Montana Tech students gain hands-on experience with Montana Resources internships
Chancellor of Montana Technological University Johnny MacLean and Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Tim Elgren, take a photo with workers at Montana Resources who are also alumi and interns from Montana Tech & Highlands College. Photo courtesy of Montana Resources
Several Montana Technological University students had the chance to strengthen their resumes by interning with Montana Resources this summer. Metallurgical and materials engineering sophomore Sullivan Panisko of Butte and metallurgical/minerals processing engineering graduate student Mohammed Moro of Ghana say the opportunity was important to their professional growth.
Both Moro and Panisko connected with Montana Resources at last year’s Career Fair. Over the summer, the pair worked on projects aimed at improving operations at Montana Resource’s concentrator and molybdenum plant. Moro focused on optimizing the use of sodium hydrogen sulfide (NaHS), a chemical used to reduce copper levels in molybdenum production. He also assisted with studies on particle size analysis of ground ore.
“It gave me the opportunity to get close to the grinding and flotation processes, which I hadn’t experienced before,” Moro said. “At my previous work in a gold mine, we only did grinding and leaching to extract the gold after crushing. Here, I got to see the complexity of flotation, separation, and how multiple metals are extracted. That was exciting.”
Moro is passionate about mining, and the internship only deepened his appreciation for mineral extraction.
“You take this raw rock from the mine, crush it, grind it, add chemicals, and at the end you have your final product,” Moro said. “That transformation is amazing to me.”
Panisko said the internship offered a deeper look at the scale and scope of modern mining.
“From the outside, the mine looks much smaller than it is,” she said. “Once you’re in, it’s massive—and you realize how much research and analysis goes into refining the product. It was fascinating to see it all up close.”
Both students noted that their days were split between on-site lab work and time in the concentrator. They arrived on the job site early, at 6:30 a.m., but say it was worth it to get to contribute to meaningful projects. For Panisko, the biggest takeaway was understanding how hands-on and collaborative the industry can be.
“We were trusted with actual projects and got to learn directly from people who’ve been in the industry for decades,” Panisko said.
Moro agreed, adding that he values the mentorship and knowledge shared by Montana Resources employees.
“They have great minds with so much experience, and they were generous in sharing it with us,” Moro said. “We are very grateful to the President of Montana Resources Jack Standa, Vice President of Operations at Montana Resources Dan Janney, our supervisors: Mill Superintendent Tom Kloker and Metallurgist Jacob Bentley, and the entire Montana Resources Mine team for this opportunity.”
Both students plan to use the Career Fair again this fall to explore future opportunities. Panisko hopes to continue building industry experience as she works toward her degree, while Moro is working on a thesis focused on the electrolysis of rare earth metals, preparing to graduate and seek a full-time position in industry.
The Montana Tech Career Fair will take place on Thursday, September 25, 2025, from 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the HPER and SSC.