GRANTS, N.M. — Terry Fletcher, a thirdgeneration uranium miner who helped lead Cibola County’s industry through both production and reclamation, was inducted into the New Mexico Mining Association’s Mining Hall of Fame on Sept. 9, 2025.
Born in 1948 in Muscatine, Iowa, Fletcher grew up in Grants and graduated from the University of New Mexico in 1973 with a degree in electrical engineering. A week later he joined Kerr-McGee as an associate electrical engineer, beginning a career that would span nearly four decades.
Fletcher rose through technical and supervisory posts to serve as General Electrical Foreman and later Electrical Superintendent at Quivira Mining Company. After the mine’s closure in 1989, he led reclamation work as General Manager of Rio Algom Mining and, in 1990, became the company’s president, overseeing operations and environmental responsibility until retiring in 2010. He continued to advise Rio Algom in contract roles following retirement.
Beyond the job site, Fletcher has been a steady hand in civic and industry leadership. He served a decade with the Grants-Cibola County Chamber of Commerce, including a term as president; led the New Mexico Mining Association as president for three years; and chaired the New Mexico Mining Commission for eight years.
In Grants, he has spent more than 30 years on the board of the New Mexico Mining Museum and has contributed to the Cibola County Economic Development Board, the TBK Bank board in Grants, and the Cibola Foundation. A longtime supporter of the Mt. Taylor Winter Quadrathlon, Fletcher has participated for more than 25 years and served as a board member and treasurer.
The Hall of Fame honor recognizes a career defined by technical expertise, environmental stewardship, and a deep commitment to the community that grew up alongside New Mexico’s uranium industry.