Recorded on-site at the 2025 Women in Mining National Conference in San Antonio, this episode brings authentic, unfiltered stories from two rising voices in the mining world—Margaret Hinton and Paige Courtney. With backgrounds as diverse as cotton farming and competitive athletics to engineering and financial investigations, Margaret and Paige dive into how they found purpose and passion in the mining industry.

Together, they share how mining became more than a career—it's a community. From their first experiences in tunnels and copper pits to working on a new Women in Mining chapter in the Midwest, they highlight the importance of visibility, storytelling, and educating the next generation. Whether it’s correcting outdated perceptions about the industry or advocating for reclamation and sustainability, their mission is clear: mining has a human face, and it's changing fast.

This episode is packed with humor, heart, and hard truths—plus, a few ghost stories, underground adventures, and a growing obsession with mining history (and a certain Leadville legend, Baby Doe Tabor).

And if you’re wondering what these women are up to after-hours? Head north to Area 31, a unique UTV park in Minocqua, Wisconsin, where the off-road spirit runs just as deep as their passion for mining.

Mining Minds Conference Sponsors:

Arnold Machinery

Gold west Fire

Episode Sponsors:

GBC-NORCAT MST

Liebherr Mining

Gold West Fire

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

01:42 Meet Margaret Hinton

06:28 Choosing a Geotech Firm over Selling Tacos

12:00 Meet Paige Courtney

18:17 Miners Figure it out

23:46 Meeting at the Association of Abandon Mine Land Programs

29:55 Ambitions of a Women in Mining Midwest Chapter

34:40 Uniquely positioned to tell Mining’s story

42:29 What the future miner looks like

48:36 Mining Book Club

Mining Minds is recording again from San Antionio for the Annual Women in Mining Conference—and in this powerful episode, we sit down with Jennie (Rice) Davis, a trailblazer whose mining journey redefines perseverance, grit, and growth.

Starting as a janitor at just 18, Jennie carved her way through the industry—hauling rock in 777s, navigating early-career adversity, and ultimately rising to become a respected Business Manager and Vice President of the Idaho Chapter of Women in Mining. Her story is proof that showing up, staying persistent, and saying “yes” to opportunity can transform not just a career, but a life.

Whether you're operating equipment or running numbers, Jennie’s story reminds us that the mining world is built on more than minerals—it’s built on people who never stop driving forward. Join Mining Minds as we Welcome Jennie Davis to the Face!

Sponsors:

Norcat-GBC MST

Liebherr Mining

Gold West Fire & Safety Services

Chapters:

00:00 Introducing Jennie Davis

06:39 The Beginning of Persistency

13:15 Saying yes when the moment finds you

23:54 Keep showing up & Being Authentic

30:10 Building the next generation miner

37:22 Empowering mining with finical insight

41:23 Proud career moments and event highlights

45:50 This isn’t your grandpa’s mining company anymore

In this heartfelt and humor-filled episode, Mining Minds sits down with the unforgettable Patti Haye — mother, grandmother, storyteller, and true pioneer of family life. At 87 years young, Patti takes us on a powerful journey through her life growing up post World War II, navigating early motherhood, and supporting a family through decades of cross-country moves, strikes, and the Alaskan wilderness.

With stories that span barefoot days in the Yakima Valley to raising children in harsh winters and small mining towns, Patti reminds us of what resilience looks like. She talks about building homes from scratch (literally and metaphorically), the challenges of living frugally, and the joys of doing it all with love.

From all of us at Mining Minds — Happy Mother’s Day!

To the women holding it down in work boots, office chairs, at home, or in the classrooms — this episode is for you. Thank you for the strength, love, and lessons you pass on every day.

Pour a cup of coffee (or scotch) and tune in for one of our most touching conversations yet.

Sponsors:

Heavy Metal Equipment & Rentals

GBC-NORCAT

Liebherr Mining

Chapters:

12:10 Young Love

21:29 Courtship, wedding bells, and a $5 dress

34:33 Haul Trucks and Maintaining

48:32 North to Alaska

1:05:32 Earthquakes and Endurance

1:17:11 Lower 48

1:26:39 Metaphysics

1:34:21 Early Childhood Development

1:39:11 Telling stories in the middle of it

Join Mining Minds on location at the Women in Mining 2025 National Conference in San Antonio, Texas, as we sit down with two dynamic women shaping the future of mining—Kimberly Myhre and Alexia Carver. Sponsoring the trip were Arnold Machinery and Gold West Fire and Safety, this special episode dives deep into the real-world experiences of women at different stages in their mining careers.

Kimberly, a chemical engineer with WSP and a passionate advocate for environmental responsibility in mining, shares how a catastrophic mine spill in her hometown sparked her career. She opens up about the cultural challenges she's faced on mine sites and why she remains committed to driving positive changes within the industry.

Alexia, a bright up-and-coming metallurgist and UNR student, brings the perspective of the next generation of miners. She talks candidly about breaking into the industry, the realities of being a woman in mining, and what it will take for companies to retain young, diverse talent.

From discussions on psychological safety and site culture, to tips for navigating mining as a young professional, this episode captures the passion, grit, and vision driving women in mining. Join Mining Minds as we sit down with Kimberly Myhre and Alexia Carver at the Women in Mining 2025 National Conference.

Sponsors:

Gold West Fire & Safety Services

Arnold Machinery

Liebherr Mining

GBC-NORCAT MST

Heavy Metal Equipment & Rentals

Chapters:

00:00 Introductions and special thanks

3:30 Kimberly Myhre

9:03 Mining with Purpose

10:45 Alexia Carver

16:11 The Culture for Young Women

28:04 Building Better Mining Cultures

40:49 Advice to Young Professionals

51:58 The Future of Mining

In this episode of Mining Minds, we sit down with JD Sundseth—owner of Mountain States Mine Development and Reclamation LLC. JD takes us on a candid journey through his life: from a small-town kid in Spring Creek, Nevada, to a tire-slinging high schooler at Les Schwab, to operating heavy equipment in remote mountain terrain.

He opens up about starting a family young, learning the ropes the hard way, and navigating the mining industry—from exploration and greenfield development to full-scale operations. JD shares stories from his wild first day at the mine site, why he never had to run a scraper, and what it really means to be a hands-on leader. Join Mining Minds as we Welcome JD Sundseth to the Face!

Sponsors:

Liebherr Mining

GBC-NORCAT MST

Heavy Metal Equipment & Rentals

Chapters:

9:08 Sweeping Floors to Service Trucks

19:19 Finding a path in mining

31:53 New Hire Week

42:11 Skipping Pay Grades

52:56 Advancing too fast

01:05:20 Gering up to run his own business

01:14:39 Skills learned in trades

01:20:09 Testing equipment operators’ skills

01:27:47 Waiting for opportunity

01:33:04 Growing the right way

Mining Minds is excited to announce our strategic partnership with Jerry Rynearson and JSR Fleet Performance. In this episode we discuss what the influence of mining looks like, we explore the critical importance of understanding operational material management and how past lessons can serve to educate the future of the mining industry. We discuss the concept of viewing production as an ecosystem, emphasizing the interconnectedness of all aspects of operations.

Throughout the episode, we delve into the value of this partnership, particularly in evaluating operations and maintenance functions, with a focus on cultivating the right culture and prioritizing the most important elements for success. We highlight the importance of consistency and how the right solutions can be found through a hands-on approach, with answers available at the face of operations.

Join Mining Minds and JSR Fleet Performance as we explore how this partnership is working to provide meaningful solutions to the industry, ensuring future success through a deeper understanding of operations and a commitment to positively being The Influence inside the Industry.

Sponsors:

Liebherr Mining

Motor Misson Machine and Radiator

Heavy Metal Equipment and Rentals

Chapters:

00:00 Into

4:33 Third Party Benefits

13:47 Production as an Eco System

20:14 Levels of Detail

26:20 Focusing on the right things

34:41 Industry Solutions

47:23 Consistency

53:48 Service Offerings

57:26 Answers at the Face!

Tony Morfin, Partner and CEO of Gold West Fire and Safety, sits down with Mining Minds to share his personal journey of hard work and resilience. A third-generation miner and proud Nevadan, Tony grew up surrounded by the mining industry, offering a firsthand perspective on what it’s like to grow up in a mining town. From the age of 13, when he started his first job, Tony’s work ethic was shaped by a commitment to hard work.

As a young adult, Tony reflects on his early mining experiences, the challenges he faced, and his competitive nature. His career path took him from construction in Las Vegas to eventually becoming a father, but the pressures of overworking and overindulging led to a heart attack at just 37 years old. Tony opens up about his battle with alcohol dependency and the turning point that set him on a healthier, more focused path.

Now, with a renewed focus on life’s priorities, Tony has embraced both mental and physical well-being, and these achievements have translated into his professional life. Armed with the wisdom gained from overcoming adversity and coupled with his work ethic, he leverages the resources available to him and stays committed to his forward-focused journey as he grows Gold West Fire and Safety. Join Mining Minds as we Welcome Tony Morfin to the Face!

Sponsors:

Liebherr Mining

Motor Mission Machine and Radiator

Heavy Metal Equipment & Rentals

Chapters:

00:00 Proud Nevada

11:34 Working at 13 years old

23:27 Early Mining Experience

33:33 Construction in Las Vegas

50:14 Overworking & Overindulging

1:07:44 The Breaking Point

1:22:45 New Business, New Path

1:37:36 Self Focus and Business Development

In this episode, Mining Minds sits down with Merlyn McGraw, a man whose life journey has been shaped by the hard work and values he learned growing up on a ranch in Wyoming. Merlyn shares stories from his early years working alongside his family, where he first understood the importance of hard work, respect, and dedication.

From his humble beginnings at a local gas station to riding a Kawasaki 125 into Arizona to be closer to his brother, Merlyn’s path took him to the world of water well drilling. It was here that he truly began learning the ropes, taking the time to master his craft and ensure that everything was done correctly.

Merlyn’s journey also led him into both surface and underground mining, where he gained invaluable experience operating heavy equipment in some of the most challenging environments. He talks about the importance of listening and empowering those around you, building trust within teams, and what "doing things right" truly looks like when it comes to operating equipment in mining.

We explore the heavy responsibility that each miner carries in ensuring safety and efficiency in their work. Join Mining Minds for an insightful conversation about hard work, leadership, and what it takes to thrive as an equipment operator in the mining industry.

Sponsors:

GBC-NORCAT

Heavy Metal Equipment Rentals

Liebherr Mining

Chapters:

00:00 Growing up Wyoming

06:18 Typical day on the ranch

17:77 What it takes to be a good worker

23:02 Riding into Arizona on a Kawasaki 125

33:51 Drill Rigs and water wells

57:44 Listening and empowering people

58:38 Getting into mining

1:09:21 Equipment operations, trust, and knowing what good looks like

1:24:28 Training and responsibility

1:35:14 Going Underground

1:53:33 Advice for the young miner