Jobs may fill your pockets, but adventures fill your soul. After a near 30-year career at BHP, no one knows that better than Darren Dyck, Lead Principal Assurance from our Potash team in Canada.

In 1993, Darren was a qualified geoscientist working as a pool cleaner in Winnipeg. After a long stretch trying to find a role that suited him, an opportunity with BHP-Utah mines in British Columbia came up.  

“I had spent most of my life in Saskatchewan, so the chance to work in the remote Canadian arctic was a once in a lifetime experience which I felt so grateful for,” Darren said. 

The move from Manitoba to picturesque Kelowna, where the former joint venture was located, was just the start of what would become a truly global expedition. 

In his 28 years at BHP, Darren has been part of 16 different projects, in nine countries, across five continents, covering the breadth of the company’s commodity portfolio. 

Darren recalled an experience that reminded him that although BHP has a wide geographic spread, we are often a lot closer than many people would expect.

“Years after I’d handwritten a set of process instructions for our Canadian operation, I was working on a remote project site in Africa where I stumbled across an old, re-faxed and re-photocopied version that was still valid,” Darren said.

“We’ve come a long way in process uniformity since then of course but it was an important reminder that our world is only as big as the barriers we put up.”

As Darren gained experience on different projects and across commodities, he collected promotional stickers from each and added them to his trusty hardhat, creating a living piece of BHP history. 

“I knew I would always keep my first hardhat, so it became a natural place to capture the memories of the teams I've been part of at BHP and the many defining experiences I’ve had here,” Darren said. “Take it from me, joining BHP can lead to more opportunities than you can even possibly imagine.”

The hardhat carries a lot of sentimental value for Darren and as one of his prized possessions, is a reflection of a long-held commitment to safety. 

Darren has been part of our Potash team for 10 years now and is proud to play a role in delivering BHP’s first new commodity since the 1990s. 

After a career like this, it’s unsurprising Darren isn’t standing still. In his free time, Darren participates in ultra-running and enjoys spending time with his wife and two sons, who are advancing their studies in Saskatoon. 

Even after 30 years, it's clear – Darren’s soul hasn’t just been filled, it’s overflowing.