Kiera Bolinder
Kiera Bolinder is a geologist specializing in open-pit copper mining and mineral exploration, currently serving as a Senior Geologist at Freeport-McMoRan’s Chino Mine in Silver City, New Mexico. In this role, she leads the Ore Control group, overseeing geological data collection and ore modeling to support efficient and responsible mining operations. Her work combines field geology, data analysis, and operational leadership to ensure accurate resource evaluation and safe, effective production. Bolinder built her career through hands-on experience across multiple mining environments. She previously worked at the Bagdad Mine in Arizona, where she advanced from Geologist I to Geologist II and served in several leadership capacities, including interim senior geologist and sampling supervisor. In these roles, she managed drilling programs, supervised technical staff, conducted QAQC reporting, and used specialized mining software to support ore control and exploration activities. Earlier in her career, she gained production and exploration experience at Golden Vertex Corp., as well as geotechnical and core logging experience supporting Rio Tinto’s Bingham Canyon Mine. A graduate of Westminster College with a degree in Geology, Bolinder discovered her passion for the mining industry during an Economic Geology course in her final year of college. Inspired by faculty with real-world industry experience, she pursued field technician roles that provided a practical entry point into the field. Through determination and continuous learning, she steadily advanced into professional geology roles and leadership within large-scale mining operations.
• Mine Safety and Health - New Miner Training - Surface 20-Hr
• Westminster University
• Women in Mining
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my family, who have been my driving force throughout my journey. When I wanted to drop out of college after my first semester because I was having a rough time being away from home, I knew that if I dropped out, I couldn't pay back student loans, and my mom wouldn't be able to help my brothers if they wanted to go to school. So that's what got me past the first hurdle and gave me the perseverance through all the challenges that came up. With school and early in my career, it was my parents and my siblings supporting me. The further I've gotten in my career, it's been my parents, my siblings, and now my fiancé. When I first started with Freeport McMoran, I'd adopted a cat, and then I was like, "Oh, well, I need to make sure my cat has the best life ever." So, it's always been in the background that I have these people that surround me, they support me, I support them, they want to see me succeed, and I want to succeed for them and myself. And then in the foreground, it's that feeling of success that feels good. I like to have a job done well, I like to see a job through to the end, and I like to be able to contribute in a positive, meaningful way that someone can look back and say, hey, thank you.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don't be afraid to ask questions. It kind of goes back to that whole imposter syndrome thing, where a lot of times people, especially women, think, "Oh, well, I can't ask that because I'm going to look stupid, or someone's going to know that I don't belong". It's better to ask the question and get an answer than stay silent and struggle. And if I could go back and tell younger me that same thing, oh my gosh, I think I could have gotten to where I am so much faster and would have had a lot less stress, anxiety, and struggles. Someone told me this week that the only dumb question is a question not asked, because you're not going to know if you don't ask. Alongside with that, the word "No" isn't anything to be afraid of. You can say no, you can receive no, and everything's going to be totally fine.