Arizona State Mine Inspector - Walter Presmyk

- MARCH DINNER MEETING - 

Join us for our next SME Tucson Dinner Meeting! Please note that the January meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 11th! Make sure to select your meal when making your reservation. Reservation deadline is Friday, March 6th.

Program:

Arizona State Mine Inspector - Walter Presmyk

In 1912, the newly christened state of Arizona supported 445 active mines, 72 concentrating facilities, and 11 smelters. This same year the Office of the State Mine Inspector was established by the Constitution of the State of Arizona, Article XIX. The agency enforces statutes, rules, and regulations applicable to mine safety, health, and land reclamation under ARS Title 27 Minerals, Oil and Gas and Arizona Administrative Code Title 11 - Mining. Today, Arizona leads the nation in non-fuel mineral production with over 500 active mines. Arizona continues to be the leader in copper production in the USA, supplying over 70% of this critical metal.

The Mission of the State Mine Inspector’s Office is to ensure the health and safety of people working at mines, provide certified miner and instructor safety training, coordinate the closure of abandoned mines on state and private land posing a threat to public health and safety, and to ensure that lands used for mining are properly reclaimed for public use once mining is completed. The State Mine Inspector is a statewide elected constitutional officer, the only elected mine inspector in the US and the director of the Office of the State Mine Inspector.

To protect the public against the dangers of abandoned mines, the agency investigates and inventories abandoned mine sites, assesses their risk to public health and safety, coordinates securing or closure of those that are found to be dangerous. The agency promotes public safety regarding abandoned mines by "Stay Out Stay Alive" promotions, presentations and publications; complaint investigations and mine owner ARS 27-318 compliance notifications.

Finally, the agency administers reclamation plans and assurances by enforcing the Mined Land Reclamation laws, rules and regulations for the restoration of disturbed mine lands to a safe and stable environmental condition once mining is completed.

Venue and Beverage Sponsor:

Meeting Sponsors:

TWO SPOTS AVAILABLE!
Reach out to Omar Smith or Liliana Pinedo if you are interested.

Speaker: Walter "Les" Presmyk, Arizona State Mine Inspector

Les Presmyk spent 42+ years as a mining engineer in copper mines with

Miami Copper Company in Miami, Arizona, with Magma Copper Company

in Superior, Arizona and with coal mines in Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico

for Salt River Project, Arizona’s second largest electric utility. He and his wife

of 49 years, Paula, are Arizona natives and are both graduates of the University

of Arizona.  Les has been actively involved in his community of Gilbert, Arizona

for over 30 years, serving as an H.O.A. president, Planning Commissioner, and

Town Councilmember for 12 years and additional roles since 2011, including

starting and chairing its Veterans Advisory Board.  On October 6, 2026, he

assumed the role of Arizona’s State Mine Inspector.

Les is a Legion of Merit member of SME and served as vice-chairman and

Chairman of the Globe-Miami-Superior section of SME from 1978 to 1980.  He

Is a former President of the Tucson Gem & Mineral Society, a former President

of the Mineralogical Society of Arizona, Chairman of the Flagg Mineral Foundation,

a founding member of the University of Arizona Mineral Museum Advisory Board,

and a member of the Tucson Show Committee for 39 years, along with the 2026

Show co-chairman.  He is vice-chairman of the advisory board for the University

of Arizona Mining, Mineral and Natural Resources Education Museum in Phoenix.

Les received the 2002 A. L. Flagg Distinguished Service Award, is a charter

member of the 2014 Mineralogical Society of Arizona Hall of Fame, the recipient

of the 2017 Carnegie Mineralogical Award, and the 2023 John S. White Mineral

Education Legacy Award.

Les has explored and collected in a number of localities in Arizona, Missouri and

Mexico and provided mining and engineering expertise at the San Francisco mine

in Sonora, Mexico, the Brushy Creek mine in Missouri and the Red Cloud mine in

Arizona.  Les has written numerous articles and co-authored “Collecting Arizona –

State of Mines, Legacy of Minerals”. He has spoken at various symposiums,

including Dallas, Yale, and the Northwest Friends of Mineralogy Symposium,

along with numerous Arizona and New Mexico Symposiums, the Tucson,

Springfield, and Denver Shows, and many clubs throughout the United States.

Agenda:

• 6:00pm - 7:00pm Social Hour
• 7:00pm - 7:45pm Dinner
• 7:45pm - 8:00pm Announcements
• 8:00pm - 8:30pm Program
• 8:30pm - 8:45pm Q&A

Location:
HEXAGON, 40 E Congress St #300, Tucson, AZ 85701. CLICK FOR MAP.

Costs:

• $55 for SME Tucson members
• $65 for non-members
• Free for UA SME Student Chapter members

Payable at the door by cash, credit card, or check payable to SME Tucson.

Cancellations and No Shows:

Please call or email by the registration deadline to cancel.  If you do not cancel your reservation by the deadline, SME is still required to pay for your dinner, and you will in turn be billed. Thank you. 

Thank you to all our 2025 Scholarship Fundraiser Sponsors: