What type of Miner are you, where are you currently mining and how long have you been mining?
I'm a hard rock miner. I've been mining for 15yrs now. I've done old conventional mining with timber raises and shafts to mechanized task mining.
I got into mining in 2006 when I was a r.v. mechanic and the market died out during the recession. I had a friend that offered me a job on a core drill rig. I don't want to admit it but I took the job haha, but 4 months later I started to learn a jackleg and face mining.
What's a misperception you think the general population has about mining or the biggest thing people should know that they don't know about it?
I think the publics misinterpretation on mining especially in Colorado where I'm from is that miners leave a nasty mess behind when we're finished. The industry has changed so much with reclamation and clean up in the last 50 years and we really don't want to do what they used to do.
If someone questioned if they would like mining, do you have any advice on questions they could ask themselves about their personality etc. that could help them have a better sense of if they should give it a try?
I don't think mining is for everyone, but one thing I can say is leave home at home and work at work. A miner spends a lot of time by themselves and if you don't have a good state of mind you will be you or your coworkers biggest enemy by the time shift ends!
If there was one thing you could change about the mining industry, what would it be?
One thing that I would like to change about mining is to get rid of career bosses! Miners understand mining and no matter what a computer says it doesn't break rock!
What is one fun fact?
Fact of life is: If it's not grown its mined! Mining is in every country, province, district, and just about every town. So we are here to stay!
