The Western States Mining Collaborative Council (WSMCC) had their annual retreat in August, and the group welcomed board member Kelly Ward to attend while CMA’s search for a new President is underway. This collective has met for about two decades to provide a forum for mining advocacy leaders to share important federal and congressional updates, discuss challenges faced and initiatives undertaken by State associations, and perhaps most importantly, participate in roundtable discussions to bounce ideas around about engagement, outreach, events, and conference planning, and “the business of the business.”
Idaho Mining Association (IMA) hosted executives from the State mining associations of Alaska, Arizona, Minnesota, Montana, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming as well as national organizations National Mining Association (NMA), American Exploration & Mining Association (AEMA), Rocky Mountain Mining Institute (RMMI), American Coal Council (ACC), and Women’s Mining Coalition (WMC). The retreat was held at the Tamarack resort in the central portion of Idaho’s panhandle, kicking off with an evening welcome reception. The next day, as customary, included a site tour at a local mine – and the group was thrilled to visit Perpetua Resource’s Stibnite Mine. The Business Meeting was held the following day, and by all accounts was extremely productive. The group is close-knit, which allowed for candid shares, constructive feedback, and unwavering support for each other. These organizations outwardly share such an important role in our industry in political advocacy, and internally allow for amplification of each other’s messaging which, of course, is amplifying the importance of mining itself. It is clear the incoming CMA President will find the WSMCC and its members to be a valuable resource.
