Klondike legend Tony Beets has officially upped the ante in his 2026 mining campaign, dropping a cool $1 million on a brand-new wash plant designed to double his production capacity. The arrival and successful integration of the new plant, dubbed Fine-A-Lot, marks a strategic pivot for the Beets family as they capitalize on soaring gold prices.

“Double trouble, double the gold,” Beets remarked as the new equipment arrived on-site. “The faster we can get this thing going, the better it is. With the way gold prices are, what an opportunity it is to make some money.”

A Tight Squeeze for “Fine-A-Lot”

The transition to a two-plant operation was not without its signature “Beets-style” engineering challenges. To get Fine-A-Lot operational, Tony and his crew had to navigate a logistical nightmare involving a massive water pipe that needed to reach the new plant.

The path was blocked by the family’s existing workhorse, Sluice-A-Lot. In a high-stakes maneuver, the crew used the older plant’s built-in hydraulic jacks to lift the entire multi-ton structure, allowing them to “snake” the new water line directly through the frame of Sluice-A-Lot.

The successful “bingo” moment allowed both plants to sit side-by-side, creating a symphony of industrial noise that Tony describes as “the sound of making money.”

The Golden Payout: $1.3 Million in One Week

The investment paid immediate dividends during the mid-season gold weigh. Despite Fine-A-Lot only running for a partial two-day stint, the combined haul from the Indian River cuts proved that Tony’s intuition remains sharp.

The weekly total of 382.12 ounces is worth over $1.3 million, effectively covering the cost of the new wash plant in a single week of production.

A Season Record in Sight

The massive weekly score has pushed the Beets family season total to 3,280 ounces. Remarkably, Tony reached this halfway mark using primarily just one plant, suggesting that the addition of Fine-A-Lot could propel the 2026 season into the record books.

When asked if the high totals meant it was time to raise the season goal, Tony’s wife, Minnie Beets, was quick to joke about the family’s habit of reinvesting. “Might have to up your goal for the year,” a crew member suggested. “Up my spending, too,” Tony countered with a laugh.

“Not bad for an old guy, huh?” Tony concluded, surveying the two plants sluicing pay dirt in unison. With the equipment now fully synchronized, the Beets operation is primed for a dominant second half of the season.