The long-running mining reality show “Gold Rush," where teams of miners face various obstacles as they dig for gold in the lesser-known regions, seems to have some real gems in its cast and crew. Fans were taken aback when they discovered a surprising side to cast member Klint Janulis.

Janulis, a new addition for Season 12 of "Gold Rush," is an Oxford-educated archeologist and an expert on the subject of paleoanthropology. His LinkedIn page says he is a lead instructor for the University of Colorado's Center For Cognitive Archeology.

Janulis also worked on several documentary series for different networks, including Channel 5's "10,000 BC." Prior to his academic career, he was a combat medic and survival instructor for the Army Special Forces, which prepared him for the harsh world of mining.