Twelve prospecting mistakes that stop you from finding gold - successful gold prospecting techniques
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- čas přidán 28. 11. 2019
- Finding gold is difficult enough because it’s rare. If you make mistakes in your prospecting, it will be a lot MORE difficult. If you want to do your best while prospecting, watch this video! In this video we are going to talk about twelve common prospecting mistakes and wrong attitudes that stop you from finding gold. I’ve got over 40 years experience finding gold, so let me help you to avoid these mistakes. Prospecting is a skill exactly like learning a trade. What you know makes a difference. It takes perseverance and effort, but anyone can learn if you put in the effort.
For those who want to learn more about Prospecting and finding gold check out my book, Fists full of Gold. It’s an encyclopedia of everything on the topic of prospecting. It’s available on Amazon. You can find it at (affiliate):
www.amazon.com/gp/product/098...
For even more information on prospecting, minerals, gems and other related information you can also check out my website at:
nevada-outback-gems.com/prospe... - Jak na to + styl
"EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A COPY OF CHRIS'S BOOK"FIST'S FULL OF GOLD, HE'S TRUELY HELPED ME FIND A FIST'S FULL OF GOLD LITERALLY 👍
Thanks for the kind words.
@@ChrisRalph67⁷⁶7777777777777777776777776677777677777777776777777777777⁷⁷⁷77⁷⁷⁷⁷⁷⁷⁷⁷⁷⁷⁷⁷⁷
I believe I that if it's meant it will happen. Now do you have any ideas for me
How much have you made over the years? Fairly curious
After three months watching CZcams videos on gold prospecting I have concluded.....You are the best channel for information coming from a educated, experienced and intelligent point of view.
The second channel to watch is Dan Hurd
And the only other channel I student needs is....Jeff Williams.
Excellent job Chris 👍
Thanks for the kind words.
@Prisoner Six: another good channel to check out is D’Arcy Cooper’s. He has whole seasons just showing his sampling on one to three claims where he really gets into how ancient channels, landslides and (if applicable) glaciers shape the modern valley you see today. I binged his whole channel in a few days and still feel like I need to go back and watch parts of it again, as he even does end-of-season cumulative and explanative episodes with detailed illustrations that can help a n00b immensely.
Good luck out there, I am just getting started doing heavy-duty research and am quite daunted but also have always had an interest in geology since taking it my first semester in college for a phy-sci elective. The only other class I felt was more important in everyday use was nutrition (which should be taught as mandatory curriculum in high school!!!). Cheers!
Great video Dont forget streams and rivers are alway changing paths and moving tons of rocks and dirt especially during storms, revealing areas of earth that has never been touched or prospected by anyone
Glad you enjoyed the video.
I'm
Dude, you are awesome! Love it how real you are about this whole deal! You’re a breath of fresh air , sir! Learning from you things I didn’t know, even with 20+years of experience(about half of yours) I’m learning something new from each video you make. Thank you, Ralph. Seriously. True Knowledge is very precious but when you give it out for FREE, it becomes priceless and invaluable and you sir, have and give it in spades!
Thanks for the kind words. I am glad you enjoyed the video.
I agree with this statement! Lol
Is it better for your Dragon in the middle of the river or closer to the banks looking for pockets of plaster on the lode
Is it good to move big boulders that are in the river for graduation for Gold a response back from you would be very helpful thank you John
And can you tell me what rivers that we can go dredge in I’m asking you because you sound very experience in this field
I have your book and love it. Also happened across Handbook For Prospectors, Von Bernewitz, circa 1943. It's cool to read about accepted methods used before MSHA, as well as other info. We don't realize how much easier, and likely to succeed because of the available tools at our disposal than they had. But they were pretty abvanced for their time. So much work went into those old publications. The glossary of terms with page refs is over 50 pages long.
Very cool! I have old mining and milling books also. So much is available on line too.
Hello chris,can you helpe figure out if there is a possible gold on streams here in my place..i will send some pictures to you..
Thank you for guiding us. You're too kind and spent a lot of time on this video to give us something honest and genuine.
My pleasure 😊
I am a part time prospector, and agree with what is being said here. A quick summary would be: know the land, go where gold has been found, explore, and test test test. There is no set rule of where you will find gold. Gold is where gold is. And even then, and with decades of experience, there are times where you will be wrong. There is a massive multitude of tools at your disposal so you can start prospecting an area days, weeks, or even months before you ever set a single boot on the ground. But the most important thing is to test continually. Even if you are in a high grade hot spot, keep testing. And keep everything.
When I first started prospecting I would dump the little bits of “fly poop” flour gold if there wasn’t a lot of it. I focused on the flakes and pickers. A friend of mine would collect everything. After a year of 2-3 days a week, 5-6 hours a day of panning and sluicing he had almost 2 ounces of just flour gold saved up. Since we invariably worked the same areas all I could think after that was “I dumped 2 ounces of gold out of my pans, on purpose.”
Figuring out where the gold is can be a head scratching experience.
Thank you Chris. Great reality check. I found illustrative examples very much more helpful to enable a context understanding. Going after that book too!
Thanks. Glad you enjoyed the video.
You are the best teacher in the world. Thank you! Greetings from Australia.
Thanks. I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Yes So much wisdom 🌺love listening to U🌼new sub✨from Australia too ✌🏼
Man, do I know my country! When I saw that shot from my home state - Western Australia and before I knew where it was, I thought to myself that it looked a lot like the eastern goldfields! And I was right. Most of my family, on both sides, come from the eastern and north eastern and Murchison goldfields, ( they moved around a lot! ) with my mother being born in Meekatharra and spent a lot of time in Mt Magnet and my father born in the now ghost town of Nannine.
After my grandmother died, my grandfather bought a small caravan and spent a lot of his time back in the gold fields, with his picks and shovels and trusty old dry blower, stopping and prospecting where ever he wanted to. As a young teenager, I thought he was just a cranky, anti-social old fart, but now that I'm closer to his age now and have lived in three state capitol cities and numerous provincial ones, the urge to just "go bush" and get away to the deafening silence of the outback is becoming too strong to resist in recent times. And win, lose or draw, doing a bit of prospecting along the way won't do me any harm either. It's hard, harsh country out there, but for some odd reason, it holds no fear for me. Just look for the little cloud of red dust from my dry blower!
Thanks for your very informative video.
It is beautiful country, one of these days I have to go back.
Thank you Mr Ralph for all of your experience put into this and other videos. Always to watch and learn from. Thank You.
Glad you enjoyed the video.
This is great advice. I used to walk all over the place and found nothing. Thanks to people like you, I don't do that anymore. I learned the hard way.
Glad to help, I have loads of videos and many more are coming.
Thankyou Chris, some excellent, straight talking advice. Cheers from Michael. Australia.
I spent six weeks in WA a few years back and someday I will return. I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Great solid realistic advice from an honest working prospector. This was like a tutorial from a professor drawing from vast experience and knowledge, excellent list of tips and clear explanation!
Thanks! Glad it was helpful!
Thank you Chris! It was a pleasure watching this video. You are very knowledgeable. Good video for beginners .
Glad you enjoyed the video.
Thank you for your information. Keep up the good work!
Thanks, will do! I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
On the gold shows - one of the main differences of the mainstream ones like gold rush vs real prospecting is that the studio pays for all the mining crew's fuel... which is their biggest cost and a huge subsidy.
On the bends - another thing I thought of when you were speaking is that you can't actually see many of the bends except the modern flow. There are countless cross channels and high bank deposits that were part of various gold bearing flows and ancient low pressure zones. So you could be standing on something that was a bend in river originally but now bears little resemblance to one. So just going to the obvious bend ignores where the bends may have been at one time.
Thanks for the video! My family is pulling lots of gold from a "played out river" where the "old timers got all the big stuff" according the many of the locals. Got the claim for almost nothing too when others let it lapse.
They pay the guys who own the operations too. Glad you enjoyed the video.
Thanks Chris for calling out the fakers! Frustrating how many people thing those yellow painted rocks with the top soil sticking to it is real gold.
Glad you enjoyed the video.
A lot of great pointers and knowledge .
😎👍
Enjoyed the video 👍
I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Wonderful show, Chris.... Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it!
You are honest , you deserve a lot of thanks
Thank for the kind words.
You have motivated my interest. Not very far from where I live is where gold was found in the Blue Ridge mountains (Georgia and North Carolina).
Obtaining the beginners gear is now what I need. Oddly, the folks looking for gold found copper, a tiny amount of silver, and all kinds of gem stones.
You can go to any creek in north Georgia and find small gannets and rubies, and what looked to be flakes of oxidized copper (green) with out even trying. I've done it with my camping mess kit and a garden trowel.
Now, I think I want to find some gold. I know several places where there just might be some too.
Additionally, I would imagine that the tailings in an old wash plant pond would be a place to find some nice gold chunks that wash out due to size. Sorry I'm just a bit excited and talk too much. ;-)
Sounds great, good luck to you in your efforts.
I just moved out here near Amicalola falls and man I’ve found some beautiful rivers and streams I want to check out. Don’t seem to be high traffic areas either. Hell, just looking around on my property I’ve found tons of quartzite.
Awesome information . Thank you!
Glad it was helpful! Good luck to you in your efforts.
Been saving this video for when I could sit and watch it straight through. 👍👍
I'm glad you enjoyed it. Hope you are staying dry.
@@ChrisRalphI'm trying to but I've had Basketball games everyday this week which mean the chores got to get done early even in the rain !!!!
Same.
Thankyou Chris for your wonderful vids Chris! The real nuggets of gold, I think, are your wisdom, truth , seemingly an altruistic person! I think of you as a very trustworthy college professor perhaps, or just a heck of a nice guy! Anyhow, you are very helpful., perhaps it isn’t the gold we all are seekingbut something non material such as knowledge?
Knowledge is power! Thanks for the very kind words. I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Thanks Chris ! Lots of Good Info, As Usual !
Glad to help
Great advice Ralph ! All excellent points ! Best concentration of gold on my desert claim is near the surface, like you said. Bedrock yields little, however, on occasion will find a nice nugget down there, which makes up for finer specimens near the top ! Also find an occasional picker on the surface ! Thanks for sharing ! Watching your subscriber list grow. Excellent ! 🤠
Thanks! Hope you are still planning to be at the Pomona GPAA show...
Yes, I plan to be there !
I wonder if maybe we can shoot a short bit of video together - perhaps one for your channel and one for mine? Nothing fancy, just a short chat.
That sounds good. I'm debating whether to do a video of the show. If not, we can at least do it as part of yours.
One of the best videos I seen in decades with useable information 😀👍🏜 I would watch it now and before you go out next time to dig.Im really guilty of #1 just getting more equipment to move more useless material thinking this time a hugh random hole will pay off..That's why when we drywash I do many often cleanouts to see if we are following a streak unless your stripping the entire thing.Thanks Chris 😀😀
I sometimes use a metal detector to follow a pay streak when drywashing - that's another way of doing it. I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
@@ChrisRalph I do have a 24k metal detector and it has that feature guess I should give it a try but our claim has alot of old miners boot tacks and tin, It could lead me to a stroonfield of junk to lol congrats on over 11k subs my friend 😀👍
Thankyou chris , for sharing your good helpfull information , on finding gold .
Glad you enjoyed it
Some good ideas, thanks Mr Ralph
I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Loved the vid ...thank you .
Do you have a prospecting group or club?
I'm part of a local prospecting club in Nevada, but I do not run or operate a club. I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Love this video, just started on the hunt for gold and Chris you saved me a lot of time and effort to be successful. Thank you very much
Glad to help, check out my other videos too, I am sure you will find them just as valuable. and I have more to come in the future.
@@ChrisRalph 99ü7m
@@ChrisRalph may can i asking you via email probably i can get ferdback from you, im just beginer, and dont have tools yet and didnt doing to search yet, thats why im not doing rush even im sure in our country we had alot, but i dont want get mess areas or doing spread without knowledge. so please on which link i can get advice from you even late feedback. regard Almas
@@almasseven5665 it’s my experience that you have to “pan” and “mine” these types of videos for nuggets of wisdom. You can’t really ask people to do the leg work for you, we all wanna see you succeed tho and we’re cheering for you. Heavy pans!
Excellent video Chris - need to be a Prospecting Detective, so true,. Thanks for the fantastic video as always...!
I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
im a telecommunications tech of 30yrs & nothing else existed. but after binge watching your vids for the last 4hrs ive now at least got a less than basic idea (lol) of geology, how to, what to & what not to.. great learning experience. i better get this book of yours as well. thankyou.
Glad you are enjoying the videos - I think you will like the book too.
Great stuff Chris, always enjoy and learn from you. I remember the day we met so long ago....
Thanks for the kind words on your recent video....
Hope you are staying dry, we are blanketed in snow.
I'll not be at the at the Phoenix GPAA show (I'll be on vacation with my wife elsewhere) so likely I wont see you until this summer, but stay in touch....
Thanks for the video Chris ...... My first nugget felt like holding a piece of lead (fishing type lead) like a lead sinker...... It's nice to hold a nice piece of gold....... I have a small (5) gram nugget that I always hold.... It simply just feels good ...... and it's my largest found ...... Keep it up .... You motivate me !
Let us know if you ever speak in the Arizona (Phoenix) area, I would love to go see you share experiences ....... I have read your book, I'm still reading Part III- Basic Geology for Prospectors .....
A five gram nugget is a very nice piece. Gold is actually denser than lead! Glad you enjoyed the video.
@@ChrisRalph The 5 gram nugget is from Rio Verde AZ and it's solid 20K no rocks or dirt and smooth like a baby's ass... it's rolled all it's life in water.....
Thank you for your heart felt honesty and good advice. Rudy
Thanks for the kind words, I appreciate your compliment.
Thanks for the info !
No problem!
Great video Chris! One prospecting strategy which is never really addressed is, how do you prospect where the dredges went through in the 1900's? Typically the bedrock is >10' below the creek bed, so it is not really an option to get down there. Also the fine gold was spread out as it escaped the dredge sluices as opposed to being in typical alluvial pockets. So any tips? An example is at Arapaho Bar, in Denver CO where two large dredges (Eleanor 1& 2) processed the entire area.
Its a very tough thing to do. It only works the dredges tossed out really big nuggets and specimen quartz in the trommel oversize. If you dont have that big stuff its almost impossible.
I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Starting to get into prospecting, this was a very useful video, got my basic tools, but need the knowledge to start hunting them lil nugs, haven’t found anything, yet. I think a detector would greatly help out in this Az dry wash area.
Its a skill you have to learn like a trade. Whether you are an electrician or a plumber or a prospector- its all about what you know.
what part of AZ you located? better have a portable AC for day and heater for night. temperature changed drastically fast. don't get lost and have plenty of water for dehydration. i live in glendale for 19 years. like Chris mentioned, study your geo area before hitting the stone wall.
Thanks much for giving us such great info.
One can never stop learning. Again, thank you educating us.
Ron
Thanks much and there is more to come!
Very much looking forward to more sharing of your knowledge.
Thanks much Chris.
Ron
$1500 an ounce 4 years ago and now look how high it is, and it's still going 🆙️
Yep, and it will continue to go up.
Hi Chris. Just got your book. Thank you for your hard work. Looking forward to getting a proper education. As for my detecting goes, I have become a master in finding every caliber of bullet know to man... you would think that I found battle fields in Southern California. The BLM areas that I prospect have way to much trash. I'm looking forward to relocating to the Sierra Nevada area. Again, thank you. Happy holidays. Daniel.
Oh the Sierra goldfields can be plenty trashy in places. Southern California has so many folks that trash seems everywhere. Good luck to you.
Aluminum foil
Motto: if your not 100% sure it's gold then 99% of the time it won't be!
Great video, but lm sure you could think of another 100+ tips to go with these.
I think the best advice is always do lots of test pans and research. Work out exactly where the gold is and the area you want to target before really getting stuck into the hard work.
Sampling is super important. I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
I’ve never prospected nor found a single flake of gold yet but I’m tickled to death to have found ur channel. I totally agree with ur logic and advice, thank you for sharing. I’m only interested in finding a small amount for my personal satisfaction and the sense of adventure. Thanks again
Best of luck to you and let the adventure begin!
Great video man. Glad I discovered this as I'am a 25 yr old hobby prospector from Sweden looking for any advice that's out there about gold prospecting. Good tips!
I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
First off look in areas where gold has been found before,
Yep, that a good one.
@@ChrisRalph still same province our country south east asia. they had mining gold but goverment closed view years ago, so till maximum around how many miles from that mining areas still cover contain Gold? thank
Met an old guy a couple months back, mid-late 2019, Old fella Pete. He was just leaving as I was walking to the stream, with us two being the only humans there. This guy had just finished digging 3 Oz in less than 2 hours, yes he showed me, yes I got a hard-on, yes I asked him for his location, no he didn't give it but he walked me in to the creek, told me "be a good idea to move this rock and dig over here boy", walked out with just over a gram in about 3 buckets dropped in the sluice before I was forced out, it was raining and getting heavy enough for the flow of the river to become a hazard and the rain drops were destroying my sluice's catching ability. A week later they discovered the largest/purist reef in NZ. Couple months before that the largest nugget ever found in NZ was dug up by mistake! It's still out there, in good quantities if you know where to look.
Yep. Its still out there to be found.
The book is great with more information than any other I've read thank you so much Mr Ralph
Thanks, much.
Wow super informative, super knowledgeable Thankyou for generously imparting your experience ❤
Glad it was helpful!
Those last year I have gotten more money from the lead and the aluminum cans that I found
I know that tune. I am soon going to do a video on cleaning and recycling the brass that I find.
Ha ha religious folk around here through coins in the river for good luck and yes it is good luck for me if I find them couse there wil be a barbeqeu free meet to eet found two hundred bucks worth in one spot
At my parents property I dredge in one spot where the fals bedrock is and the fisher men loose their weights when the lake is high and in winter the watter drops as far as 150 meters buckets ful of lead if I have a detector I
So in conclusion after 45 minutes: gold could be anywhere or it could be nowhere.
No, not even close. The conclusion (clearly mentioned in the video) is that finding gold is a skill like a trade and your success depends on what you know. If you know nothing and dont understand, then it might well seem random, but if you know what you are doing you can go right to it.
Jim Garrett did say, gold is where you find it. He is right. A glacier could have carried it, dropped it off, melted, & its there now. Ya?
Awesome video. Thank you. This is priceless info for a guy like me starting out in prospecting.
Glad you enjoyed it.
Thank you Sir! good stuff from you!
My pleasure! Thanks! Glad it was helpful!
You mean that you tube video showing nuggets everywhere on top of the stream bed wasn't reality?!?
Its as real as flying elephants with wings. I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
@@ChrisRalph
I did! Thanks!
Wait, you mean we can't find pounds of gold around our tomato plants with a $40 metal detector that nobody has ever heard of? Crap, so much for quitting my job :)
A $40 metal detector is fine when its just a stage prop and it doesn't need to work. I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
@@ChrisRalph
Lol.. You mean i can't take my harbour freight metal detector and find enough gold to quit my job and retire like MEL FISHER ?
😕
Lol ...
Glad i saved my change ..lol
Thank you for your honest advice. I found a lot of useful information in this. Good work.
Glad it was helpful!
Great job on your videos.
Glad you like them!
Great advice and knowledge thanks
Thank you! 😃 Glad you enjoyed the video.
Very clear, honest, interesting! Thank you :-)
Glad you enjoyed the video!
I have learned so much from this guy about all I need to know about prospecting. Im glad he doesn't keep his knowledge to himself. This is a very useful video here
Thanks. Glad to help.
great video. some really good prospecting info
I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Ty Chris very informative, practical, and valuable information. Keep em come’n. You r appreciated vm by many. God Bless…
Thanks, you too!
Very interesting and useful information.
Glad it was helpful!
Fantastic information in your video(s) Chris... BUT... your "Fists Full Of Gold" is really hard to beat, that is one really great book...!
Thanks for the kind words about the book. Glad you enjoyed the video.
I stole it from Dale ....Ha
I needed this reminder to help reset my whole attitude towards prospecting.
Very helpful indeed.
Thankyou from Melbourne, Australia. 💪😎🇭🇲
Glad it was helpful!
Very helpful video sir.thank you very much.
Glad it was helpful! - I've got a lot more videos also.
Great stuff
Glad you enjoyed it. 😉
Good info to learn 😊
Thanks.
Cheers Chris👍👍👍
Thanks!
Great infor clean honest straight up thank you..
Glad to help, and I do have plenty more videos on my channel and more in the pipeline coming soon.
i like the way u offer ur book ,and thanks for sharing
Glad you enjoy it!
Good job enjoyed that
Glad you enjoyed it.
By far and away the best prospecting channel out there, all fact no fluff.
Thanks for the kind words and I wish you the best of luck in your prospecting.
Great video! Im 17 years old, started about 3months ago and find prospecting very addictive. This is the first time in my life that i put that much time and effort into research. Last 2 times i went to a gold bearing area i had no luck, horrible luck but i cannot give up.
Good luck! Stay persistant, keep learning and you will find some nice gold. It takes time to learn.
Hi, it's Alvin.
I will keep trying here while in Missouri to learn the technievs you teach and I listen soend my spare time taking notes.
I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
happy new year chris ✌️
Happy new year!
Gonna check the book out. 👍
I think you may find it helpful.
Hi Chris. Thank you the many videos. I have learned a lot and hope I can do some of my own prospecting in the future, but only after proper research....thanks again!
I'm glad you enjoyed the videos.
@@ChrisRalph Thanks Chris! It is always fun to get likes from a pro prospector like yourself! Great stuff!
.
Great work
Glad you enjoyed the video.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge..
Great 10 tips.👍👍👍
Cheers Tony.👍🤓🍺⛏
I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Great video Cody!
Thanks Mr. Piss. But I am not Cody.
Thank you very much! Respect
Thanks. Glad it helped.
thanks sir i bought your book and would look forward to prospect
Glad it was helpful! - I've got a lot more videos also.
Thanks for the video Chris 🧈
Any time!
Glad I checked in!!!!
Finding gold is all about what you know.
very nice motivational video on prospecting cheers!
Glad you enjoyed it.
You are educating more geologists all across the globe by your informative and practical videos. These videos have a serious economic implications when it comes to mineral exploration.
I hope it will help you in your search.
@@ChrisRalph Thank you very much Chris. I would love to have your email address for some business interest, if all set in .
It's guys like you, did the work and dig deep recovery at best.. Keep on keeping on Brother. Hope to see you out there..
Thanks for the kind words. Lots more videos to come in the weeks ahead.
Very down to earth info. Lots of knowledge and lots of honesty in your info. Thank you. For all the work you do. I think sometimes I spend more time researching a place than gold panning. My biggest fear is finding myself intruding in someone else's claim.
Thanks for the kind words. I appreciate that! I think I'll do a video on avoiding trespassing
I find claims are well marked , and there not then how would we know yes , but he's advice is surely worth more than mine
Good video Chris and thanks for sharing! One of my biggest regrets was hammering the same old areas too long...should have put more time in searching surrounding fringe areas...prospecting for greener pastures.
Yep. Going to the same old places is a easy bad habit to fall into. I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
@@ChrisRalph I live in the bahamas.and wan to work doing that. How do I go about that?
Forgot to mention that I did buy your book. Lots of good info.
Awesome, thank you! I think you will like the book.
Thank you for confirming my suspicions about the gold painted rocks from one particular YT channel.
Yep.
I've been prospecting for 8 months. I've spent $500 on gear and I've found about $450 worth of gold.
Here's the kicker. I don't get out much so I reckon I've done alright so far.
You have done well. Congratulations!
Thank you so much that's a good video
Glad it was helpful!
I think the video was excellent very informative
I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
Fantastic!
Thanks.
great information for me since i do like to prospect as hobby in creek and river. those mistakes helped me distinguish what is and not real gold.
Glad it was helpful!
Enjoyed your talk. I bought a claim and are now learning about gems and gold, and am enjoying every minute of it . I have dug a shaft 3+ meters deep nothin g yet but I will.
I wish you the best of luck, but you should dig where you are getting some gold not a place where you are not getting any gold. And 3 meters is deep for a hand dug hole!
hello
How you making out on that hole bud
by far the best video
Glad that you enjoyed it.