The gold mining prodigy also opened up about his family aspirations — and whether he’d want his children to follow in his footsteps.

The Gold Rush star sat down with PEOPLE as the show heads into its 15th season to discuss the impact it has had on his life. At just 30 years old, Schnabel has spent half his life as a gold miner on television, and he jokes that he still doesn’t how to describe his job to people unfamiliar with mining.

Discovery Channel’s reality TV series Gold Rush has carved out a significant place in the realm of reality television, now entering its 15th season. The show follows the high-stakes lives of gold miners in the remote Yukon region of Canada,