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Gold Rush: Mine Rescue with Freddy & Juan aired a new episode on July 11, 2025. The segment featured mining experts Juan and Freddy meeting with a struggling couple, Helen and Raul, who were on the verge of giving up on their mining career, due to the toll the business had taken on their finances. Freddy and Juan were determined to help the pair, but knew the task would not be easy.
After taking a look at the condition of their wash plant, Juan told Freddy:
"One thing's for sure, they're in a tight spot."
The Gold Rush: Mine Rescue with Freddy & Juan stars immediately pointed out that the wash plant "in itself" was an "issue." Nicknamed the "octopus," Helen and Raul's wash plant was unnecessarily loud and inefficient. While speaking to the cameras, Juan explained that their machine had an improper screening system, which prevented them from collecting the gold-bearing debris.
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The expert miners noticed several other issues, admitting that every aspect of the process needed to be redone. However, they were determined to help Helen and Raul become cash positive.
Gold Rush: Mine Rescue participant Raul seeks Juan and Freddy's expertise after making $3.4K worth of gold the previous year
Helen and Raul had been mining full-time on their land for over a year with no luck. After hitting rock bottom, the pair reached out to Gold Rush: Mine Rescue with Freddy & Juan experts, hoping to turn things around. While speaking to the professionals, Raul stated that the owner before them used to make almost two ounces worth of gold daily.
"He mentioned to me that the gold was really good here. Really, really good," he added.
Consequently, Raul purchased the property and hoped to make a fortune himself. However, things did not turn out the way he had wanted them to.
During a confessional, the Gold Rush: Mine Rescue with Freddy & Juan participant mentioned that mining was his "passion" and "love," something he wanted to turn into a family business. Originally from El Salvador, Raul relocated to Canada as a "second opportunity to start a life" and purchased a 700-acre property.
Knowing that people before him had found gold, Raul was hopeful about his chances, too. He tried his best to hit the jackpot. However, despite his efforts, he failed to meet his expectations. In a separate confessional, Helen mentioned that she and Raul were lost and having "constant breakdowns" over their losses.
"My situation at this moment is terrible," Raul admitted.
When Gold Rush: Mine Rescue with Freddy & Juan stars asked Raul how much gold he mined the previous year, he said that he found approximately 1.5 oz, which amounted to $3,450. Freddy and Juan noted that the couple's situation was "not good." Consequently, they asked to see their wash plant. Once they inspected the machine, the expert miners realized the problem lay in the wash plant itself.
The experts watched Raul feed dirt into a 10/6 foot hopper. A vibrating punch plate then screened out the material before the gold-bearing parts fell into the 10-foot-long sluices. After observing for a while, they noticed a "loose screen," which created a majority of their problems.
"The side tensioners aren't there. They're welded in," Juan explained.
While speaking to the cameras, Juan mentioned that Raul's wash plant was the "most ineffective" one he had seen. He noted that the material screened through the punch plate was "too big" and not properly classified. Juan added that they could not have "proper concentration without proper classification," meaning they were losing gold-bearing debris.
The professionals mentioned that they needed to work on "every aspect" of the process to truly help the struggling miners. However, before they could focus on fixing the wash plant, another problem emerged: a broken water pump.
Gold Rush: Mine Rescue with Freddy & Juan episodes can be streamed on Discovery+.
