MINERAL & METALLURGICAL PROCESSING DIVISION
COLORADO SME SECTION
75th Annual Conference
April 23 - April 25, 2026 at The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, Colorado
“75 Years - The Past, The Present, and The Future”
Thursday, April 23, 2026
Afternoon Session – Rocky Mountain Ballroom AB
12:30 – 12:45 Opening welcome and conference logistics, Brett Berg, MPD Chair
1. 12:45 -1:10 75 Years of Progress – Evolution of Slurry Pump Business and the Generations That Shaped It –
Jennifer Salazar – Metso
2. 1:10 – 1:35 Detection of Cobalt Cyanide in Gold Mine Process Water – Hugh Davies – Newmont
3. 1:35 – 2:00 Tailings Management Consortium – A Unique, Collaboration, Between Two Major Mining Companies -
Robert Cooke – Paterson & Cooke
Coffee Break: 2:00 PM – 2:25 PM, Rocky Mountain Foyer
Sponsors: Black Opal Carbons, Energy Fuels, Quadra
Bechtel Mining and Minerals, Flottweg, Hazen Research, M3, Paterson & Cooke, Thermo Fisher Scientific
4. 2:25 – 2:50 Past, Present & Future of Cripple Creek & Victor – Josh Schley – SSR Mining
5. 2:50 – 3:15 Magnetic Separation of Lithium-Ion Battery Mass for Hydrometallurgical Processing –
Nicholas Smith – Colorado School of Mines
6. 3:15 – 3:40 Process Development – The Challenges of Bringing New Technologies to Production –
Todd Harvey – Global Resources Engineering
Evening Activities: 6:30 PM – 10:00 PM – Rocky Mountain Ballroom CD
Hosted Reception: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM (cash bar available after 8:00 PM)
Cocktail Reception Sponsor: SSR Mining
Dinner: 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM (prior reservation required)
Casino Night & Socializing: 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Dinner Sponsor: Newmont
Casino Night Sponsor: Weir
**Casual Attire Welcome**
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COLORADO MPD CONFERENCE SPONSORSHIP LEVELS
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Diamond
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$7,500+
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Gold
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$2,500 – $4,999
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Copper
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$750 – $1,249
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Platinum
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$5,000 – $7,499
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Silver
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$1,250 – $2,499
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Golf
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$500
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Friday, April 24, 2026
Continental Breakfast and Coffee Service: 7:30 AM – 8:30 AM, Rocky Mountain Foyer
Sponsors: Forte Dynamics/SLR, NewFields
AMES, EE Mill Solutions, Hatch, Jord International, McCarl’s Technical Services, Tetra Tech, SGS, South32
Morning Session – Rocky Mountain Ballroom AB
7. 8:30 – 8:55 Evolution of the Project Team – Amber Howson – C-Shift Consulting
8. 8:55 – 9:20 Unlocking Overlooked Domestic Mineral Resources – Chris Young – ElementUSA
9. 9:20 – 9:45 The Henderson Project – Jay Williams and Wayne Campbell – Freeport-McMoRan
Coffee Break: 9:45 AM – 10:10 AM, Rocky Mountain Foyer
Sponsors: ChemTreat, Molycop USA
Freeport-McMoRan, Hecla, Kiewit, Orica, Orion Resource Partners, Tierra Group International
History Tour / Bubbles & Brunch: 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM, Sun Lounge (guest event, prior reservation required)
Sponsor: Lhoist, NV MPD
10. 10:10 – 10:35 The Problem with Financing Critical Mineral Projects – Justin Anderson – Nebari Holdings
11. 10:35 – 11:00 Mechanochemical Extraction of Lithium at Low Temperature (MELLT) from α-Spodumene –
Adi Mussin – Colorado School of Mines
12. 11:00 – 11:25 Chasing Paydirt: A History of Mining in Colorado – Shane Kinney – National Mining Hall of Fame
Lunch: 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM, Rocky Mountain CD (prior reservation required)
Sponsors: DSS Valves, Samuel Engineering, SRK Consulting
Keynote: Are There Too Many Minerals Companies? – Doug Silver – Balfour Holdings, LLC
Afternoon Session – Rocky Mountain Ballroom AB
13. 1:15 – 1:40 Back to the Future: What’s Next for Extractive Metallurgy – Joe Grogan – Gopher Resources
14. 1:40 – 2:05 From Solar Evaporation to Electrochemical Selective Separation – The Evolution and Future of
Lithium Processing – Stefany Huanca – Colorado School of Mines
15. 2:05 – 2:30 Modeling Material Demands in Energy – Dr. Maxwell Brown – Colorado School of Mines
Evening Activities: 5:20 PM – 12:00 AM – Cheyenne Lodge (from west tower lobby via Broadmoor shuttle only)
Shuttle service begins at 5:20 PM
6:30 PM SHARP – 12:00 AM - Plated Dinner & Awards, followed by Games, Dancing, and Photo Booth (prior reservation required)
Dinner Sponsor: SUNDT
Hosted Bar: 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Cocktail Reception Sponsor: Victaulic
DJ & Photobooth Sponsors: DISA Technologies, Cornell Pump Company
Shuttle Sponsor: Jorgensen Engineering & Technical Services
Presentation of 2026 Arthur C. Daman Lifetime Achievement Award to Michael D.S. Blois
Presentation of 2026 Colorado MPD Student Paper Award
Saturday, April 25, 2026
Complimentary Coffee Service: 8:00 AM – 8:45 AM, Rocky Mountain Foyer
Sponsors: WSP
EPC, Gopher Resource, Kalenborn, Knight Piésold and Co.,
Linkan, Polydeck, Quinn Process Equipment, RESPEC, Tsurumi Pumps
Morning Session – Rocky Mountain Ballroom AB
16. 8:45 – 9:10 The Future of Tailings – Dr. Alan Mencin – Colorado School of Mines
17. 9:10 – 9:35 Advancing Flotation Strategies in the Molybdenum Circuit – Erin Antonioli – Freeport-McMoRan
18. 9:35 – 10:00 Breaking Silos: Asset Management Strategy – Jennifer Meikle – Newmont
Bloody Mary Break: 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM, Rocky Mountain Foyer
(Guests Welcome)
Sponsor: Metso
19. 10:45 – 11:10 Nuton®: past learnings, present innovations, and the future of copper leaching– Mike Hutton –
Ashkenny – Nuton Technologies
20. 11:10 – 11:35 FAST-41 – A Pathway to Efficient Federal Environment Review – Steve Blazek – WSP
11:35 – 11:45 - Lou Cope Best Presentation Award & Closing Remarks
Afternoon Activities:
Golf: 1:30 PM ~ 7:00 PM, East Course
(prior registration required – reception immediately following Golf)
Sponsors: CGS, General Air, GR Engineering Services, Integrity Biochem, Kappes Cassiday,
METSIM, P&C Recruiting, Phillips & Jordan, Peerless Pump, Polydeck, Quadra, Quinn Process Equipment, WSP
Golf Food & Beverage Sponsor: Jord International
Golf Ball Sponsor: Tierra Group International
Golf Cart Sponsor: EPC
Golf Reception Immediately Following the Round: Robert Trent Jones Room (Golf Club)