In this episode, Mining Minds sits down with Merlyn McGraw, a man whose life journey has been shaped by the hard work and values he learned growing up on a ranch in Wyoming. Merlyn shares stories from his early years working alongside his family, where he first understood the importance of hard work, respect, and dedication.

From his humble beginnings at a local gas station to riding a Kawasaki 125 into Arizona to be closer to his brother, Merlyn’s path took him to the world of water well drilling. It was here that he truly began learning the ropes, taking the time to master his craft and ensure that everything was done correctly.

Merlyn’s journey also led him into both surface and underground mining, where he gained invaluable experience operating heavy equipment in some of the most challenging environments. He talks about the importance of listening and empowering those around you, building trust within teams, and what "doing things right" truly looks like when it comes to operating equipment in mining.

We explore the heavy responsibility that each miner carries in ensuring safety and efficiency in their work. Join Mining Minds for an insightful conversation about hard work, leadership, and what it takes to thrive as an equipment operator in the mining industry.

Sponsors:

GBC-NORCAT

Heavy Metal Equipment Rentals

Liebherr Mining

Chapters:

00:00 Growing up Wyoming

06:18 Typical day on the ranch

17:77 What it takes to be a good worker

23:02 Riding into Arizona on a Kawasaki 125

33:51 Drill Rigs and water wells

57:44 Listening and empowering people

58:38 Getting into mining

1:09:21 Equipment operations, trust, and knowing what good looks like

1:24:28 Training and responsibility

1:35:14 Going Underground

1:53:33 Advice for the young miner