Tony Beets Discovered Abandoned Mobile Trommel Still Filled With Gold!

From mining operations experiencing multiple dredge mechanical failures and regulatory challenges, to him getting a lead about an abandoned mobile trommel in the woods and deciding to invest over $400K on it to overcome setbacks and maintain his gold production, Tony Beets and his crew will never forget what they found in the trommel.

And here is why. The prices of gold were hitting all-time highs. Beets, being only a third of the way to his 3000-ounce goal, was on a mission to boost his production, make the most of record gold prices, and crush his competition.

A dredge problem With all that motivation, he still faced significant challenges with his primary mining equipment, particularly his dredges. These dredges were massive pieces of mining equipment that floated on water and were used to sift through dirt and gravel to find gold. Beets even praised the machines on the show. He said:

“The dredge is by far the most efficient wash plant I’ve ever had. Dollar for dollar, cost per yard, I’m going to beat most of these big guys out there. They’re never even going to get close.”

Despite investing a significant amount of time and about a million dollars into acquiring and setting up the dredges, a few weeks in, they started breaking down. One of Beets’ most famous dredges was Dredge #2, also known as “The Viking.” This massive machine, weighing over 350 tons, had been a key component of Beets’ mining operations for years. It had boosted production significantly.

Just when Beets thought things were getting better, tragedy struck. One time, while they were working, The Viking caught fire. This incident, which was captured on camera for the TV show, resulted in significant damage to the dredge. While no one was injured in the fire, it was a big blow to Beets’ mining operation.

Following this, Beets and his team worked tirelessly to repair The Viking. With time, this process proved to be more challenging than they had anticipated. The extensive damage required heavy repairs, and the cost of the repairs quickly added up. As a result, Beets was forced to put The Viking on hold and focus on other aspects of his mining operation.

Another of his dredges, Dredge #1, also known as the Clear Creek Dredge, encountered numerous mechanical problems throughout its operation. These issues ranged from worn-out buckets to major structural repairs that required significant downtime and money to fix. Despite having worked tirelessly to keep the dredge running, Beets and his team knew that they would eventually hit a dead end.

It had the potential to be a very profitable piece of equipment due to its high processing capacity, but Beets needed to find another powerful dredge in order to hit his target. Additionally, another dredge sank twice within six weeks. This one was famed for having dredged 1 million ounces of Klondike gold, worth $1.8 billion in today’s money, in 1939 alone. However, due to fine sand clogging the sluices and open hatches, allowing water to flood the pontoons, the dredge sank.

Abandoned mobile trommel In the remote Yukon wilderness, Beets received a lead about an abandoned mobile trommel deep in the forest. Recognizing the potential to boost his mining season, he decided to invest approximately $400,000 to get the trommel operational again. This move was not only influenced by the price of gold but also by the urgent need to boost productivity and ensure a successful mining season despite the dredge setbacks. Unlike the stationary dredges that had to be assembled and rooted in one place, the trommel was an actual moving wash plant.

This 35-ton machine was designed and built 30 years before Beets found it by a Maverick gold miner. This beauty had a 40-foot drum and ran on wheels, but it had only worked for one season before being abandoned. Knowing its value, Beets did not regret buying it. Upon reaching where the machine was, Beets was impressed by its design and what he knew it could do. Compared to his dredges, this trommel was designed to be a multi-purpose machine. It was designed to be fed with pay dirt directly from the cut, then spit the tailings the other way back.

After sluicing everything in range, it was designed to move along on 4 giant wheels. After a quick examination by a technician, it was declared that the machine still had a high probability of working. To Beets, it had to work since he had invested quite the amount, but if it did not work out, he was still comfortable with the loss. He said:

“I’ve known about the fucking thing for years and years, and now the guy is finally ready to sell for a reasonable price instead of a million bucks, and I thought now would be a good time to buy the thing. And if it works, Bingo! And if not, well, so be it.”

Moving a 35-ton machine Back at Beets’ Paradise Hill Camp, Len pulled together a seven-man crew and a massive convoy of equipment to pull the trommel back over the 100 miles of mountain road and dirt track. To do this, Beets had to shut down his operation until he got back. This move cost him over $60 million a day. His youngest son, Mike Beets, and a heavy load led the crew to where the trommel was. To Mike, the hardest part of the trip was getting the heavy machinery across the ferry. In terms of weight, Mike was confident that the ferry would take it. However, in terms of length, he suspected that he would be a problem since his truck was more than 80 feet long.

If the ferry would not let him or his crew in, they had an alternative, a bridge that was 175 miles downstream, in the wrong direction. After successfully crossing with the ferry, they all meet at the place where the trommel was. After arrival, they noticed that one of their trucks had a puncture and its rim had been bent. Serving as a warning of the harsh terrain they should expect when going back, Beets jokingly said that that was the first 1000 bucks they had already spent unknowingly.