Water Violation Threatens Beets’ Operation

Tony Beets was forced to halt all sluicing activities at the Upper Cut site due to excessive sediment in the runoff water. Discharging dirty water into nearby creeks is an environmental violation and could result in a shutdown and fines of up to $100,000. The solution? Reinforcing the dikes around the settling ponds.

Monica directed efforts to build up the dikes, with Tony operating a D10N bulldozer to push material into place. However, the crew still required over 500 truckloads of material to complete the job and prevent further violations.

Unexpected Discovery Beneath the Gravel

While pushing gravel for dike construction, the crew unearthed a large piece of buried machinery. Initial confusion gave way to excitement as the team identified the object as part of an old gold dredge, likely abandoned decades ago.

From the early 1900s to 1966, dredges were used extensively in Hunker Creek, pulling in the modern equivalent of over $1 million in gold on productive days. The discovery raised intriguing possibilities: the dredge remnants lay on top of untouched gravel, suggesting that rich virgin ground could still lie beneath.

A Hidden Treasure Underfoot?

Tony theorized that the dredge had bypassed the hillside tailings, leaving behind an untouched stretch of potentially gold-rich pay dirt. By his estimate, the unmined section could stretch up to 200 feet wide—possibly the last significant patch of virgin ground on Hunker Creek.

To confirm the theory, Tony called in drilling expert Liam Ferguson. Using a sonic drill capable of reaching depths of 1,000 feet, Ferguson was tasked with extracting core samples to test the viability of the ground beneath the dredge remains.

Dike Construction Completed, Sluicing Resumes

Meanwhile, the rest of the crew pushed forward with completing the dikes at Paradise Hill. After moving 40,000 tons of dirt and enduring a full week of downtime, they were finally able to restart the pumps and sluice plant.

With operations back in full swing, the Beets crew focused on recovering lost time and gold, hoping to reach their season goal of 3,000 ounces.

Drill Results Reveal High-Value Gold Strip

Drill testing results confirmed Tony’s theory. One of the holes, drilled near the center of the valley, showed excellent gold grades—up to an ounce of gold per 100 yards of dirt. At that rate, Tony could potentially extract $160,000 worth of gold per day from this newly identified pay zone.

A Promising Future

The discovery of a previously untouched strip of Hunker Creek adds new momentum to Tony Beets’ operation. With environmental compliance restored and new ground to explore, the team is back on track and optimistic about exceeding their season targets.