Meet Melissa Harmon, Newmont Mining Corporation

The Nevada Mining Association is proud to recognize two women doing great work in Nevada mining communities at the May 24th Salute to Women of Achievement ceremony in Reno. Get to know one of the recipients: Melissa Harmon, General Manager at Newmont Mining’s Twin Creeks Mine.

Check out our Q&A with the NvMA’s other recipient, Billie Crapo, CEO of the Elko Area Chamber of Commerce.

Name: Melissa Harmon

Company: Newmont Mining Corporation

Title: General Manager, Twin Creeks Mine

Tell us about yourself and your career path?

• Graduated from Elko High School
• Received BS in Mine Engineering from Mackay School of Earth Sciences and Engineering at UNR
• Started working for Newmont just after graduation – 18 years with Newmont in various Engineering and Operations Management roles
• After 10 years in Northern Nevada mines, I transferred to one of Newmont’s mines in Ghana.  My family and I lived in Ghana for 3 years and enjoyed traveling all over Africa and Europe during that time.
• Spent 2 years in Corporate Office (Denver) after we finished our time in Africa.
• Spent 8 months travelling back and forth to Ghana (for a second time, at a different mine) to fill in as a short term replacement
• In August 2016, returned to working in Nevada at the Twin Creeks mine northeast of Winnemucca, where I currently work
• Current role: General Manager, Twin Creeks

Did you enjoy STEM subjects growing up?

I recognized early on that I had a strength for Math and Science and knew that I should leverage this into some type of Engineering career.  Being from Elko, I was aware of the Mining Industry, but hadn’t heard of Mine Engineering until I was in the later years of high school.  When I learned that Mine Engineering involved working outdoors, being able to give back to Northern Nevada and having access to a lot of mine supported scholarships, I was sold.

What do you like to do when you’re not working?

I really enjoy travelling.   As a family, we got to do a lot of travelling in Europe and Africa when we were living and working in Ghana.  Lately, my travel isn’t as exotic as it once was because it is mostly related to watching my kids play sports all over Northern Nevada, but I still enjoy every minute of it.

What advice would you give to a young woman considering a career in mining?

Go for it!  Mining is both interesting and rewarding and you can have a long and fulfilling career in this essential industry.  Select a company to work for that is advanced in terms of Inclusion and Diversity and has values that align with yours.  Then do your part to support and champion other women in mining.  The women before us paved the path to get this industry to where it is today, in terms of gender inclusion, and we will pave the path for the women of tomorrow.