Tension ran high this week on Tony Beets’ legendary dredge as a major mechanical failure threatened to derail gold production yet again. Longtime Beets crew member Len Hora was on deck alongside Greg when disaster struck — the 34-ton bucket line broke free on the port side.
“We’ve been through this before,” muttered Tony, ever the unshaken veteran. The issue: a massive boulder lodged deep in the dredge cut caught the bucket line, yanking it clean off the ladder. Without that line, there’s no way to process pay — and no way to hit the Beets’ lofty 2500-ounce season target.
Tony immediately sprang into action with a recovery plan involving precision teamwork and heavy machinery. “No different than a bicycle chain,” he quipped. “Except this one’s 34 tons and you gotta be a bit meaner.”
Three Machines, One Goal
The plan called for a delicate dance: a winch cable, a D6 dozer, a 349 excavator, and a hell of a lot of coordination. Mechanic Brandon Carr manned the dozer, while operator Evan Kale handled the excavator. Greg stayed at the helm of the dredge, ready to reposition the bucket ladder.
“Pull a bit! Pull a bit!” shouted Tony, orchestrating the scene like a conductor of controlled chaos. Missteps were costly. “That’s not pulling, that’s letting it go!” he barked as the tension mounted.
Eventually, through a symphony of synchronized moves — and a bit of brute force — the crew eased the massive chain back into place. Applause broke out on deck.
“Blame the Operator”
With three wash plants now running, production was on the upswing — despite the hiccup. “Too bad the bucket line ran off,” muttered Tony, who wasted no time laying down the law. “Blame the operator. Operator abused.”
With a stern warning, Tony reminded his crew that next time, they’d be fixing it without him. “I showed you how to do it, so guess what? I’ll be somewhere else.”
$100,000 in 4 Days
Despite the setback, the old dredge kept churning. In just four days, the crew pulled in over $100,000 worth of gold — 46.70 ounces — pushing their season total to 2403 ounces. Not bad for an “old girl” some wrote off.
As the season rolls on, the Beets team is all-in. “It’s all up and up,” said one crew member. “The season isn’t over yet.”
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