Mining's Silicon Valley Fuels Technological Innovation, Start-Up Culture

AI image of high-tech mining control room and man in hard hat

Mining's Silicon Valley Fuels Technological Innovation, Start-Up Culture

The School of Mining & Mineral Resources is addressing the challenges facing mining on two fronts: building a transdisciplinary workforce and spearheading technological innovation.

The Grand Canyon State may not be your first thought when you hear the words, “Silicon Valley,” but for those close to the mining industry, the association is clear. Arizona offers a rich ecosystem of ore deposits, hosts over 400 major hardrock and aggregate mines, boasts over 200 mining technology suppliers, and houses top mineral research institutions. And the region south of Phoenix serves as the home of proving grounds for industrial giants like Caterpillar and Komatsu, as well as a major metropolitan city that ranks as a top emerging U.S. tech market.

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 Mining Safety Center of Excellence. 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.

Advancing Industry through Investments in Research and Technology

In its inaugural year, the School of Mining & Mineral Resources has mobilized dozens of faculty members, researchers, students, and staff, to collaborate on 25 research projects spanning 25 departments. These initiatives cover early-stage research topics such as eco-friendly dust suppression compounds, acid mist suppressants to enhance worker safety, carbon sequestration utilizing mine tailings, and other pioneering ventures, many on the path of commercialization.

Recent research highlights include a $3.6 million Regents’ Research Grant to help university scientists assess the metal content from mine tailings throughout the state in search of critical elements such as lithium; a mining engineering cyber-physical systems partnership with Antofagasta PLC, the ninth largest copper mining company in the world; the formation of the Hyperspectral Research Consortium; and numerous partnerships between faculty and global industry leaders to advance mining automation technologies driven by robotics, AI, and machine learning.

The School of Mining & Mineral Resources at the University of Arizona is fostering a vibrant culture of cutting-edge research, life-long education and training, and investment in ideas to advance mining more safely and sustainably than ever before. If you're a current mining professional, explore the continuing education and professional development courses available through the school and its partners, and learn more about current research initiatives at mining.arizona.edu.