Mining Minds

On this week's episode, Thomas Sutton sits down with Mining Minds and talks about his journey with cancer, wanting to become a doctor as a kid, and how mining eventually chose him. We discuss the importance of understanding the business side of mining, bonuses underground, a few shower stories, and Thomas' goals inside and outside the mining industry. Mining Minds would like to thank Thomas for st...

Singer, songwriter, miner... Alan Franklin sits down with Mining Minds to talk about his journey. Alan walks us through some of the good times and hard lessons learned as an underground miner. He shares how he came into writing music and is the first on Mining Minds to perform live in studio! From country to rap Alan can lay down some lyrics and shows both sides on this episode. Stay tuned after t...

On this week's episode we explore the mining journey of Kristi Ojala. Kristy describes the moments in her career that defined her and took her down the path that has allowed her to thrive in the mining industry. Kristy offers her advice to new miners and describes life in the mining industry for female miners, especially the females who are at the Face. Join us as we welcome Kristy to the show. Jo...

From the Department of Transportation, to mining and back. Joel McDermott joins us to talk about his journey and the things he's learned along the way, especially the impact that surveying has in mining. Joel details the reason why he started mining and what brought him back to the Department of Transportation. He also talks with us about being healthy and what kinds of activities he does outside...

Love what you do and do what you love, Kevin White does both as a blasting professional! He sits down with Mining Minds and talks about the technical side of blasting, how far we have come in the industry, and where the profession of blasting is heading. Kevin tells us how coloring eggs helped him sink roots in this Northern Nevada area and how his passion for work keeps him motivated. Join us in...

After the ore has been mined, its time to process it. Steve Martinez sits down with Mining Minds to explain what that looks like and how we get ore from this Northern Nevada area. Through his 30 years of experience, Steve had learned a thing or two, drops some knowledge on us, and talks about his journey. He also talks about his love for his children and reconnecting with his wife as an empty nest...

Health, wellness, and personal growth coach Natashia Dallin is back for another sit down with Mining Minds. This time Natashia educates us on aspects of physical fitness and the benefits that come with it. We also have a little fun as she coaches us at Mining Minds on some of our physical fitness goals. Whether understanding a workout or better understanding yourself, Natashia has a wealth of know...

Equipment operator and innovator Spencer Sutherland sits down with Mining Minds and talks about his time as a surface and underground miner. Spencer shares his experiences with operating equipment and brings a much-needed innovation to the mining industry. Personal Protective Equipment is a huge part of keeping miners safe and Spencer reveals how he plans to level up respirators in the industry! J...

What is customer service? As a miner, who is your customer and what type of service are you providing? We are all professionals in what we do but do we think about the customer we are serving and how that impacts the overall mining process? Mining Minds discusses customer service, the roles that we play in getting ounces out of the earth and the ways that we provide that service! Tune in, Brass in...

Being a young supervisor has its challenges, but Nate Dillon speaks beyond his years and discusses some of the strategies that has helped him and his team. Nate talks with Mining Minds about why he initially went into mining, his views on stress, and how he manages his work-life balance. Nate drops some knowledge on the platinum rule and treating people how they want to be treated. Tune in as Mini...

Brad Niman sits down with Mining Minds and talks about his journey from small town Northern Nevada to traveling the globe with the military. Brad discusses his time as a laboratory technician (lab rat) and his role as a warehouse supervisor. He explains his why behind staying healthy and passing that down to his boys. Mining Minds would like to welcome Brad Niman to the studio!     Miningmindsllc....

Just like prospectors before him, Chris Rodriguez takes his family and skills north to Alaska. Chris talks about moving from the mining focused work to the civil side of construction. He walks us through some of the decisions he and his family had to make when choosing to head north and discusses some of the opportunities that are ahead. Listen in as Mining Minds follows Chris through his next ven...

Open pit operator turned safety professional Annie McWilliams sits down to talk about her journey in mining and her new journey out of mining. Annie shares some stories about operating equipment, her passion for helping others, and her approach as a woman in the mining industry. As Annie steps away from the mining community to be closer to home, Mining Minds would like to wish her the best of luck...

Underground miner and shotcrete professional Sean Gallian sits down at the face to talk to Mining Minds. Sean explains some of the medical challenges that affect his work-life balance. He discusses the impact of passing down knowledge, the importance of seeing the bigger picture, and shares where he would like to develop in the future. Join Mining Minds as we welcome in Sean Gallian to the Studio....

Internationally Certified Life Coach Holly Gallian joins Mining Minds at the Face to talk about her mining journey and her mission to help others. She discusses peeling back that emotional onion and finding those "gold nuggets" that are inside us all. From managing projects to managing a mining schedule, Holly provides some coaching to Mining Minds and gets us to think about our why!     Contact H...

Back from action, 2nd Lieutenant, Jason James hits the studio to talk to us about his experiences in mining and his vision for Mining Minds. Jason is one of the knuckleheads behind the idea of Mining Minds and has been away serving his country. We took the opportunity to introduce Jason to the Mining Minds community and learn about the military man. Join us as we welcome Jason back to the face. Br...

Industrial Hygiene professional Melissa Anderson stops by to share her mining experiences and get some heat readings inside the studio. She talks about going from an engineer and into the industrial hygiene field, her mining journey in other countries and in other parts of the U.S. Tune in as we discuss different hazards miners face from an industrial hygiene standpoint and how Melissa helps miner...

From Nevada's desert mines to Alaska's frozen frontiers, miner Sam Delany has lived the grind, the laughs, and the life of underground mining. In this candid conversation, Sam shares how he broke into mining after years in welding and construction, the culture shock of moving north, and the realities of camp life on a 28/14 rotation. Packed with underground stories, raw safety lessons, and even a...

What does it take to go from controlling the skies to safeguarding the mines? In this powerful episode of Mining Minds, Jim Hoover shares his incredible journey from U.S. Navy air traffic controller to haul truck operator, safety leader, and federal MSHA inspector. Jim pulls no punches as he talks about shaping safety programs, challenging inspectors, and mentoring future leaders in the mining ind...

The Nevada mining landscape has changed forever. In this episode of Mining Minds, we dive back into the "rumor mill" to discuss the merger that created Nevada Gold Mines, the world's largest gold producer. From uncertainty at the face to leadership reshuffles, PTO changes, housing market impacts, and community skepticism, the guys break down what this merger really means for miners, families, and...

From the military to mechanics, from Reno to mine sites across Nevada, Brent Adams has built a career—and a life—on hard work and integrity. In this episode of Mining Minds , Brent opens up about his early days repairing heavy equipment, the lessons learned in the military, and how raising his hand for every challenge eventually led him into project management at Komatsu Mining . Beyond mining, he...

In this episode of Mining Minds , we sit down with Curtis Cadwell, a mining leader who has built a career on bridging cultures, driving innovation, and staying connected to the people at the face. From his beginnings as an accountant in New Mexico to managing global operations across Nevada, Australia, and now South Carolina, Curtis shares stories of lessons learned, challenges faced, and the impo...

From summer jobs in Beatty to becoming a seasoned underground electrician at Cortez, John Allsup has lived the mining life from every angle. In this episode of Mining Minds, John opens up about growing up in a mining family, chasing education, and finding his path through the trades. He recalls wild summer student jobs that would never fly under today's safety standards, the crash of Las Vegas con...

Transforming a workforce known for long shifts, fatigue, and tough conditions into one that thrives in health and wellness? In this inspiring episode of Mining Minds , health and wellness coach Natashia Dallin shares her journey from teaching science in rural Nevada to helping miners and their families change their lives. From her early exposure to mining in Alaska to coaching miners through shift...

From walking into Elko without a job to becoming the coordinator of a world-class mine rescue team, Tito Segovia's journey is one of drive, discipline, and passion for leadership. In this episode of Mining Minds , Tito opens up about his early beginnings in retail, breaking into mining, and how his competitive spirit and work ethic propelled him from the warehouse to emergency response. He shares...