Industry Person of the Week – Jessica Scanlan

#WeAreEssential | Meet Jessica Scanlan, Geologist and Miner. Here’s what she had to share!

“I’ve always liked rocks! My dad owns a construction company, so I’ve always been fascinated with that kind of industry. When I went to school, I decided on Geological Engineering for my degree. For part of our Intro program, we visited an underground mine and honestly, I was TERRIFIED! But once I got over the initial fear, I was so amazed by it all. I love the excitement and mystery that goes along with it, and the skills it takes to work underground. I was hooked and decided to go into mining that day!

There’s a ton of cool stuff I love about being a Grade Control geo! Every day is a new day. You never know how each face turns out and how the rock/ore will move. It’s a puzzle that you’re in charge of figuring out. I’m most proud of the people I get to work with. We have a really great geology and engineering team at the mine I work at, as well as some super talented miners. The mine is like a big wheel and everyone has to work together to keep it rolling!

I always advise to see as much as you can! Get out and try to see different mines and mining methods. Connect with people and share comments and ideas. I’m super lucky to have an amazing LinkedIn community who I can message and share ideas with, as well as a lot of connections I’ve made through school. I firmly believe the more you can see and learn, the better you’ll be able to take problems and find solutions!

I personally haven’t worked on any major projects recently. I did however switch “Areas” of the mine a few months ago, and I’m loving the challenge that comes along with that! It utilizes different mining methods than I was previously used to, and the geology is a bit different as well! It’s for sure a new adventure!”