Michael Cox is a mercury mining enthusiast, especially New Almaden and districts in Nevada. Michael began researching New Almaden in 1974, at the age of 16. He joined the Sequoia Gem and Mineral Society and worked as a docent at the New Almaden Mercury Mining Museum. While studying geology at San Jose State University, Michael worked for the late Dr. Edgar Bailey of the U.S. Geological Survey. Edgar was updating the NBMG 1949 bulletin “Nevada Mercury.” Michael assisted in the field and office. Dr. Bailey introduced Michael to BAM in 1979. In 1982, with other New Almaden enthusiasts, Michael helped found the New Almaden Quicksilver County Park Association (NAQCPA.) Michael spent most of his time sneaking underground at New Almaden and photographing the workings with his brother Charles.
After Edgar’s untimely passing in 1983, Michael left the USGS in 1984 and moved to New Almaden to work with Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation to close the New Almaden mines. The closure project was completed at the end of 1985, and then the California Department of Toxic Substances Control placed the park under a Remedial Action Order. Michael went into soil and groundwater cleanup consulting and was a principle in the environmental studies of the park. Michael worked for Woodward-Clyde, Riedel Associates, Dames & Moore, and Bay Area Tank and Marine. Michael completed substantial training in hazardous waste operations, site investigations, and remediation, and was a State-licensed environmental assessor.
In 1991, Michael joined a Fortune-50 Bay Area company as a member of a six-person expert team hired to manage global soil and groundwater pollution risks for the company. This position lead to many interesting positions in real estate, global risk management, procurement, and manufacturing, including financial compliance and the management of hazardous materials in manufactured products.
On his own time, Michael continued to stay involved in mercury. Work included helping design and rebuild the New Almaden Mercury Mining Museum, preparing interpretive materials and programs for NAQCPA, and critical review and consultation for mercury site investigation and mitigation activities. Cox participated as a working group member for both the San Francisco Bay and Guadalupe River Mercury Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) projects. During this period, Michael co-founded the Friends of Los Alamitos Watershed (FOLAW) with Mike Boulland of New Almaden. FOLAW is and informational and educational non-profit, and Michael still serves as Vice President. With a grant from the Santa Clara Valley Water District, FOLAW designed and installed an interpretive sign display to educate the public on the issue of mercury mining and contamination.
Michael retired from high-tech after 19 years. Michael is currently running a family-owned real estate investment business. In his spare time, Michael leads tours of the New Almaden mining property and is also assisting Gail Dunning, Ted Hadley, Mark Cooper, and Andrew Christy with their project to discover new mercury minerals. Michael is assisting with geologic interpretation, material selection, and sample recovery. His favorite activity is honking around mines and mineral deposits, and especially mercury mines.
Michael holds an MSc degree in global supply-chain management from the University of San Diego, January 2008, and a B.Sc. in Geology from California State University, Hayward, 1987.