Overlooking iconic Hibbing Taconite Mining Operation in Minnesota, Mining Minds had the opportunity to speak with two remarkable women whose stories capture the history and heart of mining in the state.

First, we’re joined by Talia Sandys, Communications and Engagement Director for Mining Minnesota, who has been our guide through the region’s rich mining heritage. Then, we dive deep into the incredible 30+ year career of Darleen Gargano, a retired miner who began her journey in 1976 when opportunities for women in the pit were almost unheard of. From her first day pulling cable and driving haul trucks to operating graders in subzero blizzards, Darleen shares candid stories about resilience, camaraderie, and the changing face of the industry.

Along the way, we explore Hibbing’s fascinating history—including the relocation of an entire town for mining, the legendary Hibbing High School, and life growing up in a tight-knit rural community. With humor, honesty, and a lifetime of lessons, Darleen reflects on what it took to thrive in a male-dominated industry and why she wouldn’t trade her experiences for anything.

Special thanks to Julie Lucas and Talia Sandys (Mining Minnesota) and Kristen Vake (Iron Mining Association of MN) for making this episode possible.

Episode Sponsors:

JSR Fleet Performance

Heavy Metal Equipment & Rentals

RAM Enterprise Inc.

Episode Chapters:

1:21 Growing Up in Hibbing, MN

9:32 First Jobs & Path to Mining

12:02 First Day in the Pit

16:59 Night Shifts & Northern Lights

22:37 Haul Trucks, Equipment Training & Early MSHA

26:21 Grader in the Ditch & Earning Respect

37:31 Paving a New Way

44:00 The Labor Bus

56:34 Advocacy, Education, Collaboration from Mining Minnesota

Get ready for one of our most unforgettable episodes yet—recorded on a pontoon boat floating on Fall Lake, at the edge of the iconic Boundary Waters in Minnesota! This isn’t just another podcast; it’s a full-circle conversation with Dean DeBeltz, a third-generation Iron Ranger, passionate outdoorsman, and Vice President of External Relations & Project Operations at Twin Metals Minnesota.

From running towboats at 12 years old to shaping the mining culture of a next-generation copper-nickel project, Dean’s story is a tribute to the grit, heart, and pride that defines the Minnesota mining country. He dives deep into the sacrifices, the career pivots, and the love for land and legacy that have guided his path—and how responsible mining can help secure the future of entire communities. Join Mining Minds as we Welcome Dean DeBeltz to the Face!

Special thanks to Julie Lucas and Talia Sandys (Mining Minnesota) and Kristen Vake (Iron Mining Association of MN) for making this episode possible.

Episode Sponsors:

Heavy Metal Equipment & Rentals

Gold West Fire

RAM Enterprise Inc.

Episode Chapter:

0:00 Welcome Aboard the Pontoon Podcast

4:16 From frozen rinks to deer stands

6:03 Biochemistry to Building Homes

11:49 Mining Comes Calling

14:58 The Culture of Mining: Support, Camaraderie, and Growth

18:29 Safety is About People, Not Policing

22:48 Understanding the Boundary Waters

27:01 The metals we’ll mine, are the metals you’ll use

39:49 Diversity in mining

46:29 Regulations that haven’t been tested

52:33 Continuing the passion with a purpose

In this special on-location episode, Mining Minds travels to the heart of Minnesota’s Iron Range to sit down with Rory Oberhelman, Senior Project Coordinator, and Johnny Eloranta, Community Relations Advisor at New Range Copper Nickel. Broadcasting from the iconic nickel room, the conversation dives into the history, pride, and promise of mining in northern Minnesota.

Rory shares his unconventional journey from cabin building in Alaska to environmental permitting and project leadership, highlighting how personal purpose and community impact led him deeper into mining. Johnny brings a generational perspective—combining his family's blasting legacy, a background in environmental science, and experience shaping federal mining policy.

Together, they discuss the challenges of permitting, the value of responsible domestic mineral production, and the revitalization of a brownfield site with a century of potential ahead. With heartfelt insights on community, sustainability, and the next generation of miners, this episode shines a spotlight on what it truly means to mine with purpose.

Special thanks to Julie Lucas and Talia Sandys (Mining Minnesota) and Kristen Vake (Iron Mining Association of MN) for making this episode possible.

Episode Sponsors:

Liebherr Mining

RAM Enterprise Inc.

Heavy Metal Equipment & Rentals

Episode Chapters:

0:00 Welcome to the Iron Range

3:07 From Cabins to Core

7:30 Permits, Patience, and Policy

13:03 Dual Perspectives

15:59 Identity & American Pride

19:21 Modern Mining, Real Impact

27:30 Opportunity to Build Generational Culture

34:11 If Not Here, Then Where?

The mining industry stands at a crossroads. With a rapidly aging workforce, persistent misconceptions, and the growing demand for innovation, the need to reshape how we attract, develop, and retain talent has never been more urgent.

In this powerful panel edition of the Mining Minds Podcast, we bring together six influential leaders from across the industry to engage in an honest, forward-thinking discussion on the future of workforce development in mining.

Featuring:

• Alexia Carver (University of Nevada Reno) – Metallurgical engineer student and student outreach advocate

• Liz Diaz (Hecla Nevada) – HR leader driving grassroots education and skilled trade pipelines

• Don Dwyer (Orla Mining Ltd.) – GM dedicated to leadership, development, and operational culture

• Nikita Grover (Kinross Nevada) – HR strategist redefining mining’s brand and workforce engagement

• Linda Honey (Protected at Work) – Training and policy expert specializing in workplace safety, compliance, and psychological well-being

• Victor Ortiz (i80 Gold Corp) – Safety director with firsthand knowledge of ground-up growth

Together, the panel explores how to redefine mining careers for the next generation, what meaningful development truly look like on site, why the industry must embrace storytelling and digital presence, and how to build workplace cultures that grow people—not just fill roles.

Episode Sponsors:

Liebherr Mining

JSR Fleet Performance

Heavy Metal Equipment & Rentals

Episode Chapters:

0:00 Introduction & Panel Overview

9:06 Challenges from the HR Lens

11:48 Younger Perspectives

18:53 Messaging and Industry Branding

22:51 Measuring Success

27:43 Tech Adoption & Employee Buy-In

31:53 From Haul Trucks to Leadership

40:17 Sparking Youth Interest

43:36 Outbound Community Engagement

49:18 Reaching All Ages with the Right Message

53:03 Innovation & Speaking Up

55:31 Prioritizing Mental Wellness

1:02:49 Upskilling Through Experience

1:10:59 Open Questions – Barriers & Bold Moves

In this episode of the podcast Mining Minds sits down with two remarkable women reshaping the health and wellness landscape: Melissa Montalvo and Josie Cervantes of Elko Replenish Med Spa.

Together, they reveal how their professional experiences—from ER trauma to urgent care frustrations—sparked a vision: to create a space that not only heals but empowers. That vision became Elko Replenish Med Spa, a modern facility focused on hormone therapy, IV nutrition, weight management, and overall wellness.

The duo discusses how their clinic is bridging the gap between conventional medicine and preventative care, especially for miners and working professionals in Northern Nevada.
From hormone optimization and detox treatments to addressing male and female health in the mining industry, Melissa and Josie are revolutionizing rural medicine with empathy, education, and science-backed solutions. Join Mining Minds as we welcome Elko Replenish Med Spa to the Face!

Episode Sponsors:

GBC-NORCAT

Heavy Metal Equipment & Rentals

Motor Mission Machine and Radiator

Episode Chapters:

2:23 South Texas Roots

9:27 Basson to Basketball

37:26 Medical Training Meets Bureaucracy

43:07 Leap of Faith

52:48 The Birth of Elko Replenish Med Spa

1:21:09 Hormones, Bro Science, and Real Health

1:41:31 The Vision

In this episode of the Mining Minds Podcast, we sit down with Trampus Cook, Regional Director for RAM Enterprise Inc., whose journey through the mining world is as rich and layered as the ore bodies he’s helped uncover. A fourth-generation miner and cowboy at heart, Trampus takes us through his early days jacklegging in narrow veins of California gold mines, running heavy equipment under Lake Erie, and eventually stepping into leadership with RAM.

From growing up between the ropes of cowboy life and the rails of underground shafts, to being a single father raising four young kids while chasing production, Trampus shares raw and emotional insights that go far beyond muck and machines. He opens up about defining moments in fatherhood, building trust and culture in the mining community, and how being told “you’re not alone” by a five-year-old became a driving force in his life.

Whether you’re a miner, a parent, or someone navigating life’s challenges, Trampus’s story is a powerful reminder of the strength found in grit, purpose, and personal growth. Join Mining Minds as we Welcome Trampus Cook to the Face!

Episode Sponsors:

Liebherr Mining

GBC-NORCAT

Heavy Metal Equipment & Rentals

Chapters:

00:00 Truth or Consequences

35:05 Breaking Out in the Muck

38:25 Safety Culture and Bonus Systems in Mining

01:12:46 The Value of Experience in Mining

01:25:19 Challenges and Rewards of Being a Tramp Miner

01:49:03 Balancing Fatherhood and Work in the Mining Industry

01:52:41 Innovations and Challenges in Underground Mining

02:24:36 Safety Lessons

02:25:23 Leadership and Management Insights

In our final episode from the 2025 Women in Mining Conference, we’re joined by the passionate, bold, and trailblazing Jessica Scanlan—geological engineer, social media influencer, and founder of Mine Life Media. Jessica shares her unique path from a small-town girl in handmade dresses to becoming a respected voice in the mining industry.

We dive into her early aspirations, challenges in mining, the power of mentorship, and how she turned burnout into a bold new business rooted in storytelling and education. From internships at Stillwater Mine to building a media company that highlights the beauty and grit of mining life, Jessica’s authenticity and drive are contagious.

We talk Dwayne the Rock (yes, really), core logging confessions, college mining competitions, mental health, the power of social media, and what the future of mining communication might look like.

A massive thank you to the Women in Mining USA for inviting us to San Antonio and giving us the platform to highlight such impactful voices. We’ve been truly honored to capture and share these conversations. Brass in and Join Mining Minds as We Welcome Jessica Scanlan to the Face!

Mine Life Media:

Linkedin / Instagram / TikTok / Youtube / X

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Event Sponsors:

Arnold Machinery

Gold West Fire and Safety Services

Episode Sponsors:

GBC-NORCAT

Liebherr Mining

Gold West Fire and Safety Services

Chapters:

00:00 A Mining Dream Starts at Stillwater

11:14 Knowing early she wanted to be a geologist

15:55 Facing Fears to find what you love

29:20 Leveraging Communication Early

46:52 Support in Mining (

1:15:32 Meeting Dwayne

1:41:03 Future Miner

Recorded on-site at the 2025 Women in Mining National Conference in San Antonio, this episode brings authentic, unfiltered stories from two rising voices in the mining world—Margaret Hinton and Paige Courtney. With backgrounds as diverse as cotton farming and competitive athletics to engineering and financial investigations, Margaret and Paige dive into how they found purpose and passion in the mining industry.

Together, they share how mining became more than a career—it's a community. From their first experiences in tunnels and copper pits to working on a new Women in Mining chapter in the Midwest, they highlight the importance of visibility, storytelling, and educating the next generation. Whether it’s correcting outdated perceptions about the industry or advocating for reclamation and sustainability, their mission is clear: mining has a human face, and it's changing fast.

This episode is packed with humor, heart, and hard truths—plus, a few ghost stories, underground adventures, and a growing obsession with mining history (and a certain Leadville legend, Baby Doe Tabor).

And if you’re wondering what these women are up to after-hours? Head north to Area 31, a unique UTV park in Minocqua, Wisconsin, where the off-road spirit runs just as deep as their passion for mining.

Mining Minds Conference Sponsors:

Arnold Machinery

Gold west Fire

Episode Sponsors:

GBC-NORCAT MST

Liebherr Mining

Gold West Fire

Chapters:

00:00 Intro

01:42 Meet Margaret Hinton

06:28 Choosing a Geotech Firm over Selling Tacos

12:00 Meet Paige Courtney

18:17 Miners Figure it out

23:46 Meeting at the Association of Abandon Mine Land Programs

29:55 Ambitions of a Women in Mining Midwest Chapter

34:40 Uniquely positioned to tell Mining’s story

42:29 What the future miner looks like

48:36 Mining Book Club