Pub. 8 2018 Issue 2

10 AT THE CENTER OF UTAH INDUSTRY T he Utah Mining Association (UMA) recently held it’s 103rd Annual Convention at the Zermatt Resort in Midway, Utah. The theme of this year’s convention was “It Starts With Us,” which is an appropriate theme for a couple reasons. We all know mining is the beginning of the supply chain for everything, making it possible to lead the lives we do. The old saying that “if it isn’t grown, it must be mined” is very true, so in that sense, it truly “starts with us.” We in the industry also know that we continually need to do a better job of telling our story, particularly in this age of an instant and never-ending news cycle. And what a story we have to tell. It is so important that people understand how mining benefits their lives every second of every day. Unfortunately, the mining industry also knows what story gets told if we let others define us. So if we want people to truly understand today’s mining industry and how it benefits us all, it’s up to all of us to tell that story. “It starts with us.” The 103rd Annual Convention provided an opportunity for UMA members and friends to gather and discuss important issues, network among colleagues, and learn from each other. Several short courses were offered on the opening day of the convention, including a dialogue with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Region 8 as part of the EPA’s Smart Sector program. The intent is that 90-minute dialogue is the first in an ongoing discussion with the agency. Also on the opening day, UMA members had an opportunity to participate in a discussion surrounding public perception 103rd ANNUAL CONVENTION: “IT STARTS WITH US”