From the East to the West Coast, North America’s tunneling industry is flourishing. The annual Cutting Edge Conference examines the latest advances in tunneling technology, its methodology and how they can be harnessed to assist the nation’s major upcoming underground projects. You’ll find cutting edge perspectives on a range of topics, including meeting industry challenges, developments in materials technology, and methodologies in sustainability

Online Coffee Break - 9am on Wednesday November 5th Speaker – Dave Brokering - FMI's ventilation long course at CSM Recap recent work of the UVC Executive Committee Recap this year's NAMVS Recap townhall discussion conducted at this year's Symposium  Short introduction of candidates for UVC Executive Committee 

Mark your Calendar for our October Coffee Break!

SME Virtual Section members are invited to learn more about permitting support that BC provided for Perpetua Resources’ Stibnite Mine from Meggy Gidula, Mining Market Sector Director, Brown and Caldwell DATE: Wednesday, November 5, 2025 TIME: 2:00-3:00 pm Arizona time; 3:00-4:00 pm mountain time; 5:00-6:00pm eastern time (virtual meeting) TITLE:  "Permitting Pathways: Building Alignment Across Agencies and Communities” SPEAKER:  Jessica Joyner, National Permitting Specialty Leader, Brown and Caldwell REGISTER NOW to secure your spot and receive your Zoom link

Hi Northern California SME Section, Please join us for a long overdue Section meeting via Microsoft Teams. Wednesday, November 5th, at 4pm PT. We strongly encourage and welcome Northern California SME Section members to attend, as there are some important items for cover.   We have arranged for a guest speaker in Sky King to speak about his great grandfather’s Alaska-Yukon bucket-line dredge building and transportation business of the early 1900s.     Key business items to address:  Stepping down of President  (Mark) Treasurer report (Tyler) Scholarship announcement (Andy/Ed) Mineral-X (Chris) Upcoming survey of active members (Ed) Newsletter (Ed) Guest Speaker (Sky King) Any questions, please reach out to: Ed McCarthy - perfmin17@gmail.com  or Chris Johnson - cjohnson@ugmsolutions.com

Application deadline is October 7, 2025. To be a successful mine safety and health professional, you must possess a wealth of professional knowledge and experience to effectively perform your duties and keep others safe. The Certified Mine Safety Professional (CMSP) credential indicates to your peers and prospective employers that you have the experience, knowledge of domestic and international best practices and that you are dedicated to elevating safety and health standards on the job.

The 21st century has seen a transformative shift in global economic, technological, and security priorities, with critical minerals playing a foundational role in these developments. These minerals are the backbone of modern technologies, renewable energy systems, national defense, and economic growth. Critical minerals are often found in geologically complex and/or remote locations, posing significant technical and economic challenges. Investment in advanced exploration techniques, such as geophysical surveys, remote sensing, and data analytics, is vital to identifying new resources and optimizing extraction. Equally important is the ability to identify at early stages of their exploration, those critical mineral prospects exhibiting the potential to become top-tier mineral resources. Early identification shall guide further detailed exploration efforts towards highly ranked prospects where resources shall be dedicated for timely and cost-effective critical mineral resources discovery. A novel AI-driven critical minerals target ranking model shall serve as a valuable technological tool in aiding government agencies such as USGS, mineral exploration companies and geoscience researchers rank the various critical minerals prosects into their potential to be developed into mineral resources using basic geological and economic data. The benefits of using this mineral exploration target ranking model includes identifying areas with high potential for mineralization, guiding exploration efforts and reducing the need for extensive drilling in less promising locations. The use of this model can significantly reduce costs by optimizing the exploration process, minimizing the need for costly drilling and other on-site activities. By focusing exploration efforts on the most promising areas, the model can help minimize environmental impact and promote more sustainable mineral exploration and mining practices. The model also enables faster and more informed decision-making, hence guiding an efficient mineral exploration strategy.

All are welcome to the SME Midweek Member Mixers (MMM), a virtual networking event. We’re excited to announce the 2025 event series and invite you to join us.  What’s New for 2025? The MMM will now be held every-other month. Register once for the entire year and you’ll have access to all the events in the series.  Event Details When: The second Wednesday of every other month at 9:00 AM Mountain Time (US & Canada) Dates: November 12

Extraction 2025 Meeting & Exhibition and 12th International Copper Conference. A great opportunity to gather with the global extractive metallurgy community for several days of networking and learning on a broad range of topics at the Extraction 2025 Meeting & Exhibition (Extraction 2025).

This is a 3-part series that discusses radiation and the general population. The purpose of the entire series is to inform and introduce you to Nuclear Energy.  It is intended for interested people, both technical and non-technical, experienced or inexperienced.   The first section deals with radiation, starting with what it is made of, through where it can be found, to how one can develop one’s own exposure profile. This leads to Part 2, which provides details on protection from radiation.

In this section, we build on the information provided in Part 1. In this discussion, we will cover how one protects oneself from radiation. This includes common radiation sources, from items in your house to the food you eat. We’ll also discuss sources outside the house, and end with a general discussion as to what causes radiation.   In Part 3, we will take the above information and apply it to mining and processing of radioactive materials.

The SME Foundation is holding a golf tournament at Gold Canyon Golf Resort on Friday, November 21, 2025.

In this section we will take the material covered in Parts 1 and 2 and discuss radiation as it pertains to mining and processing. Initially we will investigate mining as a process to take a highly dispersed resource and turn it into useful material.   From there, we will branch into two areas. The first is the exposure potential to radiation during and after the mining of radioactive materials, and the steps that can be taken to control any exposure. The second is the potential to exposure in the processing of the resource into the finished product and controlling that exposure.   Further potential topics of discussion will be the usage of radioactive material to produce energy, and the how and why of the design of Nuclear Reactors to do that in a safe fashion.

As mining projects grow in scale and complexity, capital project owners face increasing pressure to deliver outcomes that are not only efficient—reducing cost and schedule issues—but also effective in aligning with broader business objectives. This presentation explores how mining organizations can enhance both project execution and strategic alignment through the integration of proven tools, delivery models, and collaborative practices.   Drawing on research from the Construction Industry Institute (CII) and real-world case studies, the session will highlight methodologies such as the Project Definition Rating Index (PDRI) for Mining, the Business Engineering Alignment Meeting (BEAM) framework, and Advanced Work Packaging (AWP). In addition, it will examine various project delivery models, contracting strategies, and assurance techniques that support successful owner/contractor collaboration.

Application deadline is November 5, 2025. To be a successful mine safety and health professional, you must possess a wealth of professional knowledge and experience to effectively perform your duties and keep others safe. The Certified Mine Safety Professional (CMSP) credential indicates to your peers and prospective employers that you have the experience, knowledge of domestic and international best practices and that you are dedicated to elevating safety and health standards on the job.

The 43rd Annual American Mining Hall of Fame Awards Banquet and Fundraiser, sponsored by the Mining and Minerals Education Foundation (MMEF), will be held Saturday, Dec. 6, at the Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa in Tucson. Each year, the MMEF honors a slate of individuals and companies who have made notable contributions to the advancement of the mining industry.

The SME Arizona Conference is the leading conference for regional collaboration and growth in the mining industry in the southwest, specifically Arizona. The conference focuses on the development, technology and innovations used in local area projects.

AEMA’s Annual Meeting and Exposition provides a dynamic platform for industry professionals, experts, and emerging leaders to collaborate, share new ideas, and build lasting connections. This conference fosters knowledge exchange, promotes innovation, and addresses key challenges within the mining life cycle through thought-provoking technical sessions, collaborative short courses, a sold-out trade show, and networking opportunities.

An intensive one-day conference where you can keep up on project updates, learn strategies for overcoming challenges, and discuss surrounding critical industry issues.

At MINEXCHANGE, you’re surrounded by people as excited and passionate about the mining industry as you. Join leaders from around the industry where you’ll learn the latest on today’s critical topics from innovation to responsible mining.

The annual award winning PDAC Convention in Toronto, Canada brings together 27,000 attendees from over 135 countries for its educational programming, networking events, business opportunities and fun.

The SME Minnesota Conference focuses on the developments, technology, trends, and innovations directly affecting the heart of the Iron Ore region. Featuring a wide variety of technical sessions and speakers combined with interactive networking opportunities, the SME Minnesota Conference is a professional event you will truly enjoy and remember.

The Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) is where energy professionals meet to exchange ideas and opinions to advance scientific and technical knowledge for offshore resources and environmental matters.  Founded in 1969, OTC’s flagship conference is held annually in Houston. OTC has expanded technically and globally with the Arctic Technology Conference, OTC Brasil, and OTC Asia. OTC ranks among the largest 100 trade shows held annually in the United States and is among the 50 largest meetings. OTC is a collaboration of *15 non-profit organizations that support the global energy sector. *15 non-profit organizations: 12 sponsoring, 1 regional sponsoring, and 2 endorsing organizations.

The North American Tunneling conference (NAT) is the premier biennial tunneling event for North America, bringing together the brightest, most resourceful and innovative minds in the tunneling and underground construction industry.

The SME Arizona Conference is the leading conference for regional collaboration and growth in the mining industry in the southwest, specifically Arizona. The conference focuses on the development, technology and innovations used in local area projects.

An intensive one-day conference where you can keep up on project updates, learn strategies for overcoming challenges, and discuss surrounding critical industry issues.

At MINEXCHANGE, you’re surrounded by people as excited and passionate about the mining industry as you. Join leaders from around the industry where you’ll learn the latest on today’s critical topics from innovation to responsible mining.

Every two years, industry leaders and practitioners from around the world gather at the Rapid Excavation and Tunneling Conference (RETC), the authoritative program for the tunneling profession, to learn about the most recent advances and breakthroughs in this unique field. This comprehensive conference helps practicing professionals keep up with the ever-changing and growing tunneling industry. Stay on top of new trends and technologies as well as innovative concepts, new equipment, materials, management, financing, and design challenges.

An intensive one-day conference where you can keep up on project updates, learn strategies for overcoming challenges, and discuss surrounding critical industry issues.

At MINEXCHANGE, you’re surrounded by people as excited and passionate about the mining industry as you. Join leaders from around the industry where you’ll learn the latest on today’s critical topics from innovation to responsible mining.