Arizona mine inspector candidates accuse each other of lack of experience in debate

The candidates running for Arizona mine inspector agreed on almost every point in a debate on Monday, but accused each other of not having the experience needed for the job.

Republican incumbent Walter “Les” Presmyk accuses his Democratic opponent, Brian Matlock, of not meeting the statutory requirements for the role, namely direct experience with mining.

That’s a requirement in state law.

More specifically, the mine inspector must have “at least eight years' experience, four or more of which have been in this state, consisting of direct operational or management experience with mining operations at a mine.”

Presmyk was appointed to the role by Gov. Katie Hobbs last summer to replace former GOP mine inspector Paul Marsh, who resigned.

Hobbs, a Democrat, was required to choose another Republican to fill the role.

Matlock said that Presmyk is stretching his resume by claiming to have “44 years as a mining engineer, 45-plus years in Arizona mining.”

Matlock joked that’s “unusual” math. It refers to Presmyk’s decades of experience as a former mining engineer for Salt River Project.

“I am the state mine inspector. I am doing the job, and I am doing the job very well at this point. I’m asking the voters for another four years to complete a lot of the things that we’ve already started,” Presmyk said.

Matlock says his experience speaks for itself, and that Presmyk missed his chance to challenge it.

“I think now they know they're on the ropes and what they’re coming back with is trying to throw something to see what sticks at the wall,” Matlock said.

Matlock has had various engineering and mining project managing roles.

Safety plans

Both Presmyk and Matlock say the role of mine inspector is largely to do with ensuring mining operations comply with safety standards and training requirements.

The role also includes securing abandoned mines, of which there are an estimated 100,000 across the state.

Matlock said he wants to adopt a new health and safety model in the mine inspector’s office with policies and procedures that clearly define how to do the job. He also acknowledged that mines do have robust health and safety protocols.

Matlock also said he wants the community to work with the mine inspector’s office to identify more abandoned mines.

Presmyk agreed with those priorities and said that’s how the office is already operating.

He asked Arizonans who come across mines not to send him pictures of just the holes, but to take wider shots and include coordinates when reporting the mine’s location to make them easier to find.

Presmyk estimates that the mine inspector’s office has secured about 11,000 of the abandoned mines over the last several years.

Mining money going to Presmyk

Presmyk received a campaign contribution from Nicholas Matiella, the director of federal and state partnerships and engagement for Resolution Copper.

Resolution Copper is in the process of creating a huge copper mine at Oak Flat, on a parcel of land within the Tonto National Forest that was recently transferred to the multinational mining company.

Presmyk also got a contribution from Harold “Bernie” Loyer, the senior VP of projects for the Arizona Sonoran Copper Company.

Matlock said financing is the main difference between himself and Presmyk.

“I believe that, you know, the way you manage your money in your campaigns is a window into your values. We both agree safety is important, and I don't challenge Les on that at all. But it's where your motivations come from,” Matlock said.

The legend of the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine

Legend has it that in the Superstition Mountains east of the Phoenix metro area, there is a vein of gold. It’s called the Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine, and it’s never been found, though many people have tried.

Allegedly, the gold was first discovered by the Peralta family from Mexico. They supposedly loaded up with gold and began the journey to take some of it home, but were ambushed and killed on the way.

Years later, a miner named Jacob Waltz claimed to have rediscovered the mine and lived off of the treasure, but he never told anyone else where exactly to find it.

Neither of the candidates for mine inspector committed to dedicating any state resources to hunting the Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine.

Matlock didn’t rule out its existence.

“You know, there’s so many people that believe it’s true, I named my dog Dutch for a reason. And I can’t comment much more than that,” he told KJZZ.

Presmyk didn’t rule it out either, but he has another theory: that Waltz was high-grading.

That’s the crime of stealing gold or other valuable ore from a mine and selling it on the sly.

“If Jacob Waltz was a miner at the Vulture, which was one of the richest gold mines at the time, one of the ways that he could legitimize his gold was to move to the opposite end of the Valley and claim that he had found the Peralta gold,” Presmyk said. “I’m not saying that the legends and lore about the Peralta gold are not true, but I'm not sure that Jacob Waltz was digging gold in the Superstitions. I think he was high-grading, but that’s my opinion.”