Discovery ch. Gold Rush Alaska

Klondikeike

Full Member
Aug 13, 2010
247
36
Texas
Detector(s) used
H3 element detector, JeoHunter Dual 3-D Imaging Detector
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hey tapoutking,

Since I think am the ony one on here who has mentined MSHA and that they told me they were writting citations for unsafe mining practices at the AGR site...based on what they were seeing on the weekly videos.. I must suppose your post was intended for me...

I do not know of any "outfit" who is wiling to deliver citations written by MSHA, except MSHA them selves....which is there job.. much like a police officer deliverimng a speeding ticket...

I have recently gone through some MSHA training for safty around a mining operation.. I assure you, it is not about egoes or anything like that... it is about keeping people safe....real mining, not the weekend warrior, but true commercial mining is a dangerious business in the best of situations...

Since the AGR folks have gone on national television, that film is public information, no longer private and can be used for or against a person... in this case...against the many unsafe practices that were being practiced daily at he AGR site...it had nothing to do about egoes...except for maybe those involved with the show...

I know, first hand, of a friend of mine, who like the guys on AGR, looked at MSHA as nothng to worry about... upon a visit from MSHA, while they were operating without the proper MSHA approved safty plan...nor had any safty training or documentation, were fined in excess of $79,000 for the many safety mistakes they were committing.... some of these, as simple as not documenting the weekly hours of each employee...and showing the training each one had on the equipment he or she was operating...or a weekly documenmted inspection of the equipment for possible safty issues...Much lke a Commercial truck driver has to inspect and document his truck, trailer and load EACH and EVERYDAY for possibe safty issues...nor having on site any MSDS sheets on the different chemicals they had stored on site.. just like when I carry HAZ-MAT materials, I have a MSDS sheet for everythig I carry in my trailers..and the load is placared to show others the the nature of the danger of the things I am carrying...

I assure you, this has nothing to do with egoes.. it has everythig to do with safty and professionally operating a real mining operation...

Klondike...
 

Goodyguy

Gold Member
Mar 10, 2007
6,489
6,895
Arizona
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Whites TM 808, Whites GMT, Tesoro Lobo Super Traq, Fisher Gold Bug 2, Suction Dredges, Trommels, Gold Vacs, High Bankers, Fluid bed Gold Traps, Rock Crushers, Sluices, Dry Washers, Miller Tables, Rp4
Primary Interest:
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Seems like tapoutking was under the mistaken impression that the Alaska Gold Rush crew were ratted out to MSHA by another mining outfit.
When in reality they ratted themselves out by having their misadventures broadcast on national television, which happened to be viewed by MSHA officials along with millions of other viewers.
 

GrayCloud

Bronze Member
Jan 24, 2008
1,797
119
Louisiana
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Explorer II & Garrett 2500 w/Treasure Hound
Tapoutking, I know those two boys that just responded to you, so don't get the wrong idea. They are not ganging up on you, just trying to educate to the reality of a commercial operation. Everytime someone get hurt/killed, we end up with more regulations. I for one do not like government intrusion, but the boys on the Alaskan show did it to themselves. :icon_scratch:
 

Snarkie

Jr. Member
Feb 14, 2011
74
3
North Carolina
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I think many of you are missing the point.

On here, most of you are experienced gold finders. I am new to this, and this puts me at a loss. However, when it comes to TV, this is my experience. This puts the rest of you at a loss.

Many of you don't understand what happens when a film crew rolls in; be it for a movie, TV show or reality farce. Rules are forgiven, palms are greased, and the camera rolls to create a very entertaining segment. Everything is done to create a sense of urgency and seat-of-the-pants drama. What you are seeing is not real.

If these guys had lost a quarter mil and borrowed the last few grand, there would be no Season 2. They'd be collecting welfare and food stamps. Here's how a TV show makes money:

You get a cast and a film crew. Someone pays for the equipment. At this point, the cast and crew may be getting paid, or they can be on what is know as a deferred plan, where they get nothing until the show airs. This is usually the way for low budget projects.

When the show airs, it is not simply bought and aired. The cast and crew still haven't been paid. The commercials pay for the cast, crew and network. The TV show is responsible for all three payments. It is the commercials that pay tyhe salaries, not the network.

If Season 1 had not paid off with commercial spots, Season 2 would never have hit the scripts. I'd almost be willing to wager that the colors discovered at the end of the show were either withheld from earlier finds, or salted.
 

wwace

Sr. Member
Jan 4, 2006
391
7
Anchorage AK
Detector(s) used
Exterra 70, Etrac, AT Pro
calisdad said:
I don't know guys. The hole in the ground may be an asset but the tailings are a liability. The mine owner may even be on the hook for fines for not filing a reclamation plan and permit. If they did any reclamation they sure didn't air it.

"Reclamation of all affected surfaces shall be completed as soon as is reasonable after affected surface areas are no longer being used in exploration and mining operations. Reclamation shall include the following: cleanup and disposal of dangerous, hazardous or toxic materials; regrading of steep slopes of unconsolidated material to create a stable slope; backfilling underground shafts and tunnels to the extent appropriate pillaring or other support to prevent subsidence or sloughing; plugging or sealing of abandoned shafts, tunnels, adits or other openings; adequate steps to control or avoid soil erosion or wind erosion; control of water runoff; revegetation of tailings and affected surface areas with plant materials that are capable of self-regeneration without continued dependence on irrigation and equipment where appropriate; rehabilitation of fisheries and wildlife habitat; and any other conditions imposed by the commission. Subsequent to the issuance of a permit or the grant of authority under an exploration notice, the operator's compliance shall be measured against the requirements contained in that permit or the conditions of the exploration notice and the operator's plans submitted with the permit application or the notice."

I still say they nuked that piece of property. I'd lein all their equipment. But then remember it is TV. We only know what they show.

One little spring flood and that big hole and every other hole would be gone overnight. Porcupine has a history of flooding and completely erasing anything man has done in that valley. In the early days there were hundreds of men working there and this happened more than once.
 

spikesmaster

Newbie
Jun 24, 2011
2
0
Finally getting some insider info from the Yukon. This is second hand stuff, from the spouse of a friend who's on the set every day, but it sounds very reliable. The biting insects and the 20 hours of the sun being up this time of year is making for short tempers. Lots of petty infighting among the Stooges this season, apparently the Prima Donna effect has kicked in. They all think they're TV stars (what a laugh) and everybody wants their face time in front of the camera. No Dorsey to push around this season, so they have to cook up a controversy between Toad and one of the new guys. Lots of reshooting of scenes (more than last year) for dramatic effect, RAW apparently has a bigger footprint on the set this year, a bigger crew and bigger expenses. Toad might be having health problems because of his weight, some days he doesn't get around very well and he complains a lot and is in a bad mood. I imagine he's miserable and spends as much time as possible in the motor home. The only thing I'm hearing out of Camp Porky is its a 3 ring circus with Old John across the river somehow involved and Fred losing his mind over all the changes RAW makes in the script on a daily basis. He forgot to attend actors school over the winter, apparently. There's a rumor of some mine salting going on this year at Porky, RAW doesn't want a bust like last season. Its a time honored tradition to salt your claim in AK, and they certainly have the money this year to do it. RAW has a bigger crew at Porky this year, spending money like they're printing it themselves. There's more, but my sources in the pipeline are buried deep inside, so I have to be vague about this stuff. Stay tuned..
 

spikesmaster

Newbie
Jun 24, 2011
2
0
Remember the scene from Full Disclosure where Jack and Toad are walking down a Dawson street, going to see Klondike Steve, Jack's old mining buddy? Who is actually a friend of theirs from Portland who flew with them to the Yukon and was never called 'Klondike' Steve before now? Remember how it looks like they're in a paneled office in Dawson and Steve is showing them the gold nuggets from the area? It was fake and phony, just like the rest of the show.

They are actually in Whitehorse at a store called Murdoch's Gem Shop. The large nugget (and a smaller, but still respectable nugget or two) are not even from the Dawson area. In fact, they are from British Columbia, NOT the Klondike as they say in the episode, and are always on display at Murdoch's. The other nuggets are Murdoch's display/stock items. Murdoch's makes nugget jewelry. The large nugget weighs something like 10 or 11 ounces, and was found in the '70s on Squaw Creek.

Nice, huh. So they already 'salted' the show with with nuggets that aren't even from the area, whats to stop them from salting the mine itself? Anything for ratings, thats their motto. Anything to put the 'real' in reality TV.
 

russau

Gold Member
May 29, 2005
7,250
6,701
St. Louis, missouri
while i probly counldnt do any better than these guys and all their mistakes,it was entertaining!are they going to do another show? id watch it again if so,and still id complain about their mistakes from my Lazy Boy recliner! it makes complaining so much easier!
 

hmmm

Hero Member
Jun 9, 2007
830
95
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
It sounds like they are filming the new show, judging from spikesmasters posts. i am digging for gold this summer, trying to get to the bottom of the blue clay. hope to find some gold on the bedrock, but with a pick and shovel its a tough grind. :help:
 

jog

Bronze Member
Nov 28, 2008
1,364
682
Tillamook Oregon
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Whites MXT / GMT
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Dorsey has been snooping around Sumpter Oregon with cash in hand.
 

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