A perfect itemized breakdown of what it actually costs to legally claim US land and extract silver from it. Bureaucratic fees, gear, safety equipment, 8 road trips through California, a tow truck, 60 freeze-dried meals, and 180 hours of your life. • Total spent: $8,138.08 • Silver recovered: $500.00 • Net: -$7,638.08 "Premature celebratory six-pack" at $14 is doing a lot of heavy lifting here.