'Gold Rush' Crews Rocked By COVID-19 Pandemic In New Teaser

Discovery

Parker Schnabel and the rest of the stars on "Gold Rush" are going to have their work cut out for them this season as they brace for the impact the COVID-19 pandemic is going to have on the mining industry. Along with Schnabel, veteran miners Tony Beets and Rick Ness return to try their hand at striking it rich up in the rich landscapes of Alaska. However, they may be in luck as an economic spike in commodities and precious metals, like gold, could lead to a very lucrative season.

Schnabel, Beets and Ness are going to have a challenge ahead as a press release from Discovery states that the global pandemic caused a delay in the mining season.

"Gold miners Parker Schnabel, Tony Beets and Rick Ness take massive gambles this season as they face the worst time crunch ever as the gold fields opened two months late because of COVID-19," the statement reads.

The crews are up for the time crunch, as they dealt with similar restrictions last year when their water contracts ran dry.

Along with the veteran prospectors, a newbie will be joining the bunch on the long-running Discovery reality show. However, he won't be competing alongside the other stars in Alaska.

"And joining GOLD RUSH this season is ex-special forces medic and greenhorn miner Fred Lewis who takes his destiny into his own hands as he strikes out with a band of out of work veterans in the hopes to hitting it big in the gold fields of Oregon."

It's unclear if Lewis will mingle with the rest of the "Gold Rush" stars.

It seems Parker Schnabel, who recently purchased a huge plot of land in Australia to continue his prospecting dreams, is focused on expanding his business outside of the Klondike.

"His goal is to bank enough gold to buy new ground and he’s determined not to let the COVID-19 pandemic slow him down," a release from Discovery reads.

It continues, "As soon as he can, Parker assembles his crew and doubles down – opening two enormous operations. This season, Parker will rely more than ever on his crew to keep his operation running while he heads out to prospect new ground in Alaska and beyond."

This season of "Gold Rush" offers another interesting point of view as the miners are considered "essential workers" and therefore allowed to continue prospecting for their treasures.

"This season of GOLD RUSH is unmatched. Gold miners are essential workers, and as the four gold miners and their crews battle the time crunch and elements in the hope of finding millions of dollars in gold during a global pandemic, one thing is certain. Once gold fever strikes, these crews will never give up," Discovery states.

The new season of "Gold Rush" premieres with a two-hour special Friday Oct. 23 at 8 PM on Discovery.