#232- Intercollegiate Mining Games: Mia Crawford
Mining Minds
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....
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#231 — 40th Annual Elko Mine Expo Keynote Podcast
Mining Minds
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...
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#230- South32 Hermosa: Pat Risner
Mining Minds
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...
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#229- Scott Shields
Mining Minds
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...
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#228- Allison Anderson
Mining Minds
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,...
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#227- Dave Spicer
Mining Minds
What if the future of mining isn’t just measured in ounces produced—but in the communities, habitats, and generations it leaves behind? In this episode of Mining Minds, we sit down with Dave Spicer—miner, rancher, entrepreneur, conservation advocate, and lifelong Beatty resident—for a thought-provoking conversations about the future. Dave’s story is deeply intertwined with the history of Beatty, Nevada, from growing up on a ranch and living off the land to building businesses, supporting mining projects, and dedicating decades of his life to ensuring his hometown has a future. What...
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#226- AngloGold Ashanti: The Next Shift
Mining Minds
The future of mining isn’t coming — it’s already clocked in. In this episode of Mining Minds, The Next Shift, Mining Minds sits down in Beatty, Nevada with a panel of young professionals from who are helping redefine the future of modern mining from the ground up. From geology and environmental planning to HR, communications, and project development, this conversation pulls back the curtain on what mining really looks like today — and what it will become tomorrow. The panel dives into the realities of building a world-class mining project, the responsibility that comes with...
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#225- Part 2: Hector Denogean
Mining Minds
Arizona Copper Country, Global Mining Projects, Leadership & Legacy Recorded at the historic in Oracle, Arizona, this episode marks Part 2 of ’s incredible mining journey. If you haven’t heard the beginning of Hector’s story, be sure to check out . In this powerful follow-up conversation, Hector shares how his career became more than just a mining story — it evolved into a legacy built underground, across borders, and through generations of miners. From helping support Resolution Copper and mentoring young miners at the San Xavier training mine, to working projects...
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#224- AngloGold Ashanti: Mary Koerner
Mining Minds
From Service to Safety, Building Trust, and Leading Forward In Episode #224 of the Mining Minds Podcast, we sit down with , Health, Safety & Security Manager at Nevada project, to explore what it truly means to build safety and culture from the ground up—at a stage where every decision carries weight. From growing up in a small Montana town to serving 12 years in the Army Reserves, Mary shares how her experiences have shaped her approach to leadership today. Her path through mining, manufacturing, and other industries has given her a unique perspective—one that blends...
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#223- Mike Hill
Mining Minds
Betting on Yourself, Breaking Cycles, and Building Something Bigger Recorded from the in Sonoita, Arizona, Mining Minds sits down with longtime friend and the Bald Mountain Bad Boy himself, , for a conversation filled with lasting lessons, career pivots, and the realities of rebuilding yourself both inside and outside the mining industry. Mike didn’t follow a clean path into mining—or out of it. He walked away from home in Colorado knowing he needed a reset, landed in Nevada chasing opportunity, and got thrown straight into the deep end of underground mining with zero experience...
info_outlineWhat does it feel like to hit one of the highest-grade nickel drill holes on the planet… and not even be on the drill pad when it happens?
In this long overdue episode, we sit down with Brian Goldner, Chief Exploration and Operations Officer at Talon Metals, for a front-row look at modern-day exploration, discovery, and the relentless pursuit of what’s hidden beneath the surface. Recorded in Duluth, Minnesota at the Better In Our Backyards Winter Dinner, this conversation dives deep into the science, the risk, and the reward of chasing critical minerals in today’s world.
Brian takes us from a kid in Minneapolis obsessed with rocks to leading one of the most exciting nickel discoveries in North America. We unpack the realities of exploration — a career built on being wrong, challenging assumptions daily, and pushing forward until something clicks. From helicopter-supported fieldwork in remote areas to building an in-house drilling operation during COVID, Brian shares how innovation, teamwork, and timing all play a role in success.
At the center of it all is Talon’s recent discovery — a drill hole so significant it ranks among the best globally across multiple metals. But this episode isn’t just about the win. It’s about the process, the failures that lead to breakthroughs, and the responsibility of developing resources the right way — for communities, for the environment, and for the future of domestic mining.
Episode Sponsors:
Safety First Training and Consulting
Motor Mission Machine and Radiator
Heavy Metal Equipment & Rentals
Chapters:
01:00 Welcome to Better In Our Back Yards & Talon Metals
04:12 From Physics to Geology
08:45 Discovering Economic Geology
12:00 How Nickel Deposits Actually Form
18:05 Helicopters, Remote Exploration & Field Life
24:00 Mentorship & Learning Under a Legend
28:00 Prospecting, Core & First Discoveries
35:10 Building an In-House Drilling Operation During COVID
44:10 Critical Minerals, Nickel & Global Demand
52:30 The Vault Discovery: A Career-Defining Moment
01:07:30 The Future of Mining, Technology & Exploration