The reality series gold rush follows various crews mining for gold placer deposits in the klondike region around Dawson City, Yukon, Canada and in Alaska, United states.
The series premiered in December 2012, on the discovery channel and has run for 12 seasons. Amassing an enormous fan base these types of series that feature a treasure hunt with suspense and the promise of an earthing and discovered riches have been very popular among viewers and gold rush has risen as one of the most watched series in the genre.
Besides the exciting content and the show’s premise the series cast members and their personalities have become an essential element of the series.
One of those character members is Tony Beets, who joined the series in the second season now fans are wondering about his business and the wealth he’s accumulated during his career.
The show’s cast has featured numerous members who’ve exited the show for personal reasons including some very prominent dredgers such as Todd Hoffman and Fred hurt.
The latest cast features Parker Schnabel, Chris Dumat, Rick Ness, Mitch Blasky, Brennan as well as Mike, Kevin, Monica and Minnie beets.
Tony is a gold rush miner who gained fame from appearing in Gold Rush and at spin-off series such as Gold Rush South America and Gold Rush Dirt, in addition Tony is the owner of Paradise Hills.
Early life
He was born on the 15th of December 1959, in Netherlands, to parents Klaus and Magna Beets.
Tony spent most of his childhood and formative years in the small town of Burgwerd, an area known for farming and agriculture.
His family bought a farm where they all worked, and Tony eventually began helping out his parents. In 1974, his father Klaus suffered an injury in an accident rendering him disabled which meant that he could no longer work on the farm.
The 15-year-old Tony had to take over the farm and supervise men much older than him, while most people would be disheartened and desperate in this type of situation; Tony saw it as a future defining moment that turned him into the person he is today.
Additionally, he had to develop a new set of skills and build his work ethic to support his family and continue his father’s legacy.
Unfortunately, nothing is known about his educational qualification, but his practical skills are evident.
Later Tony married his childhood friend Minnie when he was in his mid-20s with whom he subsequently welcomed five children. Seeking better options and prospects Tony and his wife relocated to Canada in 1980 and settled in an area near Salmon Arm, British Columbia.
Where he found employment on a dairy farm however, after struggling to make ends meet Tony switched professions and began working as a construction worker, displaying his enviable work ethic and determination.
He quickly moved out the ladder and was promoted to a foreman, while on construction sites Tony learned how to use machinery which would later serve him well. As he began working as a machine operator for a company that handled oil pipelines.
in addition, his wife worked various jobs in the retail healthcare and food industries to further support the family during this period.
Gold Mining Ventures
Tony soon heard stories about a gold rush in Yukon, where reportedly people could earn up to one thousand dollars per week mining gold.
Acting on the information provided by his friends he decided to risk it all and purchased a ticket to the town of White Horse in Yukon, even though the mining season hadn’t started yet so he returned to his usual job at the oil company and waited for the season to commence. He then sold all the equipment he owned and invested the money into his new job idea.
In 1984 Tony and Minnie relocated to Dawson city after Tony received a call from a gold mining company; however, given that Tony is a natural born leader as he was called by media outlets. He didn’t spend much time working for others and in 1994 founded his own gold mining company.
He eventually bought Tamarack mines and Paradise Hills however his journey posed various obstacles and called for sacrifice and hard work.
Tony said gold mining is a hands-on operation if you’re not out there every day it’s not going to happen given that the mining season lasted only seven months. Tony and his crew pulled 12-to-14-hour days. Performing in extreme weather conditions and under a lot of pressure.
He also talked about the dangers and volatility of this profession, saying that every season is different, and nothing can guarantee success and a big haul. In addition, he has to manage the finances, hire a very skilled crew and invest his previous earnings into the new season which can go one way or the other.
Luckily for tony most of his family is invested and involved in the business. His wife does bookkeeping and helps with managing finances. If you’ve ever watched the show, you’ll know that there were some instances where they argued about budgeting. As many as very careful and collected and avoids making impulsive investments that might go south.
Debut on Gold Rush
After making a name for himself in the mining industry. In 2011 discovery producers reached out to tony and asked him to join the series. His children Kevin, mike and Monica also appeared with him in the show as gold mining is their family affair.
Initially the show’s first season was entitled gold rush, Alaska changed to gold rush in the second season as producers began filming the series in other areas besides Alaska.
Net worth
According to sources as of 2022, Tony’s net worth is estimated at 15 million dollars which he’s earned largely as a gold mining company owner and reality tv celebrity. Reportedly tony earns $25,000 per episode.
In 2020 tony and Minnie built a brand-new house on paradise hill. Tony is the richest miner in gold rush
In 2018 he and his crew dug over 3,600 ounces of gold in eureka creek worth over 4 million dollars even though it’s seasonal, mining is highly labour-intensive work that calls for physical readiness, top-notch equipment, and time management.
Everyone in the mining crew has to be on their a-game to prevent potential injuries and incidents. However, members generally maintain a professional attitude and invest 100% into the work.
Court Controversy
Given the type of job and time it consumes it’s not unheard of for crew to let off some steam and have some fun. Right however that isn’t done at the cost of the environment and that is something Tony had to learn the hard way.
In one of the show’s episodes a member of Tony’s crew, Mark Favron was shown pouring gasoline into a dredge pond after getting Tony’s approval, then they lit the gas and created a blaze, and the audience could see tony standing in front of it.
While it may have seemed like a great shot for the show this particular event landed Tony in hot water. Derived from court documents Tony and his team in the incident violated the Yukon Water Act for dumping the gasoline and then failing to report it.
As a leader Tony received the most criticism and scrutiny while mark also faced legal repercussions, mark pleaded guilty to the charges and paid $1,725 in fines for pouring the gasoline.
He later disclosed that it was his idea and that he did it because it was his last day on the job, after the court wrapped up mark said i did it so there was no reason to fight it.
However, Tony also faced legal consequences because as a team leader he should have said something and stopped the crew and as a result Tony and his company had to pay over $30,000 in fines.
