What is the NVMA’s role within the mining industry?

Our target is to serve as a public voice for mining in Nevada. We educate, unite and advocate for mining within the state. Mining is important for the US as the country looks at transitioning away from a fossil fuel-based economy. Mining techniques have changed with new technologies, and we have a unique understanding of how to mine in a more innovative, sustainable, and safe way. We pride ourselves on being one of the safest mining jurisdictions in the world. We are proud of our safety and environmental records which attract investments to our operations here.

Can you expand on the trends that shaped the industry in 2022?

Going into 2021, the industry was at a tipping point in terms of taxation in the state. Calls to increase taxes in Nevada came as we are tourism-dependent and our state budgets can get tight. The State of Nevada asked the mining industry to help. Our schools have always been underfunded, so the industry made sure this would not happen in the future. We helped increase school funding by US$300 million, which represents about US$700 per student on average, to ensure that we are ahead when the next economic downturn comes.

How are new technologies changing the industry?

Automation has been discussed for a long time, but what we have seen throughout the pandemic has sped processes up. There are currently many sites where someone above ground is operating machinery below ground, and this will grow. We are excited about the diversity technology brings to our workforce.

Could you expand on the NVMA’s “2D Demystify and Diversify” plan?

We recognized that we must demystify what mining looks like today to ensure workforce development. We have drone technology, sophisticated mapping, SONAR and LINAR to help mining be environmentally conscious and safe. Demystifying is the first step. The diversification part is about bringing gender, culture, thought, and geographical diversity. All business reports highlight that diversity is a huge component in increasing profitability for firms. In the gender area, the industry has invested in childcare facilities, which is a woman’s rights issue. Unlocking the power of gender equity comes through having parity in childcare.

What can Nevada’s role be within the processing and refining stages of the domestic supply chain of critical and precious minerals?

Nevada has limitless opportunities when it comes to being a one-stop shop for precious and critical minerals. As we expand out towards critical minerals, we also have an abundance of lithium. Nevada is home to the only active lithium mine in the US. Hopefully, we will see three more come on in the next two years. The issue is we are mining here and sending lithium to China to be processed. Thinking about the economic and environmental costs, this makes little to no sense. Looking at state leadership, the opportunity to process here seems to be on top of the agenda. Now we need to work on building processing facilities here to secure the nation’s supply chain and the US’ ability to process domestically. This is a critical issue.

What is mining’s role in a net-zero transition away from a fossil fuel-based economy?

We provide the raw materials that are key to the transition. We must ensure that we extract in a way that the downstream impacts are not lost. If extracting is done in a polluting way, it won’t matter if the material is integrated into green technology. The industrial revolution took about 70-80 years, so the concept of being a net-zero tomorrow cannot happen yet. We have a smart-from-the-start program, where before a shovel hits the ground, firms must plan for closure. We are looking to incorporate solar panels into those closure plans because we have the infrastructure and grid running to the site to provide power. Barrick and NGM are working on a solar project that will mitigate their power usage for instance.

Where is the NV mining industry going next?

Nevada is known for innovation. We are at the forefront of conversations on the best ways to extract lithium, and our mining techniques using microscopic mining or heap leach technology, have been a huge uptick in how mining operates in the world.