At an age when most are considering retirement, mining legend Tony Beets is just getting started—again.
Declaring this year to be his “biggest season ever,” the gold mining veteran and his family have returned to Paradise Hill with renewed determination, bigger equipment, and even bigger goals. With $5 million invested in machinery, Tony is gunning for a massive 9,000-ounce season, a target that would shatter past records and rake in millions in gold.
“Before I turn 65, I want to prove we can still pull off something huge,” Tony stated, surrounded by his crew. “And this year, we’re running 24 hours a day—day shift, night shift, non-stop.”
But not all is golden in the Yukon just yet. The team faces a significant holdup: no water license for their Indian River claims. That bureaucratic delay has forced a pivot—Tony and his crew have shifted focus entirely to stripping the Nugget Cut at Paradise Hill.
Leading the charge are two monstrous machines: a new 850-horsepower D11 dozer and a 100-ton 950 excavator, the largest in the territory. In just four days, the Beets team removed a staggering 80 feet of overburden, uncovering a 40-foot pay dirt wall. But then, an unexpected challenge: permafrost.
“It’s frozen solid,” reported Ruie from the pit. “Completely locked up.” Tony’s solution? Bring in the D11 and bust through it himself.
“This thing weighs 120 tons and moves like a tank,” Tony quipped, as the dozer roared into action and ripped apart the frozen wall. Behind him, daughter Monica and son Kevin sprang into action—prepping generators, warming engines, and getting wash plants ready to fire up.
With the first gold sluiced, results are in. The initial cleanup brought in 82.72 ounces—worth an estimated $147,000. While it’s a solid start, it falls just shy of the weekly 475-ounce pace needed to hit the 9,000-ounce target.
“We’re moving more dirt than last year’s trommel could handle,” Kevin noted, reviewing the numbers. “It’s progress, but we’re not there yet.”
Still, spirits remain high. “We took down a whole hillside in a few days,” said Monica. “It’s amazing what we can do when we’re all working together.”
With the pay dirt flowing and a race against time underway, the Beets family is banking on their experience, muscle, and a little Yukon luck to strike it rich before the season ends.
Stay tuned as the Beets team digs deeper, battles nature, and chases one of the boldest goals in Yukon mining history.
Inside This Issue:
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License Limbo: What’s Delaying Indian River?
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Machine Spotlight: Inside the 100-Ton 950 Excavator
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From Monica’s Corner: “Why Looks Alone Won’t Move Gold”
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The History of the Nugget Cut: Riches in Every Layer
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Next Week’s Forecast: Sun, Frost, and 24-Hour Mining
📍 Reporting live from Paradise Hill — where the gold glitters, and the ground fights back.
