Hoffman Family Gold (2022–…): Season 2, Episode 4 - Rock Blocked - full transcript
Ready to go.
The Hoffmans'
mining is in full swing.
Trommel's turning.
But with
torrential weather
obstructing them
and a few
disappointing cleanouts...
We're screwed.
...their 1,000-ounce goal
may be out of reach.
That's not even half
of where we're supposed to be.
Now with one plant
coming up short...
I'm not happy
with the amount of gold
that we're getting out of
the Holy Roller.
...Todd turns his
focus to Hunter's operation.
Having the Black Pearl
up and running
would be a huge help
right now.
And he's calling
the shots.
Keep comin'. Keep comin'.
- What are they doing?
- They're moving
the Black Pearl
without us, man.
They're just
taking over.
I told you where to put
your sluice in.
No, you didn't.
No, you did not.
With emotions
running high
between father and son...
Everybody saw you tell me
to put it like this.
Don't ever call me a liar.
It literally feels like
I'm here with some dude
who hates me.
...will this
venture be finished
before it's even started?
You don't follow through,
then you quit.
This was real for me.
Like, this was really hard.
So,
we're running out of time.
And you know what?
In gold mining,
nothing seems to go right.
We're behind.
I'm under an immense amount
of pressure right now.
So we're in between a rock
and a hard space.
I see some trouble's comin'
if you wanna know the truth.
It's us against
the friggin' weather.
And are we gonna leave here
with a loss or a win?
Are we gonna come out of here
with a profit, you know?
So to be honest with you,
having the Black Pearl
up and running
would be a huge help
right now.
I just hope that my son
and Sparky
can get
this thing operational.
I'm pretty confident.
I think we're gonna kill it.
Last night,
me and Sparky wrapped up
everything that we needed
to do in here.
And this was the last piece
to finishing this drum off.
So now we got
that whole crack sealed up.
Sparky's finishing the last
bit of welding on the frame.
Even getting this thing
out here, logistically,
was a huge nightmare.
You know, we had to torch
this entire thing into pieces
and then reassemble it
out here with limited tools
and limited manpower, so...
Today's the day where
we get to see
the drum actually go on.
And, uh, we've been waiting
weeks for this moment,
so I feel good about it.
We're gonna kill it.
Hunter's plan
to mount the Black Pearl's
trommel onto the frame
requires multiple steps.
First, the team needs
to pull the frame around
to the other side
and line it up with the drum
to properly mount it.
Once the frame is in position,
they will have to build a ramp
so the loader
and the excavator
will have
enough height and leverage
to raise the drum
and create the clearance
for the final
and most crucial step,
carefully pulling the frame
under the drum
with an excavator
and precisely fitting
the trommel right into place.
One wrong move could
damage the Black Pearl
and set the team back
for weeks.
We're gonna hook the cables
onto the frame here...
Oh, yeah.
...and we're gonna drag this
thing to that end of the drum,
line everything up...
Okay, everybody clear?
...then give her
a go.
The problem is
everything is really heavy.
There you go.
I'm just barely gonna
skim by here.
Start going to your right now
a little bit.
Sparky,
how am I looking?
Whoa!
- You like it?
- Yeah, you're good.
Everything's going
pretty good.
We got the whole frame
drug over here.
And then we gotta build
our ramp on the side.
How high did you want
the ramp?
Uh, we need
it about three feet high.
So we got the frame in place.
We built a ramp on
this far side.
We got the loader
and excavator going in there.
So we're gonna get
all of our chains on here...
cables, rig everything up
and see if we can
lift it high enough
to actually
get it on the frame.
I think this whole thing
put together is like
80,000 pounds.
Uh, it's heavier
than it looks.
It's heavier than
we thought it was gonna be.
When we took this thing
off the truck,
it took three excavators.
So we're gonna see if
this loader's got enough juice
to pick up the heavy end,
490 on that end,
and we have to get it
at least seven, eight feet
off the ground.
So we'll see if we can do it.
- We're gonna do itself, right?
- Right here.
I'm feeling
vertically challenged, dude.
You're gonna
make me laugh, dude.
There.
- How are you that short?
- You probably have frickin'
longneck arms, dude.
I had no clue
that you were that tiny.
You know, we've been
working on this for weeks,
me and Hunter.
We've been frickin'
nailing it this whole time.
and now it's time to hammer
this frickin' drum in.
Moment of truth.
Okay, right there.
That's good.
Are we good?
Yeah, we're clear.
Just go up slow with it
and see how she looks.
Okay, keep going.
I wanna see how much height
we can get out of it.
Not a problem.
Oh, [bleep].
Okay, hold right there, Rob.
As Tater
reaches maximum lift
with the excavator...
I think, uh,
that's just gonna do it.
That's gonna give us
literally within
six inches of what we need.
Hopefully.
...Hunter is ready
after weeks of welding
to reattach the largest piece
of the Black Pearl.
Okay, we're ready
to grab the frame on.
The hard work's comin' in, baby.
Now it's comin' to the truth.
We're gonna put
this drum on, baby.
We're behind on gold.
You know, we're trying
to get to that mother lode,
trying to get
that four or five ounces/100.
We're still stuck at an ounce,
ounce-and-a-quarter/100.
The Black Pearl is
actually needed right now.
If the Holy Roller has
a catastrophic failure,
all we have left
is the Black Pearl
to actually get to our goals.
I'm very happy for
the Black Pearl right now.
Well, we'll see what happens.
All right,
you guys ready to go?
With the Black Pearl's trommel
suspended eight feet
in the air...
Yeah, I'm good.
...Hunter's crew
will now drag
the frame underneath it.
Locked in.
But with
the trommel weighing
over 50,000 pounds
and the frame
nearly 30,000 pounds...
It's going
pretty good, Hunter.
...this maneuver
will push all three machines
to their limit.
If anything bends or breaks...
Okay, back.
...it could
jeopardize the entire season.
Hold that,
hold that. Nice and easy.
We got the faucet
we gotta get by here.
This is very tight.
We don't have a lot of room
to work with here.
And we got about 50,000 pounds
hanging in the air.
I got maybe an inch.
What was that?
Did that just slip?
Or did that break something?
The cable
slipped on that edge there.
It should be good now
if you just stick in.
This is a little
nerve-racking.
Hold that.
It's really close.
I got...
three quarters of an inch.
I'm gonna have to have you
come forward like two inches.
Yeah, right there,
right there. Good.
Whoa.
What's going on?
Does that look okay?
I look good over here.
It was a little bounce.
She was trying to bounce off.
All right,
let's go a little more easy.
We're doing, like,
intricate open-heart surgery
with giant machines.
Coming.
We got two chains,
a couple cables.
We're literally moving
half an inch
with huge, heavy machinery.
- Stop right there.
- Whoa, whoa.
I don't know
anybody else doing this.
Right now,
as Silver Jack would say,
no guts, no glory.
- Whoa!
- We in?
They hung up on something
'cause it just rocked forward.
We gonna need to pull
that roller out?
So, right here,
these CAT rollers
articulate like this.
Right now it's sitting
all the way in.
So it's making it
a little bit tighter
for us to get the drum in.
We're gonna bring this out
and it'll buy us
just enough room
to slide the drum
the last foot.
All right, go ahead.
There she goes.
- We gonna go more,
or leave it like that?
- Little more.
Oh, right there,
right there. Perfect.
Think smarter, not harder.
I love it.
There was
a couple days
where I just didn't even think
we were gonna get
to this point,
so if this thing goes on
I'll probably... I might cry.
Hunter, you ready?
Yeah, I'm ready.
If this thing goes on
I might cry.
Hunter, you ready?
Yeah, I'm ready.
It looks pretty good.
It's gonna clear
that back ring.
You just gotta
come down slow on it.
There you go.
That's it.
- Okay, that's it right there.
- Yeah.
As long as it's inside there.
Bro.
Dude.
Dude, it's a heavy weight
off your shoulders, bro.
That was frickin' hard work.
Yeah, all that
hard work, man. Look at that.
You have this
in the bag, dude.
This is actually crazy.
Look at these guys.
Wow. Seriously.
This is a big hurdle.
We got stuff done
we didn't think we were
gonna be able to do.
But we trust in the process.
I've never seen
any of you guys
cut your entire washplant
into a bunch of pieces,
repair the entire thing
and reassemble it, so...
Now you know why
we don't do that.
Now we gotta get gold in it.
Yeah.
Start going.
Yeah.
There's a bunch
of pay dirt out here.
It's got a bunch of gold
in it, guys.
As a dad,
obviously I'm proud of Hunter.
But right now,
all I see
is that we're behind.
All the celebrating can come
later once we hit our goal.
We still got work to do on it
but let's go
and get some gold.
This whole thing is
a big learning experience
for me, so...
It's just...
This is real for me.
Like, I'm not here
doing this...
you know, for anybody else.
I feel like my dad never gives
me the respect I deserve.
I feel like I've been
doing this stuff every summer
for, like,
most of my life, and so...
uh, this one was a huge win
just for myself, personally.
Feels good. Feels good.
With the Black Pearl
now only a few steps away
from taking pay dirt...
at the Holy Roller,
Todd's clocking out
and handing over the controls
to keep pay dirt
flowing through the plant.
I've been in here
for a long time.
You know, my dad, I'm about
ready to swap out with him.
Hop in there and I'll get out.
You gotta run
long, long hours.
We're working 16 hours a day.
My dad's done a great job but
he needs to stay in the pit.
It was his dream. We all
came here because of him.
So everybody's gotta take
some time in a machine.
Including Jack.
It's actually pretty nice to
be back on some equipment.
This is one of the very few
chances that I get to,
and I'm feeding the plant,
I'm feeding the main plant.
We need Hunter's plant.
Hunter's plant
can run the yardage
that the Holy Roller
can't run.
If he can get it going,
holy smokes, we can
double our production.
So I'm just gonna do
what I can to help the team.
We're all together in this.
While the Holy Roller
runs non-stop...
Down here I have to get
to the small tailings.
...Todd and Hunter
meet to talk about
the placement of
the Black Pearl's sluice box.
So, I built all this up.
This is hard as a rock.
I have to get
the small tailings.
See? Your sluice goes there.
Like this. Off that way.
Since we're gonna be running
two plants at the same time,
it's really crucial that
we position the Black Pearl
just in the right spot
so that we can keep
this operation
running efficiently.
It has
to make sense, dude.
Okay, so you're gonna have to
tell me where you want it.
Where's your trommel?
Which angle?
Okay.
Your sluice comes this way,
off the side.
So your sluice right off here.
And then your trommel
sits right here.
Eh... yeah.
You know, I think
we're on the same page.
So, I got a drain
going on right here
which needs to be
a specific pitch
for the sluice box.
Just like
on the Holy Roller,
the Black Pearl's sluice box
requires two inches per foot
of fall
to trap gold in the riffles.
We're just gonna lay it out
where my dad said,
you know, specifically where
he thinks we should set it.
And then hopefully
get this thing going.
Bit along.
There you go, perfect.
Gold sluices
must be positioned just right
in order to share
the same drainage system
for the water run-off
from their washplants.
Yeah, I think
this is gonna work out nice.
Sluice is level, good grade.
I got something here
to hold material in.
I like it.
Sweet.
This is perfect.
Now that
the sluice box
has been set in place,
Hunter will use
the 650 excavator
to drag the 80,000-pound plant
to the spot
where it will run pay dirt.
Come on back.
It ain't budging it.
You're not moving at all.
I'm hoping that
the water and the mud
works in my favor.
It's looking
real promising.
Hunter was able to just get
this big bastard
right over. Look at that!
Whoo-hoo-hoo!
Whoa, right there.
Hold on,
you're gonna hit the pipe.
That would not be good.
We almost hit a black pipe!
You gotta spin
way to your right.
There you go. You can
travel straight back.
One small step for man,
one huge friggin' slide
for the Black Pearl.
That dam is so bad.
I'm not really surprised.
This thing's heavy, man.
Chain just busted.
Was not expecting that.
It's a new chain.
So now we're gonna
have to ditch that.
We're gonna need
a four-part cable
and we're gonna
yank that sucker like how
we did the first time,
so we can get it on the pad
looking nice and pretty.
I'll just go
dead-center on there.
I'm gonna pull it
and then I just need you
to steer it back.
- Okay.
- Know what I mean?
It looks good.
Nothing looks binded.
It looks pretty parallel.
I got the hooks on the Clovis.
All right, let's do it.
Let's hope
this one doesn't break.
Don't stop,
don't stop, don't stop.
I'm locked up,
I can't turn left anymore.
You're good, you're good,
just keep going.
Yeah. Lower, lower,
lower, lower.
Whoa, what the frick was that?
Hey.
Look where you put
your sluice box.
Now I can't get
my small tailings.
How are we gonna do that?
I can't watch Hunter
all the time,
but I see him over there
moving his washplant,
and his sluice box is blocking
where my tailings
are gonna go.
Fine tailings are
the excess dirt and sludge
that flows from
a plant's sluice box.
If those small tailings
are not removed
from a water circuit,
they'll quickly build up,
creating a dam
and blocking the water
flowing from the sluice boxes.
But the placement of
the Black Pearl's sluice box
is currently blocking access
to the Holy Roller's
fine tailings.
That's why I wanted
to put the sluice box
closer to my sluice box
so we could reach everything.
But now I can't reach
any small tailings over here.
You've been
sitting there on the hill
watching what I've been doing,
so sounds like
maybe you should have
said something before.
He's trying to tell me
how the sluice box,
it's not in the location
they wanted.
The way that we set it up was
how they asked us
to set it up.
I know he's stressed out,
I know he has a lot wrapped up
under this mine,
and I don't know if that's
what's causing him
to act the way he's acting.
But it's hard for me not to
lose my temper, you know?
I was gonna put it here.
They made me put it there,
and now he's
blaming it all on me.
Let's, uh...
let's just shut down.
Let them get
their plant moved.
What am I
supposed to [bleep] do?
This dude can never take
responsibility for anything.
What was your idea?
Let me know.
I wanna be a team player,
but what do we...
How do we get the tailings?
Oh, yeah?
Yeah, you seem
like a team player.
You tell me what's gonna
satisfy you and I'll do it.
I told you where to put
your sluice over here.
- No, you didn't.
No, you did not.
- Where you agreed to.
We all see what's happened.
Okay, I don't wanna argue.
Hey.
Let's get it, baby.
It's an uphill battle.
It's all good.
No, it's not.
It's not all good.
It's not
the first time I've seen
my dad and my brother
go at it,
but my dad just did
what he does,
and that's come in last-minute
to try to change things up
and mess everybody's plan up.
It's a [bleep] pain
in the ass.
I don't know
what to do, Sparky.
Dude, these guys
are not on our team.
It doesn't feel like it.
How am I ever...
How are we gonna do this?
It doesn't even feel like
I'm here with my dad.
It literally feels like
I'm here with
somebody who hates me.
I wasn't expecting it
this way,
to see these guys like this.
And they're making it
harder for us,
but the victory's gonna be
so much sweeter, brother.
I'm gonna keep going,
literally for you and Cub.
This is
just annoying, bro.
You know, like, in your
position I can only imagine.
I never wanna be a quitter.
I don't think Jack
would like that if I quit.
And, uh...
I'm just gonna finish out
the season, it's just, uh...
It's not, uh... It's not what
I thought it was gonna be.
You know? And that sucks.
Andy, tell me about where
the sluice is supposed to go.
So here's
how we drew it out.
- Okay?
- I know how we drew it out.
Okay, you know what?
First of all...
- And then you guys
all tell me I couldn't.
- No, no "you guys."
You're gonna change the plans?
You gotta run it by us.
This is so you guys
can gang up on me.
No, we're not
ganging up on anybody.
Everybody saw you
tell me to put it like this.
No I didn't.
Dude, here's the deal.
I'm trying to stay
out of your way cause I'm...
We feel like...
I feel like I'm on the outs
with everybody,
with you guys.
And I don't wanna
say anything.
But now, you changed it,
why don't you bring it to us?
- Are you literally
being serious?
- We didn't know. Ask him.
You can't put one box
way down there
and one box here.
You've gotta be
within certain distance
of the other box.
And you may disagree,
but you're wrong.
That's where it's gotta go.
Where the issue is, is that
we were going to do it
how you guys
are suggesting it now.
Then we were told specifically
- to do it another way.
- Who did?
- Who told you?
- You.
- Andy and you.
- No, I did not.
- That is a bald-faced...
- Andy and you walk it.
That is not true.
Maybe I should have
said something.
It honestly did not
occur to me
how far away that sluice was
until I was up there
and I'm like,
"This isn't gonna work."
But we're not gonna win if you
don't listen to me on this.
Everything starts
with these small tailings.
Drill it into your head.
It all starts with
the tailings that come off
of your sluice box.
Obviously there was miscommunication
and misunderstanding.
Whatever you wanna call it...
the frustration
needs to go away,
we need to come together as
a team and say, "Okay, I..."
How is the frustration
supposed to go away,
when we're saying that
we're saying bald-faced lies,
when we're trying to
literally make a compromise
- and not mess it up?
- Look at me.
Here's the deal.
There might be a lot of things
that I am,
but I am not a liar.
Don't ever call me a liar.
Nobody here
calls me a liar, okay?
'Cause I'll fight you
right out here
in this [bleep] pay pile.
Who called you a liar?
You just did.
Don't call me a liar.
I'm an honorable man. Okay?
Don't do it.
Let's just fix it, okay?
Hunter, I love him
and respect him,
and he's amazing.
But he's a wild animal,
kinda like me, so...
you know, sometimes
wild animals bite ya.
If there's some resentment
and things like that,
then all I can do is
move forward,
say I'm sorry, apologize,
try to learn from it,
become better.
That's all I can do.
Your sluice has to be here.
- Roughly.
- This is where it's gotta go.
Come back tomorrow,
let's spray this thing out,
take it off and let's start
getting it money.
I can't let my investment
go to hell.
Otherwise I'm gonna
come out of here
and I'm gonna lose
a lot of money.
I gotta get this gold.
All right.
Let's start again tomorrow,
huh? All right.
Tell you what,
if I can't repair
this relationship with my son,
that'll be a big regret
in my life.
Because I don't wanna
lose my family.
So, Dad, my son is not liking
how we're interacting.
I mean, I understand
him wanting to be
out doing his thing,
but it's like, man.
So I'm actually worried.
Things don't look good.
We have had so many delays,
and it's kinda scary, so...
Not that I haven't heard it,
you know?
I've been listening,
and for what it's worth,
he thinks that he should be
calling the shots,
but you can call the shots
if you're getting
the job done.
It's just not happening
at the rate that he thinks
it should, so...
He's doing his thing
and wants...
Oh, I don't know
whether it's respect or what.
But the thing is,
it's decisions
that Hunter has to make,
and he's gotta go for it.
He can't be blaming
anybody else.
Nobody else to blame
other than himself.
You know, and I want him
to be successful.
Me too.
I can't give you counsel
on raising your son.
He's your son.
I raised you,
you didn't come with a book,
and I tried my best
to give you every opportunity
that I could.
He's an adult.
He's not a child.
I just don't want him
to make a bad move
and ruin all this for him.
And, you know, who knows?
Something could blow up
on this plant and we may
run the rest of the season
with his, so...
- Yeah. I know that.
- Anything can happen up here.
We might need both plants,
you know?
I think
that's gonna be the case.
Let the pressure off
and set it down on the ground
so I get that chain out.
So, after talking
to my dad I realized
I just gotta step in,
I gotta help Hunter
whether he likes it or not.
I gotta speed this up.
I need to move his washplant.
We're behind,
and we don't have the gold
that we need to have
at this point in the season,
so positioning the Black Pearl
just right
hopefully can get
Hunter running
sooner rather than later.
Keep coming, keep coming,
keep coming.
Keep coming.
To you a little bit, Todd.
To you.
There you go.
Whoa, whoa, hold that.
Right there, right there.
What are they doing?
They're moving the Black Pearl
without us, man.
Thought they were
running dirt today?
I don't know.
Just like everything
we've done on this plant
and they won't even
let us move it.
You know what I mean?
They won't even
let us finish it.
I don't know, dude.
They're just taking over.
Well, I guess
it's feeding their ego.
It's just wrong.
You know, I don't wanna
step on anybody's toes,
but we're at
the point now where
these things
are getting put in
in the wrong place.
After the Black Pearl's sluice
interfered with
the Holy Roller's operation,
Todd is helping
to reposition it
to get both plants running
as soon as possible.
You gotta
keep it close.
We gotta keep these sluices
where we get
the small tailings.
Because this is my livelihood.
This gold's for my family.
Okay, come on up.
I think we got it
in the right spot.
I think this is gonna work.
Now the Black Pearl sluice box
is in the perfect spot
where we can actually reach
all of our small tailings
on both plants
at the same time.
- That's perfect.
- That should work.
Yeah, all right. What's next?
We gotta keep rolling.
If you wanna get sluicing...
- Have at her.
- I can.
Let's start making some money
and we'll take care of this.
I'll fire up the generator.
Somebody fire up
the water pump.
So, we had a hiccup,
we had some bad attitudes,
but I'm not gonna allow myself
to fall into that.
I'm gonna push forward.
We're on really good gold,
so I need to run this thing.
I gotta get
every speck of gold
and try to keep from
going broke.
You wanna go down there?
We can go down there
if you wanna keep welding
and I'll keep welding
with you.
Let's go down there, dude.
Okay. Let's go.
Like, I don't even know
what's going on.
My dad got in there and just
kinda started doing it.
You know, when things
get more stressful
and pressure's on,
my dad doesn't react the best.
I don't really get it.
Hey Hunter, I need
to tell you what we did.
So if you could come up here
and give me a minute,
I'd appreciate it.
Tater and Framer
had a good idea.
We moved it up a little bit,
probably about 10 feet,
eight feet.
You pretty happy
where it's at?
Yes or no?
I think that's the best spot.
You don't really care
what I think.
Here's the deal.
That, I believe, is in
the right spot for sluicing.
- Fine. I'm not gonna argue.
- I'm trying not to...
I don't wanna step
on your toes.
Tater... I ran this hoe,
and Tater pulled it
and built this pad.
This far, he's got a spot
to set and feed.
Okay? You agreed that
we're gonna listen to
these guys, and it's fine.
I mean, I feel like
it's in a good spot.
But I also don't wanna
step on your toes.
'Cause you're already
pissed off at me.
You've been stepping on
my toes the whole project.
No, I haven't, son.
I haven't.
Hey, I'm over it.
I don't...
Hey, I'm over it too.
And I don't want any...
I'm tired of the friction
and negativity.
I feel like every move I make
is the wrong move.
I've tried to stay out of it,
and I'm sorry, but that's it.
No more negativity
on this whole gold mine.
All right?
I'm trying to take this
in a positive way.
This is my 10th season.
This is my 10th season
mining with you.
It's not like I don't know
how things are supposed to go.
I never said that. I'm saying
this season
right here is hard.
I've been helping you
every step.
When you ask for it,
I help you.
I'm paying for it.
I'm doing everything I can.
I don't know exactly what
you want out of me.
Because I've been a good dad,
and I've been a good guy.
- Really?
- And I'm a good leader.
I am. And you know what else?
I owe it to Andy.
I think you have.
I owe it to all these guys.
We have to get gold.
Whether you get
your plant going or not,
it's up to you.
You committed to it.
If you don't follow through,
then you quit.
If you don't wanna be here,
you don't have to come back.
Finish what you started.
I am gonna finish
what I started.
Good.
And I'll help you.
We're running out of time.
That's what freaks me out.
I owe money, and I have
guys that I owe to.
That's why I'm hustling.
- All right?
- I get it.
Am I good to go?
Dude, you're good.
You're good to go.
Am I a perfect dad
with Hunter? No.
But, um, I really want him
to find his place in life.
He's 23, struggling.
Have I stepped on his toes?
Jeez, I don't think so.
Hopefully he someday
looks back
and he sees the pressure
and responsibilities
that I'm under.
Hey.
Shh. Guys, come on.
Come with me.
I actually just saw
five baby foxes playing.
I think they live right on
the side of this hill.
There they are. See 'em
at the top of the hill?
There he is looking out.
There's one.
Here comes the other one,
right there, on top.
That's the mom or the...
We better get out of here.
Uh-oh. Look out.
Come on, guys. Come on.
Dude!
See her coming down?
She wasn't playing.
All I gotta do is be faster
than our slowest camera guy.
That's this guy.
If I can beat that guy,
I'm safe from bears,
I'm safe from foxes.
That's why you always buy
one slow guy in the pack.
Just a bypass.
That's the trommel down.
With the Black Pearl
one step closer
to being operational...
the Holy Roller shuts down
for its third clean-up.
Due to a disappointing
weigh-in last week,
the Hoffmans need
this clean-up to produce
at least 98 ounces of gold
in order to reach
their 1,000-ounce goal.
So, we're looking for gold.
We're starting to see the gold
in the mats.
There's really not
a whole lot.
We got a little flakey flake
right there.
- But...
- How's it looking?
- Eh.
- Eh.
Nah, I mean, it looked okay
up here from the top
of the sluice run, but...
I don't know if it's a lot.
Let's just hope it's better
than last clean-up, boys.
Oh, I don't think
the boys are coming.
- No?
- No.
We had some issues.
Hunter had some things
to say to me
that were actually
pretty hard.
There might be a lot of things
that I am,
but I am not a liar.
Don't ever call me a liar.
I think he had
some valid points,
but I also think that
I don't agree with some of it.
It made me feel like
I'm actually a pretty bad dad.
So if you got any advice,
I'd like to know.
'Cause it looks like
this train
might be running
off its tracks, so...
Sorry, I didn't mean
to have family drama
in the middle
of our gold mining.
But I guess this is
where it is. I don't know.
- It's life.
- Yeah.
These guys are trying
really hard. You know,
they're working really hard.
They're trying
to put in the effort
to be part of the team,
and, uh,
they're just not feeling
the support
that I think they need.
We need to help them
a little bit more,
and bring them back in.
I mean, I admire them.
I just gotta figure out a way
to let them know that.
It's just tough
all the way round.
That's the way it is.
That looks heavier.
Dad, you're carrying it
like a football or a baby.
Yeah. I don't know.
- I don't know.
- No?
Where are we putting
this one today?
There we go.
Which one, Dad?
- All right, well...
- Dang it.
Where is Hunter?
You tell me.
I kinda heard something that
they're not coming, so...
Okay.
Well, I'm gonna weigh this
no matter what,
so here you go.
- All right.
- You ready?
- Chunky stuff in it.
- What do you think?
28, 30.
40. 50.
Keep going.
- Oh, yeah.
- 60.
Come on, Jagger.
- 70, almost.
- 70.
73.
- 75?
- He's just teasing.
I'm gonna feel 75.
- 82, 83.
- Oh, wow.
83.
Still behind, but man,
that's a huge...
That's a huge pile.
That's almost like,
what, $140,000-ish?
Now we're going.
So now what do we gotta
average a week?
Well, we have to average
100 ounces a week.
- That's still a lot.
- Yeah.
You know, it bothers me
that Hunter's not here, and...
- You know, it hurts.
- Me too.
I know you and Hunter
have a problem.
And, you know, that basically
puts me in the middle.
'Cause I love both of you,
and I can see both sides,
and I know that
it's something
that can be worked out.
There's nothing in this life
that can't be worked out.
But we need that Pearl.
Come hell or high water,
that plant's gonna run.
- It would be helpful.
- Yeah.
The Holy Roller's
third clean-up
is just under 84 ounces,
for a running total
of 199 ounces.
The Hoffman crew now need
100 ounces of gold per week
to hit their season target
of 1,000 ounces.
All right,
that's enough of that.
We got a lot of gold
to get, guys.
Get some rest, let's go.
We're gonna kick it tomorrow.
Honestly, every time
I work with my dad
is really frustrating.
Today especially.
It's a little bit of a bummer.
Today would have been
a pretty cool day, I think.
But I understand
why my dad's stressed.
You know, he's in this season
a lot of money, but...
this is supposed to be a thing
that we're doing
as a family and as a team.
So I just... I don't wanna
fight with him anymore.
Despite whatever happens,
we're gonna get this plant
up and running,
and it's just something
we're always gonna be able
to kinda hang our hat on,
and it's
a huge accomplishment.
The Hoffmans'
mining is in full swing.
Trommel's turning.
But with
torrential weather
obstructing them
and a few
disappointing cleanouts...
We're screwed.
...their 1,000-ounce goal
may be out of reach.
That's not even half
of where we're supposed to be.
Now with one plant
coming up short...
I'm not happy
with the amount of gold
that we're getting out of
the Holy Roller.
...Todd turns his
focus to Hunter's operation.
Having the Black Pearl
up and running
would be a huge help
right now.
And he's calling
the shots.
Keep comin'. Keep comin'.
- What are they doing?
- They're moving
the Black Pearl
without us, man.
They're just
taking over.
I told you where to put
your sluice in.
No, you didn't.
No, you did not.
With emotions
running high
between father and son...
Everybody saw you tell me
to put it like this.
Don't ever call me a liar.
It literally feels like
I'm here with some dude
who hates me.
...will this
venture be finished
before it's even started?
You don't follow through,
then you quit.
This was real for me.
Like, this was really hard.
So,
we're running out of time.
And you know what?
In gold mining,
nothing seems to go right.
We're behind.
I'm under an immense amount
of pressure right now.
So we're in between a rock
and a hard space.
I see some trouble's comin'
if you wanna know the truth.
It's us against
the friggin' weather.
And are we gonna leave here
with a loss or a win?
Are we gonna come out of here
with a profit, you know?
So to be honest with you,
having the Black Pearl
up and running
would be a huge help
right now.
I just hope that my son
and Sparky
can get
this thing operational.
I'm pretty confident.
I think we're gonna kill it.
Last night,
me and Sparky wrapped up
everything that we needed
to do in here.
And this was the last piece
to finishing this drum off.
So now we got
that whole crack sealed up.
Sparky's finishing the last
bit of welding on the frame.
Even getting this thing
out here, logistically,
was a huge nightmare.
You know, we had to torch
this entire thing into pieces
and then reassemble it
out here with limited tools
and limited manpower, so...
Today's the day where
we get to see
the drum actually go on.
And, uh, we've been waiting
weeks for this moment,
so I feel good about it.
We're gonna kill it.
Hunter's plan
to mount the Black Pearl's
trommel onto the frame
requires multiple steps.
First, the team needs
to pull the frame around
to the other side
and line it up with the drum
to properly mount it.
Once the frame is in position,
they will have to build a ramp
so the loader
and the excavator
will have
enough height and leverage
to raise the drum
and create the clearance
for the final
and most crucial step,
carefully pulling the frame
under the drum
with an excavator
and precisely fitting
the trommel right into place.
One wrong move could
damage the Black Pearl
and set the team back
for weeks.
We're gonna hook the cables
onto the frame here...
Oh, yeah.
...and we're gonna drag this
thing to that end of the drum,
line everything up...
Okay, everybody clear?
...then give her
a go.
The problem is
everything is really heavy.
There you go.
I'm just barely gonna
skim by here.
Start going to your right now
a little bit.
Sparky,
how am I looking?
Whoa!
- You like it?
- Yeah, you're good.
Everything's going
pretty good.
We got the whole frame
drug over here.
And then we gotta build
our ramp on the side.
How high did you want
the ramp?
Uh, we need
it about three feet high.
So we got the frame in place.
We built a ramp on
this far side.
We got the loader
and excavator going in there.
So we're gonna get
all of our chains on here...
cables, rig everything up
and see if we can
lift it high enough
to actually
get it on the frame.
I think this whole thing
put together is like
80,000 pounds.
Uh, it's heavier
than it looks.
It's heavier than
we thought it was gonna be.
When we took this thing
off the truck,
it took three excavators.
So we're gonna see if
this loader's got enough juice
to pick up the heavy end,
490 on that end,
and we have to get it
at least seven, eight feet
off the ground.
So we'll see if we can do it.
- We're gonna do itself, right?
- Right here.
I'm feeling
vertically challenged, dude.
You're gonna
make me laugh, dude.
There.
- How are you that short?
- You probably have frickin'
longneck arms, dude.
I had no clue
that you were that tiny.
You know, we've been
working on this for weeks,
me and Hunter.
We've been frickin'
nailing it this whole time.
and now it's time to hammer
this frickin' drum in.
Moment of truth.
Okay, right there.
That's good.
Are we good?
Yeah, we're clear.
Just go up slow with it
and see how she looks.
Okay, keep going.
I wanna see how much height
we can get out of it.
Not a problem.
Oh, [bleep].
Okay, hold right there, Rob.
As Tater
reaches maximum lift
with the excavator...
I think, uh,
that's just gonna do it.
That's gonna give us
literally within
six inches of what we need.
Hopefully.
...Hunter is ready
after weeks of welding
to reattach the largest piece
of the Black Pearl.
Okay, we're ready
to grab the frame on.
The hard work's comin' in, baby.
Now it's comin' to the truth.
We're gonna put
this drum on, baby.
We're behind on gold.
You know, we're trying
to get to that mother lode,
trying to get
that four or five ounces/100.
We're still stuck at an ounce,
ounce-and-a-quarter/100.
The Black Pearl is
actually needed right now.
If the Holy Roller has
a catastrophic failure,
all we have left
is the Black Pearl
to actually get to our goals.
I'm very happy for
the Black Pearl right now.
Well, we'll see what happens.
All right,
you guys ready to go?
With the Black Pearl's trommel
suspended eight feet
in the air...
Yeah, I'm good.
...Hunter's crew
will now drag
the frame underneath it.
Locked in.
But with
the trommel weighing
over 50,000 pounds
and the frame
nearly 30,000 pounds...
It's going
pretty good, Hunter.
...this maneuver
will push all three machines
to their limit.
If anything bends or breaks...
Okay, back.
...it could
jeopardize the entire season.
Hold that,
hold that. Nice and easy.
We got the faucet
we gotta get by here.
This is very tight.
We don't have a lot of room
to work with here.
And we got about 50,000 pounds
hanging in the air.
I got maybe an inch.
What was that?
Did that just slip?
Or did that break something?
The cable
slipped on that edge there.
It should be good now
if you just stick in.
This is a little
nerve-racking.
Hold that.
It's really close.
I got...
three quarters of an inch.
I'm gonna have to have you
come forward like two inches.
Yeah, right there,
right there. Good.
Whoa.
What's going on?
Does that look okay?
I look good over here.
It was a little bounce.
She was trying to bounce off.
All right,
let's go a little more easy.
We're doing, like,
intricate open-heart surgery
with giant machines.
Coming.
We got two chains,
a couple cables.
We're literally moving
half an inch
with huge, heavy machinery.
- Stop right there.
- Whoa, whoa.
I don't know
anybody else doing this.
Right now,
as Silver Jack would say,
no guts, no glory.
- Whoa!
- We in?
They hung up on something
'cause it just rocked forward.
We gonna need to pull
that roller out?
So, right here,
these CAT rollers
articulate like this.
Right now it's sitting
all the way in.
So it's making it
a little bit tighter
for us to get the drum in.
We're gonna bring this out
and it'll buy us
just enough room
to slide the drum
the last foot.
All right, go ahead.
There she goes.
- We gonna go more,
or leave it like that?
- Little more.
Oh, right there,
right there. Perfect.
Think smarter, not harder.
I love it.
There was
a couple days
where I just didn't even think
we were gonna get
to this point,
so if this thing goes on
I'll probably... I might cry.
Hunter, you ready?
Yeah, I'm ready.
If this thing goes on
I might cry.
Hunter, you ready?
Yeah, I'm ready.
It looks pretty good.
It's gonna clear
that back ring.
You just gotta
come down slow on it.
There you go.
That's it.
- Okay, that's it right there.
- Yeah.
As long as it's inside there.
Bro.
Dude.
Dude, it's a heavy weight
off your shoulders, bro.
That was frickin' hard work.
Yeah, all that
hard work, man. Look at that.
You have this
in the bag, dude.
This is actually crazy.
Look at these guys.
Wow. Seriously.
This is a big hurdle.
We got stuff done
we didn't think we were
gonna be able to do.
But we trust in the process.
I've never seen
any of you guys
cut your entire washplant
into a bunch of pieces,
repair the entire thing
and reassemble it, so...
Now you know why
we don't do that.
Now we gotta get gold in it.
Yeah.
Start going.
Yeah.
There's a bunch
of pay dirt out here.
It's got a bunch of gold
in it, guys.
As a dad,
obviously I'm proud of Hunter.
But right now,
all I see
is that we're behind.
All the celebrating can come
later once we hit our goal.
We still got work to do on it
but let's go
and get some gold.
This whole thing is
a big learning experience
for me, so...
It's just...
This is real for me.
Like, I'm not here
doing this...
you know, for anybody else.
I feel like my dad never gives
me the respect I deserve.
I feel like I've been
doing this stuff every summer
for, like,
most of my life, and so...
uh, this one was a huge win
just for myself, personally.
Feels good. Feels good.
With the Black Pearl
now only a few steps away
from taking pay dirt...
at the Holy Roller,
Todd's clocking out
and handing over the controls
to keep pay dirt
flowing through the plant.
I've been in here
for a long time.
You know, my dad, I'm about
ready to swap out with him.
Hop in there and I'll get out.
You gotta run
long, long hours.
We're working 16 hours a day.
My dad's done a great job but
he needs to stay in the pit.
It was his dream. We all
came here because of him.
So everybody's gotta take
some time in a machine.
Including Jack.
It's actually pretty nice to
be back on some equipment.
This is one of the very few
chances that I get to,
and I'm feeding the plant,
I'm feeding the main plant.
We need Hunter's plant.
Hunter's plant
can run the yardage
that the Holy Roller
can't run.
If he can get it going,
holy smokes, we can
double our production.
So I'm just gonna do
what I can to help the team.
We're all together in this.
While the Holy Roller
runs non-stop...
Down here I have to get
to the small tailings.
...Todd and Hunter
meet to talk about
the placement of
the Black Pearl's sluice box.
So, I built all this up.
This is hard as a rock.
I have to get
the small tailings.
See? Your sluice goes there.
Like this. Off that way.
Since we're gonna be running
two plants at the same time,
it's really crucial that
we position the Black Pearl
just in the right spot
so that we can keep
this operation
running efficiently.
It has
to make sense, dude.
Okay, so you're gonna have to
tell me where you want it.
Where's your trommel?
Which angle?
Okay.
Your sluice comes this way,
off the side.
So your sluice right off here.
And then your trommel
sits right here.
Eh... yeah.
You know, I think
we're on the same page.
So, I got a drain
going on right here
which needs to be
a specific pitch
for the sluice box.
Just like
on the Holy Roller,
the Black Pearl's sluice box
requires two inches per foot
of fall
to trap gold in the riffles.
We're just gonna lay it out
where my dad said,
you know, specifically where
he thinks we should set it.
And then hopefully
get this thing going.
Bit along.
There you go, perfect.
Gold sluices
must be positioned just right
in order to share
the same drainage system
for the water run-off
from their washplants.
Yeah, I think
this is gonna work out nice.
Sluice is level, good grade.
I got something here
to hold material in.
I like it.
Sweet.
This is perfect.
Now that
the sluice box
has been set in place,
Hunter will use
the 650 excavator
to drag the 80,000-pound plant
to the spot
where it will run pay dirt.
Come on back.
It ain't budging it.
You're not moving at all.
I'm hoping that
the water and the mud
works in my favor.
It's looking
real promising.
Hunter was able to just get
this big bastard
right over. Look at that!
Whoo-hoo-hoo!
Whoa, right there.
Hold on,
you're gonna hit the pipe.
That would not be good.
We almost hit a black pipe!
You gotta spin
way to your right.
There you go. You can
travel straight back.
One small step for man,
one huge friggin' slide
for the Black Pearl.
That dam is so bad.
I'm not really surprised.
This thing's heavy, man.
Chain just busted.
Was not expecting that.
It's a new chain.
So now we're gonna
have to ditch that.
We're gonna need
a four-part cable
and we're gonna
yank that sucker like how
we did the first time,
so we can get it on the pad
looking nice and pretty.
I'll just go
dead-center on there.
I'm gonna pull it
and then I just need you
to steer it back.
- Okay.
- Know what I mean?
It looks good.
Nothing looks binded.
It looks pretty parallel.
I got the hooks on the Clovis.
All right, let's do it.
Let's hope
this one doesn't break.
Don't stop,
don't stop, don't stop.
I'm locked up,
I can't turn left anymore.
You're good, you're good,
just keep going.
Yeah. Lower, lower,
lower, lower.
Whoa, what the frick was that?
Hey.
Look where you put
your sluice box.
Now I can't get
my small tailings.
How are we gonna do that?
I can't watch Hunter
all the time,
but I see him over there
moving his washplant,
and his sluice box is blocking
where my tailings
are gonna go.
Fine tailings are
the excess dirt and sludge
that flows from
a plant's sluice box.
If those small tailings
are not removed
from a water circuit,
they'll quickly build up,
creating a dam
and blocking the water
flowing from the sluice boxes.
But the placement of
the Black Pearl's sluice box
is currently blocking access
to the Holy Roller's
fine tailings.
That's why I wanted
to put the sluice box
closer to my sluice box
so we could reach everything.
But now I can't reach
any small tailings over here.
You've been
sitting there on the hill
watching what I've been doing,
so sounds like
maybe you should have
said something before.
He's trying to tell me
how the sluice box,
it's not in the location
they wanted.
The way that we set it up was
how they asked us
to set it up.
I know he's stressed out,
I know he has a lot wrapped up
under this mine,
and I don't know if that's
what's causing him
to act the way he's acting.
But it's hard for me not to
lose my temper, you know?
I was gonna put it here.
They made me put it there,
and now he's
blaming it all on me.
Let's, uh...
let's just shut down.
Let them get
their plant moved.
What am I
supposed to [bleep] do?
This dude can never take
responsibility for anything.
What was your idea?
Let me know.
I wanna be a team player,
but what do we...
How do we get the tailings?
Oh, yeah?
Yeah, you seem
like a team player.
You tell me what's gonna
satisfy you and I'll do it.
I told you where to put
your sluice over here.
- No, you didn't.
No, you did not.
- Where you agreed to.
We all see what's happened.
Okay, I don't wanna argue.
Hey.
Let's get it, baby.
It's an uphill battle.
It's all good.
No, it's not.
It's not all good.
It's not
the first time I've seen
my dad and my brother
go at it,
but my dad just did
what he does,
and that's come in last-minute
to try to change things up
and mess everybody's plan up.
It's a [bleep] pain
in the ass.
I don't know
what to do, Sparky.
Dude, these guys
are not on our team.
It doesn't feel like it.
How am I ever...
How are we gonna do this?
It doesn't even feel like
I'm here with my dad.
It literally feels like
I'm here with
somebody who hates me.
I wasn't expecting it
this way,
to see these guys like this.
And they're making it
harder for us,
but the victory's gonna be
so much sweeter, brother.
I'm gonna keep going,
literally for you and Cub.
This is
just annoying, bro.
You know, like, in your
position I can only imagine.
I never wanna be a quitter.
I don't think Jack
would like that if I quit.
And, uh...
I'm just gonna finish out
the season, it's just, uh...
It's not, uh... It's not what
I thought it was gonna be.
You know? And that sucks.
Andy, tell me about where
the sluice is supposed to go.
So here's
how we drew it out.
- Okay?
- I know how we drew it out.
Okay, you know what?
First of all...
- And then you guys
all tell me I couldn't.
- No, no "you guys."
You're gonna change the plans?
You gotta run it by us.
This is so you guys
can gang up on me.
No, we're not
ganging up on anybody.
Everybody saw you
tell me to put it like this.
No I didn't.
Dude, here's the deal.
I'm trying to stay
out of your way cause I'm...
We feel like...
I feel like I'm on the outs
with everybody,
with you guys.
And I don't wanna
say anything.
But now, you changed it,
why don't you bring it to us?
- Are you literally
being serious?
- We didn't know. Ask him.
You can't put one box
way down there
and one box here.
You've gotta be
within certain distance
of the other box.
And you may disagree,
but you're wrong.
That's where it's gotta go.
Where the issue is, is that
we were going to do it
how you guys
are suggesting it now.
Then we were told specifically
- to do it another way.
- Who did?
- Who told you?
- You.
- Andy and you.
- No, I did not.
- That is a bald-faced...
- Andy and you walk it.
That is not true.
Maybe I should have
said something.
It honestly did not
occur to me
how far away that sluice was
until I was up there
and I'm like,
"This isn't gonna work."
But we're not gonna win if you
don't listen to me on this.
Everything starts
with these small tailings.
Drill it into your head.
It all starts with
the tailings that come off
of your sluice box.
Obviously there was miscommunication
and misunderstanding.
Whatever you wanna call it...
the frustration
needs to go away,
we need to come together as
a team and say, "Okay, I..."
How is the frustration
supposed to go away,
when we're saying that
we're saying bald-faced lies,
when we're trying to
literally make a compromise
- and not mess it up?
- Look at me.
Here's the deal.
There might be a lot of things
that I am,
but I am not a liar.
Don't ever call me a liar.
Nobody here
calls me a liar, okay?
'Cause I'll fight you
right out here
in this [bleep] pay pile.
Who called you a liar?
You just did.
Don't call me a liar.
I'm an honorable man. Okay?
Don't do it.
Let's just fix it, okay?
Hunter, I love him
and respect him,
and he's amazing.
But he's a wild animal,
kinda like me, so...
you know, sometimes
wild animals bite ya.
If there's some resentment
and things like that,
then all I can do is
move forward,
say I'm sorry, apologize,
try to learn from it,
become better.
That's all I can do.
Your sluice has to be here.
- Roughly.
- This is where it's gotta go.
Come back tomorrow,
let's spray this thing out,
take it off and let's start
getting it money.
I can't let my investment
go to hell.
Otherwise I'm gonna
come out of here
and I'm gonna lose
a lot of money.
I gotta get this gold.
All right.
Let's start again tomorrow,
huh? All right.
Tell you what,
if I can't repair
this relationship with my son,
that'll be a big regret
in my life.
Because I don't wanna
lose my family.
So, Dad, my son is not liking
how we're interacting.
I mean, I understand
him wanting to be
out doing his thing,
but it's like, man.
So I'm actually worried.
Things don't look good.
We have had so many delays,
and it's kinda scary, so...
Not that I haven't heard it,
you know?
I've been listening,
and for what it's worth,
he thinks that he should be
calling the shots,
but you can call the shots
if you're getting
the job done.
It's just not happening
at the rate that he thinks
it should, so...
He's doing his thing
and wants...
Oh, I don't know
whether it's respect or what.
But the thing is,
it's decisions
that Hunter has to make,
and he's gotta go for it.
He can't be blaming
anybody else.
Nobody else to blame
other than himself.
You know, and I want him
to be successful.
Me too.
I can't give you counsel
on raising your son.
He's your son.
I raised you,
you didn't come with a book,
and I tried my best
to give you every opportunity
that I could.
He's an adult.
He's not a child.
I just don't want him
to make a bad move
and ruin all this for him.
And, you know, who knows?
Something could blow up
on this plant and we may
run the rest of the season
with his, so...
- Yeah. I know that.
- Anything can happen up here.
We might need both plants,
you know?
I think
that's gonna be the case.
Let the pressure off
and set it down on the ground
so I get that chain out.
So, after talking
to my dad I realized
I just gotta step in,
I gotta help Hunter
whether he likes it or not.
I gotta speed this up.
I need to move his washplant.
We're behind,
and we don't have the gold
that we need to have
at this point in the season,
so positioning the Black Pearl
just right
hopefully can get
Hunter running
sooner rather than later.
Keep coming, keep coming,
keep coming.
Keep coming.
To you a little bit, Todd.
To you.
There you go.
Whoa, whoa, hold that.
Right there, right there.
What are they doing?
They're moving the Black Pearl
without us, man.
Thought they were
running dirt today?
I don't know.
Just like everything
we've done on this plant
and they won't even
let us move it.
You know what I mean?
They won't even
let us finish it.
I don't know, dude.
They're just taking over.
Well, I guess
it's feeding their ego.
It's just wrong.
You know, I don't wanna
step on anybody's toes,
but we're at
the point now where
these things
are getting put in
in the wrong place.
After the Black Pearl's sluice
interfered with
the Holy Roller's operation,
Todd is helping
to reposition it
to get both plants running
as soon as possible.
You gotta
keep it close.
We gotta keep these sluices
where we get
the small tailings.
Because this is my livelihood.
This gold's for my family.
Okay, come on up.
I think we got it
in the right spot.
I think this is gonna work.
Now the Black Pearl sluice box
is in the perfect spot
where we can actually reach
all of our small tailings
on both plants
at the same time.
- That's perfect.
- That should work.
Yeah, all right. What's next?
We gotta keep rolling.
If you wanna get sluicing...
- Have at her.
- I can.
Let's start making some money
and we'll take care of this.
I'll fire up the generator.
Somebody fire up
the water pump.
So, we had a hiccup,
we had some bad attitudes,
but I'm not gonna allow myself
to fall into that.
I'm gonna push forward.
We're on really good gold,
so I need to run this thing.
I gotta get
every speck of gold
and try to keep from
going broke.
You wanna go down there?
We can go down there
if you wanna keep welding
and I'll keep welding
with you.
Let's go down there, dude.
Okay. Let's go.
Like, I don't even know
what's going on.
My dad got in there and just
kinda started doing it.
You know, when things
get more stressful
and pressure's on,
my dad doesn't react the best.
I don't really get it.
Hey Hunter, I need
to tell you what we did.
So if you could come up here
and give me a minute,
I'd appreciate it.
Tater and Framer
had a good idea.
We moved it up a little bit,
probably about 10 feet,
eight feet.
You pretty happy
where it's at?
Yes or no?
I think that's the best spot.
You don't really care
what I think.
Here's the deal.
That, I believe, is in
the right spot for sluicing.
- Fine. I'm not gonna argue.
- I'm trying not to...
I don't wanna step
on your toes.
Tater... I ran this hoe,
and Tater pulled it
and built this pad.
This far, he's got a spot
to set and feed.
Okay? You agreed that
we're gonna listen to
these guys, and it's fine.
I mean, I feel like
it's in a good spot.
But I also don't wanna
step on your toes.
'Cause you're already
pissed off at me.
You've been stepping on
my toes the whole project.
No, I haven't, son.
I haven't.
Hey, I'm over it.
I don't...
Hey, I'm over it too.
And I don't want any...
I'm tired of the friction
and negativity.
I feel like every move I make
is the wrong move.
I've tried to stay out of it,
and I'm sorry, but that's it.
No more negativity
on this whole gold mine.
All right?
I'm trying to take this
in a positive way.
This is my 10th season.
This is my 10th season
mining with you.
It's not like I don't know
how things are supposed to go.
I never said that. I'm saying
this season
right here is hard.
I've been helping you
every step.
When you ask for it,
I help you.
I'm paying for it.
I'm doing everything I can.
I don't know exactly what
you want out of me.
Because I've been a good dad,
and I've been a good guy.
- Really?
- And I'm a good leader.
I am. And you know what else?
I owe it to Andy.
I think you have.
I owe it to all these guys.
We have to get gold.
Whether you get
your plant going or not,
it's up to you.
You committed to it.
If you don't follow through,
then you quit.
If you don't wanna be here,
you don't have to come back.
Finish what you started.
I am gonna finish
what I started.
Good.
And I'll help you.
We're running out of time.
That's what freaks me out.
I owe money, and I have
guys that I owe to.
That's why I'm hustling.
- All right?
- I get it.
Am I good to go?
Dude, you're good.
You're good to go.
Am I a perfect dad
with Hunter? No.
But, um, I really want him
to find his place in life.
He's 23, struggling.
Have I stepped on his toes?
Jeez, I don't think so.
Hopefully he someday
looks back
and he sees the pressure
and responsibilities
that I'm under.
Hey.
Shh. Guys, come on.
Come with me.
I actually just saw
five baby foxes playing.
I think they live right on
the side of this hill.
There they are. See 'em
at the top of the hill?
There he is looking out.
There's one.
Here comes the other one,
right there, on top.
That's the mom or the...
We better get out of here.
Uh-oh. Look out.
Come on, guys. Come on.
Dude!
See her coming down?
She wasn't playing.
All I gotta do is be faster
than our slowest camera guy.
That's this guy.
If I can beat that guy,
I'm safe from bears,
I'm safe from foxes.
That's why you always buy
one slow guy in the pack.
Just a bypass.
That's the trommel down.
With the Black Pearl
one step closer
to being operational...
the Holy Roller shuts down
for its third clean-up.
Due to a disappointing
weigh-in last week,
the Hoffmans need
this clean-up to produce
at least 98 ounces of gold
in order to reach
their 1,000-ounce goal.
So, we're looking for gold.
We're starting to see the gold
in the mats.
There's really not
a whole lot.
We got a little flakey flake
right there.
- But...
- How's it looking?
- Eh.
- Eh.
Nah, I mean, it looked okay
up here from the top
of the sluice run, but...
I don't know if it's a lot.
Let's just hope it's better
than last clean-up, boys.
Oh, I don't think
the boys are coming.
- No?
- No.
We had some issues.
Hunter had some things
to say to me
that were actually
pretty hard.
There might be a lot of things
that I am,
but I am not a liar.
Don't ever call me a liar.
I think he had
some valid points,
but I also think that
I don't agree with some of it.
It made me feel like
I'm actually a pretty bad dad.
So if you got any advice,
I'd like to know.
'Cause it looks like
this train
might be running
off its tracks, so...
Sorry, I didn't mean
to have family drama
in the middle
of our gold mining.
But I guess this is
where it is. I don't know.
- It's life.
- Yeah.
These guys are trying
really hard. You know,
they're working really hard.
They're trying
to put in the effort
to be part of the team,
and, uh,
they're just not feeling
the support
that I think they need.
We need to help them
a little bit more,
and bring them back in.
I mean, I admire them.
I just gotta figure out a way
to let them know that.
It's just tough
all the way round.
That's the way it is.
That looks heavier.
Dad, you're carrying it
like a football or a baby.
Yeah. I don't know.
- I don't know.
- No?
Where are we putting
this one today?
There we go.
Which one, Dad?
- All right, well...
- Dang it.
Where is Hunter?
You tell me.
I kinda heard something that
they're not coming, so...
Okay.
Well, I'm gonna weigh this
no matter what,
so here you go.
- All right.
- You ready?
- Chunky stuff in it.
- What do you think?
28, 30.
40. 50.
Keep going.
- Oh, yeah.
- 60.
Come on, Jagger.
- 70, almost.
- 70.
73.
- 75?
- He's just teasing.
I'm gonna feel 75.
- 82, 83.
- Oh, wow.
83.
Still behind, but man,
that's a huge...
That's a huge pile.
That's almost like,
what, $140,000-ish?
Now we're going.
So now what do we gotta
average a week?
Well, we have to average
100 ounces a week.
- That's still a lot.
- Yeah.
You know, it bothers me
that Hunter's not here, and...
- You know, it hurts.
- Me too.
I know you and Hunter
have a problem.
And, you know, that basically
puts me in the middle.
'Cause I love both of you,
and I can see both sides,
and I know that
it's something
that can be worked out.
There's nothing in this life
that can't be worked out.
But we need that Pearl.
Come hell or high water,
that plant's gonna run.
- It would be helpful.
- Yeah.
The Holy Roller's
third clean-up
is just under 84 ounces,
for a running total
of 199 ounces.
The Hoffman crew now need
100 ounces of gold per week
to hit their season target
of 1,000 ounces.
All right,
that's enough of that.
We got a lot of gold
to get, guys.
Get some rest, let's go.
We're gonna kick it tomorrow.
Honestly, every time
I work with my dad
is really frustrating.
Today especially.
It's a little bit of a bummer.
Today would have been
a pretty cool day, I think.
But I understand
why my dad's stressed.
You know, he's in this season
a lot of money, but...
this is supposed to be a thing
that we're doing
as a family and as a team.
So I just... I don't wanna
fight with him anymore.
Despite whatever happens,
we're gonna get this plant
up and running,
and it's just something
we're always gonna be able
to kinda hang our hat on,
and it's
a huge accomplishment.