The Importance of Mining in our Daily Lives

Mining Engineering is one of the most underrated and undervalued professions in today’s world. Not only are Mining Engineers necessary to the day-to-day mining operations, but they also provide strategic, economic, and best practice values to the marketplace. I have been in the Mining Industry for 12 years after gaining my degree from Montana Technological University in 2011.

I have been fortunate enough to work for one company, Westmoreland Mining LLC, for the duration of my professional career. I have been given the opportunity to explore all aspects of mining at several different mine locations and departments. With my experience, I was able to see how other engineers took pride in their work and how passionate they were about doing what was right. A common misperception of these valued industry leaders is that they simply dig holes and mine a resource, but their discipline allows them to do much more than that. In my experience, Mining Engineers set the tone for how we mine in a socially accepted manner by looking at the “Big Picture.” They figure out how to accomplish every step of the process, from permitting and mining to reclamation and environmental obligations. That big picture not only ensures we mine the resources while upholding important company, industry, and social values but also ensures the longevity of the mining industry for generations to come. I have heard this saying from someone much wiser than myself: “If it is not farmed or ranched, it is mined.” Mining touches every aspect of people’s daily lives.

Whether it is the house we live in or the vehicle we drive, they wouldn’t be there without mining. The value of taking proper care of our resources, such as minerals, water, land, livestock, and wildlife, is the only way progress can be made and our economy can thrive. In doing this, we, as miners, take care of our most important resource of all: you. As an engineer who has many more years of work ahead of me, I see the value. I grew up in the small town of Colstrip, Montana. The town was built around the mining industry in the early 1920s.

Whether it is the house we live in or the vehicle we drive, they wouldn’t be there without mining

Although the town has grown and evolved over time, the mine remains and is a major part of Colstrip’s success. It has provided steady jobs, resources, housing, and infrastructure. It also provides much-needed funding for all levels of government through coal severance tax, net gross proceeds tax, resource indemnity trust tax, federal tax, property tax, and the employee’s personal income tax. The mine has donated, sponsored, and supported many efforts from individuals and organizations in and around Colstrip. It reclaims land that has been mined back to its original state and allows local farmers and ranchers to use that ground. Many locals use the reclaimed ground for hiking and hunting opportunities. As I’ve just explained one mine’s importance on an ever-expanding economy, it goes to show how big of an impact a Mining Engineer can have. Some might ask, how can one engineer accomplish all of that? Well, just as I have done, engineers get the opportunity to try their hand at different roles and responsibilities. In my experience, companies often prefer that managers and leaders have an engineering background, and they are developed and pursued through the engineering ranks. For those of you reading this article, I leave you with one parting suggestion.

It can be tough to find the motivation and the positive in today’s world, but never forget these values and the reason to have them. By taking on seemingly endless impossible tasks and by doing what is right, your value will be endless.