Mining Minds

Latest Episodes:

#237- Intercollegiate Mining Games: Adam Arbizo Sep 18, 2026

Show notes

Mining Minds heads underground at the University of Arizona's San Xavier Mining Laboratory for Episode #237 with Adam Arbizo, a Marine Corps veteran, second-generation miner, and laboratory coordinator.

Raised in the mining community of Morenci, Arizona, Adam initially tried to build a life outside the industry. His journey took him through wildland firefighting, military service, and his first mining role with Hudbay before leading him to San Xavier, where he now helps students gain real-world experience underground.

Adam joins Mining Minds to discuss the transition from military service into mining, the importance of mentorship, the connection between traditional mining skills and emerging technology, and why the industry's commitment to safety was one of his biggest surprises. He also shares how families shape the next generation's perception of mining and why being willing to ask questions is essential to becoming a safer, stronger miner.

Recorded during the 48th Annual Intercollegiate Mining Games in Tucson, Arizona.

Episode Chapters

0:00 Safety Culture and the Underground Opening 2:05 Growing Up in Morenci 5:28 Wildland Firefighting and Rodeo Roots 8:15 Marine Corps Service and Discipline 11:35 Transitioning from the Military into Mining 17:40 Adam's First Mining Role with Hudbay 20:10 Mentorship and Building the San Xavier Mining Lab 23:00 Old-School Mining Meets New Technology 26:05 Leadership, Family, and Careers in Mining 33:00 Safety, Asking Questions, and Adam's Future

Episode #237 is proudly supported by Motor Mission Machine & Radiator and Safety First Training and Consulting.

Join Mining Minds as we spotlight the people, experiences, and opportunities shaping the future of our industry—the Voice Inside the Industry.

#236- A New Chapter- South Railroad Aug 31, 2026

Show notes

The South Railroad Project is entering a new chapter as Orla Mining becomes part of Equinox Gold. In this Mining Minds panel discussion, hosts we talk with the leaders responsible for carrying the project, its people, and its community relationships forward.

General Manager Don Dwyer, Community Relations Manager Jaymie Donovan, Mine Manager Steve Hough, HR Manager Lori Clarke, and Project Manager Brad Manning explain what the transition means at the site level. They discuss the added strength and operational depth of Equinox Gold, while emphasizing that the Nevada team and its commitment to advancing South Railroad safely and responsibly remain in place.

The panel explores workforce recruitment, leadership development, local hiring, culture, safety, environmental stewardship, community engagement, volunteerism, operational readiness, and the rare opportunity to help build a mine from the ground up. The conversation also looks at how early planning can create clear career paths and a workplace where technical excellence, character, collaboration, and accountability grow together.

This episode is a practical look at what changes during an ownership transition, what should remain consistent, and how a team prepares for the next phase of a major Nevada mining project.

Hosted by Mining Minds - The Voice Inside the Industry.

Podcast Chapters:

00:00 – Cold Open, Welcome and Meet the Panel Derek Grover and Dino Brunson introduce Episode #236 from the Equinox Gold office in Elko and meet the South Railroad leadership team.

07:00 – A New Chapter: Orla Mining and Equinox Gold Don Dwyer explains the combination of the two companies and how Equinox Gold brings added stability, experience and resources to South Railroad.

17:00 – Operational Strength and Clear Communication The panel discusses the additional operational depth available through Equinox Gold and how the team is communicating the transition to employees, applicants and external stakeholders.

25:00 – Contractors, Business Partners and Continuity The team addresses contract transitions, supplier uncertainty and the importance of selecting partners who align with the project's culture, safety expectations and community commitments.

29:00 – Operational Readiness, Safety and Stewardship Steve Hough explains equipment planning, operational readiness and the work underway to support permits, wildlife, water management and a smooth transition from construction into operations.

33:00 – Long-Term Growth, Jobs and Training The conversation explores South Railroad's exploration potential, future employment, local workforce development and partnerships with Great Basin College and NORCAT.

39:00 – Expectations for Contractors and New Employees The panel outlines what will be expected from the hundreds of contractors and employees joining the project, including accountability, collaboration, stop-work responsibility and respect for commitments.

45:00 – Mining Education and Community Trust Jaymie Donovan discusses engaging schools, introducing younger generations to modern mining and consistently showing up to build meaningful community relationships.

50:00 – Protecting Culture Through Rapid Growth The team explains its approach to onboarding, collaboration, coaching and leadership development as South Railroad grows from a small group into a workforce of approximately 275 employees.

1:02:00 – Volunteerism, Ownership and Building a Legacy The final conversation covers employee volunteerism, community mine tours, career pathways and the rare opportunity to build a greenfield mine that employees can proudly call their own.

#235- Intercollegiate Mining Games: Robbie Yordt Aug 21, 2026

Show notes

Recorded underground at the University of Arizona's San Javier Underground Mining Laboratory during the 48th Annual Intercollegiate Mining Games, this episode of Mining Minds features Robbie Yordt, a systems engineering student building a path into mining engineering.

Robbie grew up in San Diego with a love for the outdoors, Scouts and hands-on learning. He entered college interested in aerospace and mechanical engineering, but an invitation to an SME student meeting - and the welcoming mining community he found there - changed the direction of his education and career.

He shares what attracted him to mining, including the people, the scale of the work and the industry's commitment to safety. Robbie also explains his student-operations role at San Javier, his crushed-stone internship experience in Southern California and his upcoming underground engineering internship with Redpath at South32's Hermosa project.

IN THIS EPISODE

· How SME and MineXchange introduced Robbie to the mining industry

· Why exposure can matter more than experience for the next generation

· The importance of authentic mining outreach and storytelling

· Hands-on student learning inside the San Javier underground laboratory

· What systems engineering can contribute to mining operations and equipment

· Robbie's goals for a career built around good people, meaningful work and time outdoors

YouTube- https://youtu.be/qza7xFpIKNU

EPISODE SPONSORS

Safety First Training & Consulting - https://safetyfirstelko.com

Walsh Reclamation, Inc. - https://walshreclamationinc.com

Motor Mission Machine & Radiator - https://www.motormission.com

Learn more about Mining Minds and explore additional episodes at https://miningmindsllc.com.

Content advisory: This episode contains explicit language. Listener discretion is advised.

Chapter titles and short notes

00:00 Cold Open: Learning Through Failure

Robbie discusses making mistakes safely while gaining hands-on experience.

01:45 Meet Robbie Yordt

Meet the systems engineering student building his future in mining engineering.

03:09 San Diego Roots and the Outdoors

Robbie shares how Scouts, camping and outdoor leadership shaped his interests.

06:02 From Aerospace to Mining

An SME student meeting and MineXchange changed Robbie's career direction.

08:21 Mining's People, Scale and Safety

The camaraderie, equipment and safety culture that attracted Robbie to mining.

15:36 Reaching the Next Generation

Why students need accessible opportunities to explore mining at their own pace.

17:04 Marketing Mining Authentically

Using real people, images and stories to introduce mining without forcing the message.

23:25 Internships and the Hermosa Project

Robbie discusses crushed-stone operations and his upcoming Redpath internship.

25:54 Student Operations at San Javier

Hands-on learning, student access and underground projects at the laboratory.

31:26 Systems Engineering and Robbie's Future

Robbie explains systems engineering and shares his equipment interests and career goals.

#234- SOUTH32 Hermosa: Skylie Estep Aug 19, 2026

Show notes

In Episode #234 Mining Minds, sit down on location at South32 Hermosa with Skylie Estep, Human Resources Director, for a conversation about opportunity, family, workforce development, and building the next generation of mining professionals.

Skylie shares her journey from moving to Nevada as a young mother and starting as a temp at Goldstrike Underground to building a career in recruiting, human resources, and workforce development. She reflects on the influence of her father, the people who gave her an opportunity early in her career, and the risks and sacrifices that ultimately led her to South32 Hermosa.

The conversation dives into what it takes to build the workforce and culture of a greenfield mining project from the ground up. Skylie discusses Hermosa's commitment to developing a local workforce, partnerships with education and training programs, entry-level pathways into mining, and Centro, South32's remote operating center in Nogales designed to make mining careers accessible to a broader range of people.

From recruiting experienced miners to developing tomorrow's workforce, this episode offers an inside look at the people, planning, and community investment behind one of Arizona's most exciting mining projects.

A huge thank you to the South32 Hermosa Team for welcoming Mining Minds on site and giving us the opportunity to experience the project firsthand.

Sponsors:

· Walsh Reclamation

· Safety First Training and Consulting

· Motor Mission Machine and Radiator

YouTube- https://youtu.be/79Ljd45bnM0

Mining Minds — digging deeper into the people, culture, and stories that move the mining industry forward.

Chapter Notes:

00:00 — Creating New Pathways Into Mining

Skylie introduces Hermosa's vision for making mining careers more accessible.

02:30 — Growing Up in a Mining Family

Skylie shares her mining-family roots and why she never expected to join the industry.

05:00 — Starting at Goldstrike

A move to Nevada leads to her first mining job and the beginning of her career.

13:30 — Building a Career in Mining

Skylie moves from operational support into recruiting, HR, and workforce development.

22:00 — Developing Future Miners

She reflects on recruiting, internships, training programs, and watching people grow in the industry.

26:00 — Career, Family, and Sacrifice

Skylie discusses balancing motherhood, career growth, and her move to Arizona.

34:30 — Building South32 Hermosa

Skylie explains joining a greenfield project and helping build Hermosa's team and culture.

43:30 — The Future of Hermosa's Workforce

The discussion covers local hiring, Centro, education partnerships, and creating long-term community opportunity.

#233- SOUTH32 Hermosa: Project Management Team Aug 12, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Mining Minds, we sit down with the leadership team behind South32 Hermosa in Southern Arizona: Andy Thompson, Vice President of Project Delivery; Aaron Lamb, Project Director; Miguel Lamadrid, General Manager of Operations; and Joe Dase, Construction & Execution. The team takes us inside the realities of building a major underground mining project on an exceptionally tight footprint—from shaft sinking, concentrator construction, dewatering and water treatment to the project's "Bluetooth laydowns," an 11-day continuous headframe pour, and the logistics required to keep construction moving safely and efficiently.

The conversation goes beyond construction to explore the culture and long-term vision behind Hermosa: developing a local Santa Cruz County workforce, building a regional mining supply chain, supporting critical mineral production, and integrating autonomous equipment, remote operations, real-time data and AI into the mine of the future. At the center of it all is a clear leadership commitment: build the project without fatalities or life-changing injuries, create lasting opportunities for the community, and prove that advanced technology works best when it empowers the people doing the work.

The best mining stories are never just about the project. They're about the people building it.

Chapters:

00:00 South32 Hermosa: Building a Major Mine on a "Postage Stamp"

06:30 Inside the Hermosa Project: Shafts, Concentrator & Construction Progress

08:30 "Bluetooth Laydowns" — Solving Hermosa's Massive Logistics Challenge

10:30 Building the Right Team, Culture & Trust from Day One

15:00 The 11-Day Continuous Headframe Pour vs. Arizona Monsoon Season

17:00 50% Complete: Leadership, Humility & Executing a World-Class Project

21:00 Water Treatment, Dewatering & Investing in the Local Community

25:00 Critical Minerals: Zinc, Silver, Lead, Manganese, Copper & U.S. Security

39:30 The Future of Mining: Autonomous Equipment, Remote Operations & AI

49:00 No Fatalities, No Life-Changing Injuries — The Legacy Hermosa Wants to Build

#232- Intercollegiate Mining Games: Mia Crawford Aug 09, 2026

Show notes

In Episode #232, Mining Minds sits down with Mia Crawford at the University of Arizona's San Xavier Underground Mining Laboratory to explore the experiences shaping her future in mining.

Mia shares how her father's legacy inspired her to pursue mining engineering, the determination required to balance college with three jobs, and how hockey helped her develop the confidence and grit to succeed in a demanding industry.

Mia also takes listeners inside the Intercollegiate Mining Games, her internship experience with Capstone Copper, and her responsibilities as a student safety manager. Through honest conversations about leadership, mentorship, imposter syndrome, public misconceptions about mining, and her ambitious career goals, Mia represents a driven new generation ready to learn, lead, and carry the mining industry forward.

A BIG thank you to the University of Arizona's San Xavier Underground Mining Laboratory, Scott Shields and the entire University of Arizona mining school for the incredibly warm welcome and for making this episode possible.

We look forward to future opportunities to highlight our mining schools, celebrate emerging talent and help build the future of mining—one story at a time.

Watch on YouTube- https://youtu.be/sMa2QfYhL9I

Episode Sponsors:

Motor Mission Machine and Radiator

Safety First Training and Consulting

Walsh Exploration- Troy Hawkins

#MiningMinds #ThisIsMining #IntercollegiateMiningGames #WomenInMining #MiningEngineering #FutureOfMining #NextGenerationOfMining #MiningLeadership #MiningCareers #UniversityOfArizona

Podcast Chapters:

Opening- Mining, Responsibility and Everyday Minerals

01:00- Meet Mia Crawford

05:00- Mandarin, Hockey and an Unconventional Childhood

12:00- Turning Loss into Purpose

17:00- Three Jobs, College and High Expectations

23:00- The Intercollegiate Mining Games

25:00- Breaking into Mining at Capstone Copper

32:00- Hands-On Operations, Leadership and Mentorship

41:00- Big Goals, Imposter Syndrome and Personal Grit

59:00- Safety, Risk and the Next Generation

#231 — 40th Annual Elko Mine Expo Keynote Podcast Aug 04, 2026

Show notes

Episode #231 is LIVE — 40th Annual Elko Mine Expo Keynote Podcast

Mining Minds sat down with Amanda Hilton, President of the Nevada Mining Association; Don Dwyer, General Manager of Orla Mining's South Railroad Project; and Vern Goglio, Senior Manager at Cementation USA, for a conversation on the past, present, and future of Nevada Mining. From the evolution of safety and leadership to workforce development, women in mining, contractor partnerships, community trust, and what it will take for Nevada to remain a global mining leader, one message stood out: we can't just tell people mining has changed — we have to demonstrate it.

The industry continues to evolve because of the people willing to learn, lead, listen, and challenge the way things have always been done. Whether you work at the face, support operations, develop projects, educate the next generation, or serve our mining communities, we all have a role in shaping what comes next.

The past shaped us. The present is challenging us. The future is ours to build.

A special thank you to Motor Mission Machine & Radiator for sponsoring this keynote podcast and for continually supporting Mining Minds and the people who make this industry what it is.

#MiningMinds #ThisIsMining #ElkoMineExpo #NevadaMining #MiningIndustry #HumanElement #MiningLeadership #WorkforceDevelopment #FutureOfMining

YouTube Link- https://youtu.be/aD82l_5ODBU

Chapters:

04:25- From Disposable Labor to the Human Element

10:25- Leadership Is No Longer Just Technical Skill

19:15- Nevada Is #1—but the Future Depends on Workforce

25:10- What Changed for the Miner Starting Today?

31:25- Public Trust Starts Before the Mine Does

35:45- Mining Doesn't End at the Pit

40:00- Contractor + Owner: One Team, One Culture

43:35- Stop Letting Yesterday Define Modern Mining

52:15- Building Communities—and Advice That Lasts a Career

#230- South32 Hermosa: Pat Risner Jul 30, 2026

Show notes

From a Coal Mine Summer Job to Leading America's Next Critical Minerals Project

Pat Risner had no mining background, no family in the industry, and no plan to end up here. One summer underground changed everything. Now, as President of South32 Hermosa, he's building one of the most important zinc and manganese projects in the country — from the ground up.

In this episode, Pat joins Mining Minds to share his journey from Oklahoma to BHP's global operations, the leadership lessons he learned the hard way, why culture came before anything else at Hermosa, and how a smaller footprint, less water, and deep tribal partnership are redefining what a modern mine looks like.

🎧 New episode of Mining Minds — out now.

#MiningMinds #Hermosa #South32 #CriticalMinerals #Zinc #Manganese #MiningIndustry #Leadership #SafetyFirst #Sustainability #SupplyChain #Podcast

🎧 Full episode of Mining Minds is out now.

Episode Sponsors:

· Safety First Training and Consultin

· Heavy Metal Equipment & Rentals

· Motor Mission Machine and Radiator

#MiningMinds #Hermosa #South32 #CriticalMinerals #Zinc #Manganese #MiningIndustry #Leadership #SafetyFirst #Sustainability #SupplyChain #ArizonaMining

Chapters:

1. The "getting culture right" moment (cold open hook) — "The minute I went underground, I was kinda captivated, and the one thing I didn't wanna screw up here was to try to get the culture right... that's an opportunity we should not squander here." 0:00 – 0:12

2. First-generation miner origin story — "There's no mining in my family... I really didn't get exposed to it until college, and knew nothing. I went into it completely blind." Great "underdog to president" narrative hook. 6:06 – 6:17

3. On tribal engagement / social license (strong ESG angle) — "We started really early... engaging with up to 12 different tribes, build relationships, build trust... understand how we can modify and change the project." 15:20 – 16:08

4. Leadership without subject-matter expertise — "Leadership is not the same as being the one doing the work, and leadership is a different skill than the subject matter expertise that the people have doing the work." Excellent standalone leadership quote. 25:28 – 25:47

5. On approachability and trust — "You just learn as much as you can about every individual personally, help them learn more about you and who you are, and then you can start building some trust." 29:35 – 30:00

6. The safety "guarantee" philosophy (very quotable) — "We guarantee everyone goes home safe and well... 'guarantee' is a bit provocative in the mining industry." 40:57 – 41:17

7. Small footprint stat (great infographic/quote card) — "70 years of mining, we'll only disturb 750 acres... the big open pit mines are 10, 20, even as big as 40,000 acres." 46:55 – 47:30

8. 90% less water stat — "We'll use 90% less water... your typical base metal mines will use between 60 to 20 gallons of water for every pound of metal — we'll use 0.5." 47:25 – 47:50

9. National security / critical minerals angle (strong for policy-minded LinkedIn audience) — "97 plus percent of the battery grade manganese in the world comes from China... this is an opportunity to really reduce national security risk." 49:35 – 49:55

10. Zinc supply gap stat — "We see a four-million-ton gap between zinc supply and demand by the early 2030s. To put that into context, you'd have to develop three Hermosa's every year." 49:55 – 50:20

#229- Scott Shields Jul 24, 2026

Show notes

What does it mean to truly think like a miner?

In this episode of Mining Minds, we head underground to the University of Arizona's renowned San Xavier Underground Mining Laboratory for our first-ever underground podcast recording. Joining us is Scott Shields, General Manager of Sales for Komatsu Southwest, Strategic Advisor to the San Xavier Laboratory, and a fifth-generation Arizona miner whose career has taken him from the copper mines of Morenci to more than 150 mining operations across 24 countries.

Scott shares an incredible journey built on hard work, mentorship, humility, and a passion for developing the next generation of miners. From growing up in a family with deep mining roots to helping shape university programs, leading global mining initiatives, transforming supply chain operations, and returning to Komatsu, Scott offers valuable leadership lessons that apply far beyond mining.

Whether you're a student entering the industry, a seasoned miner, or someone passionate about leadership, this conversation is packed with stories, wisdom, and reminders that mining has always been—and always will be—about people.

Chapters:

02:00 – Recording Underground at the San Xavier Laboratory

06:00 – The Collegiate Mining Games & Future Mining Leaders

12:00 – Five Generations of Mining Heritage

19:00 – From Accounting to Mining Engineering

27:00 – Returning to University & Building a Legacy

38:00 – Leadership, Culture & Mentorship

42:00 – Global Mining, Komatsu & Lessons from Around the World

56:00 – Transforming Supply Chain at Nevada Gold Mines

01:05:00 – Preserving Mining Traditions Through the Collegiate Mining Games

01:14:00 – Returning Home, Family & Komatsu

01:19:00 – Building Memories, Family First & Final Reflections

#228- Allison Anderson Jul 15, 2026

Show notes

Great mining projects don't begin with equipment—they begin with trust.

In this episode of Mining Minds, we sit down with Allison Anderson, a highly respected external affairs and communications professional, to explore one of the most important—and often least understood—roles in modern mining. Allison shares her unconventional journey from journalism and public relations to becoming a trusted bridge between mining companies, government, and the communities they serve.

From advancing AngloGold Ashanti's North Bullfrog and Arthur projects to supporting workforce development, education, local partnerships, and long-term community investment, Allison provides an inside look at the work happening long before mining begins. She explains how meaningful communication, transparency, and genuine collaboration create lasting relationships—not only for a successful project, but for the future of communities like Beatty, Nevada.

This conversation is a reminder that while mining may produce the resources the world depends on, it's the people, partnerships, and trust built along the way that ultimately determine its success.

Special thanks to AngloGold Ashanti for opening its doors and giving Mining Minds the opportunity to highlight the people, partnerships, and purpose behind responsible mining.

To learn more about AngloGold Ashanti and stay up to date on their Nevada Projects, sign up for their e-newsletter by clicking the link. https://nevadaprojects.anglogoldashanti.com/newsletter/

Episode Sponsors:

Walsh Reclamation

Heavy Metal Equipment & Rentals

Safety First Training and Consulting

Episode Chapters:

01:05 Growing Up, Competition & Finding Her Path

05:02 From Journalism to Public Relations

09:14 Military Life, Family & Returning to Nevada

12:10 Discovering Mining Through the Nevada Mining Association

16:05 Building Communities with i-80 Gold

22:10 Authentic Communication Creates Trust

26:08 AngloGold Ashanti's Vision for Beatty's Future