University of Arizona alumni carving the path forward in a clean-energy future: a profile on Mark Chalmers
University of Arizona alumnus Mark Chalmers, President and CEO of Energy Fuels Inc., came back to his alma mater to give the esteemed annual Lacy Lecture of 2022. Chalmers comes from a long line of University of Arizona graduates. After starting his journey in mining by mining uranium in Colorado in 1976, Chalmers graduated with an undergraduate degree in mining engineering in 1980.
“It’s remarkable how people come back to this school,” says Chalmers. Giving his talk during the Homecoming weekend at the University, he reflected on the amazing ties alumni have at the school, and the legacies the students leave behind. “Go Wildcats means something in my circles.” While at the University, Chalmers participated in the Collegiate Mining Games with a winning team, and was a member of the student SME chapter.
During the lecture he shared photos of his experience at the University with the audience. Sharing his story, he underlined the impact Arizona has on its students. Like many students in the current mining programs at the University, Chalmers gained mining experience outside of the classroom in the San Xavier Mining Laboratory. The SX Mine, as it’s called by students, provides people both in the academic world and the public with firsthand glimpses into the mining world. To Chalmers, these experiences were vital to his understanding of the industry, and inspired his future. The Wildcats stayed with him throughout his career and across the globe.
After his undergraduate degree, Chalmers became a partner in a uranium mine. Uranium mining and his career took him all over the world. Almost 20 years later, he returned back to the United States and is now the President and CEO of Energy Fuels Inc., a company focused on producing resources for clean energy and the leading U.S. producer of uranium and vanadium, located in Lakewood, Colorado.
“It has been exciting to work with Mark and his team at Energy Fuels on a variety of topics. Their innovative and progressive approach to the supply of minerals for the green economy and to do so in an environmentally and socially responsible way aligns wonderfully with what we’re doing in the Lowell Institute and the new School,” says Mark Barton, Director of Lowell Institute for Mineral Resources and Professor of Geosciences.
Mark Chalmers with Dean David Hahn and MGE Department Head Kray Luxbacher
Chalmers’ forward-looking lecture focused on Rare Earth Elements (REEs) which are essential for the future of mining and the clean-energy transition. According to Chalmers, 20% of all electricity in the US and 55% of carbon-free electricity comes from Nuclear sources. Uranium is an important resource for nuclear energy and other REEs are important building-blocks for renewable energy materials and electric vehicles. The clean-energy future has inspired Mark Chalmers’ work in the industry and is the basis for his company, Energy Fuels Inc.
“Energy Fuels offers buyers a reliable, low-cost source of U.S. uranium production,” says Chalmers. “Energy Fuels produces the raw materials needed for many of today’s clean energy & advanced technologies.”
The future is bright for the mining industry as we shape the path towards a sustainable energy future, and University of Arizona alumni are at the forefront of this industry. The School of Mining and Mineral Resources can’t wait to see what our alumni do next!
Is there an alum you know that would make a great alumni profile? Send their contact info to amijones@arizona.edu for a potential profile.