Based in Tucson, the University of Arizona is the epicenter of a growing innovation ecosystem dubbed the ‘Silicon Valley of mining’ by industry experts, educators, and government leaders. With over 2,700 invention disclosures and 130+ start-ups launched, this Tier 1 research institution is driving technological advancements across numerous industries, including mineral resources. Possessing more than a century of mining education experience, the university recently launched a school focused on spearheading industry-advancing research and modernizing educational programs for miners and non-miners alike, at every stage of learning.

Advancing the Future of Mining

The School of Mining & Mineral Resources at University of Arizona takes its educational mission seriously. With community outreach programs designed to teach K-12 students the important role minerals play in daily life, educating the public starts early through fun, interactive learning. Undergraduate programs emphasize modernized curriculum in tracks for mining engineering, geosciences, and hydrology, among other mining-related disciplines. By updating curriculum to reflect the realities of mining and economic geology in the age of AI and autonomous systems, the school is answering the call from industry to produce a highly prepared, transdisciplinary workforce capable of meeting the growing demand for cross-functional and high-tech skills.

UArizona’s campus is surrounded by four of the five largest copper mines in the U.S. and has its own student-run mine in the heart of copper country. Owing in part to copper’s significance in advancing technology and electrifying the world, the School of Mining & Mineral Resources is uniquely positioned to provide exceptional opportunities for in-field learning and research partnerships for university student.

University of Arizona: The Hub of a Vibrant Mining Innovation Ecosystem

Recognizing the demand for upskilling existing workers, the school’s Geotechnical Center of Excellence offers courses in structural geology, radar and slope monitoring, and water in mine operations, and has trained more than 1900 working professionals from forty-five countries. GCE’s industrial partners also benefit from research projects like the comparison of different types of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) to aid in more effective monitoring of mining sites. A recent National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) grant is supporting a test of various models of thermal imaging cameras at open pit mines around the country to see if they can predict rockfalls and slides before they occur. If successful, this research could potentially save miners from injury or death caused by slope failures.

Holding a degree is often not a prerequisite for professional development programs. The school provides underground rescite training for the military and delivers critical safety courses for industry through the Center of Excellence for Mine Safety. With an emphasis on mining sustainability from the workforce perspective, SCE is a research, education, and training community that innovates mining methods in pursuit of achieving zero injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. Through supervisor leadership training and predictive analytics, the SCE addresses the most pressing miner safety, health, and risk challenges of the fourth industrial revolution. 

Central to its mission to provide hands-on, experiential learning, the University of Arizona owns the San Xavier Underground Mining Laboratory, a multi-level training facility. The only underground mining laboratory in the U.S. with a working vertical shaft, the site has a rich history as a teaching, research, and training site. The mine features four levels of underground workings to a depth of 250 feet. This unique training facility has attracted projects critical to national defense, geosciences, mine safety, and miner rescue.