What They Left Behind At Cerro Gordo Was Worth Millions

Hey guys! In this video we picked up small samples of ore from all over Cerro Gordo. The adventure included trips 500 ft down a mineshaft, down treacherous hills, and much more! While the original owners took most of the precious metals out, they did leave some behind! Even some in plain sight! Obviously the small smaples taken won't
This was one of my favorite videos to make, as I've loved learning about the assaying process. My hope with this video was to discover a bit more about the history here.
Enter to win all the silver we made in this video, in coin form! It's free to enter!! kingsumo.com/g/wdc2zz/win-a-s...
Check out Jason's channel if you're interested in more metal works: / mbmmllc
For more behind the scenes photos: / brentwunderwood
We have new merchandise in stock! Check it out to support the town!! store.cerrogordomines.com/

[@GhostTownLiving]

Hey everyone! Thank you so much for all the support! If you're interested in winning the silver "coin" we made from all the silver in this video, you can enter for FREE here: kingsumo.com/g/wdc2zz/win-a-silver-cerro-gordo-coin NEXT WEEK! I'm back with a big American Hotel update. Lots of updates on that front and we're building it up fast! Hope to see you then!

[@michaelallen1396]

You are close enough to Los Angeles you could build and make that a spring or summer camping/concert venue annually.

[@i-_-am-_-g1467]

I hope this becomes a daily operation for you and your guys Brent! this would be so fitting if it was one of the main incomes of the town again! just obviously as you know, be weary about extracting large amounts from your crumbling mines there, big love from England!

[@Leatherface123.]

Man I’d love to have that coin, I’d put it up in a local mining museum near my area, I donate carvings and woodwork that’s mining related to them and I think they’d love to have the coin

[@henryknepp]

Next you need to get a backhoe and dig down into those slag piles to verify that the assay amounts are consistent throughout the entire slag pile.

[@BabyWally]

im excited!

[@JakobBusse]

As a metallurgical chemist this is very interesting. We deal with ores and slags in our labs daily and all though people tend to overestimate the value of silver, you seem to have a lot of worth laying there. Ideally you have a mobile refinery bought in to process everything. Transportation of the slack or ore will cost you more than the profit margin. However I also feel the need to stress to not underestimate the toxicity of the lead. Get you blood values measured once in a while. And wear respiratory protection when dealing with dust. Also outside since dust and smoke has its way of always blowing in your face. Stay safe.

[@bonghungk7544]

@Vanilla Latte about two weeks ago there was a thread that got deleted that warned him about the hazards being around Cerro Gordo.

[@epidemik3able]

@@bonghungk7544 he has specifically mentioned the danger of spending time with lead. Also, I have seen him wearing a respirator mining the galena, though not in this video. The bottom line is, he is aware of the danger, but he loves it. We all make choices that effect our lives.

[@mfbfreak]

The chunks of lead containing ore just chucked in the backpack together with some bottles of water made me cringe. Don't know if that's a dedicated ore bag, or that the bottles were not gonna be used anymore, but eek. Just put it in a plastic bag in the backpack and things are a lot cleaner.

[@torontotonto6189]

this, dont bare hand lead

[@giftedfox4748]

Not sure if he is just doing this for the video and is doing safety off camera, but it is still hard to ignore since lead can kill people very easily.

[@mbmmllc]

Hi Brent! Thanks so much for inviting me down to help out with this amazing project! This is a special video and I was so glad to be a part of it. I am happy you have such a passion for assaying and knowledge seeking. You are welcome up to Washington any time my friend! Next time I am down in your area I will drop you a line and maybe we can work together in the future. Stay safe out there!

[@KimberleyW]

Thank you Jason for unlocking this important part of Cerro Gordo! This is so important to the towns history and its so cool to see it being done today there!

[@babiesdontpaytaxes.16]

Jason! my man!

[@jordanfisk3047]

You should sell him on some more modern equipment… at least a crusher…

[@ricksardella3436]

very cool to see you there i enjoy watching your videos. I worked for meridian aggregates down in granite falls it was a gold mine back in the day when we mined the hard rock when we found ore pockets they would loaded it in trucks to process it

[@GhostTownLiving]

Thanks Jason! It was a blast having you up here as usual! Welcome back anytime

[@tccscott86]

As a geologist working at one of the worlds largest zinc lead and silver mines I enjoyed this episode especially. Would love to visit Cerro Gordo one day! All the best from Mount Isa, Australia.

[@mr1ybbob3214]

As everyone is aware, the camera makes angles/hills look different then it actually is. It'd be a cool idea to bring a level with you to show everyone at home how steep some of these mineshafts are

[@MadCarTK]

This is so true! I used to mountain bike in Texas in some very steep terrain with a lot of huge jumps. I filmed it one day and was so blown away when I got home and it just looked like some small hills with a couple of dirt mounds.

[@Hackanhacker]

yesssss

[@thegizmologist8325]

but, throw the backpack up the ladder for it roll up it before you tell people it's going down, cause that's a cool effect!

[@advocateforthelandofchaos7888]

Logically speaking, as they started mining the area the richest veins would have been processed first. That would mean that the dump and slag areas would theoretically contain more leftover valuable material the further back in time you went. So the better candidate material to re-smelt would be at the bottom of the respective dump and slag piles. Since you were getting your samples from the surface of the piles, that would be the lowest value material. The "good" stuff is buried below it. Good luck re-mining the dump and slag piles. Hope you make a fortune.

[@royreynolds108]

Makes sense. During WWII, the tailings piles of lead and zinc mines in Oklahoma and Missouri were recrushed and sent through the smelter again. I forget what was retrieved, but it was in the neighborhood of 15 to 25% if my memory works.

[@vispian7688]

True and also the refinement process was also cruder. But a good point to make is that it's not necessarily the highest quality first. It would have been the highest quality at the time of mining. As they mined deeper, they could have very much found higher quality veins than the start. Just due to the process of finding more veins. Obviously, the surface is still lowest as it would have been when the mine was failing, but lower doesn't necessarily mean better quality ore. But may mean more silver leftover. If you get what I mean

[@theforestdweller625]

Ill tell ya how they built these structures. My great great grandfather was a carpenter in Greenland in 1951-55. And also part of an expedition lead by a geologist named Dr. Lauge Kochs in East Greendland in 1951.They build a mining town at King Oskars Fjord and it was according to all the pics I have, really physical hard work. They all had really big rough hands that showed sings of a lot of manual hard work with timber and tools. Im planning to make a video with around 50 -100 pics from the construction of the mining town in Greenland., sometime in the the next weeks.

[@beanboozler6438]

I will be watching it!! Cant wait

[@MsZoedog66]

Sounds good 👍👍👍

[@GeoffRichards_GP]

"great great grandfather..." did you mean 1851 maybe not 1951?

[@evictioncarpentry2628]

@@GeoffRichards_GP Maybe he's 8 years old

[@TrueDEATH-ii1kc]

@@evictioncarpentry2628 Maybe he's just a little older than that considering the account was made 9 years ago

[@loganmacneil3424]

My dad was a geophysicist and sometimes all he would talk about is precious metals and methods of mining and processing them. He would have loved this channel.

[@barryhitchcock4491]

I am 74 years old and even though I cannot participate in the hunt for minerals my self, I will work vicariously through others younger than myself to seek out the early history of mining back in the heyday of 100 years or so ago. Thank you very much, for taking me down the tunnels of the past.

[@Benny10]

We love you Brent! Can't wait for the American Hotel to be finished 😀

[@wf6951]

I'd like to be a cook at the American Hotel.

[@GhostTownLiving]

Working on it! As we speak! Next week's video is all about the hotel!

[@Nathanfx2006]

Thank goodness we have a platform like KZbin, high quality slices of life that would never be made into a traditional TV show but this is far superior to 80% of what is currently on TV.

[@Ken-rk3by]

I used to work at United Keno Hill Mines up in the Yukon, Canada. It was a lead, zinc, and silver mine. They tried a new process of floating the ore with cyanide in the bubbler tanks. When they took a sample of the ore and poured it onto the waffle board there was a light hew of gold at the top. There was enough gold for them to re-mine the backfill they had pumped back into the mines and refloat it for the gold. I figured that you might want to set up a crusher and bubbler tank to see if any gold was in the ore. Keno Hill didn't even know that there was gold in the ore until they used cyanide to float the gold. All the slag that was dumped could be worth a fortune, let alone what is in the mine at your site.

[@MOG7]

Some of the infrastructure talked about in this video is a really interesting aspect that hadn't really got a lot of attention in previous videos. It would be super interesting to understand more about how the ladders, shoots and other wooden structures were constructed under ground. Where did the wood come from? Were there specific miners who specialised in woodworking or were all miners able to put together a ladder, shoot etc. And again, where the ALL the wood come from, there is so many wooden structures. I find it so interesting and would love to understand how it worked.

[@san1883]

Agreed!! Would be so interesting

[@nathangalbraith9487]

Great questions, it’s those things that most all of us don’t usually think about and yet it’s a huge part of the history of it all!

[@markpashia7067]

I would say that likely that wood came from forests along the railroads at the time. In that same era, a large part of Missouri was clear cut for timbers. We often short cut it to say rail road ties as that was the largest demand at the trans continental rail road and then all of the spur lines were being built, but our logging and saw mill operations were massive and then loaded on rail cars to be sent along to the areas that needed it. I am sure it was much the same in other states. This was the era of railroad, mining, and timber barons just before the gilded age. Sometimes we tend to think of those old wooden sheds and shacks as "cheap" and "poor" buildings, but out in areas with no trees, lumber was as valuable as anything with shipping costs added on. Out there poor housing was adobe using local materials. Imagine what it cost to ship in cedar clapboard siding from the NW where those operations were making the products and everything had to ship by rail to the nearest depot and then by horse drawn wagon the rest of the way. Just the labor to load and unload the rail cars and wagons is astounding without machines and using block and tackle. The mine owner's house with all that fancy siding and trim boards was truly a mansion in it's day.

[@jiml4987]

The diversity of people that worked in the mines. Recent TV shows depict majority asian cheap labor during those years.

[@kevintaylor9912]

@@jiml4987 while I'm sure there was "diversity" I wonder how some of those "diverse" people were treated by a certain percentage of those "diverse" people, and I wonder why you felt the need to bring that up? It's as if you're defending something or someone!🤔

[@darrenhitchcox6345]

As an avid mine explorer in Cornwall UK, I was well into the history of the mines. We had the world's biggest copper mine (circa 1880), Devon Great Consols. They re-worked their spoil tips many times over. The came across huge amounts of arsenic (arsenopyrite) which was unless at the time and the miner called this mundick. However, the Colorado Beetle, arsenic was a treatment and tips got re-worked. Again in around 1910, the tips were run again for copper and further material was recovered. Today, some mining firms are re-working some of the old tips for material that was not looked for at the times. Traces of lithium have been found in the tips and this is what they are now looking to extract.

[@PeterGenovese]

I imagine your word "tips" is the same as what we (and Brent) call "slag."

[@belverdemotorsports2410]

@@PeterGenovese i think in uk a tip is the equivalent of a dump. Ie, where they dumped the slag.

[@markhutchings3378]

Tips are dumps yes. Slag is slag

[@inibrasiumthefirst2680]

Colorado beetle?

[@jigglie8077]

@@PeterGenovese "tips" over the cliff..

[@coreywagar3890]

I wont lie, the idea of moving into an available shack and treasure hunting sounds freaking awesome.

[@wannabecarguy]

I lived in the high desert for 5 years. I explored all over that area. The sad part of the story is, politicians killed this whole area and they stole these active mines. The people who couldn't cope with poverty became addicts . That's why people know Barstow as a place of drugs and corruption. Right now the are planning on stealing water rights .

[@smartazz61]

You too huh?

[@ytSuns26]

Oh yeah . I am retired and would live to spend time doing that?

[@spanglebeltsparkle9682]

I'm from the UK and feel that drive haha x Love from Liverpool UK❣🇬🇧🇮🇪 Slava Ukraini ❣ ✊ 🇺🇦

[@spanglebeltsparkle9682]

@@quijybojanklebits8750 cool, I never knew how it wa supposed to be written. X

[@tommcgill1671]

Big Fan, really LOVE what you are doing. We are living vicariously thru you and Cerro Gordo Bellshaw left "money on the table" Playing the lottery, and we win a slagging operation needs to go back up and help fund the Hotel build. Catherine my wife agrees. "You win, anything you want" So that's a verbal comitment and here is the written word, Hope to be talking to you soon, CG history is incredible! thanks so much for sharing. We will be there with finances and labor to bring back this history. LEGACY! Warm and safe Regards, Thomas & Catherine

[@victortorres7659]

I have a question. Working inside that mine and breaking the samples out of it, aren't you worried about breathing in all that lead dust?

[@snaker9er]

Only lead that can hurt him is moving 3,000feet/second

[@OneLeatherBoot]

As someone that has worked in an underground lead mine, there are precautions that he should be taking. Every 6 months he should do a blood test to check his lead levels. If his lead levels become elevated, then he should stop the lead prospecting. No eating without washing hands. Wash himself thoroughly after going underground. A dust mask would be good, but not critical as he doesn't appear to stir up too much dust. Except when going up & down ladders - If he is going to travel those areas frequently, then he should wash down the dust with water. Generally speaking however, I am more concerned about what he does underground as he appears pretty oblivious to some of the dangers he puts himself in.

[@johnnewton8017]

@@snaker9er 2 way range?

[@279seb]

Dont worry its 100% organic lead

[@JayLeePoe]

@@OneLeatherBoot Right? That lift that was designed in the 1800s? One bad footing and he's stuck for the ever ever

[@superhawk20002]

I've never been so jealous of people digging up rocks and working in the dirt.

[@semoneg2826]

❤same

[@randycrager4074]

Y'all really should consider wearing a dust mask when you go down in the mine. Excellent video, thanks for sharing with us.

[@GhostTownLiving]

We typically do! We realized once we got down there that we forgot the respirators. We tried to be quick and wore them for most the process.

[@Sibula]

@@GhostTownLiving I know people may have busy schedules and all that, but you probably should've just returned to grab them and go back. Breathing in all that rock and especially lead dust is no joke. The ore will last forever but your health won't if you're not careful.

[@jeffreyfarrington4299]

I coughed in sympathy ( i have copd and yeah prospecting was the kicker )

[@steeleythomassful]

Hello there I was the one that made the stack of rocks, we were on our way out from visiting your town.. beautiful drive from Central California I was very much looking forward to meeting you.. infact I believe we most likely passed each other on my way out.. we stopped on our way to look at the Amazing views.. GOD itS so beautiful! Anyhow they probably fell over by now! Hope to stop by again next time I get on your side of the mountain. Take care & GOD bless!

[@RexSkittles]

Brent, you are a true example of American entrepreneurship and passion!! You have such a vision and you will achieve it and be in the history books for sure. A living legend in the making sir! Thanks for taking us along on the ride.

[@lindan2836]

Only minus the normal greed that is behind most.

[@haroldishoy2113]

Brent, I don’t know how you do it but your content keeps getting better and better, your energy and enthusiasm is limitless. We all can take comfort in seeing that Cerro Gordo will not become some tourist wasteland, it is a living but vital piece of history. Good on you man!😀

[@GhostTownLiving]

Than you so much for checking it out!

[@GhostTownLiving]

@@GratefulOverlander I always try to reply when I can?

[@AClayton172]

@@GratefulOverlander you must be new. Brent has always responded to comments maybe not all but he does it, I'm sure he's a busy guy.

[@Britcarjunkie]

I have always heard that, due to technology being what it was back then, that they only mined and processed "the big stuff", and that there's a LOT that they missed. That's why it can be worth the time to sift through tailing piles. That's also why old abandoned mines can still be worth having and working.

[@ashbyshowalter9639]

For sure. And with machine power and technology of today it’s a much different ballgame.

[@chad8251]

On the gold mining shows they always buy the small mines to go back through the old dirt from 50-70 years ago that people missed

[@Basscouch]

I think the largest gold nugget in history was found just sitting outside an abandon mine entrance in Colorado...

[@Basscouch]

Ahh yes... It's named “Tom's Baby”. It weighs 156 troy ounces

[@efangrim8470]

Yeah, I read somewhere that the Golden Triangle in Victoria, Australia, with modern extraction tech, they reckon they could pull as much gold out as they did in the 1850's gold rush.

[@TallulahBelle3276]

My Father was a well known silversmith in Santa Fe New Mexico. He was fascinated by the process of mining silver, gold, turquoise and any other precious stones. He and a friend went cross country to as many different places where you can dig yourself for treasures. He mined Herkimer diamonds here in upstate New York for 3 summers. He sold one that was fist size with water sealed in it. It’s called an enhydro n they’re worth more than a non enhydro. He got 3 grand for it at a Tucson gem show. He worked in a small plating company for some years. He was always intrigued by the process of coating one metal with another. He would have loved your channel n content. Thanks again! 🙏🏾💯👍🏽✨🌞🌎

[@rsoul2692]

What boggles my mind is hundreds of years later i still work in los angeles in a building called the Beaudry building dead smack in the middle of L.A. Crazy to see that i got to see the furnace Victor, and Prudent Beaudry Used to literally build Los Angeles! What a treat! Thanks alot!

[@chaoticature]

So dang happy for you Brent!! We’re on this emotional roller coaster with you and I truly hope you can make millions of bucks to support the town and yourself.

[@stevk5181]

As a chemist I've always found these types of videos very interesting. We have many galena mines near where I currently live (and gold mines where I grew up) and the history is fascinating. Hope to stop in at your mine someday as I'd love to see the history in person.

[@GhostTownLiving]

Thanks! Hope you can make it up some time!

[@moparsrule862]

You hit the nail on the head, it's the wondering about the people from the past and their lives, what was it like day to day, so many people only think about what's in front of them, here, now, today, the latest gossip, latest fashion etc, shallow people, thinking of others and their past, our past, is so amazing, such a great channel

[@Chris-Rife]

I like what you said about the history. This was once someone's entire life. People lived, they woke up, and went about their day, and even died here... a human existence completely died to this acreage of mine in forgotten area of California. You're keeping their spirit alive and showing the world a piece of those peoples life.

[@Orangie2008]

Well, you can't necessarily extract from one sample of slag. For example, he may have had some days where he was killing it, and others when he left even more behind than you found! In any case, this was super fun to watch and I hope you find someone to process all this for you!

[@JoshHallUtah]

I am an early subscriber, way early but I've never commented. I have to say this episode the way you produced it edited it and everything is better than anything that's been on TV. What you've done and accomplished and how much better you've got it everything is incredible, what a journey I hope to maybe make it up there one day. Thanks for all you're doing to share this incredible story with us.

[@icanseeyouallfromuphere]

Not only is this totally astounding, makes you truly respect how astounding miners work really was right !

[@KarinaTheDreama]

It’s so so WONDERFUL to see your encouraging & kind excitement in your place there & for life. And I’m in love w your guest, too - Jason! U both though are super cute! But thx bcuz your spirit is contagious & improves my isolated, dull life!

[@infinus5]

I love watching you guys high grading down the mine, careful of galena dust, its no good in your lungs! fyi! the ore from the tram appears to be Sphalerite! not galena, its zinc ore, which makes sense since thats what the miners were after in that era.

[@jlt131]

Brent, you're looking much healthier and happier in this intro than in previous ones - keep doing whatever you've been doing lately!

[@Kimberly-lp4nh]

Brent!!!! YOU MUST, MUST, MUST go spend time in Virginia City and go the The Way It Was Museum. You will love the experience. There's tons of relatable history and rooms full of old artifacts from the era. A video of the town's history plays ongoing. There's also the Virginia City Trolly which gives you a historical tour of the town. This is all aside form the great food, drink and entertainment in Virginia City. If you need a tour guide, or just someone to visit the City with, I'll meet you up there. Or we can take the train (steam locomotive) from Carson City.

[@bartwesp4303]

I don't know if you read the comments on these older videos, but your "No Drama" videos are really great, and I am enjoying your excitement.

[@GhostTownLiving]

Thanks!

[@josiah228]

Man, the amount of happiness I see in you guys would honestly reflect the joy a miner would get after he was told his claim was worth $xxx,xxx

[@godhandsver]

I'd hate to be told something I own is work xxx,xxx. What kind of currency is that? Crypto?

[@semoneg2826]

​@godhandsver 😂oh

[@neilebobbitt5396]

My sons and I just love it Brent every week it's better and better. My boys really like the places your seeing for first time .the old mines and old ore camps .one day were coming up

[@taras5562]

I’m so thankful I come across your channel! I’m from Southeast Missouri. I have never heard of your place till now! I love the history an love what your doing to preserve its history! I love learning about the history of towns n the people that once lived there! This last year I just started educating myself on the minerals in my area. It’s quite interesting! I’d have a blast following you around all day! Thank you for sharing your journey with us! I greatly appreciate your love for your town an it’s history! Wish there were more people like you in this world!!

[@pj-light-glass]

Really enjoyed this video! My Grandfather Ross Wilson along with wife Margery (Hague) mined and sluched for gold up in northern British Columbia. Once they had enough they came down to Vancouver and bought property. Then sold that and moved to Santa Monica CA and bought a charming apartment complex about a mile from the beach. I enjoy going to mines,and digging for crystals, opals and what ever is available.

[@CLCIII]

Brent, I've been with you from the start and encouraged you to keep this family friendly. So very glad that you did so. It has seemed to pay off. As Always, May God Bless you and yours!

[@thenotoriousyumz]

You need to go and assay and explore that mine with the leopard blue and green crystals. That was malachite and azurite, and is almost more valuable as crystals these days.

[@Sleepyjew]

thanks for taking me with you on this adventure.

[@aquilux-vids]

Here's a thought for you. If you do wind up trying to extract smaller amounts of silver for some form of income, consider using solar power and an electric system of some sort considering how reliably you will be getting good sunlight out there. You wouldn't even need to worry about power storage, just blast all the solar output through your heating elements (within reason, of course). Even if you need a reducing environment, you can still minimize your fuel use by making your furnace reasonably airtight and trickling in a small feed of it.

[@kch917]

I recently discovered your channel and I’m addicted. I’ve watched every video now and would love to visit. I’ve always been fascinated by history, but not so much what was taught in school. I want to know every last detail about the day to day lives and decisions of the people, which is just what I’m enjoying here with your videos. That and architectural history and restoration are my passions. Thank you for all of this.

[@claynicolsen5401]

I'm afraid that if you get any more excited and enthusiastic, you're just gonna burst! It's really a joy to watch your adventure with you!

[@alanogilvie4504]

Gets better with every video, and great to know that you can monetize your efforts and clean up the slag piles at the same time. Thank you for presenting mining history in such an understandable, clear way.

[@smartazz61]

Your excitement is contagious. You could become a carrier of much worse things. Watching you reminds me of being a young boy exploring the hills or the desert and dreaming of living and treasure hunting there. You could be spending your days doing much more tedious things that are only to allow you to survive. But at Cerro Gorde even if you're just scraping by you're still living a dream and having fun.

[@stevetuttle5472]

The real value is in the stories they left behind. Thank you for preserving and sharing that history.

[@herculesdupreez1899]

Your town reminds me of my home town Kimberley in South Africa, which was also a mining town with a lot of history of the diamond rush. Proper content 👌🇿🇦

[@GhostTownLiving]

Thank you! I'll have to check out that town.

[@herculesdupreez1899]

I can see Cerro Gordo looking like Kimberly's Big Hole Old Town one day 😁👌

[@jeandrepeach]

A significant part of South African history was defined around mining towns which in their early days very much would have resembled Cerro Gordo. The South African equivalent of Belshaw started wars and moved borders to get control of the mines he wanted. Johannesburg is the largest city in the world not located next to a navigable body of water because it started out as a gold mining town. Now it is a city of ~6 million people. The mines are of course also a large part of the reason behind the darker sides of our history, but for the same reason it contributed to the uplifting part of the South African story. In fact, Brent, you might want look into Gold Reef City. It's an amusement park built around (and partially in) an old gold mine, styled to mimic the period of the Witwatersrand gold rush. While of course not the same as what you're doing up there in California, it might give some ideas as to the possibilities. I've always thought of it (and Cullinan, another diamond mining town like Kimberley) while watching your videos. With at least some of the miners at Cerro Gordo being immigrants from Europe, and with the period of the first silver rush coinciding with the diamond rush in Kimberley and the gold rush in Pilgrim's Rest, it's not impossible that at least some souls stood at some harbour, deciding between 2 ships heading to 2 different opportunities to seek their fortunes they'd heard about. History is intertwined in interesting and far reaching ways Interesting story, while Kimberley was beseiged by the armies of the Boer republics during the South African War, mining engineers built a cannon in the de Beers Mining Company workshop designed using only the manuals they had in the library.

[@herculesdupreez1899]

@Juandre Interesting, thanks for the info!

[@MrJest2]

Your note about how each component of the process represented entire lives of work is a perfect illustration about why "precious metals" are so "precious". Mining is *hard*, and a mind-boggling amount of work by literally thousands of people goes in to each little gold-plated pin on your computer chip, into the rings on your fingers, into the tiny flecks of glitter in your car's paint job. We divvy up the work into pure volume, and when it becomes untenable, the mine dies... which, of course, doesn't mean there isn't anything left. Usually there's lots of stuff left... but how many "lives" can it support is the question...

[@charliemanson4808]

I love learning about the history of these mines and your enthusiasm for the town is infectious. I've also just noticed I've been unsubscribed from you at some point...I didn't notice because you still pop up on my feed, I've corrected that now. Peace Charlie 🇬🇧

[@crazgirl80]

This was an amazing history lesson . It also brings home how much danger was involved in mining and for basically little income . Hats off to men that had it in them

[@ElementofKindness]

Uh oh. Brent is going to sway his concentration from restoring a mining town, to starting back up the Newtown mine! 😄

[@LordDragox412]

Nah, if he did, he's just sell his soul to K2 who are trying to build open pit mine in the area to dig for gold by pumping cyanide all over the place. That would be much easier and faster :P

[@GhostTownLiving]

Never, haha. This was just a fun experiment to understand the history here a bit better! No starting back up the mine in my future.

[@snowmodrc]

I live up in Bishop and love what you are doing down there! As an avid offroader, my family and I explore the Sierras and Whites year round, crossing paths with many interesting sights, always wondering the history, the why and the how of it all. You shed so much light on it all. These videos are priceless. Thank you for sharing your adventures with us! :) Hope to come visit one day when Im out exploring that way.

[@charlievammen3333]

I love seeing history come alive. Your enthusiasm and drive really add to the story.

[@libbyminchin3163]

I’m in the UK and can only dream of visiting. Stay safe. X

[@Yo_Hahn]

There are a lot of old mines in the UK too.

[@libbyminchin3163]

@@Yo_Hahn yes. I’ve been in a few.

[@semoneg2826]

Why dream..visit..its not impossible

[@spookje111]

When i first watched your videos i saw you learning about the mines and its surroundings, and now that i watched your video today i get the feeling that i am being educated by an experienced person. What a great journey this is. Thank you for all the updates and great to see all the volunteers getting behind you.

[@DNukinFutz]

One of your best videos! Awesome to see how history missed out on a lot of money.

[@thatscool1550]

wow wow wow. I do not even know where to start. first I have no idea that a ton was a lil pile!!!! i was thinking a huge dump truck full.. second. HOLY SHIT I AM SO EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THIS. third the history is my favorite part. so many times i have explored areas I should not have bc the history called to me. hopefully that makes sense to some. you are my people. THIS IS SO RAD!!!!!!!! love from Oregon

[@thatscool1550]

whoa... a chance to get a piece of Cerro Gordo. I just want a rock. LOL I would be honored to meet you and put my feet on the ground there. LOVE!!!

[@sherrywright4557]

How amazing to get beyond the leavings of a cool ghost town & artifacts. Now you're doing what they did. You're learning about mining by actually mining, by hand, hauling it out, assessing the value, seeing things through their eyes. Bravo Brent! Another spectacular journey you've shared with us. What an adventure! Blessings. 🙏❤️

[@wiretamer5710]

Subject to verification of course, this was hard core historic research, and first class educational material. Well done to all those involved. Perhaps in the future, you could repeat all of these experiements with another team of enthusiasts to verify your numbers. I sure there will be others willing to experience the process from start to finish.

[@datatravelleri]

I really hope he does. It's great that he did this but I'd love to see a larger sample size.

[@GhostTownLiving]

Agreed! I'd be down to repeat it a few times to make sure we're getting accurate and repeatable results. It could be historic!

[@leecoley4806]

The adventure could be part of the overall experience of staying and spending tourism dollars in your town..

[@Diobletoi]

I worked on drill roads there in the 90's, what an amazing place! I really enjoy your channel and I'm glad someone is keeping the town history going and sharing it with us.

[@amazingartifacts]

Just this episode would make an GREAT stand alone documentary better then 95% of big budget docs!! You’re one of the lucky few that truly found your passion & made it your life.. Your excitement, love & genuine curiosity discovering & documenting the history of Cerro Gordo is so evident & infectious!! Most people have no idea the amount of work & commitment that goes into Solo filming.. Not to mention the endless hours editing.. It truly looks like a big budget Discovery Channel production but it’s actually just 1 man with an obsession, a camera and a historic mine town!

[@zanpsimer7685]

Your enthusiasm for the history surrounding this industry is refreshing. In a boring world of cubicles, you fellows are much needed adventurers. Thanks for taking us along.

[@comewalklife]

This is so exciting! Brent, You’re literally sitting on a gold… silver mine 🤭 Love your videos, good luck with the refining! 🙏

[@GhostTownLiving]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@fairyGrandmother]

Hey! I was freaking out watching you guys go down that mine! There is no way EVER that I would do that! I hope you strike it rich! TFS Hugs!

[@mommymeryl08]

OMG I am obsessed! 💕 You are living my dream! Thank you so much for preserving this amazing history! Thank you for using your place in this world to preserve the stories of those who came before us! 🙏❤️

[@edsmachine93]

What an adventure!. You really set an example that the old timers didn't get it all. You used hard work, and a simple process to prove the fact there is alot of silver ore left. Great content. Thank you, EM.

[@thegit8698]

As someone who loves history this is one of my favourite channels

[@deej7930]

You're the real deal and an inspiration to adventurers everywhere. Love your enthusiasm and sense of wonder!

[@piperlynne1]

I hope you are having your blood lead levels checked every so often because working around lead or living in a town contaminated with lead or other heavy metals is a huge health concern. I live near a smelter which has historically polluted the ground of the town we live in and the children born here have lead tests every year to make sure their lead levels aren't too high. The smelter has pollution control now so most of the pollution is on the ground from years ago.

[@Peasant_in_a_tree]

Jason seems like the most genuine and positive guy ever! I wish more people where like him. This video was inspiring

[@garyzeitler8679]

Love this stuff , can taste and smell the dust and the history of this magic place. Living the dream Brent. Thank you.

[@tbaxmasbiz]

WOW. That is cool! I'm not into mining. I got claustrophobic just watching you down in that tunnel. Also I'm a water lover which conflicts with the desert environment. The history aspect of your channel is outstanding & satisfying. Congratulations on finding your life's mission. You are happily enjoying your discovery & sharing your bonanza with us.

[@jamesbell8861]

I'd love to win a coin !!! I'm so excited for this whole project that you have embraced. I am living my frontier fantasy vicariously through you. Awesome brother. If I wasn't so far away I'd LOVE LOVE LOVE to come and volunteer my services. Maybe one day ss part of a vacation I could come and "DIG IN" !!! ❤❤❤

[@vintagedustbunny]

This has been so amazing to see the history of where the best is at and how much they left behind. Good luck to you all on the prize.

[@fredreeves7652]

I still find it fascinating that Brent continues to explore his mines barehanded; I just pray that his shots are current for tetanus. As for me, I’m extremely protective of both my hands and feet due to their tenderness and susceptibility to injury.

[@bobbyb9907]

yeah i keep wondering if handeling all that lead is safe. I'd be wearing gloves but maybe he's doing all this on hard mode so he can appreciate the way things used to be done.

[@sharona6112]

Yes! I'm not an authority however..,.. they threw this all away! It's worth billions. The land contains not only mineral but HISTORICAL data ..... Someone decades ago..... ? 100 YEARS +......…....…......NOW Decided it was worthless! Great for ?.... Is he protected? Not just health wise.... He's wealthy! This was one of earths discarded valuable resources! Great? He must protect himself..

[@Inkyhead]

It’s genuinely hard to understand that with all of the question marks, full stops, capitalisation.

[@m.asquino7403]

I thought I was the only one who feels the same about the importance of hand pro

[@Zodliness]

@Ghost Town Living - The effort and enthusiasm you have poured into reviving Cerro Gordo, you deserve to not only find remnants of riches long forgotten, but amazing new claims that will transform your life and Cerro Gordo. You can no longer call it a ghost town. 👍🏻‍

[@earlyriser8998]

loved the silver hunt journey my father used to take us to Colorado gold mines every weekend in the summer. we would haul in the camper, as kids play in the ghost town, dad would go over the tailings pile, then some fishing before dinner. Quite a lot of fun. But we never did smelt the minerals dad collected that I know of...

[@20PINKluvr]

Aw he was hopeful that there was ore left behind.. some $$$$

[@lee-annawebb3516]

I love that we get to literally watch history being added and clearly adding some very important details that might never have been put into place 💜

[@kc8rbk73]

Your discussion about the history of the tramway I identify with a lot. I do a lot of exploring railroad and other industrial infrastructure and think similar thoughts. All the long hours, blood and sweat people poured into those places throughout their lives. Lives that are barely a memory now in most instances. Even with roads and such I'll have those thoughts at times. Where did all the ingredients come from and how did they get there. Maybe I'm an overthinker but I feel like our appreciation for these things is a way of honoring people who came before us and made/make our lives possible.

[@oontgrad]

I remember from my childhood, camping out near old copper mines and we would burn those copper rocks and watch the fire change color, from green to blue to a strange orange... fun times. Love the video

[@Mersipher]

Love ya Brent and all you provide to us with positivity. Thank you!!!

[@susanalbone5101]

Absolutely fascinating and your joy and enthusiasm made me smile throughout the whole video. What an experience for you and all your friends who helped out, long may it continue. Take care, be safe. ❤️ Dorset, UK

[@jeffraia7068]

I remember when the channel started. You, the mine, and the filming were so different. You are a completely different guy. Crazy to watch that happen to you.

[@renezaldumbide6541]

Exiting video that gives us a living sample of de difficulties that the original miners encountered while breaking ground and extracting the mineral content of Cerro Gordo. Always entertaining!

[@gurgferguson292]

I was just at the Champion Spark Plug mine! On white mountain peak, a beautifully preserved mining camp and tunnels that drive into the sides of cliffs, it was epic! Couldn’t help be reminded of cerro gordo, the architecture is similar. Stayed for 4 days, the upper camp is a little sketchy, but was super cool none the less, found some cool crystals too, my favorite part was exploring the tunnels and cabins!

[@GhostTownLiving]

That's awesome. I'll have to check that out some day!

[@cherylsibson2529]

@@GhostTownLiving While it's all good to earn your way to a hotel, can't do much if your health is being impeded by lead or celiac problems later on in your life. Get a health check-up your are skinny as it is. People want you around.

[@Freshbrood]

@@GhostTownLiving I love your adventures and wish you well.. but what do you plan on doing with your wealth? This world could desperately use more philanthropy. Please don't accumulate just for the sake of accumulating. Pay it foward.

[@Leib33]

@@Freshbrood Seriously? Let's see YOUR financials to see how much YOU'RE paying forward. SMH at ppl who have to run other's lives.

[@alwayslernin4400]

@@Freshbrood we all need to live that way

[@NeverlandSystemAngel]

We LOVE that you're keeping this history alive and making new chapters in this town's history!

[@Handyman247llc]

Thank you for sharing your endless Journey from the past of your mine!

[@bluebunny1620]

That was amazing Brent .Was good of Jason to come and share that experience again of making silver. Amazing how much a ton looks like enjoyed this very much! how's your kitties doing and the rest of your family of babies? wondering if you have a garden growing or its probably to hot I know I'm loosing lots from the heat and Gophers!! I am looking forward to your next video about the motel update!!! That was very entertaining😊

[@cbailor1]

This is so cool man the fact that you live in a historic mining town and are the caretaker plus you also mine in the mines left behind is truly a dream of mine! keep the history protected and continue to show your love for this place its inspiring and I hope one day I'll be lucky enough to visit a place like this and meet wonderful people like yourself

[@EarlyRiser--]

Brent, your videos are fascinating, educational and a joy to watch. In my younger days hiking the Eastern Sierra, visiting Big Pine, Lone Pine and the White Mountains, I always ran out of time and never visited Cerro Gordo. Now I am older and disabled but your videos take me there! I love that you are part of History helping to recreate Cerro Gordo!

[@leekestner1554]

This is one of your best. I love it when you get enthused.

[@pamjacobson6236]

Thank you for sharing history, and your life there! I’ve always have been fascinated with any kind of ruins. I love your videos!

[@yeticusrex1661]

The disembodied, boney finger of Brent, shaking and pointing at so many things in every video, NEVER disappoints!

[@stevenbryant3055]

If you ever have the money to I’d gladly come out there to help rebuild the tramway, it honestly shouldn’t cost too much because there are enough stations left standing to get the design from and heavy D could possibly haul timber out there at least to town and smaller vehicles like atvs and side by sides can drag the Timbers out there, plus if it’s built sturdy enough and safety tested it could be used to bring visitors into town without their cars being there ruining the authentic feel of the town and it would provide a fun way in that many people back in the day definitely used

[@stevenbryant3055]

@TNerd context? Because as far as I’ve seen doing my 2 hours of research into ceqa there is nothing that would prevent the tramway from being rebuilt as it’s the restoration of an existing structure not a new construction

[@seanwalter1944]

I've been watching for a while now and must say it's been rad to follow along on your adventures! Thanks for keeping history alive! Hopefully you're able to get the hotel rebuilt sooner than later. Cheers to your progress and enthusiasm

[@gregphillips.1312]

Metallurgy has always excited me. I'm a machinist by trade but I'm now recovering key components for Power Stations by building up worn areas with machines and a MIG Welder!