State targets growth of mining supply chain in Elko area

A Brookings Institute study that identified growth sectors in the state's economy led to creation of a mining-industry specialist position within the Governor's Office of Economic Development.

GOED Executive Director Steve Hill is interviewing the top five candidates for the job and expects to hire a specialist by the end of November. The position is expected to pay $100,000 to $110,000 a year with benefits and is co-funded by the Nevada Mining Association.

The goal of the mining industry specialist, who will work out of the offices of the Northeastern Nevada Regional Development Authority in Elko, is to help mining-based companies grow their businesses in the state and to lure new companies that work within the mining industry to Nevada, Hill says.

"The mining companies think that this provides not only a good opportunity for the state but also is a good opportunity for them as well," Hill says. "Sometimes it takes combining the buying power of more than one company to be attractive to businesses located out of the state."

The mining industry specialist also will focus on fostering economic development efforts in rural Nevada. Oftentimes, says Pam Borda, executive director of NNRDA (formerly the Elko County Economic Diversification Authority), economic development organizations in the state's rural counties just don't have the manpower to chase all avenues of new business. The new staffer will target growth within the mining industry, from permitting to workforce development and financing issues and other development efforts as well.

"This is really, really huge," Borda says. "All the development authorities in the mining region are small with very limited resources. I think this position will be a tremendous resource to all of us. Working together we can get a lot more done."

Although Elko County businesses have experienced unprecedented growth coinciding with the run-up in the price of gold over the last four to five years, many companies that support the industry still are located out of the state. Helping those companies, from equipment repair and maintenance shops to assay labs, IT companies to security and administration firms, establish a stronger base of operations in Nevada will create new jobs and expand the state's specialized workforce, Hill says.

Working from Elko is another key component of the position, he adds. Much of the state's economic development efforts are centered on Reno, Sparks, Carson City and Las Vegas.

The mining industry specialist will focus on drawing new business to the whole northeastern corner of the state, including Elko, White Pine, Eureka and other rural counties.

Tim Crowley, president of the Nevada Mining Association, says creation of a mining supply chain specialist is a great way to foster growth in the state's vendor base and to have a set of eyes looking outside the state's borders.

Many of the companies that will be on the radar, such as accounting to engineering to business support firms, will serve other industries in the state as well, Crowley says.

"We felt that this was such a good idea that we are underwriting half of that position."

Currently there are more than 2,300 companies doing business with mining operators within the state of Nevada, Crowley adds.

"There already is a roust supply chain, but we are growing, and so there is opportunity there," he says.

The NNRDA is hosting a closed-forum supply chain roundtable on Dec. 10 at the Elko Convention Center from 1 to 5 p.m. The goal of the forum, Borda says, is to have the mines and mining support companies share supply chain information in order to identify most appropriate types of business to target in the supply chain.