In the latest episode of Gold Rush, tensions ran high as Parker Schnabel’s crew found themselves at odds over how to best manage the operation while their leader was away. The episode highlighted the challenges and pressures the team faces as they work to maximize gold production during a critical time in the season.
Mitch Blaschke and Brennan Ruault were left in charge of running the wash plant Big Red and managing the move of another plant, Slucifer. With Parker trusting them to handle the operations, the stakes were high. However, a major conflict arose when Mitch disagreed with Parker’s instructions regarding the placement of Slucifer.
Parker had instructed Tyson Lee, the rookie plant boss, to move Slucifer to a low-lying pad in a small new cut. But Mitch, with his experience and eye for efficiency, saw this as a flawed plan. He believed the plant should be moved to a higher pad, which would open up a larger cut and reduce the need to move the plant frequently—an action that could save precious time and gold.
The disagreement led to a heated confrontation between Mitch and Tyson. While Tyson was determined to follow Parker’s orders, Mitch insisted that Parker’s plan would lead to inefficiencies and lost gold. Mitch’s frustration boiled over, causing him to lose his temper with Tyson. Despite the tension, Mitch later apologized for his outburst, and his experience ultimately swayed Tyson to adopt the new plan.
Executing Mitch’s plan was no small feat. The crew had to drag the massive 45-ton wash plant more than 300 yards along a narrow track to the higher pad—a route that was longer and steeper than originally planned. Despite the difficulties, the crew managed to complete the move successfully.
Mitch’s decision to relocate Slucifer to a more advantageous position is expected to pay off by reducing downtime and increasing gold production for the remainder of the season. The episode not only showcased the physical challenges of gold mining but also the complex dynamics of leadership and decision-making under pressure.
