Recorded at the 2025 American Exploration and Mining Association Annual Meeting, this Mining Minds episode features Walsh Reclamation Operations Manager Troy Hawkins. Troy shares his background as a ninth-generation miner and reflects on how his father—a self-described "tramp miner"—was his hero and shaped his values around respect, hard work, and character over credentials. He discusses growing up in a small mining town, leaving school early, and entering the mining industry alongside his family.

Troy reflects on his 23-year career at one operation, where he began as a haul truck driver and advanced through multiple operational and leadership roles. Once a rebellious young operator, he evolved into a people-focused leader who prioritizes morale, respect, and personal connection—building high-performing crews through trust and genuine care. Please help us welcome Troy Hawkins to The Face.

We would like to thank the American Exploration and Mining Association (AEMA) for hosting Mining Minds at the event and for their ongoing dedication to advancing and amplifying voices throughout the mining industry.

Episode Sponsors:

American Exploration and Mining

Safety First Training and Consulting

JSR Fleet Performance

Motor Mission Machine and Radiator

Episode Chapters:

05:05 Feral Mining-Town Childhood & How Kids Are Different Now

12:18 School Struggles, Sports Dreams, and Learning Outside the Classroom

33:34 "Your long hair will never make you successful" — proving them wrong

39:14 When leadership gets personal

47:22 How he builds trust

55:40 Hiring without the script: real interviews, real people

01:01:27 Marriage & support system

01:12:04 First Date at Carver's

01:16:20 Stepping into Walsh

01:22:54 Scaling Up with Trust

01:24:18 Why People Take a Pay Cut to Work for Good Leaders

01:33:10 Pucker Factor Stories

Join Mining Minds at the 2025 American Exploration and Mining Association (AEMA) Annual Meeting in Reno, Nevada, as we sit down with Milan Calendine, geoscientist and marketing manager. In this episode, we reflect on the success of the newly introduced Mining Marketing Summit, led by Milan and her outstanding team of marketing and industry experts.

Milan also shares her journey from environmental science to marketing, highlighting the critical role marketing plays in today's mining industry. The conversation expands to the importance of effective communication, personal branding, and community engagement, underscoring the need for mining companies to embrace innovative marketing strategies and leadership development. Please help us welcome Milan Calendine to the Face!

Thank you to the American Exploration and Mining Association (AEMA) for welcoming Mining Minds to the event and for continuing to support and elevate voices across the mining industry.

Sponsors:

American Exploration and Mining Association (AEMA)

Safety First Training and Consulting

Motor Mission Machine & Radiator

JSR Fleet Performance

Chapters:

03:21 Milan's Background and Upbringing

06:38 Growing Up in Tucson

13:25 College Journey and Challenges

19:32 Discovering Dyslexia and Overcoming Obstacles

27:11 Ego and Confidence in Leadership

32:23 Starting a Career in Environmental Science

35:52 First Impressions of the Mining Industry

39:32 Marketing and Geophysics

46:35 The PR Problem in Mining

58:26 The Importance of Marketing in Mining

01:00:39 Developing a Unified Marketing Message

01:05:32 The Mining Marketing Summit Vision

Sitting down with Mining Minds at the Utah Mining Association's 110th Annual Convention is Trevor Hall, co-founder and host of the Mining Stock Daily podcast. Trevor shares his journey of creating and growing his widely respected podcast—from early mornings dedicated to mining news to building a robust content network. He discusses the origins, challenges, and evolution of the venture, noting that recording and publishing mining news before the market opens became the core ethos of the podcast—one he has meticulously maintained for over eight years.

We also explore Trevor's background, the inspiration behind his work, and his insights into the commodities market. Listeners can expect a compelling look into the media business within the mining industry, the importance of consistency, and Trevor's vision for the future of the Clear Commodity Network—an umbrella platform for commodities-focused content. This episode highlights the dedication, passion, and strategic thinking required to produce meaningful content in a specialized market.

Thank you to the Utah Mining Association for welcoming us as part of your incredible event and for your continued support in amplifying the voices inside our industry.

Episode Sponsors:

Utah Mining Association

Safety First Training and Consulting

Episode Chapters:

02:41 Trevor's Background and Education

04:48 Discovering Mining

08:06 Starting the Mining Stock Daily Podcast

11:26 Building a Media Business

14:57 Collaborating and Expanding

22:21 Understanding Commodity Prices

22:27 Dynamic Content and Value Addition

22:49 Vision and Partnerships

25:11 Building Clear Commodity Network

28:08 Challenges and Future Plans