Pub. 7 2017 Issue 3

7 MINING FOCUS Mark Compton, President PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE M ost people likely feel they are far removed from the mining industry. After all, if they don’t work in the industry or know someone who does, why give it a second thought? But the truth is we are all connected to mining in a very real way. Every year, the average American uses hundreds of newly mined minerals. It is relatively easy to visualize that we need mining for items such as cars, televisions, computers, cell phones, and even our national security. New hybrid cars use twice as much copper as cars powered by gasoline alone. Computer chips are made from as many as 60 different minerals or their constituent elements. And the U.S. Department of Defense uses more than 750 thousand tons of minerals annually. But, did you know mining helps feed the world? Today’s farmers are working on a shrinking agricultural land base to grow the food needed to feed an ever- growing world population. From the farm machinery they use to the fertilizers that improve food production, mining makes modern agriculture work. We all know that the average life expectancy is rising, made possible by tremendous advances in medical science. But did you stop to think that miningmakes those advances inmodern medicine possible? Lifesaving medical devices require minerals and metals, and lots of them. As just one example, CAT scans contain a variety of minerals, including tungsten, copper, lead, silver, chlorine, aluminum and gold. Mining truly is the beginning of the supply chain for the healthcare industry. In this issue we highlight how two mined metals, copper and silver, are making our lives better through their antimicrobial properties. From the pipes in your home, to bandages and the surfaces and equipment used in hospitals and doctor’s offices, to the water purifiers and filtrations systems that provide clean water to the world, mining makes it all possible. Demand for minerals in our advanced society is increasing every day. Minerals are critical to developing the innovative technologies that will propel our economy, enable America to compete globally and improve our quality of life. They are the building blocks for the manufacturing, construction and automotive industries, and are essential to growth in fields such as advanced energy and healthcare. We take it for granted the things we need and want will always be there. But the bottom line is, without mining to provide the foundational minerals and metals for the things we use every day, our society would be much different. Miners and the materials they produce help us live longer, happier and healthier lives. So the mining industry is not some distant, corporate entity. It is woven into the fabric of our society and our daily lives. We are all connected to the mining industry, and we all have a vested interest in making sure the industry thrives in Utah. In fact, our future depends on it. X We are all connected to the mining industry, and we all have a vested interest in making sure the industry thrives in Utah.