Matt Blattman joins SME Board of Directors

There are many paths one can follow to leadership positions with SME. For Matt Blattman, who joined the SME Board of Directors on March 1, his involvement began early in his career with the support of his employers. His career took him to places where it was difficult to be involved at a local level, but he remained involved through various committees. Blattman shares his thoughts on SME, the mining industry and his goals at member of the SME Board of Directors.

SME: Please explain your SME path to the SME Board of Directors, i.e., past committee and chair positions.

Blattman: I was fortunate to work for Neil and Cami Prenn at Mine Development Associates very early in my career and they placed significant value on SME participation. They supported my attendance at the annual meeting each year and encouraged involvement. In 2003, I joined the Young Leaders and acted as the chair of that group in my last year on the committee. That cohort showed me what active SME service could look like and crystallized my resolve to get involved. Over the majority of my career, I’ve lived and worked in areas that did not have a local SME section making it difficult to get involved at the local level. As a result, most of my early participation was on various working and strategic committees such as the Accreditation & Curricular Issues, Structure & Governance, and Education & Professional Development committees. At the same time, I got involved with the Mining & Exploration (M&E) Division by presenting in, and chairing, a couple of technical sessions at the annual meeting and then acting as a program area manager (PAM). In 2017, I became part of the M&E Division’s executive committee, ultimately serving as chair of that division in 2021.

SME: What are your goals as a member of the SME Board?

Blattman: Ultimately, my goal as a member of the Board is to make a meaningful contribution to the success and growth of the organization, while also supporting the broader SME community. I am committed to working collaboratively with my fellow board members and leveraging my skills and expertise to drive positive change. I’m excited to participate as the board-liaison to the Responsible Mining & Underground Construction Strategic Committee whose charter is to prepare SME to be the premier resource for information on responsible and sustainable mining and underground construction by researching and anticipating industry needs. One topic that seems to come up daily is how to find, recruit, and employ the next generation of mining professionals. As a board member, I want to encourage and support creative efforts to attract students and other professionals to our industry.

SME: What advice do you have for someone just joining SME or the mining industry?

Blattman: One of my favorite things about mining is the diversity of experience and broad range of knowledge needed to keep everything running. While a good, general understanding of all the processes in the extractive industries is invaluable, I believe the way to set yourself apart is to find something that you are passionate about and become an expert at that thing. Become the “go-to” person for that topic in your organization. Being a “joiner,” someone who says “yes” more often than “no,” will allow you to discover new passions and gain experience.

SME: What are your thoughts about the near-term future of SME?

Blattman: SME has been at the forefront of advancing the mining and metallurgical industries for more than a century. In my opinion, the near-term future of SME is promising, considering the ongoing development of innovative technologies, increasing demand for metals and minerals, and the growing importance of sustainable mining practices. I’m optimistic that SME will continue to be relevant and a leader in the discourse.

SME: What are your thoughts on state of the mining industry?

Blattman: As the mineral needs of our society continue to increase, our industry will be essential in almost all aspects of our lives. That much is clear, I believe, though the rules governing our operations evolve constantly. The organizations that learn and adapt quickly will thrive and be able to drive the discussion. While the challenge of finding the next ore deposit is unlikely to get any easier, those who find a way to do it while navigating the changing societal expectations of sustainability will prosper. We’re all keenly aware of the challenges of finding sufficient human resources to operate our mines; increasing diversity at our sites is one way of addressing that need. The technological and cultural challenges that face our industry will not be easy to overcome but someone will do it, and it’s my hope to be part of the team that does.