 |
|
With an arsenal of heavy machinery, power tools, scraps of metal, and tanks of diesel fuel and propane, Frank returns to the wilderness every year to confront the challenges of running a placer mine.
|
|
The term "placer" is defined as a deposit of sand or gravel containing valuable minerals. Therefore, the type of gold mined by Frank (and most other gold mining operations in the Yukon) is referred to as "placer gold", and the form of gold mining used to extract placer gold is simply called "placer mining".
|
|
|
Due to Northern Yukon's extreme climate, placer miners have only a few precious months during which they can operate. Frank arrives well ahead of this "golden" period to set up and prepare his equipment and machinery so that as soon as nature permits, he is ready to go. Aided by the continuous daylight provided by the Midnight Sun, Frank often mines for 12 to 14 hours a day.
Every year Frank mobilizes his operation to mine a different part of his land, and as the structure of the ground changes, so does the type of gold he discovers. Sometimes the gold is fine, almost dust-like, and sometimes he encounters the larger, more desirable gold nuggets.
Running, relocating and maintaining a placer mine is an enormous undertaking for one man. In addition to the actual job of mining and the many related hands-on tasks, such as welding and mechanical maintenance, it also involves a great deal of planning and strategizing to ensure that the operation is heading in the right direction.
|
|
|
|
|
|
