The University of Arizona’s School of Mining Engineering and Mineral Resources is positioned to benefit from a new $100 million federal initiative aimed at reversing a steep, years-long decline in the number of Americans training to work in mining. The U.S. Department of Energy unveiled the program, called PROSPECT, on August 7, setting a goal of doubling the number of graduates in mining, minerals, and supply chain fields within two years.
As reported by KVOA, the $100 million investment is aimed at supporting mining education at the University of Arizona. The funding is part of the Department of Energy’s Providing Opportunities for Specialized Education in Critical Technologies program, and it specifically targets the nation’s 14 accredited mining schools, a group that includes the University of Arizona, according to University of Arizona News.
The PROSPECT program is not standing alone. It was announced as part of a larger $180 million federal grant package unveiled during an August 7 State Department roundtable in Washington, which also directed $80 million from the Department of Defense to the Colorado School of Mines, South Dakota School of Mines, and Johns Hopkins University, per the same university account. University of Arizona representatives made the trip to advocate for the program directly.
U of A Leaders Push Their Case in Washington
Kray Luxbacher, head of the University of Arizona’s School of Mining Engineering and Mineral Resources, and Tomás Díaz de la Rubia, the university’s senior vice president for research and partnerships, attended the roundtable to make the case for mining education funding, the university reports. Luxbacher commended federal efforts to bolster mining education and accelerate environmental permitting, according to the same account…