Arizona 2026
Hi, I'm Brian Matlock - a mechanical engineer, a family man, a volunteer, a recreational outdoorsman, a mountain biker, a budget racecar driver, an occasional inventor and current candidate for Arizona State Mine Inspector.
I am a Marine Veteran and Mechanical Engineer with decades of heavy industry experience including forestry, pulp & paper, foundry and mining. I am named as an inventor on six United States patents, some directly associated with mining safety. I have worked at industrial sites on every continent except Antarctica. My experience includes design, field service, marketing and management with supervisory duties.
My career has been a long arc of hands-on learning and hard-earned insight—an accumulation of practical experience and specialized knowledge that I believe is essential for effectively serving as State Mine Inspector.
It's not just about mining - it's about mining safely.
Priorities
- Worker Safety and Accident Prevention
- Abandoned Mine Hazards
- Strengthening Relationships with Rural and Tribal Communities
- Modernizing the Mine Inspector's Office
Arizona's mining industry is a cornerstone of the state's economy. It supports thousands of jobs and generates billions of dollars in economic activity while providing the copper and critical minerals essential to America's infrastructure, technology, energy systems, and national security.
At the same time, mining communities across Arizona face real and persistent challenges that require focused, accountable leadership.
The central challenge is not choosing between mining and safety, or between economic growth and environmental responsibility. It is ensuring these priorities are achieved together, without compromise to any one of them.
Arizona can lead the nation in responsible mining where production and protection go hand-in-hand. This is the approach I would bring for a safer, stronger, and more accountable mining system that serves both the industry and Arizonans.