Today the American Exploration & Mining Association (AEMA) presented awards to four individuals and one company at its 120th Annual Meeting and Exposition in Sparks, Nevada.

Honorary Life Membership Award

This is the Association’s highest award to any individual member. The award is given for one or more of the following: outstanding service to AEMA; and/or outstanding professional achievement; and/or outstanding service to the minerals industry.

 

The 2014 Honorary Life Membership Award recipient is RICHARD DELONG, Enviroscientists, Inc. Rich has served AEMA in numerous capacities, including two terms on the Board of Trustees from 2007-2009 and 2013-2015, 2nd Vice President in 2010, 1st Vice President in 2011 and as the Association’s President in 2012.

 

President’s Award

The President’s Award recognizes an individual member for important contributions to AEMA, recognizing significant and/or special service. The 2014 AEMA President’s Award recipient is RALPH NOYES.

 

Ralph is a long time AEMA member and trusted friend of the Association having served as a Trustee in 1990, 2003-2004 and from 2008-2010. Ralph is responsible for adding the popular Growth Companies session to our Annual Meeting in 2003 and was Annual Meeting Program Chair in 2008.

 

Distinguished Service to the Minerals Industry Award

AEMA’s Distinguished Service to the Minerals Industry Award is given for outstanding service to the minerals industry, professional leadership within the industry, and/or for political support of the industry. This year, AEMA is presenting two Distinguished Service to the Minerals Industry Awards, one to DOROTHY KOSICH and one to CONGRESSMAN MARK AMODEI.

 

Dorothy Kosich has had a distinguished career as a journalist providing in-depth reporting on the mining industry and constantly challenging the industry to raise the bar, especially in the areas of corporate social and environmental responsibility. She started her career as an executive for the Nevada Mining Association and then worked as an editor for Mining World News which subsequently became North American MINING. She later worked as a social sustainability auditor and consulted for several companies including AngloGold Ashanti, Barrick, Newmont and Homestake.

 

She joined Mineweb.com about 10 years ago and covers mining in the Americas, sustainable mining and other mining public policy issues. She is currently Deputy Editor and Americas Editor at Mineweb. She approaches her work with tremendous focus and enthusiasm and takes genuine interest in the people that make up the mining community, including colleagues, friends and acquaintances. Never afraid to ask the tough questions and hold the industry accountable, she has earned the respect of the mining industry and many of us are proud to call her “friend.”

 

Congressman Mark Amodei has represented Nevada’s 2nd District since January, 2011 and was recently re-elected to his third term. Prior to being elected to Congress, Mark served in the Nevada State Assembly from 1996-1998 and the Nevada State Senate from 1998-2010 where he was a strong proponent for Nevada’s mining industry. He served as President Pro Tempore of the Nevada State Senate from 2003 -2008. In addition, Mark served as President of the Nevada Mining Association from 2007-2008.

 

Mark is the primary sponsor of H.R. 4402, the National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2011, and H.R. 761, The National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2013. Both bills passed the House of Representatives with significant bi-partisan support. The bills would make much needed, significant and important reforms to the U.S. permitting process.

 

AEMA’s 2014 Safety Award

AEMA’s 2014 Safety Award is presented to BRUCE WATZMAN, Senior Vice President Regulatory Affairs, National Mining Association (NMA).

 

NMA recently launched the CORESafety Initiative, an industry-wide partnership built on a foundation of leadership, culture and health and safety systems. Striving to achieve the “0:50:5 goal” (zero fatalities and fifty percent injury rate reduction in five years), the CORESafety website and framework offer detailed modules and resources developed by safety experts to help companies improve worker safety.

 

Once NMA’s Board of Directors adopted the CORESafety Initiative, the task fell on Bruce to implement the program. All one needs to do is spend a little time on the CORESafety website (www.CORESafety.org) to have an appreciation for the outstanding job Bruce has done in organizing, developing, implementing and promoting the program and helping the mining industry adopt CORESafety as the foundation of their company’s health and safety programs. The mining industry has long had a goal of every miner coming home safe after every shift. CORESafety is helping make that goal a reality. AEMA officially adopted CORESafety in 2014.

 

AEMA’s Environmental Excellence Award

AEMA’s Environmental Excellence Award is given to a company or operation best exemplifying AEMA’s Statement of Environmental Principles.

 

AEMA’s 2014 Environmental Excellence Award is presented to RESOLUTION COPPER MINING in recognition of their outstanding work in reclaiming the historic Magma Copper Mine Site, and rehabilitating historically significant buildings in Superior, AZ.