OceanaGold's Haile Gold Mine in Kershaw, S.C., utilizes two Komatsu 730E-10 electric mining trucks. What makes these vehicles special is their paint jobs: the company asked Linder Industrial Machinery to paint one pink and the other blue to shed light on breast cancer and mental health issues. OceanaGold then hosted an event where it displayed the colorful trucks and invited representatives to provide more information about breast cancer and mental health.

"We wanted to make a statement about two vital topics in our community," said Jim Whittaker, executive general manager of Haile Gold Mine. "As miners, these trucks are a good way to physically represent our commitment to raise awareness for breast cancer and mental health. Many people from the area had the opportunity to look at the trucks and see what we've been doing.

"I think the most important thing is involving the community," Whittaker continued. "These issues affect people in South Carolina and all throughout the United States. Painting the trucks pink and blue makes a statement that we care about everyone in our community who has been affected by breast cancer or mental health issues."

Karen Goodman, who operates the truck that was painted blue, shared why the event was meaningful to her.

"Unbeknownst to my boss, mental health has touched my life quite closely," Goodman said. "I always look out for people who might be lonely, suicidal or are feeling down. I try to be friends with everyone.

"Breast cancer and mental health awareness are things I've never seen at any gold mine where I've worked," she continued. "It's good to take away the stigma surrounding mental health and remind people that it's just as important to be mentally and emotionally healthy as to be physically healthy. Those things are part of being a whole person."

Goodman named her truck KomatsBlue as a nod to the Komatsu equipment and her company's relationship with Linder.

"I am incredibly impressed with the personal touch that Linder puts on the work they do," Goodman said. "I have not been on a team that cares about breast cancer and mental health awareness like Linder and OceanaGold. I'm proud to be an employee for this company."

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