Meet Kevin! Our Mine Planning Superintendent. Three years ago, he decided to come back home to Tucson and work on a project that is close to his family. After hearing about Hermosa, he had no doubts and wanted to be a part of this new project.
He has spent his entire career in the mining industry, working in the field since the day he graduated. With a bachelor’s degree in mining engineering from the University of Arizona, he worked in an underground coal mine for about seven years, and underground gold for about five. Following his interests, Kevin wanted to continue working in underground mining, which is why he joined Hermosa.
Kevin’s interest for the industry stems on the diversity and numerous paths it provides, “There’s endless amount of opportunity, depending on what you want to do and where your interests lie.” In his role, his days are often filled with problem solving, as he and his team navigate the design and planning through the different phases of the project. To describe his job he says, “We always ask ourselves, ‘How can we make the mine design a little bit better? And how can we make the schedule a little bit more efficient?”
From helping the team optimize first ore and maximizing mine plan value to helping contractors and consultants achieve various scopes, Kevin tries to split his time equally between on-site and in the office.
When asked if there’s something he wish people knew about mining, he says, “I wish more people understood the amount of care and planning that goes into the project, and that we also want to protect the place where we live.”
Hermosa welcomes new ideas and Kevin helped bring a best practice from another company to life here. “Safety is our top priority and previously I had a card with my badge that showed why I worked safely. It was a daily reminder of what’s important to me. I brought it to the management team, and we were able to turn the idea into a reality a few weeks later. It’s great seeing everyone’s reason for working safely. This is another aid to remember to always keep safety top of mind.”
Kevin enjoys being outdoors and when he is not working, he’s exploring forests, hunting, hiking, and camping.