From Heritage to High-Tech

A father and son together in front of a mine processing plant.

December 2, 2024

From generation to generation, from past to present. At The Quartz Corp’s plant in Spruce Pine, generations of miners are working side by side.

Generational stories have many shapes. For the Young family, it’s all about mining. Production Supervisor Ben Young is the third generation of Youngs working with quartz and feldspar. Some 32 years ago, his father Bud Young became Plant Manager at The Quartz Corp, and they are still colleagues. Even Ben’s grandfather worked in mining most of his life. “It’s really a family thing,” Ben says.

Their story is not unique in North Carolina, where mining has been an essential part of society and a fundamental part of many local communities. Yet what their story clearly shows is the transformation that the generational shift has been through.

The Feldspar Corporation's plant in 1979 — Heritage: Mining has been a vital part of the local community in Spruce Pine. These pipes from the 70’s are located at the same spot as today’s pipes.

Join us as we dig into the historic transformation of mining: from manual labor to a high-tech industry, and from tough working environments to a safety-first business.

Nostalgia in White Dust

Ben still has a clear image of his first memories of quartz. His father would always go straight to the garage when coming home from work.

“I remember the boots. They always had this white feldspar dust on them, so he would leave them in the garage. And there is this distinct smell from feldspar that I remember well,” Ben says.

Work boots covered in feldspar — Pure quartz: Ben clearly remembers the white feldspar dust on his fathers’ boots. Now, his own boots are covered quartz powder.

Despite the generational history, Ben didn’t consider mining at first. Originally, he thought about pharmacy but ended up studying business management. During summer break, he would return home and work at the plant.

“I started to understand more about the product and processes, and it became a lot more interesting. At the beginning, I thought mining was blowing rocks out of the mountain. But with quartz, it’s a lot more high-tech,” Ben explains.

Safety First

Ben says the mining industry hasn’t always had a good reputation. In the olden days, when his grandfather was in mining, it could be rather unhealthy. Even until quite recently, surface mining had a similar reputation to underground coal mining, Ben reflects.

Ben Young at in front of a mine processing plant — A family thing: Ben is a third generation miner. His father, Bud, is still plant manager with The Quartz Corp.

Ben remembers hearing stories of when his grandfather was young. “They said that the river would run white from pollution. It’s not like that anymore.”

Comparing his workday to his grandfather's, he is sure of at least one change. “I think the work used to be a lot dirtier, for sure. There are some associations to mining today that you didn’t have when my father started working. Today, we’re equally a tech company,” Ben reflects.

Always Keep Innovating

Ben analyzing data in a mine processing plant with a colleague. — Innovation first: Ben is impressed by the high-tech processes he gets to work with. He says they never stop developing their methods.Innovation first: Ben is impressed by the high-tech processes he gets to work with. He says they never stop developing their methods.

Ben describes The Quartz Corp as a high-tech innovative company. One aspect of it is that the end-products made of high purity quartz are revolutionary: solar panels, optical cables, and tiny but essential bits and pieces in smartphones and computers.

But equally high-tech are the mining processes, Ben explains. “The technology we use is truly amazing. There’s a lot of programming involved; it’s quite complicated. But you can always improve. We are always hunting for that next upgrade.”

Driven by the People

One thing that has surprised Ben since joining The Quartz Corp is the level of knowledge and friendship among employees. “We have the best people. It was a big driver for me when choosing The Quartz Corp as an employer – there’s nobody here you can’t get along with. There are so many intelligent and driven people,” Ben says.

Hand holding crushed white ore sand — From heritage to high tech: A lot has happened with quartz’ end-products throughout the time the three generations of Young’s have worked with it.

And while the need for high purity quartz keeps growing, the opportunities for career advancement grows along with it. Every employee has access to The Quartz Corp’s education reimbursement program like the one Ben is using to get a second degree.

“I didn’t think I’d be a production supervisor as fast as I have. They give you the opportunity to grow,” Ben says.