before the winter shuts us down. 41 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:05,450 cold. 42 00:02:05,450 --> 00:02:08,190 And we still need to find 260 ounces 43 00:02:08,190 --> 00:02:10,790 to hit my 400-ounce target. 44 00:02:10,790 --> 00:02:14,190 If we find a piece of ground, I still think we can do it. 45 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:17,000 Miracles can happen. I've seen it before. 46 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:19,770 Is there another channel heading anywhere that we can find? 47 00:02:19,770 --> 00:02:22,340 And this is the strongest team I've ever had. 48 00:02:22,340 --> 00:02:23,700 All: All in! 49 00:02:23,710 --> 00:02:25,570 Dave: But if we're going to go home with enough gold, 50 00:02:25,570 --> 00:02:28,410 we need to turn this around and fast. 51 00:02:42,060 --> 00:02:45,360 dave said, "find something. Chase that channel." 52 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:49,100 well, this channel's been skirting the edge of the road. 53 00:02:49,100 --> 00:02:50,530 I got to see if it goes under the road, 54 00:02:50,530 --> 00:02:54,330 and if it does, so be it. We'll take the road out. 55 00:02:54,340 --> 00:02:56,140 I just pray it's under there. 56 00:02:58,940 --> 00:03:01,610 Narrator: After losing access to the cyanide cut 57 00:03:01,610 --> 00:03:03,910 in the south of the claim, 58 00:03:03,910 --> 00:03:05,480 the team has been kicked back 59 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:07,580 to the northern edge of the property, 60 00:03:07,580 --> 00:03:10,380 where it's already mined three cuts. 61 00:03:10,390 --> 00:03:12,790 The most profitable, the dredge edge, 62 00:03:12,790 --> 00:03:17,190 produced 64 ounces from gold-rich channels, 63 00:03:17,190 --> 00:03:20,030 and jason believes there could be one more channel 64 00:03:20,030 --> 00:03:22,100 hidden under the haul road, 65 00:03:22,100 --> 00:03:25,870 but it means cutting their lifeline to the gold fields. 66 00:03:28,370 --> 00:03:32,110 This works, it'll be like following the yellow brick road. 67 00:03:32,110 --> 00:03:36,140 That would finish off our season and hopefully 68 00:03:36,150 --> 00:03:39,980 set us right on our goal. 69 00:03:39,980 --> 00:03:42,850 Dave: When these channels were formed, there was no road there. 70 00:03:42,850 --> 00:03:44,650 So, it don't matter if there's a road or not, 71 00:03:44,650 --> 00:03:47,520 I got to go underneath of it. 72 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:49,990 Say goodbye to your haul road, casey. 73 00:03:49,990 --> 00:03:51,760 Goodbye. 74 00:03:59,540 --> 00:04:03,240 jason: Trying to find where this channel goes from glacial till 75 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:04,770 to an actual pay zone. 76 00:04:04,770 --> 00:04:09,380 I know we're starving for dirt, but you still want to make sure 77 00:04:09,380 --> 00:04:12,880 it has gold in it and it's worth the cost to run. 78 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:19,320 Nathan: You know, we can't afford to have any more mistakes. 79 00:04:19,320 --> 00:04:21,920 It might be 60 degrees today, 80 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:25,660 but in three days, negative 3. 81 00:04:25,660 --> 00:04:30,060 It's -- it's coming to a close soon. 82 00:04:41,310 --> 00:04:47,080 I know this, right here, is our zone, 83 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:48,820 right on top of the clay. 84 00:04:58,030 --> 00:05:00,930 this pan is horrible. 85 00:05:00,930 --> 00:05:04,670 There was four micro-fines in this pan. 86 00:05:04,670 --> 00:05:08,640 I'd love to show you, but you'd never been able to see it. 87 00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:10,270 Definitely not mineable. 88 00:05:12,780 --> 00:05:15,580 We found no other ground anywhere else on this property. 89 00:05:15,580 --> 00:05:17,740 We have looked and looked. 90 00:05:17,750 --> 00:05:19,910 I don't know. 91 00:05:19,920 --> 00:05:21,580 I think it's time to go home. 92 00:05:23,650 --> 00:05:25,250 Sucks. 93 00:05:31,990 --> 00:05:35,630 we're in trouble. Weather's setting in. 94 00:05:35,630 --> 00:05:39,170 The guys are getting anxious and nervous, you know? 95 00:05:39,170 --> 00:05:43,500 And right now, I can't just create ground 96 00:05:43,510 --> 00:05:46,870 that has gold in it. 97 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:49,280 It's gonna take all of us to find something. 98 00:05:49,280 --> 00:05:52,350 But, you know, the guys are all looking to me, 99 00:05:52,350 --> 00:05:57,950 like, for answers, and... 100 00:05:57,950 --> 00:06:01,320 Sometimes as a leader, you don't have the answers. 101 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:10,230 I don't know. 102 00:06:12,370 --> 00:06:16,000 I don't know where we're going next. 103 00:06:26,950 --> 00:06:28,550 dave, you got copy? 104 00:06:31,290 --> 00:06:33,090 Yeah, go ahead, chris. 105 00:06:33,090 --> 00:06:35,660 Dave, I've had a piece of ground 106 00:06:35,660 --> 00:06:39,290 just call my name every single day since we've been here -- 107 00:06:39,290 --> 00:06:42,360 right behind the blue room. 108 00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:44,200 Chris, I don't think there's anything over there. 109 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:47,370 There's a lot of overburden piles over there. 110 00:06:47,370 --> 00:06:49,870 I know. I've been studying that every day, 111 00:06:49,870 --> 00:06:53,540 and the waste piles are so close together. 112 00:06:53,540 --> 00:06:55,810 I'm thinking the dredge didn't get up in there. 113 00:06:55,810 --> 00:06:58,610 I don't know, but I feel pretty good about it. 114 00:06:58,610 --> 00:07:01,310 Well, at this point, chris, I'm open to anything. 115 00:07:01,320 --> 00:07:03,120 All right, I'll meet you over there. 116 00:07:06,660 --> 00:07:09,160 -You think there's gold here? -Right here. 117 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:10,320 Slammed between these two piles. 118 00:07:10,330 --> 00:07:12,230 I know it looks like they mined all through it, 119 00:07:12,230 --> 00:07:15,060 but it just might be a spot that they didn't do. 120 00:07:15,060 --> 00:07:17,330 Dave: I don't know. You see the piles? 121 00:07:17,330 --> 00:07:19,170 I know. I know. 122 00:07:19,170 --> 00:07:21,900 You got piles there and piles there. 123 00:07:21,900 --> 00:07:23,740 Narrator: Chris believes the strip of land 124 00:07:23,740 --> 00:07:26,070 where the team stores its equipment 125 00:07:26,070 --> 00:07:28,310 was missed by the old-timers. 126 00:07:28,310 --> 00:07:30,280 In the late 1930s, 127 00:07:30,280 --> 00:07:34,110 birdseye was mined using a dragline dredge. 128 00:07:34,120 --> 00:07:37,020 The machine worked the land in straight lines 129 00:07:37,020 --> 00:07:39,820 and left behind rows of overburden. 130 00:07:39,820 --> 00:07:43,820 Chris has noticed two rows much closer together than normal 131 00:07:43,830 --> 00:07:46,360 and believes the dredge worked either side 132 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:48,030 but not in between, 133 00:07:48,030 --> 00:07:51,430 leaving behind a strip of gold-rich ground. 134 00:07:51,430 --> 00:07:54,270 Now these two piles are real close together, dave. 135 00:07:54,270 --> 00:07:55,270 I haven't seen anywhere else 136 00:07:55,270 --> 00:07:57,700 where there's two piles that close. 137 00:07:57,710 --> 00:08:00,340 Everywhere else, they're spread out on one side, 138 00:08:00,340 --> 00:08:04,180 but it might be where the dredge couldn't get. 139 00:08:04,180 --> 00:08:07,510 I mean, it's worth a shot. 140 00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:09,380 I don't know. 141 00:08:09,380 --> 00:08:11,380 What's it gonna take you, 10 minutes? 142 00:08:13,490 --> 00:08:15,820 Okay. I mean, all right. I'll dig a p-- 143 00:08:15,820 --> 00:08:16,990 I'll dig a hole. 144 00:08:16,990 --> 00:08:18,490 It's worth a try. We don't have anything else. 145 00:08:18,490 --> 00:08:19,890 -All right. -Okay. 146 00:08:29,000 --> 00:08:31,400 we got some gravel out of it. 147 00:08:33,380 --> 00:08:34,840 And it's not that deep. 148 00:08:36,380 --> 00:08:38,310 Go pan it. See what you get. 149 00:08:47,090 --> 00:08:50,060 I'm hoping this is it. 150 00:08:50,060 --> 00:08:53,430 There's a lot riding on this. I have nowhere else to go. 151 00:08:55,960 --> 00:08:57,600 You want to take a look? 152 00:09:00,570 --> 00:09:02,140 Oh, yeah. 153 00:09:02,140 --> 00:09:04,670 There's a piece of gold right there. 154 00:09:04,670 --> 00:09:07,570 There we go. Look at what I'm looking at. 155 00:09:07,580 --> 00:09:11,010 I see three good-size chunks right there, 156 00:09:11,010 --> 00:09:14,250 and there's a bunch of fines in there. 157 00:09:14,250 --> 00:09:15,620 That'll make us through the season, won't it?. 158 00:09:15,620 --> 00:09:17,450 That'll get us through the season. 159 00:09:17,450 --> 00:09:21,390 We got it. Oh, boom! Yeah! 160 00:09:21,390 --> 00:09:24,620 That's a good pan. 161 00:09:24,630 --> 00:09:26,360 Good job. 162 00:09:26,360 --> 00:09:28,560 -Start stripping. -All right, buddy. 163 00:09:28,560 --> 00:09:31,400 Chris: It's an honor that, you know, dave listens to me. 164 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:33,300 Now we got some ground to go after. 165 00:09:33,300 --> 00:09:34,470 We've got some good goals, 166 00:09:34,470 --> 00:09:37,540 so we better go start stripping right now. 167 00:09:37,540 --> 00:09:38,710 Dave: Well, that was a great pan, 168 00:09:38,710 --> 00:09:40,940 and that's the best news I've had in a long time. 169 00:09:40,940 --> 00:09:43,440 If that kind of gold is left over there, 170 00:09:43,450 --> 00:09:45,480 that's exactly what we needed. 171 00:09:45,480 --> 00:09:47,780 We can still go for 400 ounces. 172 00:09:47,780 --> 00:09:49,580 It's a long shot. But, you know what? 173 00:09:49,590 --> 00:09:51,050 It might be a miracle. 174 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:57,920 Narrator: Coming up -- plunging temperature... 175 00:09:57,930 --> 00:09:59,090 Winter's here. 176 00:09:59,090 --> 00:10:01,130 Narrator: ...Knocks team turin off course. 177 00:10:01,130 --> 00:10:03,900 That's a 178 00:10:03,900 --> 00:10:05,800 narrator: And when the blue room starts to pay... 179 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:07,530 That's 6.5 right there. 180 00:10:10,610 --> 00:10:12,510 narrator: ...Dave heads to the far north 181 00:10:12,510 --> 00:10:14,710 to hunt for his next lost mine. 182 00:10:14,710 --> 00:10:17,710 And every time we've touched somewhere, we've found gold. 183 00:10:17,710 --> 00:10:18,850 You see that? 184 00:10:18,850 --> 00:10:20,250 -Boom! -Yeah! 185 00:10:21,950 --> 00:10:23,420 juan: That's pretty good. 186 00:10:31,930 --> 00:10:33,630 hey, let's move this 187 00:10:33,630 --> 00:10:35,760 narrator: Morning at birdseye. 188 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:37,800 Well, chris had a hunch, 189 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:39,330 over here where the blue room's at, you know, 190 00:10:39,330 --> 00:10:42,200 about some gold being there, so him and dave prospected it, 191 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:44,340 and it turned out pretty damn good. 192 00:10:44,340 --> 00:10:46,940 So, we're gonna move this out of the way. 193 00:10:46,940 --> 00:10:49,740 Narrator: ...Loader operator chris taylor followed his nose 194 00:10:49,750 --> 00:10:54,080 and found gold under the team's blue porta potty. 195 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:56,450 I'm proud of my okay? 196 00:10:56,450 --> 00:10:57,520 Good for the old blue room. 197 00:10:57,520 --> 00:10:59,990 Keeping the gold safe for us, right? 198 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:09,230 we all use the bathroom there, so... 199 00:11:09,230 --> 00:11:11,500 But, yeah, it's been on gold this whole time. 200 00:11:11,500 --> 00:11:13,800 You know? 201 00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:15,540 Dave: We're gonna call it the blue room cut 202 00:11:15,540 --> 00:11:18,470 and finish the season, finish it strong. 203 00:11:18,470 --> 00:11:21,610 Narrator: It's not just the restroom that needs relocating. 204 00:11:21,610 --> 00:11:25,350 Dave must strip the land before he can run pay. 205 00:11:25,350 --> 00:11:28,720 You think about the history of mining in montana, 206 00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:30,880 and there was a town named diamond city. 207 00:11:30,890 --> 00:11:34,490 10,000 people lived in that area, 208 00:11:34,490 --> 00:11:36,520 right on top of a bunch of gold. 209 00:11:36,530 --> 00:11:38,990 Guess what? They moved it -- moved the whole town, 210 00:11:38,990 --> 00:11:41,590 tore it down, took the gold out. 211 00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:43,600 Pretty amazing, and here we are. 212 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:46,370 We're gonna dig up right beneath our feet, 213 00:11:46,370 --> 00:11:48,100 and we're gonna find some gold. 214 00:11:51,140 --> 00:11:53,810 One minute you think you're going home, 215 00:11:53,810 --> 00:11:56,010 next minute you're stripping a new cut. 216 00:12:05,550 --> 00:12:07,850 jason: We got two machines dancing together right now 217 00:12:07,860 --> 00:12:12,360 'cause we got to get this open as fast as possible. 218 00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:14,190 Get it through that trommel, 219 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:16,700 all before the weather really sets in. 220 00:12:16,700 --> 00:12:19,000 We already had our cold snap, you know, 221 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:20,630 below zero or whatnot. 222 00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:23,700 Well, it ain't the only one for the year. 223 00:12:23,710 --> 00:12:27,070 The next one's just around the corner. 224 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:29,510 Casey: I seen there's a cross right now. 225 00:12:29,510 --> 00:12:30,880 Just want to get as much gold as we can 226 00:12:30,880 --> 00:12:32,280 and go home and show our families 227 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:36,280 we pulled up whatever we could out of this birdseye mine. 228 00:12:46,090 --> 00:12:47,490 narrator: In five hours, 229 00:12:47,500 --> 00:12:50,930 the team runs 600 tons of pay from the new cut. 230 00:12:50,930 --> 00:12:55,140 It's almost a full day, still running, no breakdowns, 231 00:12:55,140 --> 00:12:57,370 plenty of water. 232 00:12:57,370 --> 00:12:58,870 We're good, guys! 233 00:13:06,920 --> 00:13:10,220 narrator: The next morning, 234 00:13:10,220 --> 00:13:13,090 the temperature plummets to zero degrees. 235 00:13:18,430 --> 00:13:22,600 everything is frozen. Look at the bowl -- solid. 236 00:13:25,930 --> 00:13:27,530 -You ready? -Yeah. 237 00:13:27,540 --> 00:13:28,570 -Oh. -Oh, 238 00:13:28,570 --> 00:13:31,400 -oh, crap. -It froze that fast? 239 00:13:31,410 --> 00:13:33,710 Oh, nate, she's locked up. 240 00:13:33,710 --> 00:13:35,310 How are we supposed to flush each line out now? 241 00:13:35,310 --> 00:13:36,980 I don't know. 242 00:13:36,980 --> 00:13:39,610 Heat it up, see if we can get it to get going. 243 00:13:41,920 --> 00:13:45,220 It's getting harder and harder to start in the morning. 244 00:13:45,220 --> 00:13:47,620 It's too cold. 245 00:13:47,620 --> 00:13:50,590 But the real problem is we're losing time. 246 00:13:50,590 --> 00:13:53,530 It's gonna be at least an hour and a half of shutdown. 247 00:13:53,530 --> 00:13:54,990 That's really costly. 248 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:58,500 We have no income unless that trommel's turning. 249 00:13:58,500 --> 00:14:00,900 Yeah, we got some ice on top, but you know what? 250 00:14:00,900 --> 00:14:02,200 We're gonna bust that out. 251 00:14:02,200 --> 00:14:04,540 Get some of this nice, warm sun showing, 252 00:14:04,540 --> 00:14:06,970 it might be okay. 253 00:14:06,980 --> 00:14:08,510 Dave: We're running out of days. 254 00:14:08,510 --> 00:14:10,040 I mean, it's 9:00 in the morning, 255 00:14:10,050 --> 00:14:11,880 and we still can't get going. 256 00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:19,820 oh, it's wet in there. 257 00:14:19,820 --> 00:14:22,260 Here. You ready? 258 00:14:22,260 --> 00:14:24,260 -Yeah! -Coming on! 259 00:14:24,260 --> 00:14:26,760 -Coming on! -Come on. Give us water. 260 00:14:30,470 --> 00:14:34,300 whoo! We're back in business, boys! 261 00:14:34,300 --> 00:14:35,940 Narrator: With the pump thawed out, 262 00:14:35,940 --> 00:14:41,410 the next job is to bump start the ice-encrusted trommel. 263 00:14:41,410 --> 00:14:43,580 Nathan: All we need is the excavator moving. 264 00:14:43,580 --> 00:14:45,950 Push it over manually. 265 00:14:45,950 --> 00:14:49,450 Don't like doing that because you're forcing it. 266 00:14:49,450 --> 00:14:52,090 You force , it don't work out the best sometimes. 267 00:14:59,960 --> 00:15:02,600 it's always scary when you're trying to turn that trommel 268 00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:04,330 over with an excavator. 269 00:15:04,330 --> 00:15:06,470 I could seriously poke a hole in that, 270 00:15:06,470 --> 00:15:08,870 and then we're screwed. 271 00:15:08,870 --> 00:15:10,900 -You ready dave? -Yeah, turn it on. 272 00:15:13,070 --> 00:15:15,340 -Yeah, man. -Yeah, man. 273 00:15:15,340 --> 00:15:17,810 It's starting to move gravel. You hear it? 274 00:15:17,810 --> 00:15:19,280 We're rolling. 275 00:15:21,280 --> 00:15:23,120 Good morning, birdseye. 276 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:24,880 Coming from the frosty area, 277 00:15:24,890 --> 00:15:28,920 we are a good 16 degrees outside. 278 00:15:28,920 --> 00:15:30,420 Everything has thawed out. 279 00:15:30,430 --> 00:15:32,730 The bowl material is good to go on the sleuths, 280 00:15:32,730 --> 00:15:34,060 and belts are good. 281 00:15:34,060 --> 00:15:35,630 Let's throw some rocks in a box, buddy. 282 00:15:35,630 --> 00:15:37,660 Man: You got it. Putting rocks in a box. 283 00:15:44,570 --> 00:15:48,780 little ice buildup right here. 284 00:15:48,780 --> 00:15:53,750 Yeah, this little canal here, this feeds our gold room, 285 00:15:53,750 --> 00:15:57,620 so if we lose this, then we're done for sure. 286 00:15:57,620 --> 00:16:00,220 I got to chip out of here and clean this out a little bit, 287 00:16:00,220 --> 00:16:02,320 and I'll be back in business. 288 00:16:06,530 --> 00:16:11,000 narrator: The first concentrates from the blue room cut are ready to run, 289 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:13,270 and jesse faces a constant battle 290 00:16:13,270 --> 00:16:16,770 to keep the gold-recovery equipment thawed out. 291 00:16:19,210 --> 00:16:21,740 But as long as I can keep it above freezing, 292 00:16:21,740 --> 00:16:22,910 I'll be all right. 293 00:16:22,910 --> 00:16:24,880 I can dress warm, but I can't have 294 00:16:24,880 --> 00:16:27,150 my machines freezing up on me. 295 00:16:33,220 --> 00:16:34,750 narrator: With four hours lost 296 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:36,790 to the cold weather this morning, 297 00:16:36,790 --> 00:16:39,260 the team is playing catch-up. 298 00:16:39,260 --> 00:16:41,860 Dave said that at the end of this cut, 299 00:16:41,860 --> 00:16:45,730 had the best pan out of the whole season so far. 300 00:16:45,730 --> 00:16:49,300 As long as we're getting gold, we're still in the game. 301 00:16:49,300 --> 00:16:51,470 We're right on that last push. 302 00:16:51,470 --> 00:16:53,710 This is really nice. I'm excited, man. 303 00:16:53,710 --> 00:16:55,340 Season changer. 304 00:16:58,850 --> 00:17:00,410 Nate, nate, tell him to stop! 305 00:17:00,420 --> 00:17:02,980 Nate, tell him to stop! 306 00:17:02,980 --> 00:17:04,120 Nate! 307 00:17:09,660 --> 00:17:11,960 let's kill everything. Let's kill everything. 308 00:17:14,800 --> 00:17:16,460 what the happened there? 309 00:17:16,460 --> 00:17:18,500 All that ice fell on the belt. 310 00:17:18,500 --> 00:17:21,000 Chris, go shut the water off for us. 311 00:17:22,570 --> 00:17:25,140 ugh, 312 00:17:25,140 --> 00:17:26,670 how much 's in there? 313 00:17:33,880 --> 00:17:36,950 see all this ice sitting here? 314 00:17:36,950 --> 00:17:39,190 It fell down on the belt. 315 00:17:42,720 --> 00:17:43,890 Didn't hurt anything. 316 00:17:43,890 --> 00:17:45,630 Yeah, go ahead and start it, chris. 317 00:17:45,630 --> 00:17:48,800 -I'll go turn us all back on. -Okay. 318 00:17:48,800 --> 00:17:50,730 Nathan: Coming, coming on, dave! 319 00:17:52,730 --> 00:17:54,130 That was close. 320 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:58,540 Dave: You can see where the belts were rubbing on the ice. 321 00:17:58,540 --> 00:18:03,280 The ice pushes on the belts, and then it slowed it down, 322 00:18:03,280 --> 00:18:06,550 and the belt were slipping 'cause the ice is building up. 323 00:18:06,550 --> 00:18:08,280 I don't know how much longer we can go. 324 00:18:08,280 --> 00:18:10,780 It's mother nature saying, "time to get the out." 325 00:18:10,790 --> 00:18:13,950 she's telling us, "closing time's coming, boys. 326 00:18:13,960 --> 00:18:15,720 Time to go." 327 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:18,460 dave: When we start having problems with ice building up 328 00:18:18,460 --> 00:18:21,330 under the trommel, it's getting to be the end. 329 00:18:21,330 --> 00:18:24,700 It really is, but right now we haven't got our goal, 330 00:18:24,700 --> 00:18:27,230 so I'm not ready to quit. 331 00:18:35,080 --> 00:18:36,880 narrator: Birdseye mine, montana... 332 00:18:36,880 --> 00:18:40,410 Gold is pretty, and it's yellow. 333 00:18:40,420 --> 00:18:43,450 And you think you have a lot of it at a lot of times, 334 00:18:43,450 --> 00:18:47,050 and there's not there as much as you think. 335 00:18:47,060 --> 00:18:51,990 But I never did get excited until I weigh it. 336 00:18:51,990 --> 00:18:55,160 Narrator: After fighting the freeze, jesse is running the first 337 00:18:55,160 --> 00:18:57,760 concentrates from the blue room cut. 338 00:18:57,770 --> 00:19:00,970 We're within a couple weeks of getting run out of here, 339 00:19:00,970 --> 00:19:03,470 so we got to go like crazy. 340 00:19:03,470 --> 00:19:06,440 Trying to push it to bring the gold total up. 341 00:19:12,580 --> 00:19:15,550 I'm looking forward to seeing the gold count. 342 00:19:15,550 --> 00:19:17,020 We're washing rock. 343 00:19:17,020 --> 00:19:21,750 I'm sure dave and them ran it to its max. 344 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:23,790 -How's it look? -Pretty good. 345 00:19:23,790 --> 00:19:25,530 -Ooh, there's some gold. -Yeah. 346 00:19:25,530 --> 00:19:27,730 Dave: Let's see how much we got. What do you think? 347 00:19:27,730 --> 00:19:28,960 Gosh. It's hard to guess. 348 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:30,660 That stuff's so fine. I don't know. 349 00:19:30,670 --> 00:19:33,670 It doesn't look like a lot. I'm hoping for it's over 4. 350 00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:51,150 what did we get? 4.8. 351 00:19:51,150 --> 00:19:53,950 -Nice! -That was exciting. 352 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:55,590 I was feeling pretty desperate. 353 00:19:55,590 --> 00:19:57,520 I didn't know if we were gonna pull it off again, 354 00:19:57,530 --> 00:20:00,160 but we're back on the goal. 355 00:20:00,160 --> 00:20:02,530 Dave: 4.8 ounces is really good. 356 00:20:02,530 --> 00:20:05,830 We're on good ground in that blue room cut. 357 00:20:05,830 --> 00:20:08,800 I'm encouraged, but we got a long ways to go. 358 00:20:11,110 --> 00:20:15,040 We're a team. Team turin, baby. 359 00:20:15,040 --> 00:20:17,040 Narrator: With gold back in the box, 360 00:20:17,050 --> 00:20:19,250 dave calls a morning meeting to discuss 361 00:20:19,250 --> 00:20:22,380 how to finish the season. 362 00:20:22,380 --> 00:20:26,120 All right, guys, look, the blue room cut is producing, 363 00:20:26,120 --> 00:20:29,290 4.8 is one of our best cleanups yet. 364 00:20:32,130 --> 00:20:35,430 we're gonna tear it up, put it through the plant. 365 00:20:35,430 --> 00:20:40,030 Dude, we're gonna knock it out of the ballpark. 366 00:20:40,030 --> 00:20:42,770 However, I want you listen. 367 00:20:42,770 --> 00:20:46,370 Today, it's a reality check. 368 00:20:46,370 --> 00:20:49,440 I know my goal was 400 ounces, 369 00:20:49,440 --> 00:20:52,110 but it's really going to take one heck of a miracle 370 00:20:52,110 --> 00:20:57,150 to get to 400 before the weather shuts us out, 371 00:20:57,150 --> 00:20:59,520 but I've been looking at the numbers. 372 00:20:59,520 --> 00:21:03,120 If we get to 200, I'll get my stake back, 373 00:21:03,120 --> 00:21:06,830 and you'll make more money than last year. 374 00:21:06,830 --> 00:21:08,860 I still believe in the dream. 375 00:21:08,860 --> 00:21:13,300 I think we can go over 200, and we're gonna kick ass. 376 00:21:13,300 --> 00:21:15,330 What do you think? 377 00:21:15,340 --> 00:21:16,440 Jesse: Yeah, it's bittersweet 378 00:21:16,440 --> 00:21:20,570 when you finally get a really nice clean-out. 379 00:21:20,580 --> 00:21:22,340 But the weather's coming in, 380 00:21:22,340 --> 00:21:23,880 if we can make the 200, 381 00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:25,780 everybody'd be tickled to death. 382 00:21:27,880 --> 00:21:30,820 You keep digging the dirt. We're gonna get it done. 383 00:21:30,820 --> 00:21:33,020 We're gonna win. 384 00:21:33,020 --> 00:21:34,020 Everybody in? 385 00:21:34,020 --> 00:21:37,620 -All in. All in. -All right. 386 00:21:37,630 --> 00:21:38,860 All: All in! 387 00:21:38,860 --> 00:21:41,630 -There we go. There we go. -Got it. 388 00:21:41,630 --> 00:21:43,430 I changed my goal to 200 ounces. 389 00:21:43,430 --> 00:21:45,060 I think that's a realistic goal, 390 00:21:45,070 --> 00:21:48,600 but we could still get to 400 ounces. 391 00:21:48,600 --> 00:21:51,340 "the montana miracle" we're gonna call it. 392 00:21:51,340 --> 00:21:52,970 I'm gonna keep those guys motivated. 393 00:21:52,970 --> 00:21:54,340 As long as we've got ground, 394 00:21:54,340 --> 00:21:58,180 we got to put the hours in, and then we can hit it. 395 00:21:58,180 --> 00:21:59,510 Let's get that 200. 396 00:21:59,510 --> 00:22:02,950 I want these guys to go home with their heads up. 397 00:22:02,950 --> 00:22:04,920 Nathan: We get 200 ounces, that's a load of money. 398 00:22:04,920 --> 00:22:07,190 $1,500 an ounce -- 399 00:22:07,190 --> 00:22:11,020 that's good money for, you know the time that we're out here. 400 00:22:11,030 --> 00:22:14,930 When this team says they're all in, we're all in. 401 00:22:21,500 --> 00:22:24,540 narrator: Team turin is finally on good gold, 402 00:22:24,540 --> 00:22:26,910 but now an urgent new mission 403 00:22:26,910 --> 00:22:31,480 pulls dave away at the worst possible time. 404 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:33,680 Hey, guys, I'll see you in a couple days. 405 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:36,420 It's a journey to a mine in the far north 406 00:22:36,420 --> 00:22:39,420 that could be a game changer for next season. 407 00:22:39,420 --> 00:22:41,120 I got a tip from a friend of mine. 408 00:22:41,120 --> 00:22:43,020 His name is juan ibarra. 409 00:22:43,020 --> 00:22:46,090 I used to work with him on the hoffman crew. 410 00:22:46,090 --> 00:22:50,800 It's a lost mine in alaska. It's got hard rock and placer. 411 00:22:50,800 --> 00:22:52,770 I've got to check it out now before the winter 412 00:22:52,770 --> 00:22:54,470 shuts alaska down. 413 00:22:54,470 --> 00:22:58,400 So I'm gonna go out and hopefully find some more gold. 414 00:23:02,640 --> 00:23:06,610 Narrator: 2,000 miles north in the alaskan wilderness, 415 00:23:06,610 --> 00:23:11,350 dave's destination is the remote nixon fork mine. 416 00:23:11,350 --> 00:23:15,320 Holy cow. Wow. 417 00:23:15,320 --> 00:23:16,890 His old friend juan ibarra 418 00:23:16,890 --> 00:23:20,430 ran maintenance at the mine before it shut down. 419 00:23:20,430 --> 00:23:24,060 1918 is when they actually found the hard-rock deposit, 420 00:23:24,070 --> 00:23:25,930 but before that in 1917 421 00:23:25,930 --> 00:23:27,800 was when they found the placer gold. 422 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:30,840 I really think, for me and my little company, 423 00:23:30,840 --> 00:23:33,210 I think hard rock could be the future. 424 00:23:33,210 --> 00:23:34,340 So that's what I was thinking. 425 00:23:34,340 --> 00:23:35,610 You know, this would be a great spot for you. 426 00:23:35,610 --> 00:23:38,610 Juan plans to show dave around nixon fork 427 00:23:38,610 --> 00:23:41,880 and introduce him to current owner blane wilson. 428 00:23:41,880 --> 00:23:43,120 Blane, how you doing? 429 00:23:43,120 --> 00:23:44,650 Doing good, juan. How about yourself? 430 00:23:44,650 --> 00:23:46,650 -Excellent. -Been a long time. 431 00:23:46,650 --> 00:23:48,590 Yeah, blane this is dave. Dave, blane. 432 00:23:48,590 --> 00:23:50,060 Dave, it's a pleasure. Blane wilson. 433 00:23:50,060 --> 00:23:51,290 Nice to meet you. 434 00:23:51,290 --> 00:23:53,130 You've got some placer and some underground. 435 00:23:53,130 --> 00:23:55,260 We do. One thing that's quite interesting here 436 00:23:55,260 --> 00:23:57,230 is there's so much that hasn't been touched, 437 00:23:57,230 --> 00:24:00,400 and every time we've touched somewhere, we've found gold. 438 00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:02,100 -Well, can we go check it out? -Absolutely. 439 00:24:02,100 --> 00:24:04,240 -Let's go, huh? -Go. 440 00:24:06,470 --> 00:24:09,680 Narrator: In 2015, blane became the latest 441 00:24:09,680 --> 00:24:13,810 in a long line of nixon fork mine owners. 442 00:24:13,820 --> 00:24:17,980 Whoa! Now, that's amazing. 443 00:24:17,990 --> 00:24:21,050 Holy look at that. 444 00:24:21,060 --> 00:24:22,620 10-stamp mill. 445 00:24:22,620 --> 00:24:24,390 I've never seen a 10-stamp mill before 446 00:24:24,390 --> 00:24:27,290 that's still actually standing. 447 00:24:27,300 --> 00:24:30,960 A stamp mill is a machine used to crush hard-rock ore 448 00:24:30,970 --> 00:24:32,400 into fine gravel, 449 00:24:32,400 --> 00:24:36,000 which can then be processed further to recover the gold. 450 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:40,270 This large steam-powered example has 10 separate stamps. 451 00:24:40,270 --> 00:24:45,950 In 1922, the mill produced $1.7 million of gold 452 00:24:45,950 --> 00:24:47,210 in today's money. 453 00:24:47,220 --> 00:24:49,820 Dave: I stand in awe at what they did, 454 00:24:49,820 --> 00:24:53,320 but it also gives me the passion to do the same... 455 00:24:55,290 --> 00:24:58,920 ...Because I'm walking in the path of greatness. 456 00:25:00,390 --> 00:25:02,860 These men were great that put this together. 457 00:25:09,140 --> 00:25:11,500 narrator: Since the source of nixon fork's gold 458 00:25:11,510 --> 00:25:14,010 was discovered in 1917, 459 00:25:14,010 --> 00:25:17,140 it has produced nearly seven tons. 460 00:25:17,140 --> 00:25:20,050 Pioneers dragged their equipment and supplies 461 00:25:20,050 --> 00:25:23,120 hundreds of miles through frozen terrain 462 00:25:23,120 --> 00:25:27,920 to dig tunnels in this gold-rich mountain. 463 00:25:27,920 --> 00:25:29,490 This is the crystal mine. 464 00:25:29,490 --> 00:25:33,590 This one has several miles of underground workings. 465 00:25:33,590 --> 00:25:36,260 This is the biggest tunnels I've ever seen. 466 00:25:36,260 --> 00:25:38,200 Narrator: To get the hard-rock gold, 467 00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:41,370 the old timers burrowed into either side of the mountain, 468 00:25:41,370 --> 00:25:44,900 creating two tunnels called mystery and crystal. 469 00:25:44,910 --> 00:25:48,340 Blane's reports suggest that between the two tunnels 470 00:25:48,340 --> 00:25:50,480 lies a mother lode of gold 471 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:53,610 that could hold as much as a million ounces. 472 00:25:57,720 --> 00:25:59,050 Dave: You know they're getting a lot of gold 473 00:25:59,050 --> 00:26:02,450 when they build their tunnels this big. 474 00:26:02,460 --> 00:26:05,820 Ooh, this is a little scary. 475 00:26:05,830 --> 00:26:07,660 -That's a big slab right there. -Yeah. 476 00:26:07,660 --> 00:26:10,000 -This is an area here to here. -Exactly. Exactly. 477 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:11,730 -Okay. -Hey, hey. 478 00:26:11,730 --> 00:26:13,600 Blane: There's an old mining hole here. 479 00:26:13,600 --> 00:26:14,770 Just avoid that, please. 480 00:26:14,770 --> 00:26:16,370 Hey, dave, dave, dave, dave, dave, dave, dave! 481 00:26:16,370 --> 00:26:19,510 Get out from under that. I need you back. 482 00:26:19,510 --> 00:26:20,970 Right now, back. 483 00:26:20,980 --> 00:26:23,810 She's still loose right there. 484 00:26:23,810 --> 00:26:26,580 -Son of a gun. -Whoa! 485 00:26:28,950 --> 00:26:30,650 -Yeah. -We good in here now, juan? 486 00:26:30,650 --> 00:26:32,020 -We're fine now. -Okay. 487 00:26:32,020 --> 00:26:34,020 Narrator: In alaska -- 488 00:26:34,020 --> 00:26:37,220 deep and treacherous underground tunnels. 489 00:26:37,220 --> 00:26:39,630 Dave: Well, that's cool. 490 00:26:39,630 --> 00:26:43,900 Dave turin is searching for gold-bearing quartz veins. 491 00:26:43,900 --> 00:26:47,530 There it is. That's solid, and it's okay. 492 00:26:47,540 --> 00:26:49,940 So we're trying to get some good samples. 493 00:26:53,370 --> 00:26:54,770 Juan: That's a good rock there. 494 00:26:54,780 --> 00:26:56,540 Make sure you get that. Beautiful. 495 00:26:56,540 --> 00:26:58,310 We got our sample. All right. 496 00:26:58,310 --> 00:27:00,210 I think we should take it to the assay lab. 497 00:27:00,210 --> 00:27:02,750 We'll put it in the furnace. 498 00:27:02,750 --> 00:27:05,020 Dave: It's impressive. There's a lot of gold taken out, 499 00:27:05,020 --> 00:27:07,120 and I believe there's a lot of gold left in. 500 00:27:07,120 --> 00:27:11,520 Proof's in the bag. We'll find out what's in there. 501 00:27:11,530 --> 00:27:14,630 Narrator: To extract the gold from the hard-rock ore, 502 00:27:14,630 --> 00:27:16,660 blane runs a fire assay. 503 00:27:16,660 --> 00:27:18,330 Blane: Abracadabra. 504 00:27:18,330 --> 00:27:20,830 Narrator: The ore is crushed to a fine powder 505 00:27:20,840 --> 00:27:22,840 and mixed with a blend of chemicals. 506 00:27:22,840 --> 00:27:25,070 Blane: We're gonna add a little bit of soda ash. 507 00:27:31,710 --> 00:27:33,650 dave: So what's the temperature of your oven? 508 00:27:33,650 --> 00:27:36,520 Right now were sitting at 2,050 degrees fahrenheit. 509 00:27:36,520 --> 00:27:39,050 Dave: Brought it down here, pulverized it, 510 00:27:39,050 --> 00:27:40,790 and then we put it in there. 511 00:27:40,790 --> 00:27:43,020 It's quite a process. 512 00:27:43,020 --> 00:27:46,390 Narrator: The heat from the furnace separates the heavy metals, 513 00:27:46,390 --> 00:27:50,260 including gold from the waste material. 514 00:27:50,260 --> 00:27:52,100 Slag is the material of the flux 515 00:27:52,100 --> 00:27:53,630 and all the material we don't want, 516 00:27:53,630 --> 00:27:56,140 all the prec-- the stuff that's not precious metals. 517 00:27:56,140 --> 00:27:58,840 Dave: Right there, little pieces of heavy metal. 518 00:27:58,840 --> 00:28:01,240 So right now that's mixed lead and the... 519 00:28:01,240 --> 00:28:02,340 Lead, gold, and silver. 520 00:28:02,340 --> 00:28:04,480 Okay. 521 00:28:04,480 --> 00:28:06,080 That one came out pretty easy. 522 00:28:06,080 --> 00:28:08,610 Narrator: The sample is then returned to the furnace 523 00:28:08,620 --> 00:28:11,120 to burn off the remaining impurities 524 00:28:11,120 --> 00:28:13,520 and reveal how much gold remains. 525 00:28:13,520 --> 00:28:14,750 All right, we'll see you in an hour. 526 00:28:14,760 --> 00:28:16,920 -Sounds great, guys. -Lets go run some numbers. 527 00:28:21,130 --> 00:28:23,000 Everything has to be brought in on the airplane. 528 00:28:23,000 --> 00:28:25,660 Our fuel, our food, crew 529 00:28:25,670 --> 00:28:27,030 all has to be brought in on plane. 530 00:28:27,030 --> 00:28:29,200 That's been the downfall of this site -- 531 00:28:29,200 --> 00:28:30,600 you know, how remote it is. 532 00:28:30,600 --> 00:28:33,670 I think a guy's gonna need a couple million dollars 533 00:28:33,670 --> 00:28:37,180 to get this opened up and get it started, repair everything. 534 00:28:37,180 --> 00:28:40,150 I think $2 million is a little shy, honestly. 535 00:28:40,150 --> 00:28:41,680 I think we're gonna probably be in the closer 536 00:28:41,680 --> 00:28:44,250 to $3.5 million, $4 million range. 537 00:28:44,250 --> 00:28:46,820 How many dollars per ton for production here? 538 00:28:46,820 --> 00:28:49,760 We're gonna be in the $750 range per ton to produce. 539 00:28:49,760 --> 00:28:51,990 Gold's $1,500 an ounce. 540 00:28:51,990 --> 00:28:54,930 Your break-even is 1/2 an ounce per ton then. 541 00:28:54,930 --> 00:28:57,230 Exactly. The problem is that initial startup cost. 542 00:28:57,230 --> 00:29:00,470 Let's go talk to blane, see what those assays look like. 543 00:29:00,470 --> 00:29:02,100 Let's do it. 544 00:29:04,610 --> 00:29:07,070 -Are we ready? -Let's do this. 545 00:29:07,070 --> 00:29:08,670 Wow. 546 00:29:08,680 --> 00:29:10,610 Well, there it is right there. 547 00:29:10,610 --> 00:29:13,110 Oh, that's better. Yeah. 548 00:29:13,110 --> 00:29:16,550 All: Ohhhh! 549 00:29:16,550 --> 00:29:18,380 I like that one. Look at that. 550 00:29:18,390 --> 00:29:20,950 -There we go. -That's what we're looking for. 551 00:29:20,960 --> 00:29:22,720 The one bb's a pretty good size. 552 00:29:22,720 --> 00:29:25,920 Look at how bright that gold is, though. 553 00:29:25,930 --> 00:29:27,760 -Oh! -Whoo! 554 00:29:27,760 --> 00:29:29,760 -That's nearly a gram. -Almost a gram out of that. 555 00:29:29,760 --> 00:29:31,130 -Wow. -Out of that. 556 00:29:31,130 --> 00:29:33,870 -That little bit of... -That was ore? 557 00:29:33,870 --> 00:29:36,270 -A tiny, little bit ore. -What does that translate to? 558 00:29:36,270 --> 00:29:39,270 So with that sample right there, for each ton of ore, 559 00:29:39,270 --> 00:29:43,240 today's gold price is $1,991 per ton. 560 00:29:43,240 --> 00:29:44,840 -Whew! -Wow! There we go. 561 00:29:44,850 --> 00:29:47,980 Narrator: Over double dave's break-even number. 562 00:29:47,980 --> 00:29:51,880 That was amazing. We put maybe a teaspoon of ore 563 00:29:51,890 --> 00:29:54,690 and got almost a gram of gold out of it. 564 00:29:54,690 --> 00:29:56,660 I've never seen that before. 565 00:29:56,660 --> 00:30:00,390 It gives me a whole different view on hard-rock mining. 566 00:30:00,390 --> 00:30:01,860 That was a lot of gold, 567 00:30:01,860 --> 00:30:05,130 and it's really gonna give me something to think about. 568 00:30:11,140 --> 00:30:13,610 narrator: Back at birdseye mine montana, 569 00:30:13,610 --> 00:30:17,510 team turin is full-steam ahead mining the blue room cut. 570 00:30:19,480 --> 00:30:22,180 Jason: You guys hear that? That's equipment. 571 00:30:22,180 --> 00:30:25,220 That's backup alarms. That's tracks tracking. 572 00:30:27,420 --> 00:30:29,290 We're on the bed ground we've had all season. 573 00:30:29,290 --> 00:30:30,920 Didn't even know we had it. 574 00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:37,230 Narrator: The end of another day, 575 00:30:37,230 --> 00:30:39,360 and jesse has finished processing 576 00:30:39,370 --> 00:30:41,370 yesterday's concentrate. 577 00:30:41,370 --> 00:30:42,940 I'll tell you what -- it's a different feeling 578 00:30:42,940 --> 00:30:44,440 whenever we come to the principal's office 579 00:30:44,440 --> 00:30:46,740 when the principal's not here, isn't it? 580 00:30:48,640 --> 00:30:49,980 -let's do it. -All right. 581 00:30:49,980 --> 00:30:54,550 If we get over three ounces, I'll be tickled to death. 582 00:30:54,550 --> 00:30:58,320 Come on, baby, keep climbing. Keep climbing. 583 00:31:02,020 --> 00:31:04,460 What's she at? What do got? 584 00:31:04,460 --> 00:31:07,630 That's 6.5 right there. 585 00:31:07,630 --> 00:31:09,860 -6.5 ounces. -Is it? 586 00:31:09,860 --> 00:31:11,430 -That's a -- -that's 16 bucks. 587 00:31:13,370 --> 00:31:15,570 -now we're looking good. -Here we go, here we go. 588 00:31:15,570 --> 00:31:17,970 -Nice. -Good job. 589 00:31:17,970 --> 00:31:21,240 Narrator: At almost $10,000 worth of gold, 590 00:31:21,240 --> 00:31:24,640 it's the best day's cleanup of the entire season. 591 00:31:24,650 --> 00:31:26,280 -That's positive. -That's positive. 592 00:31:26,280 --> 00:31:28,550 -True. -All in. 593 00:31:28,550 --> 00:31:30,920 -Ready? One, two, three. -All in! 594 00:31:30,920 --> 00:31:35,490 6.5 ounces in 600 yards -- that's an outstanding cleaning 595 00:31:35,490 --> 00:31:36,960 for this property. 596 00:31:36,960 --> 00:31:40,260 And it puts a lot of confidence and reassurance back into, 597 00:31:40,260 --> 00:31:44,130 at least me, that we are doing it right 598 00:31:44,130 --> 00:31:46,330 because when you get these low cleanups all the time, 599 00:31:46,330 --> 00:31:48,870 you start wondering, "am I losing that gold 600 00:31:48,870 --> 00:31:50,640 that we think should be there?" 601 00:31:50,640 --> 00:31:52,200 no, the gold's just not in the ground. 602 00:31:52,210 --> 00:31:53,270 That proves it. 603 00:31:53,270 --> 00:31:54,670 Nathan: I'm ecstatic by that result. 604 00:31:54,680 --> 00:31:58,110 You know, we been getting kicked all season long, 605 00:31:58,110 --> 00:32:02,450 and finally to get 6.5 on a full cleanup -- 606 00:32:02,450 --> 00:32:03,850 that's incredible. 607 00:32:03,850 --> 00:32:05,480 That's 16 bucks a yard. 608 00:32:17,870 --> 00:32:19,500 it's just unbelievable. 609 00:32:22,640 --> 00:32:25,470 Why do we come to the wildest parts of the planet 610 00:32:25,470 --> 00:32:27,040 to find gold? 611 00:32:27,040 --> 00:32:30,880 It's back to my roots -- in the snow prospecting. 612 00:32:30,880 --> 00:32:33,550 It gets in your blood, it doesn't go away, dave. 613 00:32:33,550 --> 00:32:36,680 Narrator: In alaska, dave and juan turn their attention 614 00:32:36,680 --> 00:32:39,280 to nixon fork's placer deposits 615 00:32:39,290 --> 00:32:42,990 in the land once worked by the old-timers. 616 00:32:42,990 --> 00:32:44,820 Any idea how far up they went? 617 00:32:44,830 --> 00:32:48,490 I'm just trying to find some virgin ground here. 618 00:32:48,500 --> 00:32:50,500 The best gold was right up the middle, 619 00:32:50,500 --> 00:32:52,100 and they got it. 620 00:32:59,340 --> 00:33:02,040 even this far out in the bush in alaska, 621 00:33:02,040 --> 00:33:05,340 I'm haunted by the old-timers. 622 00:33:05,350 --> 00:33:06,780 Here we are. 623 00:33:06,780 --> 00:33:09,510 So, juan, I'm just thinking, look at how big these rocks are. 624 00:33:09,520 --> 00:33:11,420 These have been here a long time. 625 00:33:11,420 --> 00:33:13,850 I'd guess this is probably virgin. 626 00:33:13,850 --> 00:33:15,820 Now let's see if you can dig it. 627 00:33:19,360 --> 00:33:21,360 I've never placer mined here before, 628 00:33:21,360 --> 00:33:24,400 but that's how this place was found, was placer gold. 629 00:33:24,400 --> 00:33:27,370 So hopefully there's still some left that we can find. 630 00:33:36,910 --> 00:33:42,610 -that's virgin ground. -I'll go pan this. 631 00:33:42,620 --> 00:33:44,720 You know, what I'm mining in montana, 632 00:33:44,720 --> 00:33:48,420 I mining at $7.50 a yard. 633 00:33:48,420 --> 00:33:49,820 To make any money up here, 634 00:33:49,820 --> 00:33:51,590 it's probably got to be closer to 40 bucks. 635 00:33:51,590 --> 00:33:53,090 Well, you know, you got to consider 636 00:33:53,090 --> 00:33:54,260 everything's got to be flown in. 637 00:33:54,260 --> 00:33:56,830 It's all gonna be just, you know, times three. 638 00:34:03,270 --> 00:34:07,340 what the hell? No. 639 00:34:07,340 --> 00:34:09,170 me. 640 00:34:09,180 --> 00:34:11,880 I'm not kidding me. 641 00:34:15,680 --> 00:34:17,080 that's pretty good. 642 00:34:17,080 --> 00:34:18,320 Do you see that? 643 00:34:18,320 --> 00:34:20,590 That's the biggest nugget I've ever panned! 644 00:34:20,590 --> 00:34:22,350 Boom! -Yeah! 645 00:34:25,160 --> 00:34:27,690 oh, I cannot believe that! 646 00:34:27,690 --> 00:34:29,290 Had to come all the way to alaska to... 647 00:34:29,300 --> 00:34:31,000 Kiss my ass. 648 00:34:31,000 --> 00:34:33,030 There it is. Look at that guy. 649 00:34:33,030 --> 00:34:34,500 It's the first nugget I panned. 650 00:34:34,500 --> 00:34:37,000 That's awesome. That's pretty damn good. 651 00:34:37,000 --> 00:34:39,770 For that, I think I'd come back to alaska. 652 00:34:39,770 --> 00:34:41,540 For that, I'd come with you, dave. 653 00:34:41,540 --> 00:34:43,010 Fricking nugget country right here. 654 00:34:43,010 --> 00:34:44,540 I know. 655 00:34:44,550 --> 00:34:46,650 Dave: I got to get my wits about me 656 00:34:46,650 --> 00:34:48,880 and make a good business decision. 657 00:34:48,880 --> 00:34:51,520 It's got to be calculated, 658 00:34:51,520 --> 00:34:54,520 and I've got to go through the numbers, 659 00:34:54,520 --> 00:34:57,660 but right now I'm so fricking happy to pan a nugget 660 00:34:57,660 --> 00:35:00,290 that it's like, I'm just happy! 661 00:35:04,300 --> 00:35:05,500 oh, here he comes. 662 00:35:05,500 --> 00:35:07,370 He got snow cone. Look at his helmet. 663 00:35:07,370 --> 00:35:08,930 Nathan: Jesse, what have you been doing? 664 00:35:08,940 --> 00:35:11,700 You thawed out again? 665 00:35:11,710 --> 00:35:13,840 -this is camo. -This is camo? 666 00:35:13,840 --> 00:35:16,580 I'm going hunting later on today. 667 00:35:16,580 --> 00:35:19,810 -Looks like papa smurf. -A little yard gnome. 668 00:35:19,810 --> 00:35:23,250 I haven't had my medicine yet, so I'm a snowman. 669 00:35:26,850 --> 00:35:29,960 oh, that was just disgusting. 670 00:35:31,430 --> 00:35:33,290 we're starting to hit a new low. 671 00:35:33,290 --> 00:35:36,260 It's pretty obvious cabin fever's setting in. 672 00:35:36,260 --> 00:35:40,630 You're eating the snow off the top -- oh! 673 00:35:40,630 --> 00:35:43,070 Quality h2o right there. 674 00:35:43,070 --> 00:35:45,970 Now, would you have done that if it was yellow? 675 00:35:45,970 --> 00:35:48,340 I thought it was banana. 676 00:35:48,340 --> 00:35:49,340 Oh! 677 00:35:53,980 --> 00:35:58,220 Narrator: At the beginning of the week, team turin ran out of ground. 678 00:35:58,220 --> 00:36:02,450 I can't just create ground that has gold in it. 679 00:36:02,460 --> 00:36:05,220 Narrator: But chris's hunch about the blue room 680 00:36:05,230 --> 00:36:06,590 hit pay dirt. 681 00:36:06,590 --> 00:36:09,230 Ooh, there's some gold. 682 00:36:09,230 --> 00:36:10,760 We're back on the gold. 683 00:36:10,760 --> 00:36:13,200 And after recalibrating the team's goal... 684 00:36:13,200 --> 00:36:16,770 Dave: If we get to 200, I'll get my stake back, 685 00:36:16,770 --> 00:36:19,170 and you'll make more money than last year. 686 00:36:19,170 --> 00:36:20,670 Narrator: ...Dave headed to alaska 687 00:36:20,670 --> 00:36:22,770 to prospect for the future. 688 00:36:22,780 --> 00:36:24,140 Dave: Do you see that? 689 00:36:24,140 --> 00:36:26,380 It's the biggest nugget I've ever panned! 690 00:36:26,380 --> 00:36:27,880 Boom! -Yeah! 691 00:36:33,890 --> 00:36:37,020 narrator: Morning, at birdseye, 692 00:36:37,020 --> 00:36:39,220 and the unpredictable montana weather 693 00:36:39,230 --> 00:36:43,290 takes yet another turn for the worse. 694 00:36:43,300 --> 00:36:44,660 Casey: Winter's here. 695 00:36:44,670 --> 00:36:46,530 We were always saying it was knocking at our door. 696 00:36:46,530 --> 00:36:48,930 It's actually here. 697 00:36:48,940 --> 00:36:50,740 Narrator: Despite freezing temperatures 698 00:36:50,740 --> 00:36:54,370 bringing a season low of negative 2, 699 00:36:54,370 --> 00:36:56,710 the team decides to press on. 700 00:37:11,690 --> 00:37:14,630 a lot worse than I 701 00:37:14,630 --> 00:37:18,400 I just don't want to flip this truck over and get it stuck. 702 00:37:18,400 --> 00:37:20,000 My big fear. 703 00:37:20,000 --> 00:37:22,530 That 40-ton truck that casey's in -- 704 00:37:22,540 --> 00:37:24,640 it don't matter who's driving it. 705 00:37:24,640 --> 00:37:28,410 You put something like that on icy roads 706 00:37:28,410 --> 00:37:31,040 and make the wrong move, 707 00:37:31,040 --> 00:37:33,750 anything in its way is gonna be decimated. 708 00:37:33,750 --> 00:37:36,280 That truck -- it has no forgiveness 709 00:37:36,280 --> 00:37:37,780 for anything that's in its way. 710 00:37:37,780 --> 00:37:39,850 This 711 00:37:39,850 --> 00:37:42,050 trying to run in conditions like this. 712 00:37:45,230 --> 00:37:48,690 Starting to feel 713 00:37:48,700 --> 00:37:51,330 about to start risking things we don't need to risk. 714 00:37:51,330 --> 00:37:53,800 Safety number one, machinery number two. 715 00:37:53,800 --> 00:37:57,400 I can't keep it on the road. 716 00:37:57,400 --> 00:38:00,810 Nathan: You know what? Let it drop. Close the convoys. 717 00:38:00,810 --> 00:38:02,640 Casey: Yeah. Okay. 718 00:38:07,610 --> 00:38:10,420 nate has a tough decision to make. 719 00:38:10,420 --> 00:38:13,550 If we want to continue to mine, keep on working as a team 720 00:38:13,550 --> 00:38:16,720 with this equipment... 721 00:38:16,720 --> 00:38:18,490 We got shut down. 722 00:38:31,240 --> 00:38:32,900 yeah, we're pretty much screwed. 723 00:38:32,910 --> 00:38:35,970 The weather's, you know, got us down, 724 00:38:35,980 --> 00:38:38,940 and don't look like we're gonna make our goal 725 00:38:38,950 --> 00:38:40,610 on our gold count. 726 00:38:44,580 --> 00:38:47,690 Was sitting on the best ground we've seen all year, 727 00:38:47,690 --> 00:38:49,590 and now we can't mine it. 728 00:38:55,900 --> 00:39:00,130 narrator: With birdseye at a standstill, 729 00:39:00,130 --> 00:39:03,940 nathan and jason break the news to dave in alaska. 730 00:39:03,940 --> 00:39:06,500 -Hey, what's up, guys? -Dave, how you doing, man? 731 00:39:06,510 --> 00:39:10,210 All right. How are you guys? 732 00:39:10,210 --> 00:39:12,640 Well, do you want -- we'll start off positive. 733 00:39:12,650 --> 00:39:13,750 We had... 734 00:39:13,750 --> 00:39:15,750 We got a 6.5-ounce cleanup. 735 00:39:15,750 --> 00:39:17,320 What? 736 00:39:17,320 --> 00:39:18,350 Yeah. 800 tons. 737 00:39:18,350 --> 00:39:19,720 No way. 738 00:39:19,720 --> 00:39:22,220 Yeah, buddy. So that's good. 739 00:39:22,220 --> 00:39:24,290 That's really good. 740 00:39:24,290 --> 00:39:26,690 -However... -What? 741 00:39:26,690 --> 00:39:28,930 ...The weather has came in so hard, 742 00:39:28,930 --> 00:39:32,200 we can't run another yard of that dirt. 743 00:39:32,200 --> 00:39:34,330 You guys are down? 744 00:39:34,330 --> 00:39:35,730 Dude, it's frozen. 745 00:39:35,740 --> 00:39:36,970 We had about probably five inches, 746 00:39:36,970 --> 00:39:38,900 six inches of ice. 747 00:39:38,910 --> 00:39:42,440 So now we got this awesome cut that we're doing, 748 00:39:42,440 --> 00:39:46,640 good gold, and can't friggin' run it. 749 00:39:46,650 --> 00:39:50,980 Makes me nervous the weather's setting in already. 750 00:39:50,980 --> 00:39:54,190 What's going on with you, dave? 751 00:39:54,190 --> 00:39:56,050 They can't fly, 752 00:39:56,060 --> 00:39:58,890 so I'm kind of stuck here for awhile. 753 00:40:01,800 --> 00:40:02,860 All right, man. 754 00:40:02,860 --> 00:40:05,430 I just hope it's not the end of our season. 755 00:40:05,430 --> 00:40:08,430 All right, well, keep me posted. 756 00:40:08,440 --> 00:40:12,340 We really need a couple more weeks to finish this season. 757 00:40:12,340 --> 00:40:13,710 -All right. -Bye, dave. 758 00:40:13,710 --> 00:40:15,140 Be safe, brother. 759 00:40:15,140 --> 00:40:16,310 -All right, man. -You too. 760 00:40:16,310 --> 00:40:18,880 -Bye. -Bye. 761 00:40:18,880 --> 00:40:21,110 Now we find out he's stuck over there. 762 00:40:21,110 --> 00:40:22,510 He can't come help. 763 00:40:22,520 --> 00:40:25,250 It's not an ideal situation at all. 764 00:40:25,250 --> 00:40:29,290 It's really frustrating when you finally get ground 765 00:40:29,290 --> 00:40:32,520 and then you get froze out, and now dave's stuck in alaska. 766 00:40:32,530 --> 00:40:35,860 Pretty disheartening right now, to be honest with you. 767 00:40:35,860 --> 00:40:40,370 Dave: Winter is setting in. Winter always wins in montana. 768 00:40:40,370 --> 00:40:44,540 I can't even do anything. I'm stuck here, so I don't know. 769 00:40:44,540 --> 00:40:46,140 It's not good. 770 00:40:52,650 --> 00:40:54,780 got unfinished business. 771 00:40:54,780 --> 00:40:57,020 Man: Winter's definitely here. 772 00:40:57,020 --> 00:40:58,620 Dave: We're running out of time. 773 00:41:01,860 --> 00:41:05,290 I got to get to the loader. I can't talk to you right now. 774 00:41:06,590 --> 00:41:08,060 everything's riding on this. 775 00:41:08,060 --> 00:41:10,900 -Come on, baby. -Yeah! 776 00:41:10,900 --> 00:41:12,760 Back to business, boys! 777 00:41:12,770 --> 00:41:15,370 Do not stop until we hit 200. 778 00:41:15,370 --> 00:41:18,470 There I come, baby. I'm bringing the pain. 779 00:41:18,470 --> 00:41:20,000 -Oh, . -Nathan! 780 00:41:20,010 --> 00:41:22,440 We've formed bonds that never, ever be broken. 781 00:41:22,440 --> 00:41:24,880 So proud of these guys, and that's my family. 782 00:41:24,880 --> 00:41:26,640 I've got the last load right here. 783 00:41:27,910 --> 00:41:30,980 anything under 200 is a failure. 784 00:41:30,980 --> 00:41:32,420 That's our season total. 784 00:41:33,305 --> 00:42:33,797 Watch Online Movies and Series for FREE www.osdb.link/lm