MACON, Ga., Aug. 1, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Georgia Mining Association named Doug Carter, Vice President of Technology and Business Development for KaMin LLC, as the GMA "Miner of the Year" at their Annual Convention in Ponte Vedra, FL. The Miner of the Year award, presented annually since 1992, recognizes outstanding individuals who have shown leadership and vision in promotion of the mineral resource industry in Georgia.
"Doug has been extremely helpful to the GMA during the past year, working tirelessly to educate the community on the commitment of our kaolin companies to operations that will continue to enhance and preserve the natural beauty of the middle Georgia area," remarked Lee Lemke, Executive Vice President of the GMA.
Other awards presented at the convention included the annual Safety Award, which was presented to KaMin LLC. In accepting the award, Harlan Archer, President of KaMin, commented, "Our Wrens and Sandersville plants have worked for an extensive period with no reportable MSHA injuries. Our MSHA incident rate for the company on a whole was 0.28 in 2011, which is well below the MSHA national average of 1.46. This type of achievement is a stepping stone toward our vision of becoming the most admired kaolin company in the world."
BASF Corporation was awarded the top environmental honor for reclamation of mining land in the state of Georgia. This award recognizes BASF's efforts to return mined lands to their natural state and marks the third time in four years that the BASF Middle Georgia Kaolin site has received the prestigious award.
Randall Quintrell, GMA Counsel, was honored as "GMA Associate of the Year", in recognition of his contributions at the state and federal level to educate representatives on mining industry best practices and producer contributions to protect and preserve the environment.
The Board of Directors for the GMA also presented two Lifetime Achievement Awards. Lee Lemke, Executive Vice President of the GMA, was honored for his 25 years of service to the mineral industry of Georgia. Mike Copeland, Tractor & Equipment Company, was also recognized for 25 years of service to the GMA Board of Directors.
Georgia Mining Association
The Georgia Mining Association (GMA), founded in 1972, is a Georgia trade association dedicated to helping mining companies and allied trade members succeed, understand, comply and function in a complex business and regulatory world. The primary purpose of the Georgia Mining Association is to protect and promote the mining industry in the state.
The mission of the Georgia Mining Association is to advance and encourage the mineral resource industries of the State of Georgia, to provide information on legislative matters to the membership and to create a better understanding among the people of Georgia about the importance of the mining industry.
The Georgia Mining Association logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=13895