Pub. 8 2018 Issue 2

11 MINING FOCUS of mining in Utah and how we utilize our education programs to help maintain the industry’s social license to operate, as well as a finance short course on measuring mine value. The main convention day was full of informative and engaging speakers. Department of the Interior Deputy Assistant SecretaryCaseyHammond provided an overview of Trump Administration initiatives to reform federal management of our public lands. Convention attendees also learned about priorities and challenges in moving their business from analog to digital, highlighting the importance of people, process and technology, from Gideon Malherbe with Virtual Consulting USA, Inc. (VCI). Dr. Mike Nelson, chair of the Mining Engineering Department, outlined the latest from the University of Utah’s College of Mines & Earth Sciences, including work in the area of robotics and drones. Several concurrent technical breakout sessions offered an opportunity for attendees to learn more about topics ranging from environmental issues to communications and public relations, safety issues, and promoting responsible resource development in Utah. 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 ANNUAL CONVENTION continued on page 14