Tony Beets Nears Historic Gold Milestone
King of the Klondike, Tony Beets, is on track to break records as the season nears its end. Despite almost two months left in the mining season, Tony is closing in on an incredible milestone. He’s already within 500 ounces of his 6,500-ounce target, a goal he hopes to reach this week.
Three Wash Plants in Full Operation
Tony is running three wash plants across multiple locations: Sloo at Indian River, Find a Lock on Indian River, and Truml on Paradise Hill. To meet his ambitious target, he needs all three wash plants running at full capacity this week. The crew is working tirelessly, processing 600 to 700 yards of material per hour, pushing to get the gold flowing.
Sloo: The Heart of Indian River’s Production
Sloo, one of Tony’s major wash plants, is responsible for half of Indian River’s weekly gold haul. But things aren’t going smoothly. As the wash plant continues to process, Tony’s crew notices an issue: metal separating from the edge of the drum on the coarse tailings conveyor. This poses a serious risk to the operation, as a broken pulley could cause the entire system to jam, potentially spilling valuable gold out of the boxes.
Critical Equipment Breakdown at Indian River
A broken drum pulley on the coarse tailings conveyor forces Sloo to shut down. This malfunction has completely jammed the system, putting Tony’s operation at a standstill. Without the pulley working properly, the conveyor can’t function, halting production. The crew must act quickly to prevent further losses.
Mike’s Task: Getting Sloo Back to Work
Indian River foreman Cousin Mike, Tony’s son, is put in charge of fixing the issue. It’s no small task—the whole conveyor must be removed to repair the broken pulley. Mike moves quickly to level the wash plant and begin the challenging repair. The damage, caused by four months of continuous operation, has sheared the pulley from its shaft, leaving the conveyor belt unable to turn.
A Race Against Time
As Tony continues to work toward his 6,500-ounce goal, every moment counts. The crew’s ability to resolve these mechanical issues will determine whether they can stay on track to meet the milestone before the season’s end.
