Episodes

  • #211- AEMA: Troy Hawkins
    Feb 14 2026

    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

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    1 hr and 47 mins
  • #210- AEMA: Milan Calendine
    Feb 10 2026

    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

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    1 hr and 42 mins
  • #209- Utah Mining Association: Trevor Hall
    Feb 7 2026

    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

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    43 mins
  • #208- Utah Mining Association: Kevin Neville
    Feb 5 2026

    In this episode of Mining Minds, we sit down with Kevin Neville at the Utah Mining Association Convention to unpack a raw, honest journey through underground hard rock mining, international contract work, and the realities of chasing success without losing yourself along the way. From his first awe-filled moments descending a shaft at Resolution Copper to managing the mental, physical, and emotional toll of long rotations in Mexico, Kevin shares what it truly means to grow up in the mining industry.

    Kevin talks about the value of hard work learned early in life, the power of mentors who shape careers underground, and the importance of recognizing burnout before it costs you more than a paycheck. We dive into mining culture, leadership lessons, work-life balance, and why underground mining still holds a special place in his heart—even after stepping into a new chapter outside the mine. Please help us welcome Kevin Neville to the Face!

    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:

    Safety First Training and Consulting

    JSR Fleet Performance

    Motor Mission Machine & Radiator

    Episode Chapters:

    02:56 High School and Early Adulthood

    07:00 Mission Experience in Argentina

    29:13 Learning from History and Leadership

    29:43 Gratitude and Mentorship in Mining

    31:16 Challenges and Misconceptions in Mining

    49:56 Venturing into International Mining

    01:00:57 Balancing Family and Work Life

    01:01:09 Reconnecting with Old Friends

    01:02:40 Career Transitions and Challenges

    01:05:55 Finding Fulfillment in a New Role

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    1 hr and 35 mins
  • #207- Safe Word
    Jan 30 2026

    Back at it again with the second episode of The Safe Word, where real conversations driven by you—the listeners—are unpacked by seasoned miners with decades of experience. This raw, unscripted discussion tackles some of the most debated—and often misunderstood—topics in mining safety, cutting through policy talk to focus on what actually matters at the face.

    The conversation begins with safety glasses, examining when they are truly necessary, where the line exists between compliance and over-policing, and how to balance company policy, MSHA standards, and real-world hazard awareness without losing credibility with the workforce.

    We then shift into a deeper discussion on whether all accidents are preventable, exploring the realities of the human element, external factors, and the role of safety professionals in influencing behavior without becoming "the safety cop."

    Finally, the episode takes a hard look at complacency—how routine, fatigue, confidence, and attitude can quietly erode situational awareness, and why addressing complacency requires awareness and leadership, not just additional rules.

    Chapters:

    01:31 Safety Glasses Debate

    18:03 Philosophical Safety Questions

    22:48 Understanding Risk Assessments

    23:58 The Importance of JSAs

    26:55 Learning from Experience

    30:44 Complacency vs. Confidence

    32:50 The Human Element in Safety

    40:57 Attitude and Work Ethic

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    48 mins
  • #206- Utah Mining Association: Lyndsey Wright
    Jan 28 2026

    In this thought-provoking episode, Mining Minds, sit down with Lyndsay Wright, Executive Director of the Women's Mining Coalition, for an honest, wide-ranging conversations. From growing up in Texas to working in real estate finance, navigating burnout, and ultimately finding purpose in mining advocacy, Lyndsay shares a career journey shaped by curiosity, resilience, mentorship, and authenticity.

    This episode goes far beyond job titles. Lyndsay opens up about mental health, work ethic, generational shifts, burnout, leadership styles, and why understanding people is just as critical as understanding numbers. The conversation dives deep into the realities of mining today — workforce challenges, permitting hurdles, advocacy in Washington, the loss of institutional knowledge, and the urgent need to tell mining's story in a way people can actually connect with. Please help us Welcome Lyndsey Wright to the Face!

    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.

    Women's Mining Coalition Fly-in Video

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veVuZBA76Q0

    Episode Sponsors:

    Utah Mining Association

    JSR Fleet Performance

    Motor Mission Machine & Radiator

    Chapters:

    08:25 Growing Up, Sports, and Early Identity

    15:00 Work Ethic, Mentorship, and Learning to Grind

    22:15 Corporate Refinement vs. Entrepreneurial Chaos

    31:46 Burnout, Mental Health, and Knowing When to Pivot

    39:57 Entering Mining: A Leap of Faith That Stuck

    47:31 Boots on the Ground: Why Operations Matter

    54:27 Discovering the Women's Mining Coalition

    58:05 Fly-Ins to DC: Telling Mining's Human Story

    01:06:20 The Missing Voice of Mining in Government

    01:17:06 Rebuilding and Reenergizing WMC

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    1 hr and 39 mins
  • #205- 2025 Glizzy Golf
    Dec 31 2025

    We close out 2025 with a special episode recorded live from the Glizzy Golf Tournament at the Elko Municipal Golf Course — a one-of-a-kind event that continues to bring the mining industry together in the most authentic way possible.

    This episode is a fast-paced, round-table style snapshot of the people who make mining what it is. From engineers, geotechnical and environmental professionals, surveyors, metallurgists, and processing leaders, to first-generation miners and seasoned veterans — Glizzy Golf is where backgrounds, disciplines, and companies collide on common ground.

    With over 60 participants and a growing mix of returning players and first-timers, this tournament has become a true reflection of the mining community — collaborative, competitive, welcoming, and built on shared respect.

    As we wrap up the final episode of 2025, this one stands as a testament to why Mining Minds exists: to tell the stories of the people behind the industry and highlight the connections that keep it moving forward.

    Thank you to everyone who joined us this year.
    Here's to 2026, more conversations, and another year of growing the Mining Minds community.

    Happy New Year — and stay safe.

    Chapters:

    1:33 – 7:42 James Macpherson & Josh Hayes

    7:46 – 20:43 Logan Connolly

    20:47 – 26:30 Justin Samardzic

    26:33 – 33:19 Jake Oakley

    33:23 – 39:49 Rolo Rodriguez

    39:53 – 57:35 Lauren Shyluk

    57:39 – 1:02:29 Vince Quintero

    1:02:33 – 1:13:21 Samantha McCleary

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    1 hr and 16 mins
  • #204- Safe Word
    Dec 17 2025

    Before the citations. Before the regulations. Before the arguments—there's people.

    In the first-ever Safe Word segment of Mining Minds, Grover sits down with longtime mentor, former MSHA inspector, and no-nonsense safety professional Jim Hoover to have the conversations most safety meetings never do. This episode strips away the myths, the fear, and the finger-pointing around mining safety and replaces them with something better: honesty, experience, and critical thinking.

    They break down what MSHA actually does (and doesn't do), why citations aren't cash grabs, and how perception, personality, and human judgment shape every inspection. From the difference between being compliant and being truly safe, to why asking why matters more than memorizing the 30 CFR, this episode is about understanding safety—not weaponizing it.

    You'll hear real stories from the pit and the inspector's side, hard lessons learned early in a career, and why building relationships—rather than hiding when inspectors show up—can make operations safer for everyone.

    Brass in—join the conversation and be a part of The Safe Word.

    Chapters:

    01:50 Why This Safety Conversation Started
    02:41 Opinion, Experience, and Inviting Disagreement
    07:52 Mining Safety Myths: Do Inspectors Get Paid for Citations?
    10:55 The Human Element of Inspections
    13:26 Understanding the 30 CFR and Asking "Why"
    17:48 Real-World Example
    22:34 Regional Differences and Interpretation of Standards
    29:05 Inspectors as a Resource, Not the Enemy
    35:32 Recognizing Good Work and Building Safety Culture

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    52 mins