11 FEBRUARY 2026
For Matt Novak, creating positive change starts well before production begins.
As Superintendent of Metallurgy and Laboratory Services at the Hermosa project, Matt’s role is about turning ore from the mine into a high-quality, saleable product. That means everything from test work at external laboratories to shaping the engineering design and setting best-practice standards for a processing plant that is still being built.
Matt joined South32 in early 2020 and has been part of the project for more than six years. He has watched the project move from a concept on paper to a mine taking shape in the ground.
“Not many people get the chance to build something from the ground up,” he says. “It’s been challenging but incredibly rewarding.”
What stands out most for Matt is the culture at Hermosa. He describes an environment where people are trusted to speak up, challenge ideas and have real influence on outcomes.
“We all have a voice here,” he says. “I can sit down with our Leadership team, raise challenges, suggest new ideas and have difficult conversations. That kind of access and openness is pretty special.”
That openness matters, especially when the work has long-term impacts. For Matt, creating positive change means designing an operation that is safer, more efficient and more responsible from day one.
“We’re constantly thinking about how to minimise water use, reduce power consumption and protect the environment,” he explains. “It’s about making sure we don’t create harm, to our people or to the communities around us.”
Community connection is a big part of that responsibility. Matt has taken part in community open houses and advisory panels, listening directly to local concerns. While those conversations are not always easy, he sees them as essential.
“When I go back to my desk, those conversations stay with me,” he says. “They shape how I think about the work and the decisions we make.”
As a father of two young daughters, the idea of a brighter future is personal. Matt is motivated by the role South32 plays in producing minerals and metals critical to the world’s energy transition and discovering and responsibly developing our next generation of mines.
“I want to know we’re leaving a world that’s just as liveable for the next generation,” he says.
For Matt, creating positive change doesn’t come from one big moment. It’s built through everyday decisions, and how the team work together to deliver our purpose.
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