With his Duncan Creek water license set to expire, Rick Ness is in urgent need of a new mining claim. Enter Jeff Bond, a veteran geologist, who presents Ness with a potential solution: the Goldfinger property. Located just eight kilometers away, the claim has minimal overburden, allowing for immediate mining, but the estimated $15 per yard gold yield is lower than Duncan Creek’s output.
Ness, unwilling to rely on numbers alone, tests the ground himself. Armed with a small excavator, he collects a half-yard sample and transports it back to Duncan Creek, where trusted gold processor Heather Folster analyzes it. The results are disappointing—just over $20 per yard, far below Ness’s $30 per yard benchmark.
“I’ll be honest, I’m not too interested in it,” Ness admits, knowing every dollar per yard matters in gold mining. Despite the setback, he remains determined to find viable ground before time runs out.
Goldfinger remains an option, with its low-cost stripping advantage, but Ness must decide whether to take the risk or keep searching. One thing is certain—Rick Ness isn’t giving up, and the hunt for gold continues.
