In all operations, there needs to be a cohesiveness among technical disciplines. Marrying engineering and geology is no exception. Geologists and Engineers are often clumped together as “Technical Engineers” in the mining world. However, geologists bring their own, unique set of skills to the table which can be underutilized. This is not necessarily the fault of anyone person or team. Across the industry, both Engineers and Geologists can be used in different capacities, even within the same company. We would like to argue that no matter what commodity, company, or mine, there are THREE primary ways a geologist can assist in your operation. Geologists should be able to give Engineers;

1)            A high-level understanding of the layout of the orebody;

2)            An overview the various block models and the limitations of each

3)            Insight into how best to optimize the Ore Body.

As custodians of the orebody, geologists cannot and should not expect the other teams to consider these aspects of a site. Rather, we need to make it clear that other teams should come to us for these questions and considerations. We need to make sure we are “invited to the meeting” and “have a seat at the table” when decisions about the ore body are being made. There are many ways we are having these discussions at Kennecott (Bingham Canyon), but ultimately, knowing when to ask for help is beneficial for the success of the mine and the industry.

Speakers: Mackenzie Sorensen & Jennifer Baar

Mackenzie Sorensen has a BS in geology from the University of Georgia and an MS from UT Austin. She has worked in mining for 8 years, and has been with Rio Tinto Kennecott for 6 years.

Jennifer Baar received her BS in Geology from the University of Georgia and her MSc in Geology from Washington State University. She has been working in the mining industry for 12 years at both Underground and Open Pit Operations and has been with Rio Tinto at Bingham Canyon the last 4 years.

Sponsored by Rio Tinto, SME is proud to present "The Mining Mental Health Study: Vale's (brave) Journey into the Unknown." Despite increased awareness of mental health issues in the workplace, very little research of this kind has been undertaken in the mining industry. This webinar describes one mining company’s seminal journey toward understanding the mental health and wellbeing of its workforce in Ontario, Canada by way of a collaborative scientific effort that included corporate leaders, researchers, and unions. Mining Mental Health represents a first study of its kind to assess the mental health of a large and representative sample (N=2,224) of mining industry workers. Participants in this webinar will learn how the project came to fruition, hear the main findings from the study, and explore how research of this kind can help companies better understand their most important resource.