Mining 2023 Edition

University of Nevada, Reno Professor Scott Tyler led a deep dive into the future of hydrologic science and the responsibilities of scientists

In the premier video article of the American Geophysical Union’s journal Perspectives of Earth and Space Scientists, University of Nevada, Reno Geological Sciences Professor Emeritus Scott Tyler and marketing and communications director Jennifer Kent lead a “deep dive” into the responsibilities of earth scientists and engineers to lead and diversify the field of hydrology. What was supposed to be a casual “meet and greet” between fellows of the American Geophysical Union’s (AGU) Hydrology Section meeting in June 2022 quickly became much more. Due to ongoing challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the session was hosted online and recorded.

Tyler, the former president of the AGU’s Hydrology Section, moderated the conversation. As the conversations continued and deepened, Tyler began to recognize that they highlighted some of the pressing issues that the field and the broader scientific community face.

“It’s quite obvious and will be obvious to all those who watch this that our AGU Fellows are deep thinkers and are thinking about current issues,” Tyler said. “I think there is an evolution coming along, and I’m very proud to see that coming from…our AGU Fellows.”

The AGU is the world’s largest professional organization dedicated to earth and space science. AGU Fellowship recognizes outstanding contributions to science and constitutes only 0.1% of the Union’s membership each year.

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Kitco News

(Kitco News) - Saskatchewan remains Canada’s top-rated jurisdiction for mining investment, according to the Annual Survey of Mining Companies released today by the Fraser Institute. Nevada is the top-ranked jurisdiction worldwide for mining investment in this year’s survey, followed by Western Australia.

The Fraser Institute’s annual report ranked 62 jurisdictions around the world based on their geologic attractiveness (minerals and metals) and government policies that encourage or discourage exploration and investment, including permit times.

Top Globally

The top jurisdiction in the world for investment based on the Investment Attractiveness Index is Nevada, which moved up from third place in 2021. Western Australia, which topped the ranking last year, ranked second this year. Saskatchewan continues to be on the podium, dropping slightly from a rank of second in 2021 to third this year. Rounding out the top ten are Newfoundland & Labrador, Colorado, Northern Territory, Arizona, Quebec, South Australia, and Botswana. The United States, Canada and Australia each have three jurisdictions in this year’s top 10, followed by Africa.

Bottom Globally

When considering both policy and mineral potential in the Investment Attractiveness Index, Zimbabwe ranks as the least attractive jurisdiction in the world for investment followed by Mozambique, South Sudan, and Angola. Also, in the bottom ten (beginning with the least attractive for investment) are Zambia, South Africa, China, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Papua New Guinea, and Tanzania. Africa is the region with the most jurisdictions with eight in the bottom ten. Asia and Oceania both have one jurisdiction each in the bottom ten.

Canada

On overall investment attractiveness, Saskatchewan ranks

in the global top three for the fifth time in six years (having dropped from second in last year’s survey to third this year), followed by Newfoundland & Labrador at fourth and Quebec at eighth.

However, some provinces and territories are not capitalizing on their strong mineral potential due to a lack of a solid policy environment that would attract investment. Ontario and Manitoba, despite being among the top ten most attractive jurisdictions for mineral potential, rank 18th and 24th respectively when considering policy factors alone. Similarly, Yukon ranks 10th for its mineral potential but 31st on policy factors.

In addition, British Columbia continues to perform poorly on the policy front largely due to investor concerns over disputed land claims and protected areas.

“A sound and predictable regulatory regime coupled with competitive fiscal policies help make a jurisdiction attractive in the eyes of mining investors,” said Aliakbari. “Policymakers in every province and territory should understand that mineral deposits alone are not enough to attract investment.”

Coeur Mining, Inc. is a U.S.-based, well-diversified growing precious metals producer with four wholly-owned operations in North America, one of which is the Rochester mine located in Pershing County.

Coeur Rochester is Nevada’s largest primary silver producer and the second-largest silver producer in the United States. The Rochester mine is an open pit, heap leach silver-gold operation and has been a significant contributor to the Pershing County economy and community for more than 35 years.

At Coeur, we are proud of our history of responsible mining in Nevada and have invested heavily in our future in the state. In 2020, we embarked on a large expansion of the Rochester mine, a project known as POA 11 (Plan of Operations Amendment). POA 11 represents the largest expansion project in Coeur Mining’s history and will result in

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one of the world’s largest open pit heap leach operations. The total estimated capital investment for this project is $650 - $670 million. The expansion project was approximately 82% complete at the end of the first quarter of 2023 with construction remaining on track to be completed mid-year. The investment is estimated to extend Rochester’s mine life for approximately 13 years.

“Nevada is often regarded as one of the world’s best mining jurisdictions, a position that we take pride in our efforts to uphold,” said Tim Dimock, general manager, Coeur Rochester. “The investment made in our Rochester mine supports Nevada’s position as a leading contributor to the country’s renewable future and also allows us to continue to work to create long-term value for the communities surrounding our mine through economic development, job creation and social services.”

The expansion at the Rochester mine is expected to more than double production. The expansion includes the installation of a new 88 ktpd tertiary crushing circuit that utilizes efficient high-pressure grinding rolls, a new large and expandable leach pad, a new Merrill Crowe

metal recovery plant and various ancillary facilities. Additionally, the Rochester mine is expanding its mining fleet capacity to accommodate the larger processing capacity. This expansion allows Coeur to increase the domestic supply of silver that supports the growing demand from virtually every industry including energy, construction, technology, medical, transportation and national defense.

Modern Mining Careers

Coeur is one of the only US-headquartered, intermediate producers of precious metals. We operate in safe, stable mining jurisdictions like Nevada. It is Nevada’s high-quality infrastructure, diverse and experienced workforce, and regulatory framework overseen by government officials who understand the complexity –and benefits – of mining that helps us

advance our modern-day mining practices and support our nation’s renewable future.

Mining represents a vital component of the state’s economy and is the largest industry in rural Nevada. Coeur Rochester currently employs approximately 350 miners, geologists, engineers, front-line operators and business leaders who not only work at the mine but are part of the

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local community. Coeur is one of the largest private employers in Pershing County and has a long history of supporting economic development and job creation.

Coeur’s mining operations feature a highly-skilled, safety-focused workforce. We offer a wide range of roles where our employees are presented with a challenging and rewarding environment. We prioritize local recruitment; therefore, our employees are part of the communities surrounding our mine site.

We actively recruit both university graduates and trades professionals who are interested in a career that matters and want to have a role in shaping our nation’s future.

Coeur Rochester offers a paid summer internship program to university students and a skilled trades program for individuals interested in the many operational positions available at the mine. Coeur Rochester also partners with the Great Basin College in Elko and Winnemucca and supports its Maintenance Training Cooperative, a skilled trades program that offers education and internships.

Our workforce is also greatly enhanced by US military members. In 2018, we launched our Coeur Heroes program. Coeur Heroes is a recruitment and mentorship program targeted to current and past military members who contribute their specialized skills and leadership abilities to our workforce. We strongly value our Coeur Heroes and since the launch of the program have welcomed hundreds of military veterans to our business.

Environmental, Social and Governance Leadership

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors have long been critical to our strategy and culture. We have a 95-year history of responsible mining and are energized by our commitment to advancing leading ESG practices as we work to

supply the precious and critical minerals for the present and future needs of society.

ESG is key to being successful in mining, and we are aligned from our board of directors to frontline operators to advance our ESG priorities. A key example of our alignment and accountability is our company-wide greenhouse gas net intensity emissions reduction target we originally set in 2020 of a 25% reduction in net intensity by the end of 2025. The target was strengthened to a 35% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions net intensity by the end of 2024.

The metals we mine include the silver and gold that are used in technologies and products in healthcare, environmental, electrification and renewable energy and other sectors. As we work to supply these critical metals, Coeur remains committed to minimizing our environmental footprint and making a positive impact on the communities near where we operate.

In 2020, Coeur Rochester entered into a first-of-its-kind agreement with the Crawford Ranch to protect the critical sagebrush habitat in Nevada while continuing environmentally sensitive and responsible mining practices. Conservation credits were secured under Nevada’s Conservation Credit System. Coeur Rochester continued its support of the vital greater sage-grouse habitat when additional conservation credits were purchased from Heguy Ranch in 2021.

At Coeur, we also believe in and support the preservation and beautification of the communities surrounding our Rochester mine. You will find Coeur Rochester employees volunteering in various community events including leading presentations and tours at the Bureau of Land Management’s annual Cave Days at the Marzen House Museum, building structures to support the local fish habitat at the Rye Patch Reservoir, restoring an old railway building for reuse as an exhibit space and general store and annually partnering with the National Wreaths Across America and placing holiday wreaths on a veteran’s gravesite in Pershing County.

“Our company values are to PROTECT our people, places and planet, DEVELOP quality resources and growth plans and DELIVER impactful results through teamwork,” Tim Dimock shared. “The investment in our Rochester mine, the expertise of our workforce and the support and the strong relationships we have with our community partners greatly contribute to the long-term prosperity and growth of modern mining in Nevada.”

Katie Nicholes

Earlier this spring, ten students from the University of Nevada, Reno, known as the Mackay Muckers, traveled to Kalgoorlie, Western Australia to compete in the 45th Annual Intercollegiate Mining Games.

The Mining Games started in 1978 to honor and remember the fallen miners of the Sunshine Mine disaster, and ensures that those miners will never be forgotten. The tradition continues as hundreds of students and alumni from around the world traveled to Western Australia this year. Covid had previously delayed the Mining Games for the years of 2021 and 2022. Unsure if the mining games would ever be hosted again overseas, the Western Australia School of Mines took it upon themselves to organize and host a very successful International Mining Games.

The 2 UNR teams that attended the 45th games were the

Mackay Muckers and the Lady Muckers. The Lady Muckers team is composed of 5 gals: Karlee Bolle, Gillian Hammons, Natalie Rubio,

CARSON CITY, Nev. – The Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) has awarded Great Basin College (GBC) $99,741.77 through its Workforce Innovations for a New Nevada (WINN) fund to support the expansion of its Instrumentation Technology program in Winnemucca.

“GBC received strong support from vital industry partners

and demonstrated a commitment to developing the workforce in and around Winnemucca,” said Stacey Bostwick, GOED’s Director of Workforce Development. “This program supports instrumentation career positions where there are currently more than 60 job openings in the region.”

GBC has received federal Perkins funding to support the hir-

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Support the Future of Mining While Building Your Workforce

Great Basin College is looking for industry partners to sponsor our Career and Technical Education students in the following fields: Diesel, Electrical, Industrial Maintenance, Instrumentation and Welding.

MTC Sponsor Expectations

• Sponsorship obligation of $5,000 per student

• Paid internship $20 per hour

• Professional mentorship

• Skills training

GBC Student Expectations

• Mandatory class and internship attendance

• Maintain a 2.5 GPA

• Adhere to all employers’ policies and procedures

• Always maintain a safe work environment

We award approximately 80 scholarships a year through the MTC program.

APPLICATION DEADLINE is March 15th

To apply: please visit gbcnv.edu/mtc

For more info: contact Jessica Johnson: (775) 327-5883 | jessica.johnson@gbcnv.edu

ing of a full-time instructor for this program. Students must complete the two-semester Electrical Systems Technology Certificate of Achievement or an Associate of Applied Science degree to apply for the two-semester Instrumentation Technology Certificate of Achievement. GOED ranks Instrumentation Technology 13th overall on Nevada’s list of high demand occupations. Students with an instrumentation certificate can plan to earn on average wage of $25.54 per hour, while students who secure of Bachelor of Applied Science will earn on average $43.43 per hour. The mining industry has a high demand for instrumentation technicians. As of 2020, an average of 17,937 instrumentation positions were available in Nevada.

“Our community and the greater region view this as a critical piece in workforce development for rural Nevada and the industries that provide the economic backbone of our communities,” said Michelle Hammond Allen, from Nevada 95-80 Regional Development Authority. “This program enables us to train our local workforce, as well as create a mechanism to draw in additional workforce, all to fulfill an identified gap for economic growth. Great Basin College’s desire and ability to respond paired with GOED’s drive to facilitate innovative, strategic partnerships is a giant WIN for Nevada.”

GBC’s funding application received endorsements from several regional employers including West Coast Salmon, Nevada Gold Mines, Lithium Americas, i-80 Gold Corp, and Cyanco.

“Instrumentation Technology graduates can expect to be hired on to positions at Nevada Gold Mines such as Instrumentation/Electrical Technicians, Planners, and positions in leadership,” said Alissa Wood, Head of Communities and Cor-

porate Affairs at Barrick North America. “We currently employ over 200 roles related to instrumentation and average over 50 openings that need to be filled at any time.”

The program is housed in the new William N. Pennington Health Science and Technology Building on the Winnemucca campus where there is a 1,623-square-foot shop for the Electrical Systems Technology Program. Sam Spearing, GBC’s Workforce and Mining Center of Excellence Director, said support from GOED, other state agencies and industry partners was critical to the development of effective workforce training opportunities in rural Nevada.

“Great Basin has given me the opportunity as a student from Lovelock to further my education,” said Christopher Schneider, GBC student. “I have built my confidence, my knowledge, and my relationships with my peers who I now call my friends. Without Winnemucca, I wouldn’t have the chance to use these materials to build my life with.”

About the Governor’s Office of Economic Development

Created during the 2011 session of the Nevada Legislature, the Governor’s Office of Economic Development is the result of a collaborative effort between the Nevada Legislature and the Governor’s Office to restructure economic development in the state. GOED’s role is to promote a robust, diversified and prosperous economy in Nevada, to stimulate business expansion and retention, encourage entrepreneurial enterprise, attract new businesses and facilitate community development.

By Julia Maestrejuan julia@winnemuccapublishing.net

According to stats from a report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2019, women represent approximately 15.8 percent of the mining workforce. Roughly the same percentage of women are in mining in the region, but i-80 Gold, a young and aspiring open-pit and underground junior mining operation with sites located between Battle Mountain, Winnemucca, and Eureka, NV, is leading the area in gender equality in mining, employing approximately 35 percent women.

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“Gender equity in the mining space can be achieved. The industry is not where we need to be, but companies have an opportunity to build on the momentum of diversity, equity, and inclusion and within environmental social governance. i-80 Gold is in a unique situation as a junior mining company because we are scaling the organization up and can focus on continued improvement,” said i-80 Gold’s Human Resource Manager, Mike Woodland.

Woodland attributes i-80’s growth to their diversity-focused hiring efforts and fresh perspectives, helping to reimagine mining as an industry that is not just for big, burly men as some would assume.

“As i-80 has grown we’ve made a concerted effort to include diversity in every hiring decision we’ve made. Additionally, as a new mining company in Nevada, we can attract a strong candidate pool and we’ve found that people are interested in what we are doing. Word of mouth travels in this industry, and if people are treated fairly, they will want to stay and spread the word about a positive work environment. We’ve been focused on consistently growing our diversity as we grow our team.”

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According to Allison Anderson, i-80 Gold Community & Government Relations Manager, ethics and conduct are key to their growing diversity and operations.

“So long as we hold to our values of providing a safe and inclusionary work environment, it demonstrates that women can not only work in mining but thrive,” said Anderson.

i-80 recently celebrated their two-year anniversary in April, seeing over a 300 percent growth rate in employees, from 40 employees in the beginning to 128 currently (with around 45 female employees). Compared to other local senior mining operations, this achievement is quite the accomplishment, as other local mining companies currently sit at approximately 15 to 17 percent female employees.

“i-80 Gold is at about 35 percent [female employees], which not only leads the region, but is better than larger global mining peers. This is a huge accomplishment because larger mining companies have greater resources to make this happen,” explained Woodland.

Anderson said that i-80 also works hard to reach students, male and female, and show them the potential of working in a highly celebrated industry that sets Nevada apart.

“We spend a lot of energy focusing on the next generation of miners— students! i-80 Gold is committed to educating students about the career opportunities that exist in the industry and part of that is having representation. We want them to be able to see themselves in a career and provide access to mentors who can foster excitement about what is possible.”

The people are what drives the industry. Creating a space where everyone can feel welcome builds the bridges that foster positive growth and make mining a partner to communities.,

Sign of Experience

according to Anderson and Woodland.

“[We have] a workforce made up of experienced miners, exceptional vendor partners, and a small yet mighty team. We believe in creating a culture that employees are proud to be a part of. We are committed to investing and growing in Nevada. Most importantly, we are committed to people, both our host communities and the i-80 Gold team,” said Anderson.

i-80 Gold Continues to Attract Interest and Top Talent in Nevada

Mining plays a special role in Nevada’s economy, history, and culture, and nowhere is that better exhibited than i-80 Gold Corporation, a Nevada-born company, founded in 2021 with a portfolio of promising gold mines in the Silver State. The momentum of a new junior mining company, combined with the Nevada heritage, positions the company to live its values from day one. The investments i-80 is making in their workforce, mines, and the communities show a commitment to grow responsibly in Nevada.

The vision for this growth is a hub-and-spoke production model, anchored by the mill and autoclave facility at the Lone Tree mine, just west of Valmy. This mill has been out of commission since 2006 and requires significant investment to restore. But investment in this capital will yield huge dividends for the communities and the company, bringing significant opportunities to Nevada businesses and creating jobs across the region.

This is one of only three autoclave facilities in Nevada and putting it back to use is good business for i-80, but also an envi-

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ronmental investment in the region. Restoring this facility in the 2020s means following Nevada’s world-leading environmental standards in doing so. Every step of the way, the environmental impact of this undertaking will be strictly monitored, and i-80 Gold will meet or exceed all Federal and State standards for safe operation.

Focusing on Lone Tree as the “hub” allows i-80 Gold to operate sites around it that will generate valuable ore and deliver it for processing. As the old saying goes, “the best place to look for gold is where somebody else found it” – and so i-80’s portfolio of sites focuses on mines that were previously in closure or reclamation. Here again, any site that comes out of closure and back into production must be reclaimed to modern mining standards and additional permits must be received.

Critically, however, i-80 Gold is also responsible for the ongoing reclamation at some of these sites. Whether maintaining rapid infiltration basins to preserve the water table, or continually monitoring water quality at an existing pit lake, the company is committed to conserving the environment for future users.

This effort to conserve is not just a corporate priority, it’s a Nevada way. In the dusty plains of the high desert, Nevadans’ livelihood has always relied on taking care of the natural world around them. From indigenous peoples that populated the area to settlers that came along later, the people of the region have known for generations that water resources are scarce and require special protection. Ranchers in the area know firsthand the frailty

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Serving the Mining Community with Experience Safety Reliability

of the desert ecosystem, and the interdependencies between flora and fauna that allow their herds to thrive. i-80 takes these Nevada values to heart and lives them in their workday in and day out.

Over the past year and half, i-80 Gold has focused on six pillars of their Environmental Social Governance (ESG) commitments. These include community and stakeholder engagement, health and safety, energy, water and environment, diversity and inclusion, local economic impact and procurement, and education and workforce development. The company’s inaugural sustainability report, Driving the Future, highlights the company’s ESG strategies, policies, and commitments to deliver leading industry practices in Nevada. i-80 Gold is committed to sustainable development and environmental stewardship during exploration and extraction of mineral resources. As the company continues to grow its team and operations, it prioritizes safety, and improving the social, economic, and environmental wellbeing of its partner communities.

These commitments are made possible by the people, both on the i-80 team and in the host communities. One way employees ensure success for the company is by vigilantly taking care of their safety. This is why the company joined with Hecla Mining Company and Small Mine Development (SMD) to create the Nevada Mine Rescue Alliance. This innovative partnership will ensure the growth remains safety-focus for the wellbeing of personnel and will serve the mining operations in the company’s geographic footprint by providing underground mine rescue support. The Nevada Mine Rescue Alliance team trains regularly to refine their skills to ensure they are always prepared to respond when called on.

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i-80 Gold also recruits with an eye toward diversity and inclusion. The company leads the way in Nevada’s mining industry in employing women, with a workforce comprised of 34% women. There’s work to be done, but in traditionally male-dominated industries, these figures are huge. i-80 will continue to promote, develop, and encourage women in the mining industry.

Finally, the i-80 Gold employees are just one part of the community that powers their effort. Whether it’s supporting local schools, participating in events in partnership with nonprofit organizations, or hosting town hall meetings to meet with the communities and answer questions, i-80 Gold prioritizes honoring these important relationships. In 2022 alone, before the sites were even in production, i-80 Gold contributed $53,000 to organizations that help keep communities strong.

i-80 Gold Project Updates

Lone Tree

Lone Tree is a past-producing mine with historic production of approximately 4.2 million ounces of gold and is host to substantial processing infrastructure including a whole-ore autoclave, leach pad and CIC circuit, and a floatation circuit. The property contains significant gold resources with the known mineralized zones remaining open for expansion. It is expected that the Lone Tree Complex will become the hub of i-80’s Nevada operations and provides the company with a genuine opportunity to become a stand-alone producer with facilities capable of processing several ore types. i-80 Gold continues to work on the Autoclave Refurbishment Feasibility Study and is in the process of determining the right time to bring the autoclave online coordinated with underground production from all sites.

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NEED A QUALITY PIPE? NEED PIPE?

Granite Creek

The Granite Creek Project is located at the intersection of the Getchell and Battle Mountain Trends proximal to Nevada Gold Mines’ Twin Creeks and Turquoise Ridge mining operations. i-80 is executing an extensive exploration and delineation drilling program targeting both the open pit and underground mineralization. Over the last year, the company had been ramping up production at Granite Creek will be processing ore at Nevada Gold Mines through a toll milling agreement. The company continues to increase dewatering and plans to drive the decline deeper to develop new levels and the South Pacific deposit. The underground mine at Granite Creek is permitted and is in development with the goal of ramping up mining into 2024.

McCoy-Cove

At the historic McCoy-Cove project, located on the Battle Mountain Trend, immediately south of Nevada Gold Mines’ Phoenix operation, i-80 Gold is nearing completion of a mile long exploration decline. The company is in the process of completing an extensive definition drill program from underground drill stations in advance of completing a full Feasibility Study. Infill drilling of the resource from the exploration decline has yielded positive results to date. i-80 Gold continues to work through permitting with BLM and NDEP for full mining for Helen and the GAP deposits.

Ruby Hill

At Ruby Hill Mine, located in Eureka, Nevada, i-80 Gold is

continuing to evaluate all deposits and potential for processing underground ores. Additionally, the drilling program is focused on polymetallic deposits. Earlier in 2023, the company acquired Paycore Minerals and the FAD property, reunifying the land package under i-80 Gold. Permitting with BLM and NDEP are in progress to begin work on the underground portals from the Archimedes pit. i-80 Gold continues to recover gold from the leach pad on site.

Focused on attracting local talent, currently hiring for construction of Thacker Pass

Partnered with global leader Bechtel for construction management

Partnered with Sawtooth Mining to ensure environmentally responsible mining

Partnering with Building Trades to provide skilled labor and high-quality workmanship

Partnered with General Motors so that our lithium stays in American cars

Working hard to do this project right thackerpasslithium.com

@LithiumAmericas

The Nevada Mining Association (NVMA) is proud to announce the return of the 360 Internship Program, intended to prepare students for a career in STEM by providing a “360-degree view” of Nevada’s modern mining industry. Thanks to a partnership with the NVMA and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM Nevada), the program is entering its fourth consecutive year.

This year, Angel Morales has been chosen as an intern. He is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management from the College of Southern Nevada and will complete his internship at SSR Mining’s Marigold Mine.

As part of the 10-week paid summer internship, Morales will

spend seven weeks working alongside professional miners at an active mine site before shifting to learn from regulatory professionals at BLM Nevada for the remainder of the program. The internship provides students with access to the world’s top mine operators, exposure to industry-shifting technology, and experience with the world’s leading mining regulatory structure.

“We love being able to give students access to this incredible opportunity each year,” said NVMA Interim President, Dana Bennett. “Interns in this program will become the next generation of miners, regulators, and STEM professionals, and we want to ensure they receive the best foundation possible to start their careers.”

The program is open to students who are currently enrolled at an accredited four-year college or university in Nevada.

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The College of Engineering has received a $4 million grant from the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center to establish the Nevada Center for Water Resiliency, with the possibility of additional funds for subsequent research. The new center will research and test new technologies in water treatment, focusing on potable water (drinking water) reuse from a variety of water sources.

Led by Chemical & Materials Engineering Associate Professor Sage Hiibel and Civil & Environmental Engineering Associate Professor Eric Marchand, the center is the latest step in a longtime effort by the professors and their colleagues to find solutions for water-scarce communities. And Nevada — located in the heart of the

arid American West — is the right place to develop new water reuse technologies, the professors say.

“As the driest state in the nation and one of the top 10 fastest-growing states, water resources in Nevada are stretched thin,” the professors wrote in their grant proposal Water Resiliency and Self Sufficiency: Advanced Technologies and Systems for Water Reuse. “As a result, communities in Nevada are eager to find novel ways to diversify the state’s water portfolio, and are at the forefront of water conservation and reuse strategies.”

The new center will organize under the University’s already existing Nevada Water Innovation Institute. Its research projects fall into four areas: advanced water reuse technologies, emerging con-

taminants, alternative water sources and resource recovery. In addition to Hiibel and Marchand, Engineering faculty involved in the center are Keith Dennett, David Hanigan, Rashed Khan, Krishna Pagilla and Victor Vasquez.

National implications

While the primary focus of the new center is to increase water resiliency of municipal water systems, a key secondary benefit has national implications. Because potable reuse of reclaimed water is not regulated at the federal level, there is no federal standard governing water reuse activities, creating challenges for U.S. forces and federal agencies as well as

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regional governing organizations. Hiibel and Marchand propose that the center will facilitate communication between those stakeholders, including the Department of Defense, which oversees civilian works and military installations; the Environmental Protection Agency, which regulates drinking water; and the Department of Energy, which oversees water use for energy purposes.

Bridging that communication gap ultimately could lead to new water-reuse technologies and approaches that can be transitioned to real-world applications at a faster pace, according to Hiibel and Marchand.

“With this new center, Nevada is positioned to become a regional and national leader in water reuse technologies,” Engineering Dean Erick Jones said. “Congratulations to Dr. Hiibel and Dr. Marchand on this achievement, which will work to address one of the most pressing issues of our time — water scarcity.”

The new center aligns with one of the College of Engineering’s research pillars: equitable infrastructure, mitigating natural hazards, including water issues.

Federal, regional efforts to tackle water issues

Multimillion grants to establish research centers aren’t won overnight: Hiibel, Marchand and their colleagues have been working for about a decade toward this latest development.

It started with a 2012 project, A Fully Integrated Membrane Bioreactor System for Wastewater Treatment in Remote Applications, funded through the Department of Defense (DOD) and completed in 2018. The team followed up with a second DOD-funded project, “Portable Water Reuse System Driven by Waste Heat,” in 2018 that currently is wrapping up.

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Along the way, the Water Reuse Consortium — comprised of Hiibel and Marchand in Nevada and their colleagues Dr. Andrea Achilli at the University of Arizona and Dr. Amy Childress at the University of Southern California — was organized and began its own integrated research on water issues. All three consortium partners applied for and received grants from the U.S. Army.

“Our military collaborators have seen how well we’ve done with the previous projects, so they are excited to build on that work with the consortium,” Hiibel said.

Although each university in the consortium is working on different types of water issues, Hiibel and Marchand expect to benefit and to contribute to shared information and data.

“We still have the same challenges around water,” Hiibel said. “It’s very, very important to come up with new ideas and new ways to increase our water supply,” he added.

The road ahead

Hiibel and Marchand’s proposal to the U.S. Army was divided into three phases, with a total proposed budget of $10 million over four years. The recently awarded $4 million covers the first phase — establishment of the new center and related research — which began in late May and will continue for the next 18 months.

If funded, Phases 2 and 3 will continue the current efforts and expand the research projects to be completed. But in addition to the current research, Hiibel and Marchand plan to increase the center’s scope of work by applying for additional funding from such organizations as the National Alliance for Water Innovation.

“We hope that we can build an infrastructure for Nevada to be a player on the national stage when it comes to these water reuse technologies,” Hiibel said.

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The students must be sophomores, juniors, seniors, or graduates majoring in mining or environmental science-related fields. Applications are open annually during the spring semester.

For more information about the program, visit www. nevadamining.org

About the Nevada Mining Association

The mission of the Nevada Mining Association (NVMA) is to unite, educate, advocate, and serve as the public voice of Nevada’s modern mining industry. From advocacy on major policy issues to developing innovative ways to connect members with opportunities, the Nevada Mining Association builds recognition of the mining industry’s contribution across the Silver State. The Nevada Mining Association is committed to leading environmental stewardship and the health and safety of workers, residents, and communities. For more information, visit www.nevadamining.org. Stay up to date with all Nevada Mining Association activities on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube pages.

The conversation included AGU Hydrology Fellows Suzanne Anderson (University of Colorado, Boulder), Paul Brooks (University of Utah), Aaron Packman (Northwestern University), Remko Uijlenhoet (Delft University of Technology), Andrew Western (University of Melbourne) and Xubin Zeng (University of Arizona).

Zeng spoke about the importance of innovation in research and added that scientists should share their failed ideas.

“There is no such thing as a failure, but just ideas you have tried that never worked,” Zeng said. “If we are open, if we take the lead in sharing our unsuccessful stories, that will help accelerate the science.”

The fellows spoke about issues facing the field such as the lack of socioeconomic diversity, the gains made in gender representation, the intersection between research that is impactful and interesting, and recognizing success outside of metrics like citations or academic legacy.

The video, slightly edited for time by Kent, is about one hour long. In that hour, researchers discuss the philosophies of their research and the importance of community, along with other themes. The full video is available to watch at this link.

The AGU Hydrology Section Fellows met via Zoom. Xubin Zeng joined Scott Tyler in person, while the other fellows joined remotely.

Katie Nicholes and Kayla Anderson. The Mackay Muckers team was composed of 5 men: Duncan Brown, Rafael Echeverria, Luke Andersen, Sean Morton and Tahmid Kawsar. All but one of the Lady Muckers had previously competed in a Mining Game, while everyone on the Mackay Muckers team was brand new to competing at the Mining Games. Through lots of training the whole team learned not only what each event was, but the techniques that take years to master.

Competition started with an opening dinner. The next day was officially training day and both the Lady and Mackay Muckers learned the valuable ins and outs of the WASM field and equipment.

The second day brought Co-Ed and Alumni competitions. Cheering on other teams, both teams watched and learned so many more valuable skills that would help them succeed during competition day for them. The Co-ed and Alumni competition day was also both the Muckers Teams’ Day to compete in survey! The Lady and Mackay Muckers competed side by side in this quiet and perplexing event.

On the third and final day of comp, March 25, the men’s and women’s divisions started their competition day. The Mackay Muckers started the day off with a strong Hand Steel performance, while the Lady Muckers started with the Swede Saw event. After a long day of hard work, cheering on other teams and cheering on one another, the competition ended with both teams completing the Mucking event. The teams were lucky enough to be able to cheer on one another or compete side by side through the whole day.

That final day also hosted the closing banquet. Here the teams

Annual Events

found out how they placed in both the individual events and the overall competition. The Mackay Muckers held their own through all of their events. Each of the Mackay team members were able to hit a personal best in at least one event each. The Mackay Muckers are proud of their personal progress as a team. This competition was a huge learning curve and the Mackay Muckers are more than thrilled with their accomplishments.

The Lady Muckers was pleasantly surprised with their results at the closing banquet. The Ladies were able to take 3rd place in Survey, 2nd place in Swede Saw and Mucking, and 1st place in Hand Steel, Track-stand, Gold Pan and Jackleg. Each 1st place comes with a traveling trophy that will be brought back to the 46th games next year. Each of the young women took home belt buckles in the bronze, silver and gold style representing their placement in the events. Overall, the Lady Muckers took 1st place in the Women’s division, making the Lady Muckers the Number 1 Women’s team for the 45th Annual Intercollegiate Mining Games. The Lady Muckers were also celebrated for having the fastest Gold Pan time of all competing teams.

The Mackay Muckers would like to thank the Western Australian School of Mines for hosting the 45th games. We would also like to thank: Dr. Dan Taylor, Greg Stokes, Marc Leedy, Annie Huhta, John Leland and many others for donating their time and equipment to the Mackay Mucker. The Muckers would like to congratulate every school that was able to attend this year’s games. A huge congratulations to WASM B men’s team, Colorado Co-Ed team and the Alluminati Alumni team who placed 1st in their divisions.

Next year’s competition will be hosted in Butte Montana. With the hopes of sending a women’s and men’s team once again the Mackay Muckers are already looking for organizations to help with donating safety equipment, tools, and funds for travel and practices. The Mackay Muckers will host the second annual Mackay Day Mining Competition in the coming fall. If you have any questions for the Mackay Muckers, you are more than welcome to reach out to the team on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or by emailing the Mackay Muckers directly at mackaymucker@gmail.com

Back row left to right: Luke Andersen, Sean Morton, Gillian Hammons and Rafael Echeverria. Middle row left to right: Duncan Brown, Natalie Rubio, Kayla Anderson, Tahmid Kawsar. Front row left to right: Karlee Bolle and Katie Nicholes

Safe Haven was recently awarded a $5,000 contribution from Nevada Gold Mines in support of the purchase of a gently/used truck, and a Gold Level Event sponsorship for our recent 16th Annual Fundraiser event.

SSR - Marigold Mining also purchased two table sponsorships for our annual event. Both our area mines and local businesses are very generous in supporting our area non-profits!