John Storie

Graduate geologist, Rio Tinto Exploration, USA

BSc geology and geophysics, University of Missouri-Rolla, USA

I have always had an interest in earth science and was attracted to a career as an exploration field geologist. I began working with Rio Tinto Exploration as a contract geologist immediately after graduating from university.

My first job was working on a small coking coal exploration project in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies in northern British Columbia, Canada. I then spent several months working for the copper team in the Oquirrh Mountains outside Salt Lake City, Utah. I took part in several different exploration activities including field mapping, geophysical surveys, and soil and rock sampling programmes.

From there, I travelled to Tamarack, Minnesota and began working for the nickel team on a small drilling programme. Shortly after starting work in Tamarack in January 2008, we drilled a discovery hole, and the project quickly progressed to an advanced stage exploration project. I moved from my contractor position to Rio Tinto's graduate programme in April 2008, and have been based in Minnesota ever since.

Our office is in the small village of Tamarack, and the project site is in the countryside, a couple of miles away. I probably spend 99 per cent of my time at work outside in the field. My wife and I have now bought a house about 15 miles from the project.

Over the past year, I have had opportunities to work at other projects too. Some of the highlights for me have included nickel and diamond prospecting in Ontario, Canada; helicopter supported geophysical surveying in the Oquirrh Mountains; and a drill safety camp in Chile. We joined colleagues from the South American region for the ten day safety course, learning how to inspect drill rigs and ensure we were using safe processes.

I feel like Rio Tinto is a really good place to work. We get positive feedback from local people at Tamarack who come up to us all the time and commend us on our environmental work and community relations work. As an exploration geologist, you're one of the first people from Rio Tinto at a potential new mine site, and we do everything we can to keep the community as informed as possible about our work. I like public speaking so I go and speak to local groups including schools and community leadership groups. I find this a really rewarding part of my job.

I have already had two exciting years with Rio Tinto, and I hope there are many more to come. I feel I haven't yet discovered all the possibilities that exist for me within this company. Potentially I could stay with Tamarack as it progresses, or go elsewhere with Rio Tinto Exploration, or perhaps have some experience as a mine geologist. The choices are wide open for me.