Kathy Gail Whitman (1959-2012)

Environmental Permitting Specialist, Whitman & Company

2017 Inductee from Mining's Past

Kathy G. Whitman was born in Tulsa, OK and raised in Boulder, CO.  After receiving her degree in Range Ecology and Watershed Science from the University of Wyoming, she joined Bridger Coal Company in Rock Springs, WY focusing on reclamation and then obtained a second undergraduate degree in Integrated Studies from Weber State in Utah.

In 1989, Whitman relocated to Globe, AZ to work for Magma Copper Company at the Pinto Valley Mine in charge of environmental compliance and permitting and later joined Carlota Copper Company spear-heading the permitting of the Carlota Mine with the United States Forest Service.

As Whitman’s reputation grew, she founded Whitman & Company in 1993.  She became the “go to person” for permitting offering highly specialized consulting services and expertise to mine operations throughout the southwest.  Notable successes included the substantial leach operations expansion on both Forest Service and BLM lands at the then Cyprus Miami facility and the exploration campaign and initial environmental studies for the Rio Tinto/BHP Resolution Project near Superior.

In 2001, Whitman & Company merged with WestLand Resources of Tucson with Whitman bringing her renowned mining related environmental compliance expertise to the joint venture.  She also continued her consulting services and generously shared her knowledge with a new generation of environmental and mining professionals. 

At her passing in 2012, Whitman was not only known as a pioneer in environmental compliance but was also a respected non-fiction author recognized by the prestigious Mayborn Literary and Non-Fiction Conference.

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