Gold Rush: Dave Turin's Lost Mine (2019–…): Season 2, Episode 5 - Back on Gold - full transcript
Families from across America reach out to quarry and mining expert, Dave Turin. He helps to resurrect failing mines, so the owners can search for gold again!
♪
Narrator: IT'S LATE FALL
IN THE FOOTHILLS OF MONTANA.
GOLD RESULTS HAVE BEEN PATCHY,
SO JASON SANCHEZ TRIES OUT
A NEW WAY OF PROSPECTING
TO DECODE THE LAND
AND FIND MORE GOLDEN GROUND
THE OLD TIMERS LEFT BEHIND.
Jason: LOOK AT THAT.
THAT ROCK CHANGE
IS JUST DIFFERENT,
NIGHT AND DAY.
EVERY RISE DROPS DOWN,
AND WHEN IT DROPS,
THAT'S A CHANNEL.
THEN BACK UP ON A RISE,
DROP DOWN AGAIN,
THAT'S A NEW CHANNEL.
THAT'S WHERE THE GOLD
LIKES TO SETTLE.
WE'LL FIND OUT
IF THAT SEEMS TO BE THE CASE.
♪
♪
SON OF A GUN.
HOLY [BLEEP]
[ LAUGHS ]
DEFINITELY GOOD.
SEASON CHANGING.
-WHOO-HOO!
-I KNOW, RIGHT?
IT'S A HELL OF A PAN,
RIGHT THERE.
THAT IS A HELL OF A PAN.
WOW.
THAT'S GOOD NEWS, MAN.
THAT'S THE [BLEEP]
RIGHT THERE, A HAPPY BOSS.
♪
Narrator:
LEGENDARY GOLD MINER DAVE TURIN
IS HUNTING FOR GOLD...
YEAH!
...IN THE HISTORIC
LOST MINES OF MONTANA...
PUMPING SOME MUD NOW,
BUDDY! YEAH!
...HOPING TO TURN
HIS MINING DREAM...
WHOA! WHOA!
...INTO A BIG-DOLLAR BUSINESS
FOR HIM AND HIS CREW.
All: TEAM TURIN!
Dave: THESE GUYS ARE
PROFESSIONAL MINERS NOW,
AND I'LL TAKE THEM ANYWHERE.
HOLY [BLEEP]
NATHAN!
THAT'S THE BIGGEST NUGGET
I'VE EVER PANNED!
THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT
RIGHT THERE.
IT'S ALL ABOUT
SEARCHING FOR A DREAM.
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
♪
LAST WEEK WE STARTED
ON A REAL LOW.
THERE'S NO GOLD.
IT'S A LITTLE DEPRESSING.
Dave: BUT WE DIDN'T QUIT.
WE PULLED TOGETHER...
WE'VE GOT SOMETHING
TO LOOK AT NOW.
...KEPT GOING, AND WE FOUND
OUR RICHEST GROUND SO FAR.
OH, MY GOSH.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN
NUGGETS LIKE THAT EVER.
WE'RE STILL WAY BEHIND SCHEDULE
TO HIT OUR
400-OUNCE SEASON TARGET,
SO WE UPGRADED THE WASH PLANT
AND DOUBLED UP ON PRODUCTION.
ALL RIGHT!
WE WERE CRUISING AT THIS LEVEL.
NOW, WE'VE GOT TO TAKE
OUR GAME TO THIS LEVEL.
THAT TROMMEL HAS NEVER SEEN
THAT MUCH MATERIAL IN IT.
WE'RE ON THE BEST GOLD
THAT WE'VE EVER SEEN.
AND THE FIRST ACRE
THE DREDGE CUT
PRODUCED THE BEST
GOLD WEIGH YET.
WE'RE ALMOST 30 OUNCES,
YOU GUYS.
Man: NOW WE'RE TALKING.
THAT'S SOMETHING
TO BE [BLEEP] PROUD OF.
WE'VE ALREADY DONE
MORE THAN WE DID LAST YEAR.
WE'RE COMING TOGETHER AS A TEAM,
AND THAT'S A GREAT RESULT.
AND NOW WITH WINTER
JUST AROUND THE CORNER,
WE'RE GOING TO PUSH HARD
AND GET THAT GOLD.
♪
Narrator: OVER HALFWAY THROUGH
THE SEASON, AND TEAM TURIN
CONTINUES TO MINE OUT
THE GOLD-RICH GROUND
AT THE DREDGE EDGE CUT.
I'M AMAZED AT THE SIZE OF GOLD
THAT WE ARE CATCHING.
WE MAY MAKE A LITTLE MONEY
AT THE END OF THE SEASON.
Narrator:
TO KEEP THEIR TOTALS UP,
THE TEAM NEEDS TO RUN
THE WASH PLANT HARD.
EVERY TON OF PAY DIRT
MUST DELIVER GOLD.
Jason: THIS NEW CUT
IS A GAME CHANGER.
WE'RE FINALLY STARTING TO RUN
ALL DAY NOW WITHOUT STOPPING,
AND IT'S GOING TO HAVE
A LOT MORE GOLD.
♪
♪
Chris: [ GRUNTS ]
GOLLY.
♪
Hey, Nate, this rock is not
looking clean at all.
THAT BAD, HUH?
We got the plant
running full capacity,
but we're not washing the rock
the way we need to be.
♪
Narrator:
THE WASH PLANT IS MEANT TO
CLEAN THE ROCKS OF PAY DIRT
TO EXTRACT THE GOLD.
MUDDY ROCKS AT THE BACK
OF THE TROMMEL
MEAN THIS PROCESS
IS NOT WORKING.
SO CHRIS PANS
THE TAILINGS PILES.
Chris: SEE WHAT WE SEE.
I JUST TOOK
A REAL SMALL PAN...
...AND I'M ALREADY SEEING ONE,
TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE.
THAT'S A NICE
PIECE OF GOLD THERE.
THAT SHOULDN'T BE
HAPPENING.
THAT'S JUST THROWING MONEY
OUT THE DOOR.
WE GOT TO CATCH EVERYTHING
WE CAN CATCH, AND WE'RE NOT.
RIGHT NOW,
WE'RE [BLEEP] THOUSANDS AWAY.
♪
♪
DAVE'S PULLING UP.
WE'LL SEE
HOW HE THINKS ABOUT IT.
I KNOW HE AIN'T
GONNA BE HAPPY.
WHAT'S UP?
WE HAD TO
SHUT IT DOWN.
MUDDY WATER, DIRTY ROCKS.
THEY'RE NOT WASHING IT.
SHOW ME.
I'M JUST FRUSTRATED THAT
WHEN THIS THING'S SHUT DOWN,
NOBODY'S MAKING
ANY MONEY.
I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER,
BUT I JUST KNOW THAT --
YOU'RE THE ONE PAYING
THE BILLS, MAN.
I'LL RUN AS LONG
AS YOU WANT ME TO RUN.
I'M NOT PAYING THE BILLS.
YOU ARE.
WHEN WE SHUT DOWN,
WE'RE NOT MAKING NO MONEY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT IF WE'RE
RUNNING IT THIS WAY,
YOU'RE LOSING MONEY.
YOU MAKE THE CALL.
I'LL RUN IT.
WE'LL START IT BACK ON.
HOLD ON, HOLD ON.
MY PROBLEM IS WE'RE NOT
DOING ANYTHING THIS WAY.
I MEAN, WE'RE ALL JUST SITTING
HERE LOOKING AT A PILE OF ROCKS.
THERE'S NO MONEY COMING.
WE NEED A SOLUTION
FOR CLEAN WATER.
THAT'S WHAT WE NEED.
WE GOT EVERYTHING TUNED IN.
THE ONLY THING AIN'T TUNED
IS THAT FREAKING WATER.
YOU GOT TO DO SOMETHING.
IT'S TIME FOR
THE THIRD POND.
I AGREE.
LET'S GIVE IT A TRY.
I DON'T THINK A THIRD POND
IS GOING TO WORK BECAUSE
WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH WATER
COMING IN ANYWAY.
IF WE BUILD IT IN THAT
DOWNHILL AREA,
WE'VE ALREADY GOT
THE LOW GROUND THERE.
IT'S ALREADY CLAY FIELD.
IT WILL WORK.
Narrator: WITH LIMITED WATER ON
SITE, THE TEAM IS RECYCLING IT
THROUGH A TWO-POND
SETTLING SYSTEM.
MUDDY WATER IS EXPELLED FROM THE
SLUICE BOX INTO THE FIRST POND
WHERE THE SILK PARTICLES
SETTLE ON THE BOTTOM.
CLEAN WATER IS THEN CHANNELED
INTO A SECOND POND
WHERE IT IS PUMPED BACK INTO
THE TROMMEL TO WASH THE ROCKS,
BUT RUNNING AT DOUBLE SPEED
HAS CAUSED BOTH PONDS
TO FILL WITH MUD.
JASON'S SOLUTION
IS TO BUILD A THIRD POND,
ADDING AN EXTRA LAYER
OF FILTRATION
TO ENSURE A CLEAN SUPPLY
OF WATER TO THE PLANT.
♪
I'LL TAKE A SHOT AT IT.
I'LL TRY TO DIG THE POND,
BUT I'M
REALLY WORRIED IF --
IF WE'RE GOING
TO HAVE ENOUGH WATER.
-THANK YOU.
-THANKS, DAVE.
ALL RIGHT,
WE'LL DIG A THIRD POND.
Narrator: IF DAVE DIGS A THIRD
POND AND IT DOESN'T FILL,
THERE WON'T BE ENOUGH
CLEAN WATER
TO BE ABLE TO SLUICE AT ALL.
I HOPE I'M WRONG AND WE BUILD
THE POND, WE GET CLEAN WATER,
AND WE MOVE ON.
THAT'S WHAT I HOPE FOR.
THIS IS THE MOST
LOGICAL PLACE FOR IT,
SO I JUST GOT TO GET THE DOZER
IN HERE AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
♪
Narrator:
WHILE DAVE DIGS THE NEW POND,
THE ENTIRE MINING OPERATION
AT BIRDSEYE IS ON HOLD.
Nate: WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO GET
IT DONE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
HOPEFULLY,
IT DON'T TAKE VERY LONG.
EVERY TIME WE SHUT DOWN,
IT'S MONEY WASTED.
Narrator:
OVER AT THE DREDGE EDGE CUT,
THE TEAM PILES UP PAY DIRT
TO BE READY TO RUN
AS SOON AS THE POND IS FINISHED.
YOU KNOW, THE THIRD POND
HAS BEEN SOMETHING
I'VE PUSHED FOR
FROM THE BEGINNING.
EVERY PLACER MINER OUT THERE
THAT HAS EVER
TRIED TO RE-CIRCULATE
A SYSTEM HAS EXPERIENCED EXACTLY
WHAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING.
I JUST WANT OUR
WATER PROBLEM FIXED
AND I PRAY THIS IS IT.
Dave: THE WALLS OF MY POND
ARE WHAT WORRIES ME.
THE BOTTOM'S
GOING TO HOLD WATER,
BUT IT'S THE SIDE WALLS
THAT I'M WORRIED ABOUT.
PRETTY NASTY GROUND.
I DON'T KNOW
IF I CAN BUILD SOLID WALLS
ENOUGH TO HOLD THE WATER.
IT'S ALL TRIAL AND ERROR.
Chris: ADDING THE THIRD POND,
THAT'S THE LAST RESORT.
IT'S THE LAST-DITCH EFFORT
TO SOLVE THIS WATER PROBLEM.
Narrator: FOUR HOURS LATER,
WITH THE LIGHT FADING,
DAVE COMPLETES THE THIRD POND.
-JASON.
-All right, sir.
Dave: BRING THE EXCAVATOR DOWN.
I'D LIKE YOU TO TAKE FROM
OUR OLD CLEAN WATER POND
A LITTLE TROUGH, AND I WANT
TO START FILLING THE POND.
WE GOT FRESH WATER COMING IN,
BUT I DON'T KNOW
IF I CAN FILL THE POND.
SO I MIGHT BUILD A POND,
GREAT POND, BUT NO WATER.
THEN WE'RE SCREWED.
♪
Narrator: COMING UP...
A COLD SNAP HITS BIRDSEYE...
NOTHING WANTS TO WORK.
...AND THE TEAM GETS A TASTE OF
THE VICIOUS MONTANA WINTER
JUST AROUND THE CORNER.
THROWS DOWN THE ROLLERS,
THROWS DOWN THE CHAIN.
Dave: THAT'S REALLY COSTLY.
WE HAVE NO INCOME
UNLESS THAT TROMMEL'S TURNING.
♪
Narrator:
MORNING AT BIRDSEYE MINE...
DIDN'T SEE THIS ONE COMING.
Narrator:
...A COLD SNAP HAS HIT,
AND TEMPERATURES HAVE
DROPPED WELL BELOW FREEZING.
Casey: PRETTY EARLY SNOW STORM
FOR THIS SEASON,
SO HOPEFULLY IT DOESN'T STOP US
FROM MINING.
Chris:
HOPEFULLY, THIS ISN'T A SIGN FOR
WHAT'S TO COME HERE IN MONTANA,
BECAUSE, IF SO, IT'S GOING TO BE
A BRUTAL LAST PART
OF OUR SEASON.
Narrator: BUT THE BAD WEATHER
ALSO COMES WITH SOME GOOD NEWS.
Dave:
WE DID IT. THIRD POND.
THE WATER COMING IN
FROM THE RAIN AND THE SNOW NOW,
WE GOT LOTS OF
FRESH WATER,
AND THAT'S GOING TO HELP
KEEP EVERYTHING CLEAN.
I'M ECSTATIC.
YOU LIKE THAT?
YES, I DID.
THIS THIRD POND IS EVERYTHING
I COULD IMAGINE IT COULD BE.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL, IT'S GOING TO DO
WHAT IT NEEDS TO DO.
PERFECT.
Dave: KUDOS TO JASON.
IT TOOK A LOT FOR ME
TO ADMIT FINALLY,
BUT I LISTENED,
AND NOW WE'RE ON GOOD WATER.
THINGS ARE LOOKING GOOD.
WE'RE MOVING THE PUMP OVER
TO THE NEW POND.
EVERYTHING'S GOOD.
HOOKING UP NICE.
LAST HOSE RIGHT HERE,
AND THEN WE'RE READY TO GO.
LET'S START FIRING UP.
TROMMEL COMING ON!
♪
HERE COMES THE WATER.
THIS IS THE WATER
WE WERE RUNNING.
IT'S ALL
IN THE HOSE STILL.
GIVE IT A FEW MINUTES,
WATCH HOW CLEAN IT GETS.
♪
-CLEAN WATER!
-CLEAN WATER!
WHOO, YEAH!
[ LAUGHTER ]
CLEAN WATER! YEAH!
CLEAN WATER!
VERY HAPPY.
YEAH, YOU'RE HAPPY!
HAPPY WE'RE SLUICING WITH
CLEAN WATER.
CLEAN WATER.
CLEAN WATER!
Dave: LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCE.
THERE'S GOLD IN HERE
AND WE LOST IT YESTERDAY.
TODAY WE'RE GOING TO CATCH IT.
THIS WAS JASON'S IDEA.
I'M GOING TO SAY IT
RIGHT NOW, OKAY.
YOU WERE RIGHT AND I WAS.
I WAS...
I WAS...
ALMOST RIGHT.
I WAS --
I WAS WRONG.
[ BOTH LAUGH ]
RIGHT ON, MAN.
♪
Narrator: NOW TEAM TURIN CAN
RAMP PRODUCTION BACK UP
TO FULL SPEED, RUNNING 120 TONS
PER HOUR THROUGH THE PLANT.
♪
Dave: GOOD CLEAN WATER.
WE FOUND OUR RHYTHM,
WE FOUND OUR RATE.
NOW WE JUST GOT TO HOPE
AND PRAY THE GOLD IS
IN THE SLUICE BOX.
Narrator: AS THE MORNING SNOW
AND ICE THAWS...
Jason:
YOU DON'T LIKE THE WEATHER,
WAIT 10 MINUTES, IT'LL CHANGE.
THAT'S MONTANA.
Narrator:
...THE TEAM GOES HARD AT IT
MINING OUT THE DREDGE EDGE.
Chris: LOOKING FOR A GOOD DAY.
WE'RE RUNNING SMOOTH RIGHT NOW.
HOPE IT STAYS THAT WAY.
LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING
THE GOLD COUNT
WITH THIS CLEAN WATER.
♪
[ PLANT POWERS DOWN ]
♪
Jason: HAPPY, HAPPY.
THAT CLEAN-UP
IS GOING TO BE GOOD,
AND IT'S GOING TO BE
DUE TO THAT CLEAN WATER,
AND THAT CLEAN WATER
IS DUE TO THAT ADDITIONAL POND.
THAT'S IT.
Narrator: AFTER EIGHT HOURS
OF RUNNING AND CLOSE TO
1,000 TONS OF PAY DIRT
WASHED THROUGH THE TROMMEL,
JESSE MUST WORK
THROUGH THE NIGHT
TO PROCESS HIS CONCENTRATES.
Jesse: IT DOESN'T LOOK TOO BAD,
BUT WE NEED IT TO PAY OFF.
EVERYBODY'S GETTING
EVERYTHING DIALED IN.
EVERYTHING'S WORKING GOOD NOW,
SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL START REAPING
SOME OF THE REWARDS.
♪
♪
Narrator: MORNING.
WITH THE DREDGE EDGE
PRODUCING SEVEN AND A HALF
OUNCES A DAY SO FAR,
AT THE GOLD ROOM,
THE TEAM WAITS FOR THE RESULTS
FROM THE FIRST DAY
OF RUNNING WITH CLEAN WATER.
Dave: 10 OUNCES A DAY
FROM HERE ON OUT
WILL PUT US BACK ON TARGET.
WELL, THAT'S IT.
OH, [BLEEP]
THAT'S IT?
♪
-IT COVERED THE BOTTOM.
-YEAH, OF A BABY FOOD JAR.
IT'S TERRIBLE.
I THOUGHT WE'D HAVE
A LOT MORE THAN THAT
'CAUSE I HAD A FULL BUCKET
OF CONCENTRATE.
MM.
THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE,
TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.
♪
LOOK, YOU GUYS WE'RE --
YOU KNOW, WE'RE OVER HALFWAY,
AND I STILL THINK
THAT WE CAN SALVAGE THIS SEASON,
BUT IT REQUIRES US
TO KEEP OUR HEAD UP,
KEEP PUTTING OUR BOOTS ON,
AND GETTING TO WORK.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE A HARD TIME
STAYING UP IN TIMES LIKE THIS
BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE
I'VE LET YOU GUYS DOWN,
BUT I'M IN IT TO THE END,
AND I'M NOT GIVING UP UNTIL
WINTER RUNS ME OUT OF HERE.
Jason: THIS SUCKS.
I'M NOT DOING WELL WITH IT
AT ALL.
Chris: WE FIXED THE TROMMEL,
WE FIXED THE SLUICE BOX,
WE PUT A BOWL
ON THE END OF THE SLUICE.
WE WERE RUNNING
CLEAN WATER FINALLY.
MAKES YOU START CHECKING DEEP
DOWN INSIDE IF THIS IS WORTH IT.
Narrator:
LESS THAN 3 OUNCES OF GOLD
FROM 1,000 TONS OF PAY DIRT
WON'T PAY THE BILLS.
I DO LIKE TO ROLL THE DICE,
BUT I DON'T LIKE TO ROLL THE
DICE ON MY FAMILY'S FINANCIALS.
I WAS HOPING
I'D BE ABLE TO COME OUT HERE
AND MAKE A LITTLE CASH EXTRA
FOR THE FAMILY, YOU KNOW,
AND, YOU KNOW, JESSE'S COLLEGE
FUND AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW
WHAT HE'S GOING TO WANT TO DO
WHEN HE GROWS UP.
YOU KNOW, HE'S 10 YEARS OLD.
YOU KNOW, HE'S GONNA TURN
WRENCHES AND DO THIS [BLEEP]
GOD, I HOPE NOT.
IT'S A ROUGH [BLEEP] LIFE.
HEY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
I JUST GOT DONE FOR THE DAY.
IT'S LIKE [BLEEP]
NO WIN RIGHT NOW.
IT REALLY IS.
I NEED SOME ENCOURAGEMENT
'CAUSE I'M JUST
KIND OF DOWN RIGHT NOW.
IT MIGHT DO BETTER. I MEAN,
DAVE'S TRYING HIS ASS OFF.
JASON'S TRYING TO FIND [BLEEP]
YOU KNOW?
EVERYBODY'S WORKING.
EVERYBODY'S PUTTING
THEIR EFFORT INTO IT.
-All righty.
-ALL RIGHT, BABY.
-I'll be here.
-I LOVE YOU.
-Bye, I love you too.
-ALL RIGHT, BYE.
♪
Narrator:
WITH A MEAGER GOLD COUNT
FOR THE SEASON AND OUT OF IDEAS,
DAVE CALLS ON LONG-TIME FRIEND,
GOLD-RECOVERY EXPERT
AND MINING LEGEND
FREDDY DODGE.
Dave: FREDDY'S A BIG HELP.
HE'S A GOOD SET OF EYES.
IT'S NICE TO HAVE HIM HERE.
Freddy:
I'VE KNOWN DAVE A LONG TIME.
WE'VE BEEN IN MULTIPLE COUNTRIES
AROUND THE WORLD
TOGETHER LOOKING FOR GOLD,
CHASING GOLD.
HE ASKED ME TO COME HERE
FOR THE DAY
AND HAVE A LOOK AROUND
AND SEE WHAT I COULD SEE.
ARE YOU GETTING
MUCH COARSE GOLD AT ALL?
NO.
COUPLE OF LITTLE CHUNKY NUGGETS.
THAT'S ABOUT IT.
YEAH. OH, YEAH.
YEAH.
YOU KNOW,
IF IT ISN'T COSTING YOU MONEY
AND YOU'RE GETTING
GOLD OUT OF IT, RIGHT,
RUN IT.
OKAY.
LET'S LOOK DOWN
AT THE SLUICE.
600, 700 GALLON A MINUTE.
800 MAYBE.
ARE YOU FINDING
MUCH GOLD IN IT?
Dave: NOTHING GREAT.
THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH GOLD.
I DON'T KNOW, DAVE.
IT LOOKS GOOD.
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH IT,
THAT'S FOR SURE.
Dave:
YOU CAN SEE THE TAILINGS.
THEY LOOK CLEAN, DAVE.
YEAH, WE'RE DOING
PRETTY GOOD NOW.
I FEEL LIKE WE'RE MINING ABOUT
AS GOOD AS WE CAN.
YEAH.
WHAT ELSE YOU GOT
BUT THE GROUND?
WHAT GOLD'S IN THERE
IS IN THERE.
-YEAH.
-LET'S GO LOOK AT THE CUT.
OKAY.
♪
Dave: FREDDY BEING HERE,
I DO FEEL MORE CONFIDENT.
HE'S IMPRESSED WITH THE CREW.
I GOT A NICE, TIGHT PLANT
AND A SLUICE BOX THAT'S WORKING.
MY BACK IS AGAINST THE WALL.
I'VE GOT TO FIGURE
SOMETHING OUT.
YOU KNOW,
WINTER IS SETTING IN.
I'M REALLY WORRIED THAT
I'M GOING TO RUN OUT OF GROUND
BEFORE I RUN OUT OF TIME.
♪
Narrator: AT BIRDSEYE MINE...
FREDDY DODGE.
...GOLD-RECOVERY LEGEND
FREDDY DODGE
IS TRYING TO HELP
DAVE FIGURE OUT
HIS INCONSISTENT GOLD RESULTS.
LET'S WALK OUT
WHERE WE'RE DIGGING.
AT THE DREDGE EDGE,
FREDDY GETS EYES ON THE GROUND.
THIS GROUND HAS BEEN A PAIN
IN THE ASS, FRED.
Freddy: I CAN SEE THAT.
I MEAN, WE'RE JUST NOT
GETTING THE VALUES.
YEAH. YEAH.
WE HAD A COUPLE DAYS
THAT WE HIT OUR NUMBERS.
WHAT I THINK, A HYPOTHESIS
HERE IS THE GLACIER MELTED BACK.
YOU KNOW,
IT STARTED CUTTING THIS VALLEY,
AND WHEN IT DID THAT, IT
CONCENTRATED MORE OF THE GOLD.
HAVE YOU FOUND ANY THINGS
THAT LOOK LIKE
THE ROCK'S DIFFERENT,
LIKE A CHANNEL WENT THROUGH
THERE, LIKE A GLACIAL CHANNEL?
-YES, THERE IS.
-ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY.
SO THERE YOU GO.
Narrator: FREDDY BELIEVES
DAVE'S ERRATIC RESULTS
COULD BE EXPLAINED
BY ANCIENT GLACIAL CHANNELS.
THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO,
WATER FROM MELTING GLACIERS
WASHED GOLD OUT OF THE SOURCE
IN THE HILLS ABOVE BIRDSEYE.
THIS WATER CARVED
DEEP GLACIAL CHANNELS
ALL ACROSS THE LANDSCAPE,
DEPOSITING GOLD UNEVENLY
ACROSS THE GROUND
DAVE IS NOW MINING.
I'D RUN A TRENCH
RIGHT ACROSS THERE, DAVE.
RUN A TRENCH ACROSS
AND SEE WHAT THOSE GRAVELS DO.
OKAY.
HOPEFULLY THERE'S
A CHANNEL THERE.
FREDDY'S PLAN IS TO DIG
A TRENCH
ACROSS THE SOUTH
OF THE DREDGE EDGE CUT
TO IDENTIFY
THE GOLD-RICH CHANNELS.
THIS WILL ALLOW JASON
TO THEN EXCLUSIVELY MINE
THESE CHANNELS UPSTREAM
TOWARDS THE MOTHER LODE.
BY IGNORING THE REST
OF THE GROUND,
THEY HOPE TO INCREASE
THE CONSISTENCY
OF THEIR GOLD RESULTS.
Freddy:
I SHOWED DAVE WHERE I THINK
I'D PUT A TRENCH ACROSS,
THAT WAY IT'LL GIVE HIM
PICTURE OF THE SITE.
THE WHOLE IDEA
IS TO BE MORE EFFICIENT,
CATCH ALL THE GOLD YOU CAN,
AND GET IT
IN THESE GUYS' POCKETS.
SO IF I HELPED THEM OUT
IN ANY WAY TODAY, THAT'S MY JOB
AND I'M PROUD OF THAT.
♪
Jason: LOOK AT THAT.
THAT ROCK CHANGE
IS JUST DIFFERENT,
NIGHT AND DAY.
♪
EVERY RISE DROPS DOWN,
AND WHEN IT DROPS,
THAT'S A CHANNEL.
THEN BACK UP ON A RISE,
DROP DOWN AGAIN,
THAT'S A NEW CHANNEL.
AND IT DOES THAT THROUGHOUT
THE ENTIRE TRENCH WHEN I DUG IT.
I'VE CUT THROUGH, BUT YOU CAN
SEE THERE'S A BIG RISE HERE.
MINIMAL PAY, BUT WHEN SHE DROPS,
THAT'S WHERE THE GOLD
LIKES TO SETTLE.
FIND OUT IF THAT SEEMS
TO BE THE CASE.
♪
♪
SON OF A GUN.
HOLY [BLEEP]
[ LAUGHS ]
IT'S TWO CONSECUTIVE PANS.
DEFINITELY GOOD.
SEASON CHANGING.
DAVE, I RAN TWO SEPARATE PANS
CONSECUTIVELY.
Dave: THE HELL?
YOU'RE [BLEEP] ME.
I [BLEEP] NOT, DAVE.
THAT'S THE HELL OF A PAN,
RIGHT THERE.
THAT IS A HELL OF A PAN.
AND THEN I RAN THE SECOND ONE.
WHOO-HOO!
I KNOW, RIGHT?
WOW.
THAT'S GOOD NEWS, MAN.
MORE PAY.
-THAT'S WHAT WE NEEDED, TOO.
-ATTABABY. ALL RIGHT.
THANKS, DAVE.
THAT'S THE [BLEEP] RIGHT THERE,
A HAPPY BOSS.
THAT PAN RIGHT THERE
GOING THROUGH
THAT PLANT'S GOING TO BE --
IT'S GOING TO BE GOOD.
Jason:
PROVIDING WE CAN STAY WITH THEM,
THE CHANNEL'S GOING TO MEANDER
JUST LIKE A RIVER,
BUT WE'LL START MINING
THIS WAY DIRECTLY TO THE PLANT
INSTEAD OF BACK
AND FORTH THIS WAY.
LET'S HOPE I'M RIGHT.
GOT A TURN, GOT A BURN,
HERE WE GO.
Narrator:
BACK ON THE SCENT OF THE GOLD,
TEAM TURIN HITS
THE GLACIAL CHANNELS,
CHASING THEM
TOWARD THE END OF THE CUT.
WE'RE MAKING A MAD DASH
TOWARDS THE END OF THE SEASON,
AND JASON'S DOING
A HELL OF A JOB
NOT SENDING ANYTHING TO THE
PLANT THAT DOESN'T HAVE GOLD.
♪
YEAH, I THINK JASON'S ON IT.
IT LOOKS REALLY GOOD.
Running good, Chris,
keep it up.
♪
Narrator: NEW DAWN, NEW DAY.
AND WITH FULL TEMPERATURES
STILL HOLDING UP,
THE TEAM CONTINUES TO REAM
THE NARROW, GOLD-RICH CHANNELS
OF THE DREDGE EDGE CUT.
♪ OH, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY ♪
I'M LOADING THE BIG-ASS
40 TON HAUL TRUCK,
SENDING GOLD TO THE PLANT, MAN.
GETTING US ONE STEP CLOSER
TO OUR GOAL.
Narrator:
TO KEEP UP WITH THE PAY DIRT,
NATHAN CONTINUES TO PUSH
THE PLANT TO THE MAX.
PRETTY DAMN EXCITED.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH GROUND
THERE IS OVER THERE,
BUT I HOPE IT'S A LOT BECAUSE
WE CAN MAKE SOME GOOD NUMBERS.
Dave: EDGE OF THE DREDGE CUT
IS A SMALL CUT.
AS HE CHASES THE CHANNELS,
WE'RE CHEWING IT UP.
MY GROUND IS GETTING
SMALLER AND SMALLER,
WHICH ADDS PRESSURE TO ME.
I NEED TO KEEP MOVING AHEAD,
SO I THOUGHT IF I ASK HOWIE,
MAYBE HE'S GOT A CLUE.
MAYBE HE CAN TELL ME, YOU KNOW,
HISTORICALLY WHAT HAPPENED HERE.
IF I FIND OUT AND CAN TELL
WHERE THE OLD TIMERS WERE,
HOPEFULLY I FIND SOME GROUND
THAT'S VIRGIN GROUND.
Narrator: SINCE THE 1860s,
THE LAND AT BIRDSEYE
HAS BEEN EXTENSIVELY MINED BY
HOWIE, THE LANDOWNER
AND HIS FAMILY.
OH, DAVE!
HI, HOWIE.
MAKING SOME ROCK TODAY.
YES, WE ARE.
GOOD JOB.
THINK YOU'RE PROBABLY
MAKING MORE MONEY THAN ME.
IN SEVEN WEEKS, TEAM TURIN
HAS MINED THREE CUTS --
HOWIE'S, WILLIAM BROWN,
AND NOW THE DREDGE EDGE.
WITH THE AREA AROUND THE PLANT,
ALMOST MINED OUT,
DAVE MUST INVESTIGATE THE REST
OF BIRDSEYE'S 1,400 ACRES
TO FIND TEAM TURIN'S NEXT SPOT.
I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD
STEER ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
TO SEE IF I COULD FIGURE OUT
ANOTHER PLACE TO GO
AND START TESTING.
YOU SEE THERE'S A POWER POLE
LAYING ON IT'S SIDE OVER THERE?
YEAH.
IF YOU COME THIS WAY, THERE'S
AN OLD TROMMEL DOWN THERE.
NO WAY.
THEY GOT ONE GOLD BAR
OUT OF THERE,
AND THEN WORLD WAR II
STARTED, THEY ALL WENT TO WAR.
WHEN THE COUNTRY
WENT TO WAR IN 1941,
MANY INDUSTRIES
WERE NATIONALIZED.
GOLD MINES WERE CLOSED DOWN AND
MANY MINERS JOIN THE WAR EFFORT.
TRAGICALLY,
MANY MINERS NEVER RETURNED
TO THE GOLD FIELDS
OF MONTANA.
THEIR GOLD MINES WERE
ABANDONED AND FORGOTTEN,
AND THE KNOWLEDGE
OF WHERE THE GOLD LAY WAS LOST.
Dave: THESE OLD TIMERS
WERE PRETTY SMART.
A LOT OF TIMES THEY KNEW
THEY WERE GOING OFF TO WAR,
AND WHAT THEY WOULD DO
IS STOCKPILE
REALLY GOOD PAY
CLOSE TO THEIR PLANTS
SO THAT WHEN THEY GOT BACK,
THEY GOT A JUMPSTART.
SO YOU KNOW WHAT?
THIS IS A GOOD PLACE
TO START LOOKING.
SO THIS IS JUST
ALL TAILINGS IN HERE.
GOSH DANG IT.
♪
WELL, LOOKY THERE.
THERE IS AN OLD TROMMEL IN HERE.
[ CHUCKLES ]
LOOK AT THAT.
THERE IT IS.
I'LL BE DARNED.
CHECK THAT OUT.
STILL TURNS.
IF THEY HAD A TROMMEL,
THERE WAS GOLD.
Narrator:
AT BIRDSEYE MINE, MONTANA...
PRETTY DAMN EXCITED.
WE CAN MAKE
SOME GOOD NUMBERS.
...WHILE THE CREW CHASES,
GOLD-RICH GLACIAL CHANNELS...
STILL TURNS.
...DAVE HAS DISCOVERED
AN OLD TROMMEL
ABANDONED BY THE OLD TIMERS
DURING WORLD WAR II.
WELL, I'M GOING TO DIG OUT HERE
NEXT TO WHERE THAT TROMMEL WAS,
BECAUSE IF THEY HAD A TROMMEL,
THERE WAS GOLD.
THIS IS A GOOD SPOT.
IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE
THEY LEFT IT.
IT'S DEFINITELY VIRGIN.
STARTING TO GET
INTO THE GRAVELS.
THERE'S BIGGER ROCK,
WHICH IS A GOOD SIGN,
AND NOW I'LL GO TEST IT.
♪
SO I'M RIGHT ON BEDROCK HERE,
AND RIGHT ON TOP OF IT
IS THE GOLD.
I NEED TO SEE AT LEAST
10 BUCKS A YARD.
THEN IT'LL BE WORTHWHILE MOVING
OVER HERE AND MINING IT.
♪
THERE IS GOLD IN HERE,
BUT IT'S NOTHING SPECTACULAR.
IT'S GOT TO BE THREE TIMES
THIS AMOUNT OF GOLD
IN ORDER TO MAKE IT WORTHWHILE.
BUT THIS IS JUST ONE PAN,
SO I'LL KEEP LOOKING.
♪
LET'S GO SEE.
♪
THREE LITTLE PIECES OF GOLD.
$2 A YARD.
NOT WORTH COMING OVER HERE FOR.
MAYBE THE OLD TIMERS GOT IT ALL.
RUNNING OUT OF GROUND
AND RUNNING OUT OF TIME.
IT'S GETTING COLD.
WINTER'S COMING.
I'M GOING TO LOSE SEASON
AND I'M GOING TO LOSE GROUND.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE
I'M GOING TO DO.
♪
Narrator: MORNING.
OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES
HAVE PLUMMETED ONCE MORE.
COLD WEATHER MEANS MORE WORK,
NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.
SUPPOSED TO BE
PROSPECTING FOR NEW GROUND,
BUT I GOT TO MAKE SURE THE
OPERATION GETS RUNNING FIRST.
NOTHING WANTS TO WORK.
GOT A LITTLE DRIBBLE HERE
AND THERE COMING OUT,
BUT PLANT'S FROZEN.
Dave: THAT'S REALLY COSTLY.
WE HAVE NO INCOME
UNLESS THAT TROMMEL IS TURNING.
Nate: WE GOT A LITTLE BLOCK
OF ICE DOWN HERE.
IT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT.
Narrator: THE TROMMEL NEEDS
RUNNING WATER TO OPERATE,
SO NATE FIGHTS ICE WITH FIRE.
YEAH! YEAH!
YEAH, MULE!
THERE YOU GO.
THERE YOU GO.
COME ON, BABY.
YEAH, MULE!
♪
Narrator: NATE CAN FINALLY
FIRE UP THE TROMMEL.
Nate: TROMMEL'S COMING ON!
[ MACHINE WHIRRING ]
♪
Narrator: THICK ICE HAS FROZEN
AROUND THE DRIVE CHAIN.
Nate: IT'S FROZEN DOWN THE
ROLLERS, FROZEN DOWN THE CHAIN.
HEY, JASON.
Jason: Yeah, buddy.
I NEED A LITTLE HELP
UP HERE, MAN.
TROMMEL IS FROZEN UP.
I NEED TO ROTATE IT
A LITTLE BIT
BEFORE I CAN KICK IT ON, BUDDY.
10-4, on my way.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET FIRED UP
THIS MORNING
AND EVERYTHING'S AGAINST US.
Nate: THE CHAIN'S A BIG
BLOCK ICE RIGHT NOW,
SO WE'LL GET THE EXCAVATOR,
AND WE'LL GET IT ROTATING
A LITTLE BIT,
KIND OF PUSH IT OVER.
SOON AS HE DOES THAT,
I'LL KICK THE POWER ON TO IT.
IT SHOULD TAKE OFF.
-WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA!
-CAREFUL BUDDY.
Dave:
JASON NEEDS TO BE SUPER CAREFUL.
IF WE DAMAGE THE TROMMEL,
IT'S GAME OVER.
♪
COME ON, BABY.
YEAH! COME ON, BABY!
-YEAH!
[ TROMMEL CREAKS ]
-HUH?
-OH, FOR [BLEEP]
SHE IS FROZEN.
IT'S STILL BLOCKED UP,
I THINK.
WE'RE GETTING THERE, THOUGH.
COME ON, BABY. COME ON.
Nate: JUST A LITTLE MORE.
-THERE WE GO.
-YEAH!
WE GOT IT GOING!
SHE'S THAWED OUT NOW, BABY.
WHOA!
TURNING AND BURNING NOW.
Nate: ALL RIGHT,
WE'VE GOT IT TURNED OVER,
RUNNING NOW,
SO WE'RE GOOD TO GO.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT'S THE LAST
OF THE PROBLEMS FOR THE DAY
AND WE CAN RUN SOME ROCK
AND GET SOME GOLD.
Narrator: THE TEAM CAN FINALLY
GET TO WORK
RUNNING THE PAY DIRT
FROM THE DREDGE EDGE.
♪
BUT OVER AT THE CUT...
Jason: [ GROANS ]
THIS IS JUNK.
Narrator: ...JASON HAS LOST
THE GOLD-RICH CHANNELS
AND IS NOW STRIPPING
THE GROUND SEARCHING FOR MORE.
Jason: SO AS I WAS DIGGING,
TRYING TO CHASE THE CHANNEL,
ALL OF A SUDDEN, THOSE GRAVELS
TURNED INTO THAT JUNK MATERIAL.
LOOK AT THAT -- JUNK.
WHATEVER PAY IS HERE,
IT'S VERY MINIMAL.
PARK RIGHT HERE
AND SEE WHAT WE GOT.
♪
WELL, LOOK AT THAT.
IT'S REAL DARK STUFF HERE
AND IT LUMPS UP.
CLAY, MUD.
VERY LITTLE TO NO GOLD.
I THINK WE FINALLY HIT
THE EDGE OF THE DREDGE EDGE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
NOT GOOD. LOOK AT IT.
OUR ZONE'S SHRINKING DOWN
TO NEXT TO NOTHING.
YOU'RE TELLING ME THE PAY ZONE
IS GOING AWAY?
SHE DISSIPATES.
SHE JUST NARROWS OUT,
AND QUICK.
YOU GOT ANYTHING AT ALL?
THAT SEAM IS GONE NOW.
WE REALLY DON'T HAVE
ANY DIRT NOW, DAVE.
Dave:
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SIT THERE
AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT YOUR CUT
AND IT'S DONE
AND WE HAVE NOTHING LEFT,
I FEEL RESPONSIBLE FOR
THESE GUYS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
Narrator:
WITH LESS THAN A DAY'S WORTH
OF PAY DIRT TO PROCESS TOMORROW
AND OUT OF GROUND
AT THE DREDGE EDGE,
IT'S CRUNCH TIME FOR TEAM TURIN.
WE HAVE NO MORE REAL ESTATE
TO MINE GOLD.
DAVE'S GOT TO GET OUT THERE AND
HE'S GOT TO START PROSPECTING
OR WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE
GOING HOME REAL QUICK.
♪
Narrator:
AS NIGHT FALLS, DAVE HEADS
TO THE SOUTH OF THE CLAIM.
Dave: IT'S THE END OF THE DAY
AND I'M TIRED.
I'D RATHER GO EAT SOME DINNER,
BUT I'VE GOT TO FIND
SOME GROUND.
Narrator: HE'S SPOTTED SOME
OLD TIMERS' TAILINGS PILES
AND HOPES THERE MAY BE
VIRGIN GROUND UNDERNEATH.
GOT ALL THE INDICATIONS.
IT'S GOT EVERYTHING
I'M LOOKING FOR --
BIG ROCKS, IT'S VIRGIN GROUND,
IT'S BEEN UNTOUCHED.
I DON'T KNOW
WHY IT'S UNTOUCHED.
MAYBE I MIGHT JUST WIN ONE
FROM THE OLD TIMERS.
♪
♪
Narrator: MONTANA'S FREEZING
WEATHER IS CAUSING PROBLEMS
FOR JESSE IN THE GOLD ROOM.
Jesse: MY HOSE COMING OUT
OF MY LITTLE POND,
THAT'S WHERE I'M PLUGGED UP
RIGHT NOW,
SO I'M GOING TO GO OUT
AND DE-ICE IT
AND GET THIS GOLD OPERATION
GOING AGAIN.
♪
I SHOULD HAVE
UNHOOKED IT LAST NIGHT
AND DROPPED THE HOSE
RIGHT INTO THE WATER,
THAT WAY IT COULDN'T HAVE
FROZE UP INSIDE.
LET ME GO FIRE THIS UP
AND SEE IF I GOT WATER,
THEN I CAN GET BUSY.
OKAY, I'M PLUGGING HER IN.
♪
LOOKS LIKE I'M BACK IN BUSINESS.
EVERYTHING SEEMS
TO BE WORKING GOOD.
Narrator: DEEP IN MONTANA'S
HISTORIC GOLD COUNTRY...
TURNING AND BURNING NOW.
Narrator:
...TEAM TURIN HAS BEEN FIGHTING
THE STATE'S NOTORIOUS WEATHER...
WHOO! YEAH!
...FACING INCONSISTENT
GOLD RESULTS.
THAT'S IT?
Narrator: DAVE CALLED IN
MINING LEGEND FREDDY DODGE,
AND THEY FOUND THE GOLD
IN THE DREDGE EDGE.
MORE PAY.
THAT'S THE [BLEEP]
RIGHT THERE.
Narrator: BUT THE GOLD-RICH
CHANNELS HAVE RUN OUT.
THAT SEAM IS GONE NOW.
WE REALLY DON'T HAVE
ANY DIRT NOW, DAVE.
NOW WITH LESS THAN A DAY'S WORTH
OF PAY DIRT TO PROCESS,
DAVE IS ON A DESPERATE
LATE-NIGHT PROSPECTING MISSION.
MAYBE I MIGHT JUST WIN ONE
FROM THE OLD TIMERS.
HERE WE GO.
DO OR DIE PAN RIGHT HERE.
COLD.
♪
I USUALLY LIKE TO PAN,
BUT NOT ON DAYS LIKE THIS,
NOT IN MONTANA IN THE MIDDLE
OF A SNOW STORM LATE AT NIGHT.
WELL, DAVE IS OUT THERE
IN THE SNOW
TRYING TO FIND US
SOMETHING BETTER, YOU KNOW?
Jason: WHERE ARE WE GOING TO GO?
I DON'T KNOW.
I'VE BEEN TO EVERY CORNER
OF THIS PROPERTY, MAN.
I PRAY HE FINDS SOMETHING.
THERE'S GOT TO
BE SOMETHING.
REALLY?
ARE WE STILL DOING THIS?
ARE WE STILL ON
THIS SAME STRUGGLE
TO JUST FIND GROUND
MID-SEASON, YOU KNOW?
I'M OVER IT.
Casey: SLIM PICKINGS RIGHT NOW.
IT'S SLIM PICKINGS.
IF THERE'S SOMETHING
THAT'S MISSED,
I HOPE HE FINDS IT.
I REALLY DO.
HE'S OUT THERE AND WE'RE NOT.
I BET IT'S DRIVING HIM NUTS.
WHOO, THAT'S COLD!
♪
♪
THERE'S ONE THERE,
THERE'S ANOTHER ONE UP THERE.
TERRIBLE.
IT'S TOO MUCH WORK
FOR THAT KIND OF GOLD.
YOU GOT SNOW,
FREEZING TEMPERATURE,
AND NOW THERE'S NO GOLD.
MAYBE IT'S STRIKE THREE.
I'M OUT OF OPTIONS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO.
♪
♪
Narrator: MORNING AT BIRDSEYE.
Jason: UNFORTUNATELY,
WE CAN'T CHANGE THE GROUND.
IT'S THE GROUND WE'RE MINING.
IT IS WHAT IT IS.
THERE AIN'T NO MORE GOLD
GOING DOWN THAT SLUICE BOX.
THERE AIN'T NO GOLD
GOING HOME.
Narrator: THE TEAM RUNS
THE VERY LAST OF THE PAY DIRT
FROM THE DREDGE EDGE CUT.
AT THIS POINT, WE NEED TO GET
SOME GOLD IN THE BOX.
RIGHT NOW,
WE'RE IN DEEP [BLEEP]
♪
Dave: RIGHT NOW,
I'M IN A DEEP HOLE,
AND AT SOME POINT,
YOU GOT TO TURN AROUND AND SAY,
"THAT'S ENOUGH."
I'M NOT THAT TYPE OF GUY
AND NEITHER IS THIS CREW,
SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY
TO FIGURE THIS OUT.
THEY'RE LOOKING TO ME TO MAKE
MONEY TO FEED THEIR FAMILIES.
THAT'S A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY.
THE DREAM'S STILL ACHIEVABLE,
AND WE'RE NOT GIVING UP.
WE'LL KEEP TRYING.
WE NEED TO KEEP
PUTTING OUR BOOTS ON,
AND GOING TO WORK,
AND TURN THIS THING AROUND.
HMM.
♪
I GUESS NOT...
AT THIS POINT.
BUT WE'LL KEEP GOING.
IF THEY LEAVE,
THEN I KNOW I'VE FAILED.
♪
Jason:
THIS IS OUR LAST GOLD CLEAN-UP.
THERE'S NO MORE GROUND.
BUT EVERY DOLLAR
IS GOING TO ADD UP
TO A LITTLE BIT MORE
TO TAKE HOME.
♪
Jesse: I JUST GOT DONE RUNNING
THE LAST ACRE OF THE DREDGE CUT.
DAVE'S WORKING HIS BUTT OFF.
THE GUY IS TRYING LIKE HECK.
♪
I GOT TO FIND SOME GOLD.
Narrator: AT THE SOUTHERN
BOUNDARY OF THE PROPERTY,
DAVE FOLLOWS HIS LAST LEAD
FROM LANDOWNER HOWIE.
WHAT WE'VE GOT OVER HERE
IS AN OLD PLANT.
Narrator:
THIS 100-YEAR-OLD CYANIDE PLANT
WAS ONCE USED TO EXTRACT GOLD
FROM ROCK ORE
USING CHEMICALS AND WATER.
SEE HERE -- RIGHT THERE'S
AN OLD-TIME DITCH.
THEY NEVER MINED
THEIR DITCHES OUT
BECAUSE THE WATER
WAS SO VALUABLE.
I'D REALLY LIKED TO KNOW
WHAT WAS UNDER THIS DITCH.
HOPEFULLY THERE'S SOME GOLD
IN HERE
'CAUSE THIS IS
MY LAST CHANCE RIGHT HERE.
WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR
IS A LOW SPOT IN THE BEDROCK
WITH SOME BIG ROCKS IN IT
AND THEN I HOPE
THERE'S SOME GOLD IN IT.
♪
RIGHT NOW, I NEED SOME LUCK.
I NEED SOMETHING TO GO RIGHT.
MY GUYS ARE ON
A PERCENTAGE OF THE GOLD,
SO IF I AIN'T GOT NO GROUND,
THEY'RE NOT GOING
TO STICK AROUND.
AND TO BE HONEST, I DON'T
BLAME THEM IF THEY WANT TO GO.
♪
♪
THAT'S IT.
I BETTER GO BREAK
THE NEWS TO THE GUYS.
♪
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, I'M STARTING
TO HATE THESE MEETINGS
AT THE GOLD RUN.
THERE AIN'T NEVER GOOD NEWS.
WELL, THIS IS GOING TO BE,
PROBABLY, OUR LAST.
YEAH, WELL...
THERE'S NO MORE GROUND.
NO MORE.
NO MORE.
HELLO, GUYS.
YOU KNOW WE GOT 30 OUNCES
IN THE FIRST ACRE
OF THE DREDGE EDGE CUT.
SECOND ACRE, WE GOT 34.
YEAH, THAT'S GOOD.
I THINK IT WAS THE CLEAN WATER,
AND YOU WERE RUNNING FASTER.
WE'VE GOT 64 OUNCES HERE.
DAMN.
TOTAL FOR THE SEASON
RIGHT NOW, GUYS,
WE'RE AT 125 OUNCES.
PROBLEM IS
YOU KNOW DREDGE EDGE IS DONE.
Narrator:
WITH A 5% STAKE IN BIRDSEYE
MINE, IF THE TEAM PACKS UP NOW,
THEY'LL TAKE HOME
LESS THAN SEVEN OUNCES EACH.
I HOPE YOU GOT SOMETHING UP
YOUR SLEEVE SOMEWHERE.
Casey:
YEAH, I DON'T WANT TO GO RUNNING
OUT OF HERE WITH OUR TAIL
BETWEEN OUR LEG.
WHAT OPTIONS DO YOU GOT?
ANYTHING?
I'VE GOT SOMETHING
TO SHOW YOU.
WE NEED ANOTHER JAR OF THIS
BEFORE WE GO HOME.
-WE SURE DO.
-WE NEED TWO OF THOSE.
Dave: LOOK AT THE SIZE
OF THAT CHUNK RIGHT THERE,
AND I GOT PROBABLY
ANOTHER 15 TO 20 COLORS.
THERE'S ANOTHER ONE THERE.
ALL RIGHT.
-WHOO-HOO!
-I SEE GOLD.
-AND AT LEAST $15 A YARD.
-WHERE IS IT AT?
DOWN THERE BY THOSE BIG TANKS,
BY THE OLD CYANIDE PLANT.
THE OLD TIMERS [BLEEP]
I'M REALLY IMPRESSED
YOU FOUND SOMETHING, MAN.
I HAD TO FIND SOMETHING, MAN.
I WASN'T READY TO GO HOME.
I'M NOT READY TO GO HOME.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE.
WHY WE'RE HERE.
THIS IS MORE THAN JUST A TEAM.
WE'RE FAMILY.
Dave: LET'S FINISH THIS
TOGETHER, FINISH IT STRONG.
WE ALL IN?
HEY, YOU KNOW
I'M DOWN FOR THAT.
WE'RE AT 125.
I STILL THINK WITH THIS,
WE CAN STILL GET TO 400, GUYS.
WE'RE STILL ALL IN THEN.
YES, WE ARE.
COULD YOU FEEL THEIR MOMENTUM
COME BACK?
DID YOU FEEL ALL OF A SUDDEN
THAT WE'RE BACK BEING A TEAM?
[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATION ]
THE REASON WHY I'VE SAID
FROM THE BEGINNING
I'D FOLLOW DAVE
IS BECAUSE OF THAT RIGHT THERE.
THAT MAN CAME THROUGH
AND FOUND GOLD.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE ALL HERE.
THAT'S WHY WE FOLLOW HIM.
Nate: HE'S A TRUE LEADER.
HE'S A TRUE BOSS.
HE TAKES OUR PARTNERSHIP
SERIOUSLY.
HE KNOWS THAT'S MONEY FOR US
AND THAT'S FOR OUR FAMILIES.
Chris: WITH ALL THESE LOST
MINES, IT'S TOUGH.
I MEAN, YOU START REALIZING
AND RESPECTING THESE OLD TIMERS.
WE MIGHT NOT WIN,
BUT WE'LL FINISH STRONG.
I'M GLAD TO BE
A PART OF THIS TEAM.
IT'S HARD WORK.
WE'RE NOT SETTING RECORDS,
BUT BY GOLLY, WE'RE STILL IN IT.
♪
Narrator: NEXT TIME...
TEAM TURIN'S CLEAN WATER
TURNS FROM FRIEND TO ENEMY.
YOU CAN SEE THE WATER
COMING THROUGH HERE.
Narrator: ...AND GOOD GOLD...
15 OUNCES.
-OH, WOW.
-THAT'S COOL, MAN.
Narrator:
...COULD BE GONE TOO SOON.
SOMEBODY CUT THE FENCE.
THAT WAS A BIG MISTAKE.
YOU'RE DONE HERE.
♪
Narrator: IT'S LATE FALL
IN THE FOOTHILLS OF MONTANA.
GOLD RESULTS HAVE BEEN PATCHY,
SO JASON SANCHEZ TRIES OUT
A NEW WAY OF PROSPECTING
TO DECODE THE LAND
AND FIND MORE GOLDEN GROUND
THE OLD TIMERS LEFT BEHIND.
Jason: LOOK AT THAT.
THAT ROCK CHANGE
IS JUST DIFFERENT,
NIGHT AND DAY.
EVERY RISE DROPS DOWN,
AND WHEN IT DROPS,
THAT'S A CHANNEL.
THEN BACK UP ON A RISE,
DROP DOWN AGAIN,
THAT'S A NEW CHANNEL.
THAT'S WHERE THE GOLD
LIKES TO SETTLE.
WE'LL FIND OUT
IF THAT SEEMS TO BE THE CASE.
♪
♪
SON OF A GUN.
HOLY [BLEEP]
[ LAUGHS ]
DEFINITELY GOOD.
SEASON CHANGING.
-WHOO-HOO!
-I KNOW, RIGHT?
IT'S A HELL OF A PAN,
RIGHT THERE.
THAT IS A HELL OF A PAN.
WOW.
THAT'S GOOD NEWS, MAN.
THAT'S THE [BLEEP]
RIGHT THERE, A HAPPY BOSS.
♪
Narrator:
LEGENDARY GOLD MINER DAVE TURIN
IS HUNTING FOR GOLD...
YEAH!
...IN THE HISTORIC
LOST MINES OF MONTANA...
PUMPING SOME MUD NOW,
BUDDY! YEAH!
...HOPING TO TURN
HIS MINING DREAM...
WHOA! WHOA!
...INTO A BIG-DOLLAR BUSINESS
FOR HIM AND HIS CREW.
All: TEAM TURIN!
Dave: THESE GUYS ARE
PROFESSIONAL MINERS NOW,
AND I'LL TAKE THEM ANYWHERE.
HOLY [BLEEP]
NATHAN!
THAT'S THE BIGGEST NUGGET
I'VE EVER PANNED!
THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT
RIGHT THERE.
IT'S ALL ABOUT
SEARCHING FOR A DREAM.
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
♪
LAST WEEK WE STARTED
ON A REAL LOW.
THERE'S NO GOLD.
IT'S A LITTLE DEPRESSING.
Dave: BUT WE DIDN'T QUIT.
WE PULLED TOGETHER...
WE'VE GOT SOMETHING
TO LOOK AT NOW.
...KEPT GOING, AND WE FOUND
OUR RICHEST GROUND SO FAR.
OH, MY GOSH.
WE HAVEN'T SEEN
NUGGETS LIKE THAT EVER.
WE'RE STILL WAY BEHIND SCHEDULE
TO HIT OUR
400-OUNCE SEASON TARGET,
SO WE UPGRADED THE WASH PLANT
AND DOUBLED UP ON PRODUCTION.
ALL RIGHT!
WE WERE CRUISING AT THIS LEVEL.
NOW, WE'VE GOT TO TAKE
OUR GAME TO THIS LEVEL.
THAT TROMMEL HAS NEVER SEEN
THAT MUCH MATERIAL IN IT.
WE'RE ON THE BEST GOLD
THAT WE'VE EVER SEEN.
AND THE FIRST ACRE
THE DREDGE CUT
PRODUCED THE BEST
GOLD WEIGH YET.
WE'RE ALMOST 30 OUNCES,
YOU GUYS.
Man: NOW WE'RE TALKING.
THAT'S SOMETHING
TO BE [BLEEP] PROUD OF.
WE'VE ALREADY DONE
MORE THAN WE DID LAST YEAR.
WE'RE COMING TOGETHER AS A TEAM,
AND THAT'S A GREAT RESULT.
AND NOW WITH WINTER
JUST AROUND THE CORNER,
WE'RE GOING TO PUSH HARD
AND GET THAT GOLD.
♪
Narrator: OVER HALFWAY THROUGH
THE SEASON, AND TEAM TURIN
CONTINUES TO MINE OUT
THE GOLD-RICH GROUND
AT THE DREDGE EDGE CUT.
I'M AMAZED AT THE SIZE OF GOLD
THAT WE ARE CATCHING.
WE MAY MAKE A LITTLE MONEY
AT THE END OF THE SEASON.
Narrator:
TO KEEP THEIR TOTALS UP,
THE TEAM NEEDS TO RUN
THE WASH PLANT HARD.
EVERY TON OF PAY DIRT
MUST DELIVER GOLD.
Jason: THIS NEW CUT
IS A GAME CHANGER.
WE'RE FINALLY STARTING TO RUN
ALL DAY NOW WITHOUT STOPPING,
AND IT'S GOING TO HAVE
A LOT MORE GOLD.
♪
♪
Chris: [ GRUNTS ]
GOLLY.
♪
Hey, Nate, this rock is not
looking clean at all.
THAT BAD, HUH?
We got the plant
running full capacity,
but we're not washing the rock
the way we need to be.
♪
Narrator:
THE WASH PLANT IS MEANT TO
CLEAN THE ROCKS OF PAY DIRT
TO EXTRACT THE GOLD.
MUDDY ROCKS AT THE BACK
OF THE TROMMEL
MEAN THIS PROCESS
IS NOT WORKING.
SO CHRIS PANS
THE TAILINGS PILES.
Chris: SEE WHAT WE SEE.
I JUST TOOK
A REAL SMALL PAN...
...AND I'M ALREADY SEEING ONE,
TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE.
THAT'S A NICE
PIECE OF GOLD THERE.
THAT SHOULDN'T BE
HAPPENING.
THAT'S JUST THROWING MONEY
OUT THE DOOR.
WE GOT TO CATCH EVERYTHING
WE CAN CATCH, AND WE'RE NOT.
RIGHT NOW,
WE'RE [BLEEP] THOUSANDS AWAY.
♪
♪
DAVE'S PULLING UP.
WE'LL SEE
HOW HE THINKS ABOUT IT.
I KNOW HE AIN'T
GONNA BE HAPPY.
WHAT'S UP?
WE HAD TO
SHUT IT DOWN.
MUDDY WATER, DIRTY ROCKS.
THEY'RE NOT WASHING IT.
SHOW ME.
I'M JUST FRUSTRATED THAT
WHEN THIS THING'S SHUT DOWN,
NOBODY'S MAKING
ANY MONEY.
I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER,
BUT I JUST KNOW THAT --
YOU'RE THE ONE PAYING
THE BILLS, MAN.
I'LL RUN AS LONG
AS YOU WANT ME TO RUN.
I'M NOT PAYING THE BILLS.
YOU ARE.
WHEN WE SHUT DOWN,
WE'RE NOT MAKING NO MONEY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT IF WE'RE
RUNNING IT THIS WAY,
YOU'RE LOSING MONEY.
YOU MAKE THE CALL.
I'LL RUN IT.
WE'LL START IT BACK ON.
HOLD ON, HOLD ON.
MY PROBLEM IS WE'RE NOT
DOING ANYTHING THIS WAY.
I MEAN, WE'RE ALL JUST SITTING
HERE LOOKING AT A PILE OF ROCKS.
THERE'S NO MONEY COMING.
WE NEED A SOLUTION
FOR CLEAN WATER.
THAT'S WHAT WE NEED.
WE GOT EVERYTHING TUNED IN.
THE ONLY THING AIN'T TUNED
IS THAT FREAKING WATER.
YOU GOT TO DO SOMETHING.
IT'S TIME FOR
THE THIRD POND.
I AGREE.
LET'S GIVE IT A TRY.
I DON'T THINK A THIRD POND
IS GOING TO WORK BECAUSE
WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH WATER
COMING IN ANYWAY.
IF WE BUILD IT IN THAT
DOWNHILL AREA,
WE'VE ALREADY GOT
THE LOW GROUND THERE.
IT'S ALREADY CLAY FIELD.
IT WILL WORK.
Narrator: WITH LIMITED WATER ON
SITE, THE TEAM IS RECYCLING IT
THROUGH A TWO-POND
SETTLING SYSTEM.
MUDDY WATER IS EXPELLED FROM THE
SLUICE BOX INTO THE FIRST POND
WHERE THE SILK PARTICLES
SETTLE ON THE BOTTOM.
CLEAN WATER IS THEN CHANNELED
INTO A SECOND POND
WHERE IT IS PUMPED BACK INTO
THE TROMMEL TO WASH THE ROCKS,
BUT RUNNING AT DOUBLE SPEED
HAS CAUSED BOTH PONDS
TO FILL WITH MUD.
JASON'S SOLUTION
IS TO BUILD A THIRD POND,
ADDING AN EXTRA LAYER
OF FILTRATION
TO ENSURE A CLEAN SUPPLY
OF WATER TO THE PLANT.
♪
I'LL TAKE A SHOT AT IT.
I'LL TRY TO DIG THE POND,
BUT I'M
REALLY WORRIED IF --
IF WE'RE GOING
TO HAVE ENOUGH WATER.
-THANK YOU.
-THANKS, DAVE.
ALL RIGHT,
WE'LL DIG A THIRD POND.
Narrator: IF DAVE DIGS A THIRD
POND AND IT DOESN'T FILL,
THERE WON'T BE ENOUGH
CLEAN WATER
TO BE ABLE TO SLUICE AT ALL.
I HOPE I'M WRONG AND WE BUILD
THE POND, WE GET CLEAN WATER,
AND WE MOVE ON.
THAT'S WHAT I HOPE FOR.
THIS IS THE MOST
LOGICAL PLACE FOR IT,
SO I JUST GOT TO GET THE DOZER
IN HERE AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.
♪
Narrator:
WHILE DAVE DIGS THE NEW POND,
THE ENTIRE MINING OPERATION
AT BIRDSEYE IS ON HOLD.
Nate: WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO GET
IT DONE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
HOPEFULLY,
IT DON'T TAKE VERY LONG.
EVERY TIME WE SHUT DOWN,
IT'S MONEY WASTED.
Narrator:
OVER AT THE DREDGE EDGE CUT,
THE TEAM PILES UP PAY DIRT
TO BE READY TO RUN
AS SOON AS THE POND IS FINISHED.
YOU KNOW, THE THIRD POND
HAS BEEN SOMETHING
I'VE PUSHED FOR
FROM THE BEGINNING.
EVERY PLACER MINER OUT THERE
THAT HAS EVER
TRIED TO RE-CIRCULATE
A SYSTEM HAS EXPERIENCED EXACTLY
WHAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING.
I JUST WANT OUR
WATER PROBLEM FIXED
AND I PRAY THIS IS IT.
Dave: THE WALLS OF MY POND
ARE WHAT WORRIES ME.
THE BOTTOM'S
GOING TO HOLD WATER,
BUT IT'S THE SIDE WALLS
THAT I'M WORRIED ABOUT.
PRETTY NASTY GROUND.
I DON'T KNOW
IF I CAN BUILD SOLID WALLS
ENOUGH TO HOLD THE WATER.
IT'S ALL TRIAL AND ERROR.
Chris: ADDING THE THIRD POND,
THAT'S THE LAST RESORT.
IT'S THE LAST-DITCH EFFORT
TO SOLVE THIS WATER PROBLEM.
Narrator: FOUR HOURS LATER,
WITH THE LIGHT FADING,
DAVE COMPLETES THE THIRD POND.
-JASON.
-All right, sir.
Dave: BRING THE EXCAVATOR DOWN.
I'D LIKE YOU TO TAKE FROM
OUR OLD CLEAN WATER POND
A LITTLE TROUGH, AND I WANT
TO START FILLING THE POND.
WE GOT FRESH WATER COMING IN,
BUT I DON'T KNOW
IF I CAN FILL THE POND.
SO I MIGHT BUILD A POND,
GREAT POND, BUT NO WATER.
THEN WE'RE SCREWED.
♪
Narrator: COMING UP...
A COLD SNAP HITS BIRDSEYE...
NOTHING WANTS TO WORK.
...AND THE TEAM GETS A TASTE OF
THE VICIOUS MONTANA WINTER
JUST AROUND THE CORNER.
THROWS DOWN THE ROLLERS,
THROWS DOWN THE CHAIN.
Dave: THAT'S REALLY COSTLY.
WE HAVE NO INCOME
UNLESS THAT TROMMEL'S TURNING.
♪
Narrator:
MORNING AT BIRDSEYE MINE...
DIDN'T SEE THIS ONE COMING.
Narrator:
...A COLD SNAP HAS HIT,
AND TEMPERATURES HAVE
DROPPED WELL BELOW FREEZING.
Casey: PRETTY EARLY SNOW STORM
FOR THIS SEASON,
SO HOPEFULLY IT DOESN'T STOP US
FROM MINING.
Chris:
HOPEFULLY, THIS ISN'T A SIGN FOR
WHAT'S TO COME HERE IN MONTANA,
BECAUSE, IF SO, IT'S GOING TO BE
A BRUTAL LAST PART
OF OUR SEASON.
Narrator: BUT THE BAD WEATHER
ALSO COMES WITH SOME GOOD NEWS.
Dave:
WE DID IT. THIRD POND.
THE WATER COMING IN
FROM THE RAIN AND THE SNOW NOW,
WE GOT LOTS OF
FRESH WATER,
AND THAT'S GOING TO HELP
KEEP EVERYTHING CLEAN.
I'M ECSTATIC.
YOU LIKE THAT?
YES, I DID.
THIS THIRD POND IS EVERYTHING
I COULD IMAGINE IT COULD BE.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL, IT'S GOING TO DO
WHAT IT NEEDS TO DO.
PERFECT.
Dave: KUDOS TO JASON.
IT TOOK A LOT FOR ME
TO ADMIT FINALLY,
BUT I LISTENED,
AND NOW WE'RE ON GOOD WATER.
THINGS ARE LOOKING GOOD.
WE'RE MOVING THE PUMP OVER
TO THE NEW POND.
EVERYTHING'S GOOD.
HOOKING UP NICE.
LAST HOSE RIGHT HERE,
AND THEN WE'RE READY TO GO.
LET'S START FIRING UP.
TROMMEL COMING ON!
♪
HERE COMES THE WATER.
THIS IS THE WATER
WE WERE RUNNING.
IT'S ALL
IN THE HOSE STILL.
GIVE IT A FEW MINUTES,
WATCH HOW CLEAN IT GETS.
♪
-CLEAN WATER!
-CLEAN WATER!
WHOO, YEAH!
[ LAUGHTER ]
CLEAN WATER! YEAH!
CLEAN WATER!
VERY HAPPY.
YEAH, YOU'RE HAPPY!
HAPPY WE'RE SLUICING WITH
CLEAN WATER.
CLEAN WATER.
CLEAN WATER!
Dave: LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCE.
THERE'S GOLD IN HERE
AND WE LOST IT YESTERDAY.
TODAY WE'RE GOING TO CATCH IT.
THIS WAS JASON'S IDEA.
I'M GOING TO SAY IT
RIGHT NOW, OKAY.
YOU WERE RIGHT AND I WAS.
I WAS...
I WAS...
ALMOST RIGHT.
I WAS --
I WAS WRONG.
[ BOTH LAUGH ]
RIGHT ON, MAN.
♪
Narrator: NOW TEAM TURIN CAN
RAMP PRODUCTION BACK UP
TO FULL SPEED, RUNNING 120 TONS
PER HOUR THROUGH THE PLANT.
♪
Dave: GOOD CLEAN WATER.
WE FOUND OUR RHYTHM,
WE FOUND OUR RATE.
NOW WE JUST GOT TO HOPE
AND PRAY THE GOLD IS
IN THE SLUICE BOX.
Narrator: AS THE MORNING SNOW
AND ICE THAWS...
Jason:
YOU DON'T LIKE THE WEATHER,
WAIT 10 MINUTES, IT'LL CHANGE.
THAT'S MONTANA.
Narrator:
...THE TEAM GOES HARD AT IT
MINING OUT THE DREDGE EDGE.
Chris: LOOKING FOR A GOOD DAY.
WE'RE RUNNING SMOOTH RIGHT NOW.
HOPE IT STAYS THAT WAY.
LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING
THE GOLD COUNT
WITH THIS CLEAN WATER.
♪
[ PLANT POWERS DOWN ]
♪
Jason: HAPPY, HAPPY.
THAT CLEAN-UP
IS GOING TO BE GOOD,
AND IT'S GOING TO BE
DUE TO THAT CLEAN WATER,
AND THAT CLEAN WATER
IS DUE TO THAT ADDITIONAL POND.
THAT'S IT.
Narrator: AFTER EIGHT HOURS
OF RUNNING AND CLOSE TO
1,000 TONS OF PAY DIRT
WASHED THROUGH THE TROMMEL,
JESSE MUST WORK
THROUGH THE NIGHT
TO PROCESS HIS CONCENTRATES.
Jesse: IT DOESN'T LOOK TOO BAD,
BUT WE NEED IT TO PAY OFF.
EVERYBODY'S GETTING
EVERYTHING DIALED IN.
EVERYTHING'S WORKING GOOD NOW,
SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL START REAPING
SOME OF THE REWARDS.
♪
♪
Narrator: MORNING.
WITH THE DREDGE EDGE
PRODUCING SEVEN AND A HALF
OUNCES A DAY SO FAR,
AT THE GOLD ROOM,
THE TEAM WAITS FOR THE RESULTS
FROM THE FIRST DAY
OF RUNNING WITH CLEAN WATER.
Dave: 10 OUNCES A DAY
FROM HERE ON OUT
WILL PUT US BACK ON TARGET.
WELL, THAT'S IT.
OH, [BLEEP]
THAT'S IT?
♪
-IT COVERED THE BOTTOM.
-YEAH, OF A BABY FOOD JAR.
IT'S TERRIBLE.
I THOUGHT WE'D HAVE
A LOT MORE THAN THAT
'CAUSE I HAD A FULL BUCKET
OF CONCENTRATE.
MM.
THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE,
TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.
♪
LOOK, YOU GUYS WE'RE --
YOU KNOW, WE'RE OVER HALFWAY,
AND I STILL THINK
THAT WE CAN SALVAGE THIS SEASON,
BUT IT REQUIRES US
TO KEEP OUR HEAD UP,
KEEP PUTTING OUR BOOTS ON,
AND GETTING TO WORK.
YOU KNOW, I HAVE A HARD TIME
STAYING UP IN TIMES LIKE THIS
BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE
I'VE LET YOU GUYS DOWN,
BUT I'M IN IT TO THE END,
AND I'M NOT GIVING UP UNTIL
WINTER RUNS ME OUT OF HERE.
Jason: THIS SUCKS.
I'M NOT DOING WELL WITH IT
AT ALL.
Chris: WE FIXED THE TROMMEL,
WE FIXED THE SLUICE BOX,
WE PUT A BOWL
ON THE END OF THE SLUICE.
WE WERE RUNNING
CLEAN WATER FINALLY.
MAKES YOU START CHECKING DEEP
DOWN INSIDE IF THIS IS WORTH IT.
Narrator:
LESS THAN 3 OUNCES OF GOLD
FROM 1,000 TONS OF PAY DIRT
WON'T PAY THE BILLS.
I DO LIKE TO ROLL THE DICE,
BUT I DON'T LIKE TO ROLL THE
DICE ON MY FAMILY'S FINANCIALS.
I WAS HOPING
I'D BE ABLE TO COME OUT HERE
AND MAKE A LITTLE CASH EXTRA
FOR THE FAMILY, YOU KNOW,
AND, YOU KNOW, JESSE'S COLLEGE
FUND AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
I MEAN, I DON'T KNOW
WHAT HE'S GOING TO WANT TO DO
WHEN HE GROWS UP.
YOU KNOW, HE'S 10 YEARS OLD.
YOU KNOW, HE'S GONNA TURN
WRENCHES AND DO THIS [BLEEP]
GOD, I HOPE NOT.
IT'S A ROUGH [BLEEP] LIFE.
HEY, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
I JUST GOT DONE FOR THE DAY.
IT'S LIKE [BLEEP]
NO WIN RIGHT NOW.
IT REALLY IS.
I NEED SOME ENCOURAGEMENT
'CAUSE I'M JUST
KIND OF DOWN RIGHT NOW.
IT MIGHT DO BETTER. I MEAN,
DAVE'S TRYING HIS ASS OFF.
JASON'S TRYING TO FIND [BLEEP]
YOU KNOW?
EVERYBODY'S WORKING.
EVERYBODY'S PUTTING
THEIR EFFORT INTO IT.
-All righty.
-ALL RIGHT, BABY.
-I'll be here.
-I LOVE YOU.
-Bye, I love you too.
-ALL RIGHT, BYE.
♪
Narrator:
WITH A MEAGER GOLD COUNT
FOR THE SEASON AND OUT OF IDEAS,
DAVE CALLS ON LONG-TIME FRIEND,
GOLD-RECOVERY EXPERT
AND MINING LEGEND
FREDDY DODGE.
Dave: FREDDY'S A BIG HELP.
HE'S A GOOD SET OF EYES.
IT'S NICE TO HAVE HIM HERE.
Freddy:
I'VE KNOWN DAVE A LONG TIME.
WE'VE BEEN IN MULTIPLE COUNTRIES
AROUND THE WORLD
TOGETHER LOOKING FOR GOLD,
CHASING GOLD.
HE ASKED ME TO COME HERE
FOR THE DAY
AND HAVE A LOOK AROUND
AND SEE WHAT I COULD SEE.
ARE YOU GETTING
MUCH COARSE GOLD AT ALL?
NO.
COUPLE OF LITTLE CHUNKY NUGGETS.
THAT'S ABOUT IT.
YEAH. OH, YEAH.
YEAH.
YOU KNOW,
IF IT ISN'T COSTING YOU MONEY
AND YOU'RE GETTING
GOLD OUT OF IT, RIGHT,
RUN IT.
OKAY.
LET'S LOOK DOWN
AT THE SLUICE.
600, 700 GALLON A MINUTE.
800 MAYBE.
ARE YOU FINDING
MUCH GOLD IN IT?
Dave: NOTHING GREAT.
THERE'S JUST NOT ENOUGH GOLD.
I DON'T KNOW, DAVE.
IT LOOKS GOOD.
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH IT,
THAT'S FOR SURE.
Dave:
YOU CAN SEE THE TAILINGS.
THEY LOOK CLEAN, DAVE.
YEAH, WE'RE DOING
PRETTY GOOD NOW.
I FEEL LIKE WE'RE MINING ABOUT
AS GOOD AS WE CAN.
YEAH.
WHAT ELSE YOU GOT
BUT THE GROUND?
WHAT GOLD'S IN THERE
IS IN THERE.
-YEAH.
-LET'S GO LOOK AT THE CUT.
OKAY.
♪
Dave: FREDDY BEING HERE,
I DO FEEL MORE CONFIDENT.
HE'S IMPRESSED WITH THE CREW.
I GOT A NICE, TIGHT PLANT
AND A SLUICE BOX THAT'S WORKING.
MY BACK IS AGAINST THE WALL.
I'VE GOT TO FIGURE
SOMETHING OUT.
YOU KNOW,
WINTER IS SETTING IN.
I'M REALLY WORRIED THAT
I'M GOING TO RUN OUT OF GROUND
BEFORE I RUN OUT OF TIME.
♪
Narrator: AT BIRDSEYE MINE...
FREDDY DODGE.
...GOLD-RECOVERY LEGEND
FREDDY DODGE
IS TRYING TO HELP
DAVE FIGURE OUT
HIS INCONSISTENT GOLD RESULTS.
LET'S WALK OUT
WHERE WE'RE DIGGING.
AT THE DREDGE EDGE,
FREDDY GETS EYES ON THE GROUND.
THIS GROUND HAS BEEN A PAIN
IN THE ASS, FRED.
Freddy: I CAN SEE THAT.
I MEAN, WE'RE JUST NOT
GETTING THE VALUES.
YEAH. YEAH.
WE HAD A COUPLE DAYS
THAT WE HIT OUR NUMBERS.
WHAT I THINK, A HYPOTHESIS
HERE IS THE GLACIER MELTED BACK.
YOU KNOW,
IT STARTED CUTTING THIS VALLEY,
AND WHEN IT DID THAT, IT
CONCENTRATED MORE OF THE GOLD.
HAVE YOU FOUND ANY THINGS
THAT LOOK LIKE
THE ROCK'S DIFFERENT,
LIKE A CHANNEL WENT THROUGH
THERE, LIKE A GLACIAL CHANNEL?
-YES, THERE IS.
-ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY.
SO THERE YOU GO.
Narrator: FREDDY BELIEVES
DAVE'S ERRATIC RESULTS
COULD BE EXPLAINED
BY ANCIENT GLACIAL CHANNELS.
THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO,
WATER FROM MELTING GLACIERS
WASHED GOLD OUT OF THE SOURCE
IN THE HILLS ABOVE BIRDSEYE.
THIS WATER CARVED
DEEP GLACIAL CHANNELS
ALL ACROSS THE LANDSCAPE,
DEPOSITING GOLD UNEVENLY
ACROSS THE GROUND
DAVE IS NOW MINING.
I'D RUN A TRENCH
RIGHT ACROSS THERE, DAVE.
RUN A TRENCH ACROSS
AND SEE WHAT THOSE GRAVELS DO.
OKAY.
HOPEFULLY THERE'S
A CHANNEL THERE.
FREDDY'S PLAN IS TO DIG
A TRENCH
ACROSS THE SOUTH
OF THE DREDGE EDGE CUT
TO IDENTIFY
THE GOLD-RICH CHANNELS.
THIS WILL ALLOW JASON
TO THEN EXCLUSIVELY MINE
THESE CHANNELS UPSTREAM
TOWARDS THE MOTHER LODE.
BY IGNORING THE REST
OF THE GROUND,
THEY HOPE TO INCREASE
THE CONSISTENCY
OF THEIR GOLD RESULTS.
Freddy:
I SHOWED DAVE WHERE I THINK
I'D PUT A TRENCH ACROSS,
THAT WAY IT'LL GIVE HIM
PICTURE OF THE SITE.
THE WHOLE IDEA
IS TO BE MORE EFFICIENT,
CATCH ALL THE GOLD YOU CAN,
AND GET IT
IN THESE GUYS' POCKETS.
SO IF I HELPED THEM OUT
IN ANY WAY TODAY, THAT'S MY JOB
AND I'M PROUD OF THAT.
♪
Jason: LOOK AT THAT.
THAT ROCK CHANGE
IS JUST DIFFERENT,
NIGHT AND DAY.
♪
EVERY RISE DROPS DOWN,
AND WHEN IT DROPS,
THAT'S A CHANNEL.
THEN BACK UP ON A RISE,
DROP DOWN AGAIN,
THAT'S A NEW CHANNEL.
AND IT DOES THAT THROUGHOUT
THE ENTIRE TRENCH WHEN I DUG IT.
I'VE CUT THROUGH, BUT YOU CAN
SEE THERE'S A BIG RISE HERE.
MINIMAL PAY, BUT WHEN SHE DROPS,
THAT'S WHERE THE GOLD
LIKES TO SETTLE.
FIND OUT IF THAT SEEMS
TO BE THE CASE.
♪
♪
SON OF A GUN.
HOLY [BLEEP]
[ LAUGHS ]
IT'S TWO CONSECUTIVE PANS.
DEFINITELY GOOD.
SEASON CHANGING.
DAVE, I RAN TWO SEPARATE PANS
CONSECUTIVELY.
Dave: THE HELL?
YOU'RE [BLEEP] ME.
I [BLEEP] NOT, DAVE.
THAT'S THE HELL OF A PAN,
RIGHT THERE.
THAT IS A HELL OF A PAN.
AND THEN I RAN THE SECOND ONE.
WHOO-HOO!
I KNOW, RIGHT?
WOW.
THAT'S GOOD NEWS, MAN.
MORE PAY.
-THAT'S WHAT WE NEEDED, TOO.
-ATTABABY. ALL RIGHT.
THANKS, DAVE.
THAT'S THE [BLEEP] RIGHT THERE,
A HAPPY BOSS.
THAT PAN RIGHT THERE
GOING THROUGH
THAT PLANT'S GOING TO BE --
IT'S GOING TO BE GOOD.
Jason:
PROVIDING WE CAN STAY WITH THEM,
THE CHANNEL'S GOING TO MEANDER
JUST LIKE A RIVER,
BUT WE'LL START MINING
THIS WAY DIRECTLY TO THE PLANT
INSTEAD OF BACK
AND FORTH THIS WAY.
LET'S HOPE I'M RIGHT.
GOT A TURN, GOT A BURN,
HERE WE GO.
Narrator:
BACK ON THE SCENT OF THE GOLD,
TEAM TURIN HITS
THE GLACIAL CHANNELS,
CHASING THEM
TOWARD THE END OF THE CUT.
WE'RE MAKING A MAD DASH
TOWARDS THE END OF THE SEASON,
AND JASON'S DOING
A HELL OF A JOB
NOT SENDING ANYTHING TO THE
PLANT THAT DOESN'T HAVE GOLD.
♪
YEAH, I THINK JASON'S ON IT.
IT LOOKS REALLY GOOD.
Running good, Chris,
keep it up.
♪
Narrator: NEW DAWN, NEW DAY.
AND WITH FULL TEMPERATURES
STILL HOLDING UP,
THE TEAM CONTINUES TO REAM
THE NARROW, GOLD-RICH CHANNELS
OF THE DREDGE EDGE CUT.
♪ OH, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY ♪
I'M LOADING THE BIG-ASS
40 TON HAUL TRUCK,
SENDING GOLD TO THE PLANT, MAN.
GETTING US ONE STEP CLOSER
TO OUR GOAL.
Narrator:
TO KEEP UP WITH THE PAY DIRT,
NATHAN CONTINUES TO PUSH
THE PLANT TO THE MAX.
PRETTY DAMN EXCITED.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH GROUND
THERE IS OVER THERE,
BUT I HOPE IT'S A LOT BECAUSE
WE CAN MAKE SOME GOOD NUMBERS.
Dave: EDGE OF THE DREDGE CUT
IS A SMALL CUT.
AS HE CHASES THE CHANNELS,
WE'RE CHEWING IT UP.
MY GROUND IS GETTING
SMALLER AND SMALLER,
WHICH ADDS PRESSURE TO ME.
I NEED TO KEEP MOVING AHEAD,
SO I THOUGHT IF I ASK HOWIE,
MAYBE HE'S GOT A CLUE.
MAYBE HE CAN TELL ME, YOU KNOW,
HISTORICALLY WHAT HAPPENED HERE.
IF I FIND OUT AND CAN TELL
WHERE THE OLD TIMERS WERE,
HOPEFULLY I FIND SOME GROUND
THAT'S VIRGIN GROUND.
Narrator: SINCE THE 1860s,
THE LAND AT BIRDSEYE
HAS BEEN EXTENSIVELY MINED BY
HOWIE, THE LANDOWNER
AND HIS FAMILY.
OH, DAVE!
HI, HOWIE.
MAKING SOME ROCK TODAY.
YES, WE ARE.
GOOD JOB.
THINK YOU'RE PROBABLY
MAKING MORE MONEY THAN ME.
IN SEVEN WEEKS, TEAM TURIN
HAS MINED THREE CUTS --
HOWIE'S, WILLIAM BROWN,
AND NOW THE DREDGE EDGE.
WITH THE AREA AROUND THE PLANT,
ALMOST MINED OUT,
DAVE MUST INVESTIGATE THE REST
OF BIRDSEYE'S 1,400 ACRES
TO FIND TEAM TURIN'S NEXT SPOT.
I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD
STEER ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION
TO SEE IF I COULD FIGURE OUT
ANOTHER PLACE TO GO
AND START TESTING.
YOU SEE THERE'S A POWER POLE
LAYING ON IT'S SIDE OVER THERE?
YEAH.
IF YOU COME THIS WAY, THERE'S
AN OLD TROMMEL DOWN THERE.
NO WAY.
THEY GOT ONE GOLD BAR
OUT OF THERE,
AND THEN WORLD WAR II
STARTED, THEY ALL WENT TO WAR.
WHEN THE COUNTRY
WENT TO WAR IN 1941,
MANY INDUSTRIES
WERE NATIONALIZED.
GOLD MINES WERE CLOSED DOWN AND
MANY MINERS JOIN THE WAR EFFORT.
TRAGICALLY,
MANY MINERS NEVER RETURNED
TO THE GOLD FIELDS
OF MONTANA.
THEIR GOLD MINES WERE
ABANDONED AND FORGOTTEN,
AND THE KNOWLEDGE
OF WHERE THE GOLD LAY WAS LOST.
Dave: THESE OLD TIMERS
WERE PRETTY SMART.
A LOT OF TIMES THEY KNEW
THEY WERE GOING OFF TO WAR,
AND WHAT THEY WOULD DO
IS STOCKPILE
REALLY GOOD PAY
CLOSE TO THEIR PLANTS
SO THAT WHEN THEY GOT BACK,
THEY GOT A JUMPSTART.
SO YOU KNOW WHAT?
THIS IS A GOOD PLACE
TO START LOOKING.
SO THIS IS JUST
ALL TAILINGS IN HERE.
GOSH DANG IT.
♪
WELL, LOOKY THERE.
THERE IS AN OLD TROMMEL IN HERE.
[ CHUCKLES ]
LOOK AT THAT.
THERE IT IS.
I'LL BE DARNED.
CHECK THAT OUT.
STILL TURNS.
IF THEY HAD A TROMMEL,
THERE WAS GOLD.
Narrator:
AT BIRDSEYE MINE, MONTANA...
PRETTY DAMN EXCITED.
WE CAN MAKE
SOME GOOD NUMBERS.
...WHILE THE CREW CHASES,
GOLD-RICH GLACIAL CHANNELS...
STILL TURNS.
...DAVE HAS DISCOVERED
AN OLD TROMMEL
ABANDONED BY THE OLD TIMERS
DURING WORLD WAR II.
WELL, I'M GOING TO DIG OUT HERE
NEXT TO WHERE THAT TROMMEL WAS,
BECAUSE IF THEY HAD A TROMMEL,
THERE WAS GOLD.
THIS IS A GOOD SPOT.
IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE
THEY LEFT IT.
IT'S DEFINITELY VIRGIN.
STARTING TO GET
INTO THE GRAVELS.
THERE'S BIGGER ROCK,
WHICH IS A GOOD SIGN,
AND NOW I'LL GO TEST IT.
♪
SO I'M RIGHT ON BEDROCK HERE,
AND RIGHT ON TOP OF IT
IS THE GOLD.
I NEED TO SEE AT LEAST
10 BUCKS A YARD.
THEN IT'LL BE WORTHWHILE MOVING
OVER HERE AND MINING IT.
♪
THERE IS GOLD IN HERE,
BUT IT'S NOTHING SPECTACULAR.
IT'S GOT TO BE THREE TIMES
THIS AMOUNT OF GOLD
IN ORDER TO MAKE IT WORTHWHILE.
BUT THIS IS JUST ONE PAN,
SO I'LL KEEP LOOKING.
♪
LET'S GO SEE.
♪
THREE LITTLE PIECES OF GOLD.
$2 A YARD.
NOT WORTH COMING OVER HERE FOR.
MAYBE THE OLD TIMERS GOT IT ALL.
RUNNING OUT OF GROUND
AND RUNNING OUT OF TIME.
IT'S GETTING COLD.
WINTER'S COMING.
I'M GOING TO LOSE SEASON
AND I'M GOING TO LOSE GROUND.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE
I'M GOING TO DO.
♪
Narrator: MORNING.
OVERNIGHT TEMPERATURES
HAVE PLUMMETED ONCE MORE.
COLD WEATHER MEANS MORE WORK,
NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.
SUPPOSED TO BE
PROSPECTING FOR NEW GROUND,
BUT I GOT TO MAKE SURE THE
OPERATION GETS RUNNING FIRST.
NOTHING WANTS TO WORK.
GOT A LITTLE DRIBBLE HERE
AND THERE COMING OUT,
BUT PLANT'S FROZEN.
Dave: THAT'S REALLY COSTLY.
WE HAVE NO INCOME
UNLESS THAT TROMMEL IS TURNING.
Nate: WE GOT A LITTLE BLOCK
OF ICE DOWN HERE.
IT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT.
Narrator: THE TROMMEL NEEDS
RUNNING WATER TO OPERATE,
SO NATE FIGHTS ICE WITH FIRE.
YEAH! YEAH!
YEAH, MULE!
THERE YOU GO.
THERE YOU GO.
COME ON, BABY.
YEAH, MULE!
♪
Narrator: NATE CAN FINALLY
FIRE UP THE TROMMEL.
Nate: TROMMEL'S COMING ON!
[ MACHINE WHIRRING ]
♪
Narrator: THICK ICE HAS FROZEN
AROUND THE DRIVE CHAIN.
Nate: IT'S FROZEN DOWN THE
ROLLERS, FROZEN DOWN THE CHAIN.
HEY, JASON.
Jason: Yeah, buddy.
I NEED A LITTLE HELP
UP HERE, MAN.
TROMMEL IS FROZEN UP.
I NEED TO ROTATE IT
A LITTLE BIT
BEFORE I CAN KICK IT ON, BUDDY.
10-4, on my way.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET FIRED UP
THIS MORNING
AND EVERYTHING'S AGAINST US.
Nate: THE CHAIN'S A BIG
BLOCK ICE RIGHT NOW,
SO WE'LL GET THE EXCAVATOR,
AND WE'LL GET IT ROTATING
A LITTLE BIT,
KIND OF PUSH IT OVER.
SOON AS HE DOES THAT,
I'LL KICK THE POWER ON TO IT.
IT SHOULD TAKE OFF.
-WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA!
-CAREFUL BUDDY.
Dave:
JASON NEEDS TO BE SUPER CAREFUL.
IF WE DAMAGE THE TROMMEL,
IT'S GAME OVER.
♪
COME ON, BABY.
YEAH! COME ON, BABY!
-YEAH!
[ TROMMEL CREAKS ]
-HUH?
-OH, FOR [BLEEP]
SHE IS FROZEN.
IT'S STILL BLOCKED UP,
I THINK.
WE'RE GETTING THERE, THOUGH.
COME ON, BABY. COME ON.
Nate: JUST A LITTLE MORE.
-THERE WE GO.
-YEAH!
WE GOT IT GOING!
SHE'S THAWED OUT NOW, BABY.
WHOA!
TURNING AND BURNING NOW.
Nate: ALL RIGHT,
WE'VE GOT IT TURNED OVER,
RUNNING NOW,
SO WE'RE GOOD TO GO.
SO HOPEFULLY THAT'S THE LAST
OF THE PROBLEMS FOR THE DAY
AND WE CAN RUN SOME ROCK
AND GET SOME GOLD.
Narrator: THE TEAM CAN FINALLY
GET TO WORK
RUNNING THE PAY DIRT
FROM THE DREDGE EDGE.
♪
BUT OVER AT THE CUT...
Jason: [ GROANS ]
THIS IS JUNK.
Narrator: ...JASON HAS LOST
THE GOLD-RICH CHANNELS
AND IS NOW STRIPPING
THE GROUND SEARCHING FOR MORE.
Jason: SO AS I WAS DIGGING,
TRYING TO CHASE THE CHANNEL,
ALL OF A SUDDEN, THOSE GRAVELS
TURNED INTO THAT JUNK MATERIAL.
LOOK AT THAT -- JUNK.
WHATEVER PAY IS HERE,
IT'S VERY MINIMAL.
PARK RIGHT HERE
AND SEE WHAT WE GOT.
♪
WELL, LOOK AT THAT.
IT'S REAL DARK STUFF HERE
AND IT LUMPS UP.
CLAY, MUD.
VERY LITTLE TO NO GOLD.
I THINK WE FINALLY HIT
THE EDGE OF THE DREDGE EDGE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
NOT GOOD. LOOK AT IT.
OUR ZONE'S SHRINKING DOWN
TO NEXT TO NOTHING.
YOU'RE TELLING ME THE PAY ZONE
IS GOING AWAY?
SHE DISSIPATES.
SHE JUST NARROWS OUT,
AND QUICK.
YOU GOT ANYTHING AT ALL?
THAT SEAM IS GONE NOW.
WE REALLY DON'T HAVE
ANY DIRT NOW, DAVE.
Dave:
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SIT THERE
AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT YOUR CUT
AND IT'S DONE
AND WE HAVE NOTHING LEFT,
I FEEL RESPONSIBLE FOR
THESE GUYS AND THEIR FAMILIES.
Narrator:
WITH LESS THAN A DAY'S WORTH
OF PAY DIRT TO PROCESS TOMORROW
AND OUT OF GROUND
AT THE DREDGE EDGE,
IT'S CRUNCH TIME FOR TEAM TURIN.
WE HAVE NO MORE REAL ESTATE
TO MINE GOLD.
DAVE'S GOT TO GET OUT THERE AND
HE'S GOT TO START PROSPECTING
OR WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE
GOING HOME REAL QUICK.
♪
Narrator:
AS NIGHT FALLS, DAVE HEADS
TO THE SOUTH OF THE CLAIM.
Dave: IT'S THE END OF THE DAY
AND I'M TIRED.
I'D RATHER GO EAT SOME DINNER,
BUT I'VE GOT TO FIND
SOME GROUND.
Narrator: HE'S SPOTTED SOME
OLD TIMERS' TAILINGS PILES
AND HOPES THERE MAY BE
VIRGIN GROUND UNDERNEATH.
GOT ALL THE INDICATIONS.
IT'S GOT EVERYTHING
I'M LOOKING FOR --
BIG ROCKS, IT'S VIRGIN GROUND,
IT'S BEEN UNTOUCHED.
I DON'T KNOW
WHY IT'S UNTOUCHED.
MAYBE I MIGHT JUST WIN ONE
FROM THE OLD TIMERS.
♪
♪
Narrator: MONTANA'S FREEZING
WEATHER IS CAUSING PROBLEMS
FOR JESSE IN THE GOLD ROOM.
Jesse: MY HOSE COMING OUT
OF MY LITTLE POND,
THAT'S WHERE I'M PLUGGED UP
RIGHT NOW,
SO I'M GOING TO GO OUT
AND DE-ICE IT
AND GET THIS GOLD OPERATION
GOING AGAIN.
♪
I SHOULD HAVE
UNHOOKED IT LAST NIGHT
AND DROPPED THE HOSE
RIGHT INTO THE WATER,
THAT WAY IT COULDN'T HAVE
FROZE UP INSIDE.
LET ME GO FIRE THIS UP
AND SEE IF I GOT WATER,
THEN I CAN GET BUSY.
OKAY, I'M PLUGGING HER IN.
♪
LOOKS LIKE I'M BACK IN BUSINESS.
EVERYTHING SEEMS
TO BE WORKING GOOD.
Narrator: DEEP IN MONTANA'S
HISTORIC GOLD COUNTRY...
TURNING AND BURNING NOW.
Narrator:
...TEAM TURIN HAS BEEN FIGHTING
THE STATE'S NOTORIOUS WEATHER...
WHOO! YEAH!
...FACING INCONSISTENT
GOLD RESULTS.
THAT'S IT?
Narrator: DAVE CALLED IN
MINING LEGEND FREDDY DODGE,
AND THEY FOUND THE GOLD
IN THE DREDGE EDGE.
MORE PAY.
THAT'S THE [BLEEP]
RIGHT THERE.
Narrator: BUT THE GOLD-RICH
CHANNELS HAVE RUN OUT.
THAT SEAM IS GONE NOW.
WE REALLY DON'T HAVE
ANY DIRT NOW, DAVE.
NOW WITH LESS THAN A DAY'S WORTH
OF PAY DIRT TO PROCESS,
DAVE IS ON A DESPERATE
LATE-NIGHT PROSPECTING MISSION.
MAYBE I MIGHT JUST WIN ONE
FROM THE OLD TIMERS.
HERE WE GO.
DO OR DIE PAN RIGHT HERE.
COLD.
♪
I USUALLY LIKE TO PAN,
BUT NOT ON DAYS LIKE THIS,
NOT IN MONTANA IN THE MIDDLE
OF A SNOW STORM LATE AT NIGHT.
WELL, DAVE IS OUT THERE
IN THE SNOW
TRYING TO FIND US
SOMETHING BETTER, YOU KNOW?
Jason: WHERE ARE WE GOING TO GO?
I DON'T KNOW.
I'VE BEEN TO EVERY CORNER
OF THIS PROPERTY, MAN.
I PRAY HE FINDS SOMETHING.
THERE'S GOT TO
BE SOMETHING.
REALLY?
ARE WE STILL DOING THIS?
ARE WE STILL ON
THIS SAME STRUGGLE
TO JUST FIND GROUND
MID-SEASON, YOU KNOW?
I'M OVER IT.
Casey: SLIM PICKINGS RIGHT NOW.
IT'S SLIM PICKINGS.
IF THERE'S SOMETHING
THAT'S MISSED,
I HOPE HE FINDS IT.
I REALLY DO.
HE'S OUT THERE AND WE'RE NOT.
I BET IT'S DRIVING HIM NUTS.
WHOO, THAT'S COLD!
♪
♪
THERE'S ONE THERE,
THERE'S ANOTHER ONE UP THERE.
TERRIBLE.
IT'S TOO MUCH WORK
FOR THAT KIND OF GOLD.
YOU GOT SNOW,
FREEZING TEMPERATURE,
AND NOW THERE'S NO GOLD.
MAYBE IT'S STRIKE THREE.
I'M OUT OF OPTIONS.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO.
♪
♪
Narrator: MORNING AT BIRDSEYE.
Jason: UNFORTUNATELY,
WE CAN'T CHANGE THE GROUND.
IT'S THE GROUND WE'RE MINING.
IT IS WHAT IT IS.
THERE AIN'T NO MORE GOLD
GOING DOWN THAT SLUICE BOX.
THERE AIN'T NO GOLD
GOING HOME.
Narrator: THE TEAM RUNS
THE VERY LAST OF THE PAY DIRT
FROM THE DREDGE EDGE CUT.
AT THIS POINT, WE NEED TO GET
SOME GOLD IN THE BOX.
RIGHT NOW,
WE'RE IN DEEP [BLEEP]
♪
Dave: RIGHT NOW,
I'M IN A DEEP HOLE,
AND AT SOME POINT,
YOU GOT TO TURN AROUND AND SAY,
"THAT'S ENOUGH."
I'M NOT THAT TYPE OF GUY
AND NEITHER IS THIS CREW,
SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY
TO FIGURE THIS OUT.
THEY'RE LOOKING TO ME TO MAKE
MONEY TO FEED THEIR FAMILIES.
THAT'S A HUGE RESPONSIBILITY.
THE DREAM'S STILL ACHIEVABLE,
AND WE'RE NOT GIVING UP.
WE'LL KEEP TRYING.
WE NEED TO KEEP
PUTTING OUR BOOTS ON,
AND GOING TO WORK,
AND TURN THIS THING AROUND.
HMM.
♪
I GUESS NOT...
AT THIS POINT.
BUT WE'LL KEEP GOING.
IF THEY LEAVE,
THEN I KNOW I'VE FAILED.
♪
Jason:
THIS IS OUR LAST GOLD CLEAN-UP.
THERE'S NO MORE GROUND.
BUT EVERY DOLLAR
IS GOING TO ADD UP
TO A LITTLE BIT MORE
TO TAKE HOME.
♪
Jesse: I JUST GOT DONE RUNNING
THE LAST ACRE OF THE DREDGE CUT.
DAVE'S WORKING HIS BUTT OFF.
THE GUY IS TRYING LIKE HECK.
♪
I GOT TO FIND SOME GOLD.
Narrator: AT THE SOUTHERN
BOUNDARY OF THE PROPERTY,
DAVE FOLLOWS HIS LAST LEAD
FROM LANDOWNER HOWIE.
WHAT WE'VE GOT OVER HERE
IS AN OLD PLANT.
Narrator:
THIS 100-YEAR-OLD CYANIDE PLANT
WAS ONCE USED TO EXTRACT GOLD
FROM ROCK ORE
USING CHEMICALS AND WATER.
SEE HERE -- RIGHT THERE'S
AN OLD-TIME DITCH.
THEY NEVER MINED
THEIR DITCHES OUT
BECAUSE THE WATER
WAS SO VALUABLE.
I'D REALLY LIKED TO KNOW
WHAT WAS UNDER THIS DITCH.
HOPEFULLY THERE'S SOME GOLD
IN HERE
'CAUSE THIS IS
MY LAST CHANCE RIGHT HERE.
WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR
IS A LOW SPOT IN THE BEDROCK
WITH SOME BIG ROCKS IN IT
AND THEN I HOPE
THERE'S SOME GOLD IN IT.
♪
RIGHT NOW, I NEED SOME LUCK.
I NEED SOMETHING TO GO RIGHT.
MY GUYS ARE ON
A PERCENTAGE OF THE GOLD,
SO IF I AIN'T GOT NO GROUND,
THEY'RE NOT GOING
TO STICK AROUND.
AND TO BE HONEST, I DON'T
BLAME THEM IF THEY WANT TO GO.
♪
♪
THAT'S IT.
I BETTER GO BREAK
THE NEWS TO THE GUYS.
♪
I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, I'M STARTING
TO HATE THESE MEETINGS
AT THE GOLD RUN.
THERE AIN'T NEVER GOOD NEWS.
WELL, THIS IS GOING TO BE,
PROBABLY, OUR LAST.
YEAH, WELL...
THERE'S NO MORE GROUND.
NO MORE.
NO MORE.
HELLO, GUYS.
YOU KNOW WE GOT 30 OUNCES
IN THE FIRST ACRE
OF THE DREDGE EDGE CUT.
SECOND ACRE, WE GOT 34.
YEAH, THAT'S GOOD.
I THINK IT WAS THE CLEAN WATER,
AND YOU WERE RUNNING FASTER.
WE'VE GOT 64 OUNCES HERE.
DAMN.
TOTAL FOR THE SEASON
RIGHT NOW, GUYS,
WE'RE AT 125 OUNCES.
PROBLEM IS
YOU KNOW DREDGE EDGE IS DONE.
Narrator:
WITH A 5% STAKE IN BIRDSEYE
MINE, IF THE TEAM PACKS UP NOW,
THEY'LL TAKE HOME
LESS THAN SEVEN OUNCES EACH.
I HOPE YOU GOT SOMETHING UP
YOUR SLEEVE SOMEWHERE.
Casey:
YEAH, I DON'T WANT TO GO RUNNING
OUT OF HERE WITH OUR TAIL
BETWEEN OUR LEG.
WHAT OPTIONS DO YOU GOT?
ANYTHING?
I'VE GOT SOMETHING
TO SHOW YOU.
WE NEED ANOTHER JAR OF THIS
BEFORE WE GO HOME.
-WE SURE DO.
-WE NEED TWO OF THOSE.
Dave: LOOK AT THE SIZE
OF THAT CHUNK RIGHT THERE,
AND I GOT PROBABLY
ANOTHER 15 TO 20 COLORS.
THERE'S ANOTHER ONE THERE.
ALL RIGHT.
-WHOO-HOO!
-I SEE GOLD.
-AND AT LEAST $15 A YARD.
-WHERE IS IT AT?
DOWN THERE BY THOSE BIG TANKS,
BY THE OLD CYANIDE PLANT.
THE OLD TIMERS [BLEEP]
I'M REALLY IMPRESSED
YOU FOUND SOMETHING, MAN.
I HAD TO FIND SOMETHING, MAN.
I WASN'T READY TO GO HOME.
I'M NOT READY TO GO HOME.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE.
WHY WE'RE HERE.
THIS IS MORE THAN JUST A TEAM.
WE'RE FAMILY.
Dave: LET'S FINISH THIS
TOGETHER, FINISH IT STRONG.
WE ALL IN?
HEY, YOU KNOW
I'M DOWN FOR THAT.
WE'RE AT 125.
I STILL THINK WITH THIS,
WE CAN STILL GET TO 400, GUYS.
WE'RE STILL ALL IN THEN.
YES, WE ARE.
COULD YOU FEEL THEIR MOMENTUM
COME BACK?
DID YOU FEEL ALL OF A SUDDEN
THAT WE'RE BACK BEING A TEAM?
[ INDISTINCT CONVERSATION ]
THE REASON WHY I'VE SAID
FROM THE BEGINNING
I'D FOLLOW DAVE
IS BECAUSE OF THAT RIGHT THERE.
THAT MAN CAME THROUGH
AND FOUND GOLD.
THAT'S WHY WE'RE ALL HERE.
THAT'S WHY WE FOLLOW HIM.
Nate: HE'S A TRUE LEADER.
HE'S A TRUE BOSS.
HE TAKES OUR PARTNERSHIP
SERIOUSLY.
HE KNOWS THAT'S MONEY FOR US
AND THAT'S FOR OUR FAMILIES.
Chris: WITH ALL THESE LOST
MINES, IT'S TOUGH.
I MEAN, YOU START REALIZING
AND RESPECTING THESE OLD TIMERS.
WE MIGHT NOT WIN,
BUT WE'LL FINISH STRONG.
I'M GLAD TO BE
A PART OF THIS TEAM.
IT'S HARD WORK.
WE'RE NOT SETTING RECORDS,
BUT BY GOLLY, WE'RE STILL IN IT.
♪
Narrator: NEXT TIME...
TEAM TURIN'S CLEAN WATER
TURNS FROM FRIEND TO ENEMY.
YOU CAN SEE THE WATER
COMING THROUGH HERE.
Narrator: ...AND GOOD GOLD...
15 OUNCES.
-OH, WOW.
-THAT'S COOL, MAN.
Narrator:
...COULD BE GONE TOO SOON.
SOMEBODY CUT THE FENCE.
THAT WAS A BIG MISTAKE.
YOU'RE DONE HERE.
♪