In Episode #234 Mining Minds, sit down on location at South32 Hermosa with Skylie Estep, Human Resources Director, for a conversation about opportunity, family, workforce development, and building the next generation of mining professionals.

Skylie shares her journey from moving to Nevada as a young mother and starting as a temp at Goldstrike Underground to building a career in recruiting, human resources, and workforce development. She reflects on the influence of her father, the people who gave her an opportunity early in her career, and the risks and sacrifices that ultimately led her to South32 Hermosa.

The conversation dives into what it takes to build the workforce and culture of a greenfield mining project from the ground up. Skylie discusses Hermosa's commitment to developing a local workforce, partnerships with education and training programs, entry-level pathways into mining, and Centro, South32's remote operating center in Nogales designed to make mining careers accessible to a broader range of people.

From recruiting experienced miners to developing tomorrow's workforce, this episode offers an inside look at the people, planning, and community investment behind one of Arizona's most exciting mining projects.

A huge thank you to the South32 Hermosa Team for welcoming Mining Minds on site and giving us the opportunity to experience the project firsthand.

Sponsors:

· Walsh Reclamation

· Safety First Training and Consulting

· Motor Mission Machine and Radiator

YouTube- https://youtu.be/79Ljd45bnM0

Mining Minds — digging deeper into the people, culture, and stories that move the mining industry forward.

Chapter Notes:

00:00 — Creating New Pathways Into Mining

Skylie introduces Hermosa's vision for making mining careers more accessible.

02:30 — Growing Up in a Mining Family

Skylie shares her mining-family roots and why she never expected to join the industry.

05:00 — Starting at Goldstrike

A move to Nevada leads to her first mining job and the beginning of her career.

13:30 — Building a Career in Mining

Skylie moves from operational support into recruiting, HR, and workforce development.

22:00 — Developing Future Miners

She reflects on recruiting, internships, training programs, and watching people grow in the industry.

26:00 — Career, Family, and Sacrifice

Skylie discusses balancing motherhood, career growth, and her move to Arizona.

34:30 — Building South32 Hermosa

Skylie explains joining a greenfield project and helping build Hermosa's team and culture.

43:30 — The Future of Hermosa's Workforce

The discussion covers local hiring, Centro, education partnerships, and creating long-term community opportunity.