The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted people all over the world. From the rising number of infections and subsequent deaths to the increasing amount of Americans who are now without jobs, there are many people who probably can’t think of a single positive thing to say about how this pandemic has effect their lives. There is one group, however, that has actually benefitted from the pandemic: the miners on the Discovery Channel series, Gold Rush. While the correlation between the pandemic and mining for gold may not be obvious, it’s there. Unlike lots of other industries, many people will be surprised to know that the pandemic has actually turned out to be a good thing for miners. Continue reading to learn how COVID-19 has helped the TV series Gold Rush.
What Is Gold Rush All About?
If you’re not familiar with the series Gold Rush, let’s get you up to speed. After all, the concept of mining for gold is something that many people think only exists in stories. However, Gold Rush is proof that searching for gold is a very real and lucrative opportunity. The series premiered 10 years ago and follows a group of miners primarily based on the Yukon. As the title suggests, the miners are in search of gold and are willing to put up with extremely harsh conditions to find it. Some of the men on the show are first generation miners while others are following in their family’s footsteps. Although the risk associated with mining can be very high, the reward can obviously be even higher.
Since its first season, the show has seen quite a few changes with the cast. While everyone who is currently on the show has been there since the first and second season, more than a dozen people have left. Additionally, three former cast members have passed away.
How The Pandemic Has Helped The Show
Shutdowns related to COVID-19 brought production across the entire entertainment industry to a screeching halt. For that reason, filming for season 11 of Gold Rush almost didn’t happen. On top of that, Canada closed its borders to Americans. This made it impossible for the American miners on the show to enter the country. Fortunately for the people involved in the show, everyone was eventually able to make up to Canada to film.
Despite the fact that the pandemic caused countless industries to notice a sharp decline in terms of revenue, things were the exact opposite in the gold industry. According to Looper, “gold prices reached an all-time high value of $1,902 per troy ounce on July 24th, 2020.” On top of that, gas prices declined which significantly lowered the cost of fueling the excavators the miners need to do their jobs.
That said, however, COVID hasn’t exactly been a saving grace for the miners. Prices may have gone up, but the pandemic delayed many people from starting mining season on time. When discussing mining during the pandemic, one of the show’s stars, Rick Ness, said “I mean, we were just as affected as everybody by COVID. I can only speak for myself personally, but I got a late start this year and it was a year that I really needed an early start….I had one goal in mind and that was redemption, and it would have been nice if everybody hadn’t been affected by COVID, and I’d had a full shot at it.”
The early stages of the pandemic proved to have a positive effect in the mining industry. However, that may not be the case as COVID continues to be a problem all over the world. As the pandemic persists with no end it sight, it will be interesting to see if the long term effects on mining end up being positive of negative.
What To Expect From Season 11 Of Gold Rush
Gold mining isn’t an easy job, and the cast of Gold Rush knows this first hand. On top of dealing with freezing weather, the job has lots of other hazards. Now that season 13 of the show is officially underway, viewers will get to watch how miners have learned to navigate their typical challenges on top of COVID-19. Gold prices may have been up, but that doesn’t mean that everyone on the show is going to have a great year.
Whether you’re new to the show or have been watching since season one, season 11 promises to bring the fun and adventure Gold Rush is known for. Not only will you be entertained, but you’ll probably learn some pretty cool things, too.
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