Each issue of the Alaska Miner we profile one member in our industry. This issue we are talking with Rich Sivils, Reclamation Engineer at Usibelli Coal Mine. Rich is also branch chairman of AMA’s Denali branch. He graduated from the University of Arizona in 2008 with a Mining En- gineer BS degree. Faces of Mining
Who was your mentor in this industry and what did they teach you that remains true today? Eben Robinson hired me in 2007 as a summer intern at Freeport McMoRan. Eben and I have been great friends ever since. I really admire the way he connects with people and his desire to work on new ideas. As an intern, I was humbled that Eben allowed me to work on high level proj- ects within the company and put me in front of manage- ment at numerous sites. One value Eben instilled in me is to always undercommit and overdeliver. We keep in close contact and I look up to Eben as a man of Christ. Eben lives back in Arizona and we try to get together when I am there visiting my family. What lessons have you learned that you want to share with new miners? My dad was a Marine and always told me to never give up: “In whatever you do, you only really fail if you don’t try again.” I grew up on a farm in Arizona and I honest- ly did not know there were still mines open! I have also learned how valuable it is to talk to friends and strangers about being a miner. Most everyone is fascinated, and they want to know more about mining. Rich Sivils Reclamation Engineer, Usibelli Coal Mine
What would you do differ -
ently?
I waited several years before taking the Funda- mentals of Engineering (FE) exam and I wished I had tak- en it while still in college. The worst part about waiting so long was that I had to then pass the Professional Engi- neering (PE) exam to make it worth anything! I know there are people that fail both ex-
ams multiple times. I will not say how many times I took them, but it was pretty humbling. I am glad to finally be done and have my PE license! What was one experience you will never forget? I will never forget driving up to Alaska and having my mom along for the ride. The truck was full of hunting, camp- ing, and fishing gear, and my Jeep being pulled on a trailer was full of stuffed deer and antelope heads. The US border guard that greeted us after crossing through Yukon and BC asked if I had any animal hides or horns. I laughed and said, “Look in the Jeep,” but fortunately taxidermy was not what they were looking for! My boss at Usibelli still gives me a hard time about how I showed up in Healy with my mom and a cat, and they did not know if I was going to fit in! I had called a friend who was a lifelong Alaskan what I could expect about moving to Alaska and he said, “You probably shouldn’t expect to find a wife in Healy.” Well, I proved him wrong too! I met my wife the next summer and she has told me that she had given up looking for her perfect guy, but then I showed up! What do you love most about this business? I enjoy seeing my projects through, from initial permit- ting to final construction. My first position after gradua - tion was at the Decker Coal Mine in Montana. The area we were working on was right along the state highway and I look forward one day to taking our kids or even grandkids there to show them where I got started in reclamation. To- day, I am the engineer in charge of permitting at Usibelli and I also create some of the designs that are ultimately built. I was recently in charge of a bridge demolition and culvert installation project at Usibelli and every time I drive over it, I smile because it actually turned out like it was supposed to! The reclamation at Usibelli illustrates how this company not only cares about our business, but also for the community and surrounding areas. We take great pride in obtaining more and more bond releases each year.
Where do you see mining in Alaska in 50 years? Demand for minerals will keep increasing and Alaska
Rich and wife, Darja, with their son Joshua, 4, and daughter Ruth, 2.
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The Alaska Miner
April 2021
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