Mining professionals have come together to offer a mentoring program for the small mines in their area. Participation in this program is free. If you have a mining related question that you would like to ask, please feel free to contact someone in your area. A list of mining professionals who are making themselves readily available to answer any questions relating to mining can be found by clicking the area name in the column to the right. Contact can be made via email or telephone.

The University of Texas does not endorse or support the opinions stated by any mentor and that all questions relating to MSHA regulations should be answered by an official MSHA representative when in question to ensure full compliance with the law. Although the mentors on this list have identified themselves as mining professionals their opinions, suggestions, and recommendations will not in any way supercede the regulations as stated in the 30 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 1-199.  Mentors are asked not to give opinions but to simply state facts as presented in the 30 CFR.  Listed below are some general rules for using the mentor program.  These will ensure that the program is used for its intended purpose and that it does not get abused.

If you are a mentor, you will:

• Be professional and courteous when speaking with someone that needs help.
• Agree to give the best advice that you can and to refer the question to another mentor if you can not answer it.
• Agree not to give any opinions on citations, violations, or accidents that may conflict with a best practice, advice, citation, or anything that MSHA may have said with regards to the question being asked.
• Agree not to use this program as a way to solicit business for your own benefit.
• Agree to send an email of the question and advice given to jhenderson@mail.utexas.edu for the purpose of developing a FAQ bank that future people with related questions can use.

If you are asking a question, you will:

• Be professional and courteous when asking questions.
• Agree to get a final ruling when in question from an official MSHA representative.
• Agree not to ask for directly related opinions on citations, violations, or comments that an MSHA Official has made about your facility or equipment.
• Agree to send a copy of questions and or advice to jhenderson@mail.utexas.edu for the purpose of developing a FAQ bank to help others with similar questions.