Gold rush

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Discussion

Blue32

438 posts

168 months

Wednesday 20th August 2014
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Seams odd that they found good gold in the test pits they dug when prospecting. And weren’t they told the place had never been mined by the claim owner….
Perhaps they should have packed up as soon as they saw the place had been mined out by illegal miners and old boots and cans were pouring out the wash plant.

Parker did well, $1 million in first season!

P-Jay

10,551 posts

190 months

Thursday 21st August 2014
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paulwirral said:
Did anyone watch the last of the series last night ?
Hoffmans proud as punch with the haul of diamonds only to be told they are worth around 2k , along with the less than 3k in gold , that's dollars as well .
150 days in the jungle , I hope discovery is paying them well !
Yeah, it's must-see viewing for me - I'd wondered why they suspiciously just referred to "diamonds" all series without mentioning weight, clarity etc like it was millions of dollars they were dealing with "56 diamonds woohoo" and Old Man Frick pulls out a tiny little canister with what looked like bits of dirty broken glass from a pub fight in it - hardly the Hope diamond.

Glad the other teams did well though, Parker looks like he's made a fortune and the Dakota boys have made a tidy profit - hopefully it's fund Dustin's adventures for next year - can't help but like the guy - lives for the action more than the money I suspect.

The Hoffan's need a talking too though, they're begging and pleading with their claim owner for more time etc - they Guy leased them a st location that had been mined already, let them pour a few hundred thousand dollars into it and the then calls THEM a for not bringing him his readies. I'd slap the stupid hat off his head.

Edited by P-Jay on Thursday 21st August 09:43

chrisga

2,087 posts

186 months

Thursday 21st August 2014
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Series linked here as well. One of those programs (along with ice pilots) I have absolutely no need to watch but sucked us in with jazzy adverts between repeats of wheeler dealers and now just have to tune in to find out the latest f*ckwittery from the Hoffmans....

We've questioned how the Hoffmans have managed to carry on right from series 1. They just don't seem to have a clue. I'm no miner but stuff like not digging test holes and then laying all of your resources in to that one area seems crazy. And Jack smashing the cr4p out of seemingly the only bit of useful working kit left in the jungle was incredible.

Not keen on Dakota Fred after he shafted the Hoffmans to get porcupine but Dustin and his crew seem likeable enough and keen to work hard and try new stuff, though flying equipment up a mountain with no access seemed very high risk.

Parker is probably our favourite. For a young lad he seems to have dealt with most stuff well. Ok he had tantrums and probably should have listened to his crew a bit more but he's the one pulling the most gold out of the ground at the end of the day.

We just watch it for what it is, an enjoyable hours entertainment.

trickywoo

11,705 posts

229 months

Thursday 21st August 2014
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Have you guys seen Bering Sea Gold?

Even better than Gold Rush IMO.

London424

12,826 posts

174 months

Thursday 21st August 2014
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I love this then Deadliest Catch straight after.

Really pleased that Parker did well, and looks like he's going to carry on with his mate to try and hit 1,000 ounces and fk the weather. Love that sort of attitude.

The Hoffmans are unreal, but as others have said the claim was a pile of crap. They clearly had a decent set up, but if there is nothing good there you can't do much.


youngsyr

14,742 posts

191 months

Thursday 21st August 2014
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Like with all American "reality" series, seems to me that there's a lot going on behind the scenes that isn't shown or is even deliberately hidden in what's aired on TV.

There's a "behind the scenes" programme that airs infrequently called "Gold Rush - The Dirt" and there are usually a couple of hints at some of those aspects. The first I picked up on in last week's episode was when Todd Hoffman was being questioned about him being a dreamer and whether that was holding them back, he replied something along the lines of "Yes, but I came up with Gold Rush, so sometimes dreaming pays off".

That would explain the seemingly inexplicable - i.e. how Hoffman gets funded each year, considering he supposedly started off penniless at the start of season 1 and hasn't made much money since, despite pulling a lot of gold in Season 2 (he also had a huge crew and a lot of expensive equipment). Seems to me that he's essentially making a TV programme and the gold mining is just a sideline.

I just don't buy the whole Guyana thing - seemed like a total gimmick from the start. They were essentially clueless as to the conditions, which might be believable, but no-one with even the smallest clue could have had any doubts as to the value of those diamonds. Most of them were tiny, around 1/4 carat and even if every single one was gem quality, even I could tell that they were worth no more than a $100 or so each. There's no way that someone in that outfit, even if it were the local hired help, knew what those diamonds were worth and that their season had bombed long before it got to the final showdown with the claim owner.

Also, is there another episode to be aired? Last week's episode had the season totals, but then Parker and his teammate decided to stay behind and go for 1,000 oz and there was advance footage shown in the episode? Also, the Dirt episode mentioned there being one more episode?


p1doc

3,111 posts

183 months

Thursday 21st August 2014
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i used to really enjoy gold rush but todd was getting so annoying i had to stop,parker's mentor is great lol
martin

TEKNOPUG

18,843 posts

204 months

Thursday 21st August 2014
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I've been watching it on catch-up. It's strangely addictive.

A few observations. Obviously you need to find the gold - which is a mixture of luck and experience. Then you need to get it out, which you would have thought would involve standard, professional procedures.....clearly not though!

What I find staggering is the H&S aspect of the work. I'm simply amazed that no one has been seriously injured or even killed. Dragging & lifting these massive pieces of machinery using machines and methods clearly not fit for purpose....carried out by people who clearly are just guessing most of the time and hoping that it will work OK. In the UK, they'd be shut-down immediately and there would probably be a few arrests.

I think I've learnt enough about gold mining from this series to do a better job of running a mine than the Hoffmans hehe

Sure, I can't drive a lorry or a digger but I have enough sense to actually do some research and sit down and make a systematic plan. You have a claim. Surely you test drill the whole claim to find out where all the gold is? Then work out how much overburden there is to move, the distance and complexity of moving the dirt to the wash plant. Make a calculation as to how much gold per yard there is, how long it will take to clear/time to transport to wash-plant, plus diesel costs etc and then decide where to dig and in which order.

It seems they just take a totally haphazard approach and try and dig the first place they find, as quickly as possible, without looking at the bigger picture and making a consider plan of action.

Fred & Dustin aren't in the latest series - money disputes it has been suggested although there are rumours of having their own show. If anyone has seen Dustin's plan....he's out of his mind!

P-Jay

10,551 posts

190 months

Thursday 21st August 2014
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TEKNOPUG said:
I've been watching it on catch-up. It's strangely addictive.

A few observations. Obviously you need to find the gold - which is a mixture of luck and experience. Then you need to get it out, which you would have thought would involve standard, professional procedures.....clearly not though!

What I find staggering is the H&S aspect of the work. I'm simply amazed that no one has been seriously injured or even killed. Dragging & lifting these massive pieces of machinery using machines and methods clearly not fit for purpose....carried out by people who clearly are just guessing most of the time and hoping that it will work OK. In the UK, they'd be shut-down immediately and there would probably be a few arrests.

I think I've learnt enough about gold mining from this series to do a better job of running a mine than the Hoffmans hehe

Sure, I can't drive a lorry or a digger but I have enough sense to actually do some research and sit down and make a systematic plan. You have a claim. Surely you test drill the whole claim to find out where all the gold is? Then work out how much overburden there is to move, the distance and complexity of moving the dirt to the wash plant. Make a calculation as to how much gold per yard there is, how long it will take to clear/time to transport to wash-plant, plus diesel costs etc and then decide where to dig and in which order.

It seems they just take a totally haphazard approach and try and dig the first place they find, as quickly as possible, without looking at the bigger picture and making a consider plan of action.

Fred & Dustin aren't in the latest series - money disputes it has been suggested although there are rumours of having their own show. If anyone has seen Dustin's plan....he's out of his mind!
As I understand it commercial gold mining is far less exciting and far more industrial in 'real life' - thy do pretty much as you say, large scale mining company leases / buys a plot of land after a survey, rips out all the 'pay gravel' processes it and relays the top soil for the sake of conversation - they reckon 12 months after they've gone, lack of big trees aside you can't tell it's been mined.

The Gold Rush way is more TV drama - after all the original concept for the show was based around Todd and his crew of non-miners trying to make their fortune after all losing their jobs in the crash - but they've reached the size now where it show be a commercial operation.

Glenred

8,461 posts

205 months

Thursday 21st August 2014
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London424 said:
I love this then Deadliest Catch straight after.
thumbup

I watch both, ive recently sunk to a new low by watching "Cold river cash" about eel fishing hehe its crap, but i enjoy it.

h0b0

7,558 posts

195 months

Thursday 21st August 2014
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They left off with an unfinished story with Parker. They cleared it up in the US with a special dedicated to Parker's extension to his season. It wasn't planned and so screwed up the schedule of the original airing in the US.

There was also some info on the next season that starts in October of this year. I don't want to give too many spoilers away but Dave does leave Todd!

Matt_N

8,900 posts

201 months

Thursday 21st August 2014
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According to my planner there are still 2 eps to go, but they're at 8pm due to Ice Cold Gold starting.

Next week is Parker and his stay behind mate continuing at the current site and then the week after Parker heads back to Big Nugget to help Grandpa out.

weyland yutani

1,410 posts

163 months

Thursday 21st August 2014
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I'm hooked on this as well as Gold Divers and Yukon Gold on Nat Geo thumbup

Not so keen on the 316 crew, hard working but under Todd's leadership they're hopeless. Dakota Fred's crew is ace, much respect to the woman too, she's a trooper. Gutted if they're not in the next series.

h0b0

7,558 posts

195 months

Friday 22nd August 2014
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Matt_N said:
According to my planner there are still 2 eps to go, but they're at 8pm due to Ice Cold Gold starting.

Next week is Parker and his stay behind mate continuing at the current site and then the week after Parker heads back to Big Nugget to help Grandpa out.
Those are the 2 that have just been shown over here.

P-Jay

10,551 posts

190 months

Friday 22nd August 2014
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Matt_N said:
According to my planner there are still 2 eps to go, but they're at 8pm due to Ice Cold Gold starting.

Next week is Parker and his stay behind mate continuing at the current site and then the week after Parker heads back to Big Nugget to help Grandpa out.
His Grandpa is such a nice bloke! Not to be underestimated though, still going at it in a tough industry seemingly full of big grown men who throw massive hissy fits and throw stuff around to make their point.

London424

12,826 posts

174 months

Friday 22nd August 2014
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Glenred said:
London424 said:
I love this then Deadliest Catch straight after.
thumbup

I watch both, ive recently sunk to a new low by watching "Cold river cash" about eel fishing hehe its crap, but i enjoy it.
I also watch Wicked Tuna over on Nat Geo...that's my limit though or I'd be stuck on those channels with all the other variations out there.

Turn7

23,502 posts

220 months

Friday 22nd August 2014
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I enjoy this and divers and deadliest .

One thing with gold rush that I have never understood is that all the teams have loads of money invested but not once have I ever seen anyone mention getting a geologist involved.
They just seem to guess where the gold is. Surely some science is used ??

TEKNOPUG

18,843 posts

204 months

Friday 22nd August 2014
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Turn7 said:
I enjoy this and divers and deadliest .

One thing with gold rush that I have never understood is that all the teams have loads of money invested but not once have I ever seen anyone mention getting a geologist involved.
They just seem to guess where the gold is. Surely some science is used ??
That was very much my point. I guess that all the known gold-baring land has been discovered and is owned by someone - hence they are just leasing claims and seem to be taking the owner's word that it's good. But as Tony Beets says: "You gotta drill, drill and drill some more". However, it seems that they just have a quick look at the land, run a couple of test pans and then set up a multi-million dollar operation right there. Surely you'd survey and drill the whole site and determine what is where before even thinking about setting up?

youngsyr

14,742 posts

191 months

Friday 22nd August 2014
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TEKNOPUG said:
Turn7 said:
I enjoy this and divers and deadliest .

One thing with gold rush that I have never understood is that all the teams have loads of money invested but not once have I ever seen anyone mention getting a geologist involved.
They just seem to guess where the gold is. Surely some science is used ??
That was very much my point. I guess that all the known gold-baring land has been discovered and is owned by someone - hence they are just leasing claims and seem to be taking the owner's word that it's good. But as Tony Beets says: "You gotta drill, drill and drill some more". However, it seems that they just have a quick look at the land, run a couple of test pans and then set up a multi-million dollar operation right there. Surely you'd survey and drill the whole site and determine what is where before even thinking about setting up?
I think there are three aspects to the lack of surveying that is portrayed - first, knowing where the gold is doesn't make for good TV, so I suspect the amount of surveying is downplayed on the programme. However, it does go on - the Dakota Fred team brought in a drill for the glory hole and Dustin's trip up to Cahoon creek was a significant excursion test panning various areas and taking core samples. Last season the Hoffman's wasted $thousands drilling a dozen or so test holes in the wrong claim!

The second aspect is that they already know the basic geology of the area, as the area has been mined for decades. The gold is brought down from the mountains by the rivers (including Porcupine creek) and they can see the various valleys etc created by old rivers and faults. Once they find gold, all they have to do is follow the deposit until it runs out.

The other factor is the cost of geologists and drilling - some of these guys are only pulling out about $500k of gold per year and they're working in remote areas. Getting in expert drillers and geologists will eat into a large proportion of it. I suspect the bigger operations, Hoffmans last season and Schnaber this season, spent a lot more time drilling than was shown.

London424

12,826 posts

174 months

Friday 22nd August 2014
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Does anyone know how much the workers are getting paid as i can't figure it out?

These guys are working for about 6 or so months and Fred mentioned he was 30 odd ounces over his break even. Does his break even include wages or is the 30 odd ounces divided up amongst everyone (meaning working for basically nothing)?