KLONDIKE, YUKON — Hopes ran high for miner Parker Schnabel as all three of his massive wash plants roared to life this week. But just as momentum began to build, disaster struck: a catastrophic tear in the conveyor belt of wash plant Bob brought operations to an abrupt halt and placed the season’s recovery goals in jeopardy.
Crew member Damian first spotted the damage — a long, thin strip ripped clean from the belt after a loose Flexco fastener caught on a scraper. The tear forced an immediate shutdown.
“It spread a lot more than we thought,” Schnabel said, surveying the damage. “We haven’t even been running a week down here. This is the last thing we need right now.”
With no spare 48-inch belt on site, mechanics Liam Pukula and Justin Drezen were dispatched to Dominion in hopes of scavenging a usable replacement. Against the odds, they returned with a viable section.
The team worked through the day, cutting out the destroyed section and bolting in the salvaged belt. After drilling, aligning, and securing the repair, the plant roared back to life. “Now the conveyor’s fixed and Bob is up and running,” Schnabel said. “I don’t know how the guys swung it, but they pulled it off.”
With Big Red, Big Blue, and Bob all running, Parker expected his luck to turn. Instead, the gold tally painted a grim picture.
Gold Results Disappoint Across All Plants
The numbers were far below expectations:
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Big Red: 58.85 oz — valued at roughly $147,000
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Roxanne: 185.65 oz — the week’s bright spot at $464,000
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Bob: 58.45 oz — despite repairs, with only two days of run time
Combined, the results dragged the season total to 1,170 oz, well below where the team stood at this point last year. Even with all three wash plants running simultaneously, Schnabel’s operation is yielding less gold than a single plant produced the previous season.
“That’s embarrassing,” Schnabel admitted. “We would’ve done that with one plant last year. We’re in trouble if we don’t change something.”
Despite the grim numbers, Schnabel credited Ken’s ground — historically a reliable fallback — for offering a glimmer of hope. But with the season advancing quickly and constant mechanical setbacks, time is running out.
“We’ve got three big wash plants rolling,” Schnabel said. “And they’re finding less gold than one plant was finding last year. We’ve got a long road ahead.”
