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1
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Gold mining prodigy...
2
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That's $3 million right there on the table.
3
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Parker schnabel is searching
for his next big score.
4
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This is wild.
5
00:00:10,370 --> 00:00:12,076
Yeah.
6
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Deep in the jungles of Brazil...
7
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There's a huge amount
of conflict over mining.
8
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The only way to understand
is to come here and see it.
9
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That is cool.
10
00:00:23,790 --> 00:00:26,976
And if there's an
opportunity for us to invest
11
00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:28,750
then I want to look at those opportunities.
12
00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:31,696
Look, look, that's gold.
13
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Look at these bad boys.
14
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I did get fitted for a
bulletproof vest, though.
15
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That's a first.
16
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Previously on Parker's trail...
17
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Brazil's always been on my radar.
18
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It's a huge gold producing country.
19
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That is cool.
20
00:00:51,480 --> 00:00:55,790
Pรดrto velho is one of the last
big frontier Goldfield areas.
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Beautiful lookin' gold.
22
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He's firing at us now.
23
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It's Wilder than the wild west.
24
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Is the mining on this
river illegal right now?
25
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That's up.
26
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That's the government,
like, cracking down on things.
27
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This would be the perfect place to
make an investment if it weren't illegal.
28
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Can you ask if there's any
legal operations around?
29
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I want to look at more opportunities.
30
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No, it's not.
31
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In Brazil, on the hunt for the madeira
river's billion dollar gold hot spots
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an unknown boat approaches
Parker schnabel and his crew.
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My.
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He says go away.
35
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- Where did they even come from?
- -Out of nowhere.
36
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What was he saying?
37
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To get the out of here right now,
38
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or we're gonna... We're going after you.
39
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Is this a normal thing around here?
40
00:03:02,890 --> 00:03:05,580
We're good but we need to
go back to the bridge right now.
41
00:03:14,580 --> 00:03:16,410
We're coming into pรดrto velho.
42
00:03:18,270 --> 00:03:20,960
Okay, everybody, let's get
together and have a talk really fast.
43
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The message is clear.
We are not welcome.
44
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And so we just stay in the hotel
45
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and wait for instructions. Let's go.
46
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We've been identified as journalists.
47
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This is not a region
that takes kindly to those.
48
00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:40,270
So, we're trying to pack up
our bags as quickly as we can.
49
00:03:46,790 --> 00:03:48,270
I wonder what this is all gonna mean.
50
00:03:48,930 --> 00:03:51,860
That's our hotel. Let's go.
51
00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:58,596
It's always a bit difficult
when things like this happen.
52
00:03:58,620 --> 00:04:01,866
It's definitely, like, it reminds you that
53
00:04:01,890 --> 00:04:03,270
sometimes you're in the wild west.
54
00:04:04,270 --> 00:04:07,750
And there's a lot of
things that can go wrong.
55
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I really don't want anybody to get hurt.
56
00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:26,386
Right. Just here? Okay.
57
00:04:26,410 --> 00:04:29,596
The morning after Parker's
encounter with pirates
58
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he gathers the team
to discuss next steps.
59
00:04:34,370 --> 00:04:36,976
Thank you, everybody for
kind of keeping your cool
60
00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:41,440
and not letting this blow up
into something bigger than it is.
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00:04:42,170 --> 00:04:44,556
Obviously, there's some people that
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00:04:44,580 --> 00:04:48,176
probably just don't want any attention
brought to what's going on around here.
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00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:52,000
Probably best we avoid
that whole general area.
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00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:57,696
I mean, after this, the risk just went up,
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'cause we're easily recognizable.
66
00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:03,346
So, if you see someone spotting us,
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00:05:03,370 --> 00:05:05,796
taking pictures or
something just let us know.
68
00:05:05,820 --> 00:05:08,146
Fabiano's set us up to
take us to another area.
69
00:05:08,170 --> 00:05:11,550
Sounds like it's a lot safer
and legal operations so...
70
00:05:12,310 --> 00:05:15,906
Seems like the best move and,
71
00:05:15,930 --> 00:05:19,146
Brazil is a huge gold producing country
72
00:05:19,170 --> 00:05:22,146
so hopefully we can
continue to find opportunities,
73
00:05:22,170 --> 00:05:23,340
which is our goal.
74
00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:25,696
Keep your profiles low.
75
00:05:25,720 --> 00:05:27,650
We still have a long drive ahead.
76
00:05:28,170 --> 00:05:29,650
Let's keep going. Thank you.
77
00:05:34,580 --> 00:05:38,146
If we haven't got our,
kind of, heads on us
78
00:05:38,170 --> 00:05:40,906
making sure that we're taking
in what's going on around us
79
00:05:40,930 --> 00:05:43,060
then we could get in real trouble.
80
00:05:44,580 --> 00:05:47,036
To find a safer area to prospect
81
00:05:47,060 --> 00:05:51,346
the team follow a lead from
local union mine boss, fabiano,
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00:05:51,370 --> 00:05:56,976
and drive 100 miles to rejoin the
madeira river at mutum parana,
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00:05:57,000 --> 00:06:00,130
gateway to legalized gold-rich waters.
84
00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:03,286
Every year dredges in this area
85
00:06:03,310 --> 00:06:08,550
mine an estimated half a
ton of gold worth $32 million.
86
00:06:10,310 --> 00:06:12,486
There's supposed to be
more legal activity there.
87
00:06:12,510 --> 00:06:14,976
- Legal mining activity there.
- Right.
88
00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:17,976
I don't like being associated
with illegal things at all.
89
00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:20,246
I'm usually looking to get
involved in something that.
90
00:06:20,270 --> 00:06:26,550
I, like, provide some level of knowledge
or expertise or have something to offer.
91
00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:32,720
It's more jungle-ish so we're
adding more wilderness factors.
92
00:06:34,100 --> 00:06:36,556
To be honest, I'd rather take my
chances with snakes and jaguars.
93
00:06:36,580 --> 00:06:38,976
- They're way safer than humans.
- Yeah. They are.
94
00:06:39,000 --> 00:06:40,386
Yeah, they are.
95
00:06:40,410 --> 00:06:42,456
We know exactly what
jaguars are gonna do,
96
00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:44,976
- but humans, you never know.
- Yeah.
97
00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:47,866
To tap into the local gold mining scene.
98
00:06:47,890 --> 00:06:52,346
Parker's brought Brazilian gold
mining expert, Larissa rodrigues.
99
00:06:52,370 --> 00:06:54,656
What we've been seeing so far is like
100
00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:59,076
a lot of sketchy places
and like the illegal side of it.
101
00:06:59,100 --> 00:07:03,440
And I hope Parker will find the
legal operations he's looking for.
102
00:07:04,680 --> 00:07:05,976
Who are we gonna see here?
103
00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:07,386
Is it fabiano's mate?
104
00:07:07,410 --> 00:07:08,866
- Magno.
- Magno, right?
105
00:07:08,890 --> 00:07:10,036
- Yeah, magno.
- That's the name right?
106
00:07:10,060 --> 00:07:12,890
Magneto? We're meeting a superhero?
107
00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:15,596
Which one is Magneto?
108
00:07:15,620 --> 00:07:17,656
The one who can control metal.
109
00:07:17,680 --> 00:07:19,346
Yeah, so, can he just pull,
110
00:07:19,370 --> 00:07:20,960
suck all the gold out of the ground?
111
00:07:23,100 --> 00:07:25,796
Trip's over. So, if we meet...
As soon as we meet Magneto
112
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- we just load up the truck.
- Just get out of here.
113
00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:31,170
Let's find Magneto and find the gold.
114
00:07:35,060 --> 00:07:37,240
- I'm guessing that's him.
- -I think so.
115
00:07:41,680 --> 00:07:43,370
Magno.
116
00:07:44,170 --> 00:07:45,696
- Diego.
- Parker.
117
00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:47,440
- Magno.
- Larissa.
118
00:07:47,890 --> 00:07:49,340
Meu nome รฉ Danny.
119
00:07:50,310 --> 00:07:51,750
Was he a gold miner as well?
120
00:07:53,790 --> 00:07:56,246
Yeah, he's a gold miner
121
00:07:56,270 --> 00:07:59,060
15 years doing this job in the region.
122
00:08:19,620 --> 00:08:23,170
- Cool. Back on the river.
- Back on the river.
123
00:08:24,170 --> 00:08:26,076
Local prospector magno
124
00:08:26,100 --> 00:08:31,286
is taking the team on a three
day trip 40 miles downriver.
125
00:08:31,310 --> 00:08:34,146
To see legal gold mining dredges.
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00:08:34,170 --> 00:08:37,976
He's telling me that there's a
place he knows there's a lot of gold.
127
00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:41,766
- He can show us around there.
- That would be awesome.
128
00:08:41,790 --> 00:08:47,456
The gold in the madeira river
comes from the andes mountain range.
129
00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:50,456
Heavy rains erode solid gold ore
130
00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:53,796
sending tiny specks of gold into the river,
131
00:08:53,820 --> 00:08:58,246
where strong currents carry
it along its 2000-mile length,
132
00:08:58,270 --> 00:09:01,286
creating a never-ending stream of gold.
133
00:09:01,310 --> 00:09:04,346
As the current slows it allows heavy gold
134
00:09:04,370 --> 00:09:07,580
to drop to the riverbed
where dredges mine it.
135
00:09:11,100 --> 00:09:12,510
Did he have a dredge before?
136
00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:26,386
Yeah, he's like, now that he
doesn't have a dredge anymore
137
00:09:26,410 --> 00:09:28,036
he's like independent worker,
138
00:09:28,060 --> 00:09:30,766
so, he works for, like, dredge owners,
139
00:09:30,790 --> 00:09:33,176
like, fixing the dredges also, like,
140
00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:35,580
helping them to find gold veins.
141
00:09:37,580 --> 00:09:42,176
So, it's all... Like, all this on
the shore there is gold, like,
142
00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:44,240
pretty much, like, all this area here.
143
00:09:51,820 --> 00:09:54,246
Yeah, he says that this is
a good area for prospecting.
144
00:09:54,270 --> 00:09:57,246
Maybe we can see if we find some.
145
00:09:57,270 --> 00:09:59,556
Should I do my first gold pan in Brazil?
146
00:09:59,580 --> 00:10:00,976
I think you should.
147
00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:02,620
- Let's go and have a look.
- Yeah.
148
00:10:04,790 --> 00:10:08,060
To find out how much gold
might be in this part of the river...
149
00:10:09,680 --> 00:10:11,170
What if we find something here?
150
00:10:12,410 --> 00:10:16,170
A hefty slice of what Brazil has to offer.
151
00:10:17,930 --> 00:10:23,076
Parker and magno test an
exposed sandbar using a gold pan.
152
00:10:23,100 --> 00:10:26,486
They sift away the lighter sand and dirt,
153
00:10:26,510 --> 00:10:28,650
leaving the heavy gold behind.
154
00:10:30,510 --> 00:10:33,170
Magno... magno's done.
155
00:10:34,100 --> 00:10:36,246
What's the word, magno? Anything?
156
00:10:36,270 --> 00:10:37,480
- A lot.
- A lot?
157
00:10:40,100 --> 00:10:41,650
Wow, it's fine, isn't it?
158
00:10:42,790 --> 00:10:47,240
He says... It's the
word for, like, small dots.
159
00:10:48,510 --> 00:10:49,750
How's yours looking?
160
00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:53,060
Come on. Can you see anything?
161
00:10:54,890 --> 00:10:56,486
Yeah, there's lots there.
162
00:10:56,510 --> 00:10:58,060
It's pretty good, isn't it?
163
00:10:58,680 --> 00:10:59,766
Very fine.
164
00:10:59,790 --> 00:11:02,556
In just two pans, Parker and magno
165
00:11:02,580 --> 00:11:07,486
have proven this section of
river holds high quantities of gold.
166
00:11:07,510 --> 00:11:09,076
Well, that's a good start.
167
00:11:09,100 --> 00:11:11,486
Yeah, actually a pretty decent pan too.
168
00:11:11,510 --> 00:11:14,270
That tells me that there's
quite an opportunity here.
169
00:11:14,510 --> 00:11:16,146
All right.
170
00:11:16,170 --> 00:11:17,976
- Let's go.
- Board?
171
00:11:18,000 --> 00:11:19,130
All aboard.
172
00:11:21,310 --> 00:11:23,766
This is definitely gonna be very exciting.
173
00:11:23,790 --> 00:11:26,150
We're going to an area where
we know there's a lot of gold.
174
00:11:27,580 --> 00:11:29,146
Let's go find a dredge.
175
00:11:29,170 --> 00:11:30,440
The legal one.
176
00:11:35,170 --> 00:11:36,790
Look at these bad boys.
177
00:11:37,680 --> 00:11:38,790
Wow.
178
00:11:39,620 --> 00:11:41,550
Look at that. That's so cool.
179
00:11:43,620 --> 00:11:46,906
Parker and his team
head towards a fofoca,
180
00:11:46,930 --> 00:11:49,696
a group of dredges that gather together
181
00:11:49,720 --> 00:11:52,556
to work a gold-rich area of the river.
182
00:11:52,580 --> 00:11:53,906
Is this where we're going?
183
00:11:53,930 --> 00:11:56,456
Yeah, this is Eliana's
dredge we are visiting.
184
00:11:56,480 --> 00:11:57,860
Hell.
185
00:12:02,890 --> 00:12:03,960
Here we go.
186
00:12:06,410 --> 00:12:09,076
Parker.
187
00:12:09,100 --> 00:12:11,680
She owns it. She owns the place here.
188
00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:17,976
Look at that. That's mad.
189
00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:20,246
It's crazy.
190
00:12:20,270 --> 00:12:24,176
We are very much in the
guts of the mining industry.
191
00:12:24,200 --> 00:12:26,556
We're in the guts of the Amazon.
192
00:12:26,580 --> 00:12:29,130
We have got our finger, like, on the post.
193
00:12:51,680 --> 00:12:53,386
She wants to take a picture with you
194
00:12:53,410 --> 00:12:54,766
because she's like a fan.
195
00:12:54,790 --> 00:12:57,596
On the madeira river in Brazil.
196
00:12:57,620 --> 00:13:02,170
Parker's checking out Eliana
soares' gold dredging operation.
197
00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:05,790
How long has she owned this one?
198
00:13:07,580 --> 00:13:09,310
- Long time.
- Long time.
199
00:13:10,790 --> 00:13:13,346
Her husband owned the dredge,
200
00:13:13,370 --> 00:13:15,976
but then after a while he got ill,
201
00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:19,480
so she had to take over the operation
because there was nobody else.
202
00:13:28,890 --> 00:13:30,866
Guys that were working here before
203
00:13:30,890 --> 00:13:33,200
didn't accept, like, her as a leadership.
204
00:13:35,100 --> 00:13:37,386
And now she has, like, a
new team working for her.
205
00:13:37,410 --> 00:13:39,146
She must be pretty tough.
206
00:13:39,170 --> 00:13:41,346
Yeah. The manager used to say, like,
207
00:13:41,370 --> 00:13:43,766
when she's coming they...
They had to clean it all
208
00:13:43,790 --> 00:13:45,456
because they know she's coming
209
00:13:45,480 --> 00:13:48,130
and it has to be, like,
very clean and organized.
210
00:13:52,580 --> 00:13:55,036
She's just showing us around a little bit.
211
00:13:55,060 --> 00:13:57,170
So let's... let's... Let's check it out.
212
00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:02,386
Look at this place.
213
00:14:02,410 --> 00:14:05,146
Nuts.
214
00:14:05,170 --> 00:14:07,866
, mate, I've just seen
the front of the suction.
215
00:14:07,890 --> 00:14:09,340
Yeah, they have a pineapple.
216
00:14:10,370 --> 00:14:12,556
The ten ton spearhead dredge
217
00:14:12,580 --> 00:14:16,030
features a rotating cutter
head known as a pineapple.
218
00:14:17,790 --> 00:14:21,976
Once lowered into the water
it churns up a bedrock slurry
219
00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:25,650
sucking it onto the dredge
where the gold is extracted.
220
00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:30,310
How often do they have to replace that?
221
00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:40,286
Do they make them themselves?
222
00:14:40,310 --> 00:14:42,550
- They...
- They do themselves.
223
00:14:46,680 --> 00:14:49,656
It's really impressive and
I can tell Parker is excited,
224
00:14:49,680 --> 00:14:52,346
because he's just paying
attention to a lot of details.
225
00:14:52,370 --> 00:14:55,130
So, who knows. Maybe, he
will consider investing here.
226
00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:58,076
Quite an atmosphere on here?
227
00:14:58,100 --> 00:15:00,550
It's like crazy going on everywhere.
228
00:15:01,890 --> 00:15:03,656
The only thing that I've noticed is, like,
229
00:15:03,680 --> 00:15:06,146
the, recovery systems
are a little bit crude.
230
00:15:06,170 --> 00:15:08,656
No riffles in the mats, just carpet.
231
00:15:08,680 --> 00:15:12,076
I don't really know the efficiency of that.
232
00:15:12,100 --> 00:15:16,346
Eliana catches gold by sucking
the pay dirt up from the riverbed
233
00:15:16,370 --> 00:15:18,836
and running it across eight sluice runs,
234
00:15:18,860 --> 00:15:21,836
processing 500 gallons a minute.
235
00:15:21,860 --> 00:15:25,076
- That is a big sluice.
- Pretty big.
236
00:15:25,100 --> 00:15:29,246
To allow Parker a closer look
at Eliana's gold catching sluice
237
00:15:29,270 --> 00:15:32,076
her crew shut down the water pumps.
238
00:15:32,100 --> 00:15:34,020
Do they think they're
catching most of the gold?
239
00:15:35,890 --> 00:15:38,790
He thinks, he thinks
that they're losing a lot.
240
00:15:44,370 --> 00:15:47,726
That's not good. They know
they have a problem, right?
241
00:15:47,750 --> 00:15:49,976
Right now, Eliana's sluice box
242
00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:52,656
captures up to three ounces a day.
243
00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:56,556
But her crew think
another $1200 worth of gold
244
00:15:56,580 --> 00:15:59,060
could be heading
straight back into the river.
245
00:16:02,100 --> 00:16:05,346
What would be the best
option for them here?
246
00:16:05,370 --> 00:16:06,766
Is he asking what carpet?
247
00:16:06,790 --> 00:16:09,976
I think it makes less of a difference
what kind of carpet you use
248
00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:14,346
and more of, like, giving a
place for the gold to drop out.
249
00:16:14,370 --> 00:16:16,036
This has the same effect right here,
250
00:16:16,060 --> 00:16:17,486
is like how a riffle works.
251
00:16:17,510 --> 00:16:18,836
And, so, if they have more of those
252
00:16:18,860 --> 00:16:20,580
it might double their recovery rate.
253
00:16:23,480 --> 00:16:25,556
Adding riffles to a sluice box
254
00:16:25,580 --> 00:16:28,456
causes vortexes of swirling water
255
00:16:28,480 --> 00:16:32,246
that send gold into the
carpet creating more places
256
00:16:32,270 --> 00:16:34,170
for the gold to be caught...
257
00:16:35,860 --> 00:16:37,346
Instead of metal.
258
00:16:37,370 --> 00:16:41,750
Parker thinks that folds in the
carpet could act in a similar way.
259
00:16:44,480 --> 00:16:48,076
So they could try just nailing
some strips of carpet in here.
260
00:16:48,100 --> 00:16:50,346
In just, like, every eight centimeters.
261
00:16:50,370 --> 00:16:53,766
And, and that'll give a bunch
more of these lips up here
262
00:16:53,790 --> 00:16:55,930
and see if there's a
bunch of gold in that piece.
263
00:16:56,750 --> 00:16:58,370
Wouldn't cost anything to try it.
264
00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:01,076
If that improves their recovery,
265
00:17:01,100 --> 00:17:02,580
then they're gonna make more money.
266
00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:08,240
Like, recovery rates
should always be prioritized.
267
00:17:09,680 --> 00:17:11,936
Hundreds of sluice boxes like this
268
00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:13,556
that are losing gold,
269
00:17:13,580 --> 00:17:18,030
we could go through and, like, increase
everybody's recovery rate by probably...
270
00:17:19,790 --> 00:17:21,480
At least 20%.
271
00:17:24,310 --> 00:17:25,976
Larissa, we could just ask him, like,
272
00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:28,270
if we could come back
and see if it worked.
273
00:17:32,860 --> 00:17:35,176
Before considering an investment,
274
00:17:35,200 --> 00:17:40,766
Parker wants to see if his sluice
run bush fix will catch more gold.
275
00:17:40,790 --> 00:17:45,146
The dredge can run a
test but it will take 24 hours.
276
00:17:45,170 --> 00:17:49,890
So, the team check in with guide,
magno, about other places to see.
277
00:17:52,370 --> 00:17:55,976
So, he's saying that he
knows, like, other mining lands.
278
00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:58,386
We can spend the night if you want.
279
00:17:58,410 --> 00:18:01,270
Is it, like, legal or illegal?
280
00:18:05,620 --> 00:18:06,750
Do you want to go there?
281
00:18:07,480 --> 00:18:08,480
I think we should.
282
00:18:09,480 --> 00:18:10,680
Let's go.
283
00:18:12,410 --> 00:18:15,386
Mining in the rainforest,
particularly along the Amazon
284
00:18:15,410 --> 00:18:18,270
is a, you know, pretty touchy subject.
285
00:18:19,370 --> 00:18:24,286
But I think that seeing
what's actually happening
286
00:18:24,310 --> 00:18:26,146
is the best way to
figure out what's going on
287
00:18:26,170 --> 00:18:29,976
and... and what the impact
is and why it's happening.
288
00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:35,146
Magno is offering a chance to
see an illegal gold mining operation
289
00:18:35,170 --> 00:18:38,750
on protected land inside a national park.
290
00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:43,556
So, we are just going
inside the national park.
291
00:18:43,580 --> 00:18:46,866
- So, of course it's illegal to mine here.
- All right. Okay.
292
00:18:46,890 --> 00:18:50,036
I really don't like that but I
also think it's very important
293
00:18:50,060 --> 00:18:51,726
for us, like, to connect with people,
294
00:18:51,750 --> 00:18:55,146
to understand every part of the story.
295
00:18:55,170 --> 00:18:58,556
We have to stop here and
then we have to hike 30 minutes.
296
00:18:58,580 --> 00:19:00,550
Sunset is in 22 minutes.
297
00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:04,340
- Right. Let's get off.
- Okay.
298
00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:07,976
We're gonna be getting into places
299
00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:10,976
where probably not many
people have been before,
300
00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:14,456
so that's a huge challenge
for each one of us.
301
00:19:14,480 --> 00:19:16,750
Diego's mobile hospital.
302
00:19:19,620 --> 00:19:22,656
We're getting into a
tougher place than before.
303
00:19:22,680 --> 00:19:23,860
We better go.
304
00:19:32,790 --> 00:19:34,076
Yeah, he's saying...
305
00:19:34,100 --> 00:19:37,000
We should be careful here
because there are many snakes and...
306
00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:42,976
That's the time that the animals...
307
00:19:43,000 --> 00:19:46,030
- Don't come out to play.
- Came out to hunt. Yeah, exactly.
308
00:19:46,480 --> 00:19:48,130
Welcome to the jungle.
309
00:19:50,370 --> 00:19:55,440
The illegal mine site is nearly a
mile deep into virgin rainforest.
310
00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:05,860
Yeah, he was finding,
like, that they're coming...
311
00:20:06,680 --> 00:20:08,076
Every time he was coming in...
312
00:20:08,100 --> 00:20:10,726
More inside of the jungle
he was finding more gold.
313
00:20:10,750 --> 00:20:13,486
That's why he ended up going...
314
00:20:13,510 --> 00:20:15,270
- Gotcha.
- Right there... Inside there.
315
00:20:25,890 --> 00:20:27,766
What are you thinking, Larissa?
316
00:20:27,790 --> 00:20:31,240
This area here is, like,
illegal, illegal, illegal.
317
00:20:32,890 --> 00:20:37,240
This is exactly what shouldn't
be going on completely illegal.
318
00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:42,510
You can ask magno, do the
people here know we're coming?
319
00:20:46,580 --> 00:20:47,650
They don't.
320
00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:50,656
It's getting dark.
321
00:20:50,680 --> 00:20:52,650
. That got atmospheric quick.
322
00:20:58,620 --> 00:21:00,486
Holy.
323
00:21:00,510 --> 00:21:02,680
Hell, it's like a whole village.
324
00:21:05,060 --> 00:21:06,170
Huge.
325
00:21:08,510 --> 00:21:10,750
A fire burning with nobody around it.
326
00:21:17,270 --> 00:21:19,930
What the is going on around this place?
327
00:21:27,170 --> 00:21:29,820
What the is going on around this place?
328
00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:34,976
There's pumps, there's
holes, there's, like clothes.
329
00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:36,836
There's clearly people here.
330
00:21:36,860 --> 00:21:39,836
Deep in Brazil's Amazon jungle,
331
00:21:39,860 --> 00:21:43,146
Parker and his team arrive
at the illegal mine camp
332
00:21:43,170 --> 00:21:45,510
where they must now spend the night.
333
00:21:49,100 --> 00:21:51,060
I know, it's like a whole village.
334
00:21:54,890 --> 00:21:56,976
Magno has brought us to this area.
335
00:21:57,000 --> 00:21:58,130
There's no one here.
336
00:21:58,860 --> 00:22:01,526
But there's lots of signs of life.
337
00:22:01,550 --> 00:22:03,410
I mean, I'm not panicking but...
338
00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:08,030
It doesn't feel... great.
339
00:22:11,340 --> 00:22:12,456
We should probably set up camp.
340
00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:14,146
I don't wanna be out here in the dark.
341
00:22:14,170 --> 00:22:15,440
Still a little jumpy.
342
00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:28,036
Can you ask him if it's
all right that we're here?
343
00:22:28,060 --> 00:22:29,960
And that we can leave if it's not.
344
00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:41,216
Each time government forces
345
00:22:41,240 --> 00:22:44,246
crack down on illegal mines like this one,
346
00:22:44,270 --> 00:22:47,240
they burn down structures
and blow up equipment.
347
00:22:53,790 --> 00:22:55,036
Is he leaving us?
348
00:22:55,060 --> 00:22:57,656
He's just saying that
we can stay here, it's fine.
349
00:22:57,680 --> 00:23:01,976
But he'll just sleep with his friends, like
350
00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:03,866
- I don't know exactly where, but...
- Okay.
351
00:23:03,890 --> 00:23:05,530
- Nearby.
- -He'll just leave us for now.
352
00:23:06,170 --> 00:23:09,556
That makes me feel a bit unnerved.
353
00:23:09,580 --> 00:23:11,866
In the middle of nowhere
at an illegal mine site.
354
00:23:11,890 --> 00:23:13,766
It might be quite dangerous.
355
00:23:13,790 --> 00:23:16,836
Like, should we have gotten
into this situation? Maybe not.
356
00:23:16,860 --> 00:23:18,860
But we're fine until we're not.
357
00:23:24,860 --> 00:23:27,030
I don't think I'm gonna
like this, but whatever.
358
00:23:28,790 --> 00:23:30,410
What part of this is enjoyable?
359
00:23:32,890 --> 00:23:34,100
What do you reckon?
360
00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:37,766
Only two structures standing up.
361
00:23:37,790 --> 00:23:39,200
We'll camp in one of those.
362
00:23:42,030 --> 00:23:44,416
How many ropes are
you tying up over there?
363
00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:47,346
Bearing in mind it all looks like it's
about to fall down at any given moment
364
00:23:47,370 --> 00:23:49,550
because it's all charred and burnt.
365
00:23:51,680 --> 00:23:53,006
If you don't know knots, tie lots.
366
00:23:53,030 --> 00:23:54,340
That's my trick.
367
00:23:57,680 --> 00:23:59,726
That's a piece of rope, Danny..
368
00:23:59,750 --> 00:24:01,860
- Right.
- -Let's go get some sleep.
369
00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:08,766
Yeah, the trip has been
a bit of a whirlwind so far
370
00:24:08,790 --> 00:24:12,626
and it kinda has me
thinking quite a bit about just...
371
00:24:12,650 --> 00:24:16,556
Mining has to happen
somewhere, but above all else,
372
00:24:16,580 --> 00:24:18,650
there needs to be law and order.
373
00:24:19,890 --> 00:24:21,270
In my mind.
374
00:24:23,480 --> 00:24:27,866
We should be happy to be here
around this beautiful forest, but...
375
00:24:27,890 --> 00:24:30,626
There is just an illegal mining over there
376
00:24:30,650 --> 00:24:32,960
and the destruction is just...
377
00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:36,216
Awful. But at the same time,
378
00:24:36,240 --> 00:24:38,556
it's very good to really understand
379
00:24:38,580 --> 00:24:40,960
what's really happening
inside of the jungle.
380
00:24:57,440 --> 00:24:59,106
That was a night's sleep.
381
00:24:59,130 --> 00:25:02,246
The next morning on
the illegal mine camp...
382
00:25:02,270 --> 00:25:04,766
- Hammocks.
- Terrible, right?
383
00:25:04,790 --> 00:25:08,216
Guide magno has not returned.
384
00:25:08,240 --> 00:25:09,456
What are we gonna do?
385
00:25:09,480 --> 00:25:10,556
We should definitely go check out
386
00:25:10,580 --> 00:25:11,557
- what they're up to.
- Yeah.
387
00:25:11,581 --> 00:25:12,960
Let's just have a search around.
388
00:25:14,370 --> 00:25:16,006
- Yeah?
- -Let's get the out of here.
389
00:25:16,030 --> 00:25:18,030
- Okay. Let's go.
- Come on, let's go.
390
00:25:20,370 --> 00:25:21,726
We should be careful.
391
00:25:21,750 --> 00:25:23,936
We need to keep our eyes open.
392
00:25:23,960 --> 00:25:27,346
Probably not the safest place,
especially because of the illegality.
393
00:25:27,370 --> 00:25:29,860
Yeah, it's not a place I
want to hang around for long.
394
00:25:32,480 --> 00:25:34,000
Like, where is everybody?
395
00:25:36,240 --> 00:25:38,000
- Just gonna look from that bank.
- -Okay.
396
00:25:39,750 --> 00:25:40,750
What the?
397
00:25:41,550 --> 00:25:43,200
My god, it's massive.
398
00:25:47,960 --> 00:25:51,626
Miners here are searching
for gold from ancient riverbeds
399
00:25:51,650 --> 00:25:54,036
buried deep under the forest.
400
00:25:54,060 --> 00:25:59,006
Twenty acres of jungle have already
been laid bare from this operation.
401
00:25:59,030 --> 00:26:02,346
But it's a fraction of the 30,000 acres
402
00:26:02,370 --> 00:26:05,836
flattened by illegal mining every year.
403
00:26:05,860 --> 00:26:07,106
You can see how, like,
404
00:26:07,130 --> 00:26:08,726
you get a few thousand
people doing this,
405
00:26:08,750 --> 00:26:10,130
and it'd be quite the impact.
406
00:26:11,790 --> 00:26:13,866
Is this all ground that's basically dead?
407
00:26:13,890 --> 00:26:15,766
Yeah, it's all dead.
408
00:26:15,790 --> 00:26:18,526
If you leave this area
like that, it won't recover
409
00:26:18,550 --> 00:26:21,456
because it's... the soil
is too damaged here.,
410
00:26:21,480 --> 00:26:23,976
and even if we recover it,
411
00:26:24,000 --> 00:26:25,246
it will never be the same.
412
00:26:25,270 --> 00:26:26,820
The pit will be here forever.
413
00:26:29,060 --> 00:26:31,750
Let's let's divide and conquer here.
414
00:26:32,580 --> 00:26:33,976
How do you wanna divide?
415
00:26:34,000 --> 00:26:35,656
- Me... me and you, Larissa.
- Okay.
416
00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:36,866
- You two.
- Yeah.
417
00:26:36,890 --> 00:26:38,456
Okay. That's good.
418
00:26:38,480 --> 00:26:40,000
Come on, let's go.
419
00:26:41,890 --> 00:26:45,976
Parker and Diego head off in
search of their guide magno.
420
00:26:46,000 --> 00:26:47,866
I feel like this might be a bad idea.
421
00:26:47,890 --> 00:26:49,960
Probably already spotted
our camp last night.
422
00:26:51,130 --> 00:26:52,386
Do you hear the engine there?
423
00:26:52,410 --> 00:26:53,906
- Yes, you going over there?
- Yeah. Yeah.
424
00:26:53,930 --> 00:26:57,030
While Danny and Larissa
head in the opposite direction.
425
00:26:59,270 --> 00:27:02,006
Here, they... they're processing it.
426
00:27:02,030 --> 00:27:03,200
Here we go. There.
427
00:27:05,550 --> 00:27:08,866
It's... it's hard for me to feel comfortable
428
00:27:08,890 --> 00:27:11,456
inside of an illegal operation.
429
00:27:11,480 --> 00:27:14,246
But I'm trying to find
solutions to end illegal mining.
430
00:27:14,270 --> 00:27:15,217
That's why I'm here.
431
00:27:15,241 --> 00:27:17,240
I want to see what the reality is.
432
00:27:22,370 --> 00:27:24,860
They were... yeah, they are
the ones working in this area.
433
00:27:27,650 --> 00:27:29,170
How long... how long has he been here?
434
00:27:34,170 --> 00:27:35,346
Two months, they're like,
435
00:27:35,370 --> 00:27:37,416
coming and going, coming and going
436
00:27:37,440 --> 00:27:39,216
because of the police.
437
00:27:39,240 --> 00:27:41,340
I'm interested to know
if he likes being here.
438
00:27:47,680 --> 00:27:51,836
They earn... says it's...
it's a very hard work,
439
00:27:51,860 --> 00:27:53,346
but they earn more.
440
00:27:53,370 --> 00:27:54,976
So like, if they work in the city,
441
00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:58,006
they will make like,
1,000-2,000 reais a month.
442
00:27:58,030 --> 00:28:01,200
And here they make 10,000-15,000.
443
00:28:02,580 --> 00:28:03,866
What he's saying, he's like,
444
00:28:03,890 --> 00:28:06,726
"yeah, we may look like
we're like, all these poor guys,
445
00:28:06,750 --> 00:28:08,480
but we are not."
446
00:28:10,240 --> 00:28:12,890
But he wants us... he
wanted to show us the gold.
447
00:28:14,650 --> 00:28:17,170
I was not expecting that answer.
448
00:28:17,580 --> 00:28:18,936
I wasn't.
449
00:28:18,960 --> 00:28:20,526
But I like when people are honest,
450
00:28:20,550 --> 00:28:22,246
even though they are not,
like, doing the right thing.
451
00:28:22,270 --> 00:28:26,006
I mean, maybe this is a way for us to
get to the root of the problem, you know?
452
00:28:26,030 --> 00:28:27,340
Yeah. Yeah.
453
00:28:31,100 --> 00:28:32,456
Do you want a coffee?
454
00:28:32,480 --> 00:28:33,650
Yeah, I love a coffee.
455
00:28:34,580 --> 00:28:35,750
Can we see the gold?
456
00:28:37,000 --> 00:28:38,456
- There it is!
- There it is.
457
00:28:38,480 --> 00:28:39,766
The gold is over there.
458
00:28:39,790 --> 00:28:40,960
There you go, look.
459
00:28:45,170 --> 00:28:47,346
They are both guessing 50 grams.
460
00:28:47,370 --> 00:28:50,060
I think 51.
461
00:28:52,680 --> 00:28:55,340
51.8.
462
00:28:57,370 --> 00:28:59,936
You don't need... you
don't need the weight.
463
00:28:59,960 --> 00:29:03,106
- You know it by...
- just looking by it.
464
00:29:03,130 --> 00:29:07,936
Fifty-one grams is
worth just over $3,000.
465
00:29:07,960 --> 00:29:09,976
But how many day's work is that?
466
00:29:10,000 --> 00:29:11,866
Twelve hours.
467
00:29:11,890 --> 00:29:13,246
That is very rich.
468
00:29:13,270 --> 00:29:17,456
So, from this pan of
gold, they'll get 30% of it.
469
00:29:17,480 --> 00:29:19,550
Right, right.
470
00:29:20,580 --> 00:29:25,836
And the other 70%...
Is with the owner of like,
471
00:29:25,860 --> 00:29:30,036
- the sluice box, the pumps, - the engine.
- Okay.
472
00:29:30,060 --> 00:29:32,766
These people here, they're
working for commission.
473
00:29:32,790 --> 00:29:34,766
Even though it's a small percentage,
474
00:29:34,790 --> 00:29:36,650
it's pretty good income for them.
475
00:29:37,550 --> 00:29:38,976
But what bothers me the most
476
00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:42,316
is someone is really profiting
from this chaos, you know?
477
00:29:42,340 --> 00:29:43,556
That's the problem.
478
00:29:43,580 --> 00:29:45,246
Not them, they're not.
479
00:29:45,270 --> 00:29:46,340
Someone is.
480
00:29:58,890 --> 00:30:00,216
There's nobody in here.
481
00:30:00,240 --> 00:30:01,656
Go look back there.
482
00:30:01,680 --> 00:30:05,246
Waiting for their guide magno to return
483
00:30:05,270 --> 00:30:07,650
I'm not sure that we should
be surprising illegal miners.
484
00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:10,976
This might be a bad idea.
485
00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:14,726
Parker and his team explore
an illegal gold mining operation
486
00:30:14,750 --> 00:30:17,456
in the middle of the Amazon jungle.
487
00:30:17,480 --> 00:30:19,650
Diego, I'm not sure if
we're supposed to be here.
488
00:30:19,960 --> 00:30:20,960
Hey!
489
00:30:27,680 --> 00:30:29,316
Most of the people here
right now are not working
490
00:30:29,340 --> 00:30:31,936
because they got
scared from us yesterday.
491
00:30:31,960 --> 00:30:33,270
They thought we were police.
492
00:30:36,680 --> 00:30:37,680
Okay.
493
00:30:41,100 --> 00:30:42,456
You look like a policeman.
494
00:30:42,480 --> 00:30:45,006
They shoot at us, I'm
gonna hide behind you.
495
00:30:45,030 --> 00:30:47,060
I hope they don't shoot police.
496
00:30:49,440 --> 00:30:52,040
He wants to show you that way
because they're working over there.
497
00:30:54,060 --> 00:30:55,820
, it's not cool.
498
00:30:57,580 --> 00:31:00,626
It's kind of crazy that... that, you
know, they're in a national park just like,
499
00:31:00,650 --> 00:31:01,750
doing their thing.
500
00:31:03,860 --> 00:31:05,656
It's quite in your face.
501
00:31:05,680 --> 00:31:07,720
It'll just slowly eat the jungle.
502
00:31:12,680 --> 00:31:15,246
Can you ask him if there's
gold in the upper material
503
00:31:15,270 --> 00:31:16,556
or do they just have to wash that
504
00:31:16,580 --> 00:31:19,480
to get down to the better
stuff that's at the bottom?
505
00:31:24,270 --> 00:31:27,246
So yeah, mud, no gold, sand, gold,
506
00:31:27,270 --> 00:31:30,766
and the bedrock is
where most of the gold is.
507
00:31:30,790 --> 00:31:34,146
To uncover the gold
beneath the jungle floor,
508
00:31:34,170 --> 00:31:37,766
miners here use a method
called hydraulic mining,
509
00:31:37,790 --> 00:31:40,976
blasting a wall of dirt with a jet of water,
510
00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:44,246
breaking it down into a gold-rich slurry.
511
00:31:44,270 --> 00:31:46,766
This is then pumped 200 feet
512
00:31:46,790 --> 00:31:50,820
to hand-built sluice boxes
where the gold is captured.
513
00:31:55,170 --> 00:31:58,146
Without like, heavy
equipment or more machinery,
514
00:31:58,170 --> 00:31:59,550
this is the only way of doing it.
515
00:32:00,370 --> 00:32:02,766
I'm guessing everything
here came in by hand.
516
00:32:02,790 --> 00:32:04,036
They build this set-up,
517
00:32:04,060 --> 00:32:06,146
and the government's just
gonna come and blow it up.
518
00:32:06,170 --> 00:32:10,626
So, they probably only need to go for
a little while until it pays for itself.
519
00:32:10,650 --> 00:32:14,106
Mines like these are
often raided by the police.
520
00:32:14,130 --> 00:32:16,866
So miners build makeshift wash plants
521
00:32:16,890 --> 00:32:18,556
out of trees and rope,
522
00:32:18,580 --> 00:32:22,960
allowing them to quickly rebuild
their operation if it's destroyed.
523
00:32:26,370 --> 00:32:28,726
My god, if you did this
kind of stuff in america...
524
00:32:28,750 --> 00:32:29,906
You're going to jail for sure.
525
00:32:29,930 --> 00:32:31,650
You're going to jail, you'd get 20 years.
526
00:32:34,890 --> 00:32:36,530
He's asking if you
wanna speak with them.
527
00:32:37,060 --> 00:32:38,526
No.
528
00:32:38,550 --> 00:32:40,820
I wanna get out of
here. I've seen enough.
529
00:32:43,130 --> 00:32:46,726
This is the kind of stuff that gives
mining as a whole a bad name, right?
530
00:32:46,750 --> 00:32:49,440
It's like, you're in a national
park in the Amazon basin and...
531
00:32:50,340 --> 00:32:53,866
It's, you know... Not a
very big footprint here,
532
00:32:53,890 --> 00:32:56,556
but multiply it by probably
1,000 or something
533
00:32:56,580 --> 00:32:58,340
and it has a huge impact.
534
00:33:03,860 --> 00:33:06,000
- All right, chaps.
- Hey.
535
00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:07,440
How was it?
536
00:33:08,240 --> 00:33:10,456
They have 51 grams of gold.
537
00:33:10,480 --> 00:33:12,246
- How long a time?
- Twelve hours.
538
00:33:12,270 --> 00:33:13,556
- Really?
- Yeah.
539
00:33:13,580 --> 00:33:15,000
Yeah, it's decent ground.
540
00:33:16,650 --> 00:33:19,146
But it doesn't matter,
we're in a national park.
541
00:33:19,170 --> 00:33:20,626
Yeah, exactly.
542
00:33:20,650 --> 00:33:23,030
Yeah, I definitely don't wanna
be any part of this, really.
543
00:33:23,960 --> 00:33:25,006
- Let's go?
- Yeah.
544
00:33:25,030 --> 00:33:26,866
Let's go.
545
00:33:26,890 --> 00:33:29,866
I think we already saw
what we needed to see here.
546
00:33:29,890 --> 00:33:33,060
But it was very interesting to
see a different side of the coin.
547
00:33:33,860 --> 00:33:35,526
And I think we're ready to continue.
548
00:33:35,550 --> 00:33:37,240
Right, let's get back to Eliana's.
549
00:33:39,480 --> 00:33:41,146
It's a six-hour boat journey
550
00:33:41,170 --> 00:33:44,246
back to Eliana's legal gold dredge,
551
00:33:44,270 --> 00:33:49,146
where the team will see the
results of Parker's sluice bush fix
552
00:33:49,170 --> 00:33:54,146
and just how good the
madeira river gold yields can be.
553
00:33:54,170 --> 00:33:56,866
How do you feel like
the trip's going so far?
554
00:33:56,890 --> 00:33:59,106
You know, the world needs mining,
555
00:33:59,130 --> 00:34:00,556
but mining should be done in places
556
00:34:00,580 --> 00:34:03,936
where environmental
protection is prioritized.
557
00:34:03,960 --> 00:34:05,726
Like, what's happening
in the Yukon right now,
558
00:34:05,750 --> 00:34:07,346
there's a big conservation movement,
559
00:34:07,370 --> 00:34:09,936
they're shutting down
mining areas, that's fine.
560
00:34:09,960 --> 00:34:11,866
The only way to not deal with the like,
561
00:34:11,890 --> 00:34:14,556
ethical and moral problems with it
562
00:34:14,580 --> 00:34:17,310
is just to do exactly what is legal.
563
00:34:20,580 --> 00:34:21,580
Getting dark.
564
00:34:22,480 --> 00:34:25,146
The last thing I wanna be doing
565
00:34:25,170 --> 00:34:28,240
is going in this river in
the middle of the night.
566
00:34:39,440 --> 00:34:41,866
He's telling us to be very careful.
567
00:34:41,890 --> 00:34:43,650
We need to pay attention to this part.
568
00:34:44,750 --> 00:34:47,936
At this time of night,
in the jungle wilderness,
569
00:34:47,960 --> 00:34:50,456
the crew must rely on head lamps
570
00:34:50,480 --> 00:34:53,246
to guide their way through the sand bars,
571
00:34:53,270 --> 00:34:55,626
caiman alligators, and debris.
572
00:34:55,650 --> 00:34:56,820
Log.
573
00:34:57,170 --> 00:34:58,270
Careful.
574
00:34:59,060 --> 00:35:01,130
, now this is gonna take forever.
575
00:35:02,960 --> 00:35:04,766
Dan.
576
00:35:04,790 --> 00:35:05,860
I see lights.
577
00:35:06,370 --> 00:35:07,936
There we go.
578
00:35:07,960 --> 00:35:09,866
Making our float ill a.
579
00:35:09,890 --> 00:35:11,860
Thank for that.
580
00:35:13,480 --> 00:35:17,766
Eliana's dredge is part of
a legally permitted fofoca,
581
00:35:17,790 --> 00:35:21,766
a group of gold dredges who
gather at the gold-rich hot spots
582
00:35:21,790 --> 00:35:24,766
to run 24-hour operations.
583
00:35:24,790 --> 00:35:27,550
My god, dredges look mental in the dark.
584
00:35:28,060 --> 00:35:29,246
Look at that.
585
00:35:29,270 --> 00:35:30,410
Crazy.
586
00:35:32,100 --> 00:35:33,976
It's like a floating metal city
587
00:35:34,000 --> 00:35:35,526
in the middle of the jungle.
588
00:35:35,550 --> 00:35:38,146
Officially, one of the
most atmospheric places
589
00:35:38,170 --> 00:35:39,656
I've ever approached.
590
00:35:39,680 --> 00:35:43,006
- There's more welding over there.
- -Yeah.
591
00:35:43,030 --> 00:35:46,246
Do you think they're just
constantly rebuilding and fixing?
592
00:35:46,270 --> 00:35:48,556
Eliana said that the cutter heads
593
00:35:48,580 --> 00:35:50,526
last between one and three days.
594
00:35:50,550 --> 00:35:53,036
And I'm guessing that's what
most of these people are doing,
595
00:35:53,060 --> 00:35:55,340
that we see welding, is
building new ones of those.
596
00:35:56,480 --> 00:35:59,620
Just an unbelievable atmosphere.
597
00:36:00,440 --> 00:36:02,006
Wow. Oof.
598
00:36:02,030 --> 00:36:03,146
Nice one.
599
00:36:03,170 --> 00:36:05,416
Thanks, magno.
600
00:36:05,440 --> 00:36:08,976
The team will spend the
night on Eliana's dredge.
601
00:36:09,000 --> 00:36:10,866
Diego, can you ask Eliana,
602
00:36:10,890 --> 00:36:13,370
do they do more work at
night because it's cooler?
603
00:36:16,170 --> 00:36:17,456
They never stop.
604
00:36:17,480 --> 00:36:19,556
Right, but like, I see
a lot of people welding
605
00:36:19,580 --> 00:36:21,106
and cutting right now.
606
00:36:21,130 --> 00:36:24,000
It just seems more
action happening at night.
607
00:36:28,650 --> 00:36:29,976
I would rather work night.
608
00:36:30,000 --> 00:36:31,310
Yeah, it's fresher.
609
00:36:31,790 --> 00:36:34,006
Way better right now.
610
00:36:34,030 --> 00:36:37,456
Tomorrow morning, Eliana's
crew will clean up the gold
611
00:36:37,480 --> 00:36:40,346
that went through Parker's
improved sluice box,
612
00:36:40,370 --> 00:36:43,860
and Parker will figure out
if it's worth an investment.
613
00:36:45,170 --> 00:36:47,976
I don't really remember
an experience like this.
614
00:36:48,000 --> 00:36:50,346
Like, the dredges are crazy.
615
00:36:50,370 --> 00:36:52,766
But yeah, there's a lot of
factors and stars have to align
616
00:36:52,790 --> 00:36:55,316
to really find a very real opportunity.
617
00:36:55,340 --> 00:36:57,170
We'll see what tomorrow
has in store for us.
618
00:37:12,170 --> 00:37:13,556
The coffee is ready, by the way.
619
00:37:13,580 --> 00:37:15,216
All right, perfect.
620
00:37:15,240 --> 00:37:17,976
- Wow.
- -She baked the cake for us.
621
00:37:18,000 --> 00:37:20,976
One of the stranger places I've
had a coffee and a piece of cake.
622
00:37:21,000 --> 00:37:22,106
Yeah, right?
623
00:37:22,130 --> 00:37:23,976
They're very organized here.
624
00:37:24,000 --> 00:37:25,866
Kitchen's really organized.
625
00:37:25,890 --> 00:37:27,930
They have laundry, plants.
626
00:37:31,000 --> 00:37:33,170
Female details, you know,
that makes a difference.
627
00:37:35,480 --> 00:37:36,457
Like, you guys,
628
00:37:36,481 --> 00:37:37,976
you always think like, this is bull,
629
00:37:38,000 --> 00:37:39,170
but it's not.
630
00:37:59,440 --> 00:38:02,176
After a night on Eliana's dredge,
631
00:38:02,200 --> 00:38:04,386
Parker is helping manager osmar
632
00:38:04,410 --> 00:38:06,106
with the gold cleanup.
633
00:38:06,130 --> 00:38:07,796
That's how they did the mats.
634
00:38:07,820 --> 00:38:09,176
We just did a cleanup.
635
00:38:09,200 --> 00:38:14,976
Some things require
no language in common.
636
00:38:15,000 --> 00:38:16,766
On a normal day's run,
637
00:38:16,790 --> 00:38:19,316
the dredge can bring
in up to three ounces,
638
00:38:19,340 --> 00:38:22,176
around $5,000 of gold.
639
00:38:22,200 --> 00:38:24,866
Now, after running for 24 hours
640
00:38:24,890 --> 00:38:28,006
with Parker's new carpet riffles in place,
641
00:38:28,030 --> 00:38:29,960
it's time for the cleanup.
642
00:38:37,170 --> 00:38:39,346
The sluice carpets containing gold
643
00:38:39,370 --> 00:38:41,936
and heavy dirt are emptied into a bucket
644
00:38:41,960 --> 00:38:45,456
with Mercury, which
naturally attracts gold.
645
00:38:45,480 --> 00:38:49,696
After an hour, the heavy Mercury
and gold should be at the bottom
646
00:38:49,720 --> 00:38:53,106
and the water and dirt
can be taken off the top.
647
00:38:53,130 --> 00:38:55,246
He's basically just panning.
648
00:38:55,270 --> 00:38:56,696
- Right.
- In a barrel.
649
00:38:56,720 --> 00:38:58,750
- With Mercury.
- With Mercury.
650
00:39:00,100 --> 00:39:01,216
Is that dangerous?
651
00:39:01,240 --> 00:39:03,650
I mean, it's not good.
652
00:39:05,510 --> 00:39:08,976
Mercury is a heavily poisonous material.
653
00:39:09,000 --> 00:39:12,976
If it finds its way into
the river, it can kill wildlife
654
00:39:13,000 --> 00:39:14,960
and contaminate drinking water.
655
00:39:16,650 --> 00:39:18,176
I don't know how much gets lost,
656
00:39:18,200 --> 00:39:21,000
but some operations
put it in the sluice box,
657
00:39:21,650 --> 00:39:23,060
and that's where it's really bad.
658
00:39:24,170 --> 00:39:28,246
For me, the Mercury use is...
is a big problem around here,
659
00:39:28,270 --> 00:39:31,346
because miners are so used to it
660
00:39:31,370 --> 00:39:33,486
and they don't wanna phase out with it.
661
00:39:33,510 --> 00:39:36,286
So, I really think that
we need to find a way
662
00:39:36,310 --> 00:39:39,720
to go to Mercury-free processes.
663
00:39:41,680 --> 00:39:44,960
Now he's gonna put it
through like, a fine cloth,
664
00:39:45,790 --> 00:39:47,726
and squeeze all the extra Mercury out
665
00:39:47,750 --> 00:39:49,340
and then have and a little ball left.
666
00:39:51,820 --> 00:39:55,656
Will that ball be a ball of gold, basically?
667
00:39:55,680 --> 00:39:57,790
- More or less.
- -Exactly what it is.
668
00:40:09,820 --> 00:40:12,416
The Mercury and gold mix is heated
669
00:40:12,440 --> 00:40:15,796
to a high temperature, leaving pure gold,
670
00:40:15,820 --> 00:40:19,766
but sending highly toxic
Mercury fumes into the air.
671
00:40:19,790 --> 00:40:21,480
If you breathe it in, it's really bad.
672
00:40:22,370 --> 00:40:24,036
That's how it people.
673
00:40:24,060 --> 00:40:26,526
I really don't like the use of Mercury.
674
00:40:26,550 --> 00:40:28,410
So, there's no need to do it in that way.
675
00:40:30,240 --> 00:40:32,796
She wants from you
and that we go upstairs
676
00:40:32,820 --> 00:40:34,720
so that we can see gold.
677
00:40:37,820 --> 00:40:40,510
While they wait for the
Mercury to be burnt off.
678
00:40:49,130 --> 00:40:51,796
Eliana breaks down her costs.
679
00:40:51,820 --> 00:40:54,310
Yeah.
680
00:40:56,480 --> 00:40:59,820
Yeah, she uses fuel for pretty
much everything in here, right?
681
00:41:03,310 --> 00:41:06,030
Okay. Without fuel, it's impossible to run.
682
00:41:09,680 --> 00:41:10,960
She's going to...
683
00:41:11,310 --> 00:41:12,340
To grab the gold,
684
00:41:12,960 --> 00:41:15,076
from the process, so we can see.
685
00:41:15,100 --> 00:41:16,620
Let's find out how much they got.
686
00:41:21,820 --> 00:41:23,000
Wow.
687
00:41:25,310 --> 00:41:28,176
- 104?
- 104, yeah.
688
00:41:28,200 --> 00:41:32,726
104 grams, or 3.4 ounces of gold
689
00:41:32,750 --> 00:41:37,410
means a 13% improvement
on the dredge's usual daily total.
690
00:41:38,240 --> 00:41:41,176
At this rate, Eliana's dredging business
691
00:41:41,200 --> 00:41:45,680
could be worth over
$2,000,000 in gold each year.
692
00:41:46,410 --> 00:41:47,750
It worked great.
693
00:41:50,240 --> 00:41:51,866
It was very cool to see.
694
00:41:51,890 --> 00:41:53,346
Eliana is amazing.
695
00:41:53,370 --> 00:41:56,316
She runs an awesome little setup here.
696
00:41:56,340 --> 00:41:59,170
She's a really like,
warm, welcoming person.
697
00:42:00,790 --> 00:42:02,936
But I won't get involved in an operation
698
00:42:02,960 --> 00:42:04,550
that's using a ton of Mercury.
699
00:42:06,620 --> 00:42:09,626
And... I don't know.
700
00:42:09,650 --> 00:42:12,960
Obviously, it's quite a volatile region.
701
00:42:14,130 --> 00:42:15,596
It only takes one law to change
702
00:42:15,620 --> 00:42:18,796
for something that was
legal to become illegal.
703
00:42:18,820 --> 00:42:22,000
You know, I'm all for risk,
but not that kind of risk.
704
00:42:25,340 --> 00:42:26,596
So, we should probably go.
705
00:42:26,620 --> 00:42:28,286
Will you thank her for the hospitality
706
00:42:28,310 --> 00:42:30,060
and say sorry we can't stay longer?
707
00:42:34,650 --> 00:42:36,556
Eliana's story was interesting
708
00:42:36,580 --> 00:42:39,866
because like, there
are ways of being legal.
709
00:42:39,890 --> 00:42:42,036
It kind of gives me hope.
710
00:42:42,060 --> 00:42:45,836
But I wouldn't advise him to
invest in this area here to be honest,
711
00:42:45,860 --> 00:42:49,216
because like, the
environment is so tricky.
712
00:42:49,240 --> 00:42:51,596
Then, the people that
already have the permits,
713
00:42:51,620 --> 00:42:55,000
they have a risk of not
getting them renewed.
714
00:42:57,200 --> 00:43:01,030
I feel like we've seen
everything there is to be seen.
715
00:43:01,790 --> 00:43:03,750
And actually learned a hell of a lot.
716
00:43:04,370 --> 00:43:05,790
But time to move on now.
717
00:43:11,310 --> 00:43:16,316
Like, a big part of this trip is
looking for opportunity, right?
718
00:43:16,340 --> 00:43:20,286
The gun's still loaded and
finding more ground, but...
719
00:43:20,310 --> 00:43:22,486
Obviously, this isn't the area for it.
720
00:43:22,510 --> 00:43:24,960
We need to see what
else is going on in Brazil.
721
00:43:26,960 --> 00:43:29,216
Next time on Parker's trail...
722
00:43:29,240 --> 00:43:33,286
The biggest gold nugget was
discovered in serra pelada in the '80s.
723
00:43:33,310 --> 00:43:36,936
A collector would probably
pay like, a hundred million.
724
00:43:36,960 --> 00:43:39,976
We're going somewhere
that has the biggest gold rush
725
00:43:40,000 --> 00:43:41,976
in recent history in the world.
726
00:43:42,000 --> 00:43:43,556
That's the serra pelada pit.
727
00:43:43,580 --> 00:43:44,726
What, the lake is?
728
00:43:44,750 --> 00:43:47,146
Billions of dollars worth of gold got found
729
00:43:47,170 --> 00:43:49,726
in that hole by hand.
730
00:43:49,750 --> 00:43:51,130
The people are alive still.
731
00:43:53,370 --> 00:43:56,726
He found 1,000 kilos of gold in 15 days.
732
00:43:56,750 --> 00:43:58,416
I don't think I've ever met anybody
733
00:43:58,440 --> 00:44:01,346
that's found that much
gold in that amount of time.
734
00:44:01,370 --> 00:44:04,146
It's hard to believe that
they would have gotten it all.
735
00:44:04,170 --> 00:44:05,766
"What's left?"
736
00:44:05,790 --> 00:44:07,440
That question really bothers me.
56846
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