“This was the first time in many people’s lives… to enter a grocery store and see the meat freezer empty,” says Carol Ptak, co-founder of the Demand Driven Institute and co-owner of Gryphon Ranch in the Pinal mountains. Temporary shutdowns and continued slowdowns of meatpacking plants due to Covid-19 outbreaks …

The challenge to design something 10 years in the future!”  Anita Marks is a principal engineer, processing. In charge of the design of the concentrator to treat ore from the Resolution Copper underground mine, she is part of the team developing mine plans, tailings pipeline corridors, and a water sourcing …

“It’s the people you work with that make the job.” On an afternoon in early March, Sherri Powell is talking to teenagers about opportunities in mining. It’s career day at a local high school, and after 12 years as a mining engineer, she’s the new recruitment coordinator for Capstone Mining …

It’s hard to get Bernadette (Bernie) Kniffin to sit and talk about her role as Director of Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF)  and Transit for the San Carlos Apache Tribe.  She’s busy doing it, responding to local needs during a global pandemic and planning for the future.   “Our benefits …

Death of a loved one tops the list of the most stressful losses a human can experience. In the midst of a global pandemic, many experience it alone.  As of Apr. 30, 2020, Gila County has recorded no deaths from COVID-19. Yet dozens of members of our community have died …

“It’s just a huge puzzle. I love that!”  “I find it fascinating,” says Joanna Marshall, describing the small bits of rock she studies as a geologist for Resolution Copper. “It’s a huge jigsaw puzzle and you’re missing most of the pieces. You bring in your geological knowledge to create a …

Jared Yuhas, 29, is training for a 100-mile run. He’s taken on the challenge as a way to motivate himself to run as often as he can. “Everything feels better after a hard run,” he says.  “I’m at peace.”    Before the run, however, there’s “always a small dread.”  “It’s not …

“Relationships are what my job is about.” Doing the right things as a company, according to Robin Bradford,  is about being more than a good neighbor.  “It’s about being a positive contributor to society,” she says,  “above and beyond the economies of copper.”    A Miami, AZ native, Robin and longtime …

“I like to see the progress!” As Project Controller for Capstone Pinto Valley Mine, Linda Guo spends a lot of her time in the office, working with budget numbers.  Her favorite part of the job, however, is going into the field to see the projects in action. The site visits, …

In the summer of 2018, Tim and Ruth Ellen Elinski loaded up their kayaks, bikes, and two young daughters for a 2,800-mile camping trip. From their home in Cottonwood, they drove to Libby, Montana, and the Yaak Valley. They didn’t want to drag their heavy camper all that way, so …