I was asked to operate the bogger
and that was great fun. You control
it like a tank on tracks, with
hydraulic switch levers. The dirt
is dumped in the same barrel we
used to descend in the mine. This
drum is automatically hoisted and
in a semicircular end track emptied
in a truck. If full, the truck
transports the wash to the washing
installation. The capacity to
process the wash is incredibly much
higher than the manual operation of
not too long ago. With the help of
all that equipment, in one hour and
by one man, probably more earth is
moved and processed than formerly
in a week. But it cost quite a lot
diesel fuel to operate it all. And
it required an investment of about
100.000 dollars. The lease of a
claim is not that expensive, about
150 dollars a year, and must be
renewed yearly.
