Please join us on March 16th for a mini-conference with the British Tunnelling Society Young Members! Each organization will present on digital innovation, sustainability, and workforce culture. This roughly hour long event will be a great way to learn about a variety of topics in a short time!Salma Anouar will present "Surrogate Modeling and its Application in Tunneling"Jack Lawrence will present "Building AI-Enabled Workflows for Program Management"Negin Dolatraftarhaghighi will present "Institutionalizing Sustainability Efforts"Jared Clark and Waleed Assaf will present "Protecting a Historic River Through Sustainable Underground Solutions"Tasnia Khanom will present "Neurodiversity in the Tunneling Industry"Tara Wilk will present "Soft Skills That Make a Hard Industry Work"

This webinar addresses the critical intersection of hyperbaric medicine and underground construction during Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) cutterhead interventions (CHI). When high groundwater conditions necessitate balancing hydrostatic pressure with compressed air, personnel are subjected to extreme physiological environments. This session provides a professional overview of the medical risks inherent in these operations—including decompression sickness (DCS), barotrauma, and arterial gas embolism—and the mandatory regulatory framework required to mitigate them. Focused on OSHA 1926.803 compliance, the presentation outlines the essential role of the hyperbaric physician and the necessity of site-specific emergency protocols. Dr. Howton will detail how medical readiness must be integrated into operational planning, from pre-employment fitness-for-duty examinations to the strategic utilization of medical locks on-site. Attendees will leave with a clear roadmap for bridging the gap between heavy engineering requirements and medical safety, ensuring project compliance and the long-term well-being of the crew.

I’m happy to invite you to our next Black Hills Section of the Society of Mining, Metallurgy, & Exploration (SME) Dinner and Presentation   When:       Thursday, March 19th, 2026 Where:      Pearson Alumni & Conference Center - March Ball Room (330 E Kansas City St, Rapid City, SD 57701) Times:       Social:  6:00 PM                 Meal:  7:00 PM                 Presentation: 7:30 PM                 Business Meeting: 8:00 PM Cost:         $25 per person - Student meals free! Meal:         Catering by Sodexo Speaker:    Wes Ashton, Vice President of South Dakota and Wyoming Utilities, Black Hills Energy     Business meeting: Seating of Nominations and Scholarship Committees ahead of the Annual meeting in April.   Your payment includes the meal and support to the organization and scholarships. Spouses and non-members are welcome to attend. No cost to students. Please bring a check or cash to the event.   Contact us if you would like to be a yearly sponsor of student participation, scholarships and public outreach!   FOR RESERVATIONS: RSVP by Monday, March 16th to Blackhillssme@gmail.com.    *For questions/comments: Call or Email Melanie Bond, PE - BH Section SME Secretary; 605.580.0454; melanie@bondmineralseng.com

Speaker: Frank Palmer Sweet III Operational Excellence, FMI Accomplished Value Stream Manager with a Bachelor of Science in Technology Management. Strong qualifications in product profitability, value stream KPI management, business strategy development, and business metrics management. Presentation: Exploring the intriguing world of water spiders and examining the relationship between cost and efficiency. Sponsor: to be announced. Schedule: 6:00 - 6:30 Bar Social 6:30 - 6:45 Announcements (Salad bar will be available during session) 6:45 - 7:15 Presentation 7:15 - 7:30 Q&A 7:30 - 8:30 Dinner

Volunteers Needed! We are preparing to conduct our first-ever field trip fundraiser! We want to get a bus and sell tickets for a wine-tasting trip to Wilcox, AZ. We need volunteers who can lead groups from tasting room to tasting room, and anyone with connections in Wilcox who can help us lower our overhead. The goal is to fundraise to support our professional development programs. We will order pizza for the meeting, so please RSVP if you plan to attend.

You're invited to the SME Environmental Division Virtual Coffee Break on March 25, 2025. This informal session is a great way to learn what the Division is working on, connect with other members and explore new ways to get involved. Date: Wednesday, March 25, 2026 Time: 10:00-11:00am Mountain Time Register via Zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/YyblpAGOR0OP3Fjs8dDcAA We hope to see you there!

You're invited to the SME COLORADO PLATEAU SECTION SPRING MEETING!!SPRING MEETING and Facility Tour of Leitner-PomaThursday, March 26, 2026 Leitner-Poma2746 Seeber DriveGrand Junction, CO 81506  Food will be provided!!(please bring safety glasses, if you have some) 6:00 Gather/Eat/Socialize6:30 Chapter Business6:45 Site Visit FEATURING:Justin GrossAn Overview of Leitner-Poma Operations Guests Are Always Welcome! -Rick Parkins, Chair-Joe Brinton, Secretary-Bob Ballantyne, Treasurer-Susan Patton, Independent Board Member

Kuala Lumpur Convention CenterKuala Lumpur City Center, 50088 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia The biennial Offshore Technology Conference Asia (OTC Asia) is where energy professionals meet to exchange ideas and opinions to advance scientific and technical knowledge for offshore resources and environmental matters. Founded in 1969, OTC’s flagship conference is held annually in Houston. OTC is sponsored by 15 industry organisations and societies, who work cooperatively to develop the programme each year. OTC has expanded technically and globally with other flagship events including OTC Asia.

The SME Minnesota Conference focuses on the developments, technology, trends, and innovations directly affecting the heart of the Iron Ore region. Featuring a wide variety of technical sessions and speakers combined with interactive networking opportunities, the SME Minnesota Conference is a professional event you will truly enjoy and remember.

Speaker: to be announced. Presentation: to be announced. Sponsor: to be announced. Schedule: 6:00 - 6:30 Bar Social 6:30 - 6:45 Announcements 6:45 - 7:15 Presentation 7:15 - 7:30 Q&A 7:30 - 8:30 Dinner

The Forum on the Geology of Industrial Minerals (FGIM) is an international meeting of geologists and mining professionals interested in industrial minerals. For over half a century the Forum’s focus has been on the geology of industrial minerals with an emphasis on the promotion of the knowledge and organization of mining, mineral processing, regulation and reclamation through the forum meetings, presentations and field trips.

The Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) is where energy professionals meet to exchange ideas and opinions to advance scientific and technical knowledge for offshore resources and environmental matters.  Founded in 1969, OTC’s flagship conference is held annually in Houston. OTC has expanded technically and globally with the Arctic Technology Conference, OTC Brasil, and OTC Asia. OTC ranks among the largest 100 trade shows held annually in the United States and is among the 50 largest meetings. OTC is a collaboration of *15 non-profit organizations that support the global energy sector. *15 non-profit organizations: 12 sponsoring, 1 regional sponsoring, and 2 endorsing organizations.

The SME Midweek Member Mixer (MMM) is a bi-monthly, 1/2 hour virtual networking event. MMM is held the second Wednesday of each month at 9:00 am MT. Join each month to discuss industry topics and SME programs. Register once for this event series, then attend any of the monthly events. You will be sent a reminder from Zoom each month with your unique access link.

Speaker: to be announced. Presentation: to be announced. Sponsor: to be announced. Schedule: 6:00 - 6:30 Bar Social 6:30 - 6:45 Announcements 6:45 - 7:15 Presentation 7:15 - 7:30 Q&A 7:30 - 8:30 Dinner

The North American Tunneling conference (NAT) is the premier biennial tunneling event for North America, bringing together the brightest, most resourceful and innovative minds in the tunneling and underground construction industry.

Speaker: to be announced. Presentation: to be announced. Sponsor: to be announced. Schedule: 6:00 - 6:30 Bar Social 6:30 - 6:45 Announcements 6:45 - 7:15 Presentation 7:15 - 7:30 Q&A 7:30 - 8:30 Dinner

The SME Midweek Member Mixer (MMM) is a bi-monthly, 1/2 hour virtual networking event. MMM is held the second Wednesday of every other month at 9:00 am Mountain Time. Join each event to discuss industry topics and SME programs. 

Speaker: to be announced. Presentation: to be announced. Sponsor: to be announced. Schedule: 6:00 - 6:30 Bar Social 6:30 - 6:45 Announcements 6:45 - 7:15 Presentation 7:15 - 7:30 Q&A 7:30 - 8:30 Dinner

 International Conference on Ground Control in Mining August 10-11, 2026 | Charleston, WV Participate in achieving practical ground control solutions in mining at the 45th International Conference on Ground Control in Mining. By attending, you will experience two days of highly focused technical programs that you can put into practice at your organization, get access to the type of industry research and insights you need from today’s thought leaders, and connect with other professionals in the industry. Learn more here: groundcontrolmining.org

Speaker: to be announced. Presentation: to be announced. Sponsor: to be announced. Schedule: 6:00 - 6:30 Bar Social 6:30 - 6:45 Announcements 6:45 - 7:15 Presentation 7:15 - 7:30 Q&A 7:30 - 8:30 Dinner

Speaker: to be announced. Presentation: to be announced. Sponsor: to be announced. Schedule: 6:00 - 6:30 Bar Social 6:30 - 6:45 Announcements 6:45 - 7:15 Presentation 7:15 - 7:30 Q&A 7:30 - 8:30 Dinner

Speaker: to be announced. Presentation: to be announced. Sponsor: to be announced. Schedule: 6:00 - 6:30 Bar Social 6:30 - 6:45 Announcements 6:45 - 7:15 Presentation 7:15 - 7:30 Q&A 7:30 - 8:30 Dinner

From the East to the West Coast, North America’s tunneling industry is flourishing. The annual Cutting Edge Conference examines the latest advances in tunneling technology, its methodology and how they can be harnessed to assist the nation’s major upcoming underground projects. You’ll find cutting edge perspectives on a range of topics, including meeting industry challenges, developments in materials technology, and methodologies in sustainability.

Speaker: to be announced. Presentation: to be announced. Sponsor: to be announced. Schedule: 6:00 - 6:30 Bar Social 6:30 - 6:45 Announcements 6:45 - 7:15 Presentation 7:15 - 7:30 Q&A 7:30 - 8:30 Dinner

The SME Arizona Conference is the leading conference for regional collaboration and growth in the mining industry in the southwest, specifically Arizona. The conference focuses on the development, technology and innovations used in local area projects.

An intensive one-day conference where you can keep up on project updates, learn strategies for overcoming challenges, and discuss surrounding critical industry issues.

At MINEXCHANGE, you’re surrounded by people as excited and passionate about the mining industry as you. Join leaders from around the industry where you’ll learn the latest on today’s critical topics from innovation to responsible mining.

Every two years, industry leaders and practitioners from around the world gather at the Rapid Excavation and Tunneling Conference (RETC), the authoritative program for the tunneling profession, to learn about the most recent advances and breakthroughs in this unique field. This comprehensive conference helps practicing professionals keep up with the ever-changing and growing tunneling industry. Stay on top of new trends and technologies as well as innovative concepts, new equipment, materials, management, financing, and design challenges.

An intensive one-day conference where you can keep up on project updates, learn strategies for overcoming challenges, and discuss surrounding critical industry issues.

At MINEXCHANGE, you’re surrounded by people as excited and passionate about the mining industry as you. Join leaders from around the industry where you’ll learn the latest on today’s critical topics from innovation to responsible mining.