21 OCTOBER 2024 WorldWide Drilling Resource® Decades of Dedication Adapted from Information by Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) In 1979, Kyle Ehnes started his career at the Homestake Gold Mine in Lead, South Dakota; 45 years later, Ehnes will remove his brass tag from the board for the last time. Ehnes describes his retirement as bittersweet. “There has been a lot of good memories, and yes, good money in this career. I raised my kids. I put them through college. It's just been awesome. Yeah, mining is hard work; it turns out it's hard to leave too.” Ehnes believes the ongoing efforts to preserve history and to recognize the legacy of generations of workers in the former mine is important for everyone at SURF. Like many past Homestake workers, and SURF employees today, Ehnes and his family have a long legacy on this site. “My dad started out at Homestake in September of 1959. Came down here right after the Deadwood Fire of that year,” Ehnes said. His brothers Keith, Kevin, and Kim all followed suit with jobs at the mine. “What is really cool is Dad started his career in 1959 on the 3650 Level, then when I came to work at Homestake, I mined on the 3650 L. Years later, when my son Austin was employed for Thyssen Mining, he came to SURF to help with the DUNE excavation and worked on a borehole for the lab from the 3650 L. So, three generations of us worked on that level.” Ehnes’ time included playing an important role in the refurbishment process for the Ross Shaft at SURF. He helped lead the procurement and inventory tracking on the major overhaul. Ehnes helped lead multiple projects and teams over the decades; he has one key piece of advice for new employees who come to work at America’s Underground Lab. “Ask the old guys,” he said. During his time at Homestake, Ehnes was injured in a rock fall underground while working alone. He said this experience reinforced his belief in the value of safety. “Don't just go in there thinking that you're this almighty person - safety has to come first. I preach safety because of my experience. Don't try and be a hero. Just ask the people who have experience. They will tell you.” In the coming years, Ehnes plans to spend more time with family, do a little golfing, and travel the country to see some NASCAR (the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) races. He also plans to drive his 1977 Monte Carlo, which has been in his garage since he was a junior in high school. “I just like to thank both Homestake and SURF for giving me an opportunity to be here for so many years. It's been a good living. I've had good crews and good people to work with. You know, out of everything I will miss, it will be the people,” Ehnes concluded. MIN
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