Gold Rush star Parker Schnabel reveals his dating challenges in a new People Magazine interview ahead of Season 15. The 30-year-old mining expert mined gold worth over $13 million by age 24, yet struggles with a simple dating question. "They're like, 'What do you do?' I'm like, 'I don't know,'" Schnabel explained in interview.
His actual work involves managing Little Flake Mining, which partnered with Canadian firm Metallic Minerals in 2023, plus running multiple mining sites with heavy machinery and large crews.
The mining mogul, who took over his family's Big Nugget Mine as a teenager, now faces this communication barrier despite his professional success. His recent business expansion includes a new venture with his 69-year-old father, adding to his growing mining empire.
Gold Rush's Parker Schnabel says mining career makes dating hard
Parker Schnabel's recent dating experiences highlight a distinct gap between his professional success and personal interactions. His mining operation demands living in remote locations while managing complex extraction processes worth millions of dollars.
According to his interview, when potential dates ask about his work, he often responds with "I don't know." Schnabel explained the struggle stating,
"I try to explain it in a way that doesn't sound like Mad Max,".
Gold Rush star continued,
"It's hard to explain that without it sounding like some dystopian insane world. I'm in the woods and you're living in a bunker washing rocks, looking for little shiny rocks."
At age 30, Schnabel maintains clear priorities regarding his personal and professional life. His recent business expansion includes a new venture with his 69-year-old father. "My dad and I just started another business. He's living his best life," Schnabel revealed in interview.
Regarding family plans, he expressed specific intentions about timing.
"I do hope to have a family and a life outside of TV eventually. I do have a life outside of TV, but the show will end completely I think before I have kids, I would suspect."
The Gold Rush star directs extensive mining operations through his company, Little Flake Mining, handling equipment worth millions and coordinating large teams across multiple sites.
Schnabel's daily responsibilities include analyzing soil samples, directing heavy machinery operations, managing crew schedules, and making strategic decisions about mining locations. These technical aspects of his work, while crucial to his success, create communication barriers in social settings.
Dating history
Parker Schnabel's relationship history spans a brief period documented through the show. His notable relationship was with Ashley Youle, an Australian veterinarian who appeared in Gold Rush Season 7. They met in Australia in 2016. The relationship lasted two years before they parted ways.
Since then, media speculation linked him to Tyler Mahoney during Gold Rush: Parker's Trail's fourth season in 2020, and Brit Sheena Cowell in 2018 after an Instagram post, but neither connection was confirmed. Currently, Schnabel remains single while focusing on his mining enterprises.
Family mining legacy
Parker Schnabel's mining background traces back to his grandfather's influence. Gold Rush star’s grandfather started mining at age 65, running a small operation that extracted around 100 ounces of gold annually. In his interview, Schnabel shared,
"My grandpa was running basically a hobby gold mine. Most years they found a hundred ounces of gold. It was a money-losing venture for 20 years."
Meanwhile, his father Roger managed a construction company, creating a diverse business background in the family. The parents' approach to career choices proved significant.
"My dad ran a construction company and there was zero pressure to be involved in what you would consider the family business," Schnabel explained.
This freedom allowed him to develop his own path in the mining industry.
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Fans can catch the latest Gold Rush Season 15 episode on Discovery Channel.
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