January 22, 2026 - The Society for Mining, Metallurgy, & Exploration (SME) and Crownsmen Partners (Crownsmen) are excited to announce a brand-new partnership taking shape at the MINEXCHANGE 2026 SME Annual Conference & Expo.

Throughout MINEXCHANGE, occurring February 22-25, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah, Crownsmen will record a multitude of new Mining NOW episodes live onsite featuring thought leaders sharing their take on all aspects of the mining sector.  

Mining NOW, produced by Crownsmen Partners, is where listeners tune in for expert discussions on mining tech, energy, safety and talent. Crownsmen has filmed over 600 episodes across the USA, Canada, Australia and South Africa, featured companies from around the world, and has reached over 19 million views on YouTube. 

“We can’t wait to open our doors to Mining NOW at MINEXCHANGE 2026, where thousands of the industry’s finest will meet to showcase the latest innovations powering the sector,” said Melissa Russell, SME Incoming Executive Director and CEO. “In partnership with the leading industry video podcast, our signature event will be put on display like never before.”  

“It is an honor for Crownsmen to be an official part of one of the mining industry’s most valuable events,” said Jerrod Downey, President of Crownsmen Partners. “SME for years has delivered so much value to the industry and we are thrilled that Mining NOW can add another layer with our video podcast. It is also a great example of organizations collaborating and leveraging each other’s strengths to advance the mining sector.” 

At MINEXCHANGE, conference attendees will get a sneak peek at the guests participating in upcoming episodes of Mining NOW +SME being filmed live during the conference. Episodes will be filmed during MINEXCHANGE in the lower lobby of the Salt Palace Convention Center. 

Learn more about this exciting new initiative, including information about becoming a guest or sponsorship opportunities, at smeannualconference.org/mining-now-sme.