Divers and helpers on dredges

[Geowizard]

Jim,

Yes, this only applies to State Domain.

Suction dredges smaller than 6 inches are not included here.

- Geowizard

[Geowizard]

Perception and Reality;

The prevailing perception is what is seen on "Reality" television. They don't show the Reality of the off season activities. Off season, miners are involved in a paper chase!

Yes, we are talking about Alaska Domain controlled and patented to the State of Alaska. Very little to NO mining takes place on Federal Domain in Alaska for the same reasons mining is restricted in the lower 48 on Federal Domain.

For clarity, I'm not speaking to "recreational mining". Recreational mining is an oxymoron. There is nothing recreational about mining. Mining by definition means the excavation of earth. Excavation is hard work. You don't have to spend very much time mining to realize there is extreme effort involved to recover sufficient GOLD to make the effort worth while.

For further clarity, because the member that asked the question about the COST of Divers (plural) and Helpers (also plural) that the question is probably NOT directed toward a recreational activity.

The member in question is working on old (already worked) ground in extreme north Alaska, near Taylor on the Kogarok River. This area and the task at hand has been covered over recent years on this forum. GOLD miners in the past (old timers) had to team up with others and obtain funding to mine in that region of Alaska. Before Alaska became a state, There was no federal or state law.

Today is different.

Stick around, there's more!

- Geowizard

[Jim_Alaska]

You will get no argument from me on the topic of "recreational mining". There is no such thing and for years I have been trying to get miners to STOP saying that what they do is recreational just because it is small or suction dredge mining. The mining law addresses "mining", it does not address "recreational mining". Therefore anyone classifying themselves as recreational are taking themselves out from under the protections provided by the mining law of 1872. This term has got miners in trouble with agencies down here already.

As far as the plurality that the OP spoke of, it could be and I understood it to be, not only a plurality of people, but also of operations. So, instead of multiple divers and helpers on one large operation, I understood it to be addressing mining operations (in general) and plural. For instance one could ask the question this way. "What is generally paid to divers and helpers", meaning different operations. Most commercial operations are heavy equipment operations and do not usually employ suction dredge people, which is where divers and helpers would enter the picture.

Thinking in this manner the OP wanted to know how much I pay these men, how much you pay these men and how much Dick pays, or any number of suction dredge mining operators in their respective operation.

[easy goer]

Exactly!! You nailed it.
Thanks
Easygoer

[Geowizard]

Help Wanted ads;

Advertising is a good marketing tool. Ask; "What is the cost of a Diver and Helper on a Dredge?"

Run a Help Wanted ad in the Anchorage Daily News or the Nome Nugget or... Craigslist.

You can expect to get hundreds of replies and with those replies you can establish the cost. Everyone has their price!

The price depends on factors like diver certification, direct work experience, etc. Helpers can be classified based on their experience and abilities,

Divers and helpers from all over the world read the Help Wanted ads!

- Geowizard

[Geowizard]

A Helper named Billy;

I entered into a lease with a miner and his helper named Billy...

Billy was a wide eyed 20 year old Macho Man with a Mossberg 12 Gauge Shot Gun and an attitude!

I had business to attend to in Arizona, I was away for a few days...

While away, I received an email asking if they could drink the Jack Daniels I had on the shelf.

Then, next day, I get an email with a photo attachment. Billy doing a selfie with a Black Bear he killed 100 feet from the Cabin. A dead Black Bear. No intention to preserve the meat or skin it for the pelt.

In Alaska, if you kill a Black Bear, you must either preserve the meat or skin it for the pelt. Troopers arrived shortly thereafter to investigate. Out of state hunter shooting Alaska wildlife.

Every season, a different "Macho Man" shows up. I inform everyone, Ophir is NOT a shooting gallery.

- Geowizard

[Geowizard]

A roll of Fifties;

I inform helpers that I carry a roll of Fifties. I hand them out for acts considered to be "over the top" in terms of personal performance.

Surprising the number of Fifties I dole out!

- Geowizard