Critical Minerals Are a Tricky Business. What Could Help.

The Payne Institute for Public Policy's Brad Handler, Andrew Bauman and Morgan Bazillian co-wrote this opinion piece with Economics and Business Professor Ian Lange about the potential impacts of the U.S. government stockpiling critical minerals.
March 9, 2026

Why 87 octane gas may be better to buy than 91 octane

John Jechura, a professor of practice in chemical and biological engineering at Colorado School of Mines, has logged his gas purchases and mileage since 1989.
March 9, 2026

War in the Middle East pushes diesel prices up — other costs will likely follow

Morgan Bazilian, director of the Payne Institute for Public Policy, discusses how petroleum prices are being impacted by the war in Iran.
March 6, 2026

Will Denver’s snowless winter affect Waymo’s rollout?

Frankie Zhu, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, discusses how autonomous vehicles can be challenged by snowy or wet conditions.
March 5, 2026

The First 36 Hours of War Consumed Over 3,000 U.S.-Israeli Munitions

Morgan D. Bazilian, director of the Payne Institute for Public Policy, co-wrote this analysis on the challenges the U.S. could face in replenishing its munition stockpiles.
March 5, 2026

Meteorological winter leaves Utah the way it came in — hot and bothered

Adrienne Marshall, assistant professor of geology and geological engineering, says we should expect more dry winters like this one.
March 3, 2026

Mines students invited to solve forestry’s toughest issues

Shunya Kawazoe, sophomore in mechanical engineering, said he was excited about the Biomass Challenge but also anxious about how he'd squeeze it in with the 18 hours of coursework he has this semester.
March 2, 2026

University’s mine once produced gold, now the school plans to turn part of the dark, dusty tunnel into a quantum lab

Fred Sarazin, professor and department head in physics and Mines' director of quantum and Wouter Van De Pontseele, assistant professor in physics, are interviewed in the Edgar Experimental Mine about plans for two quantum labs being built in the mine ....
March 2, 2026

Energizing tomorrow: Engineering education, upskilling, and SPE’s role

Jennifer Miskimins, professor of petroleum engineering, F.H. Mick Merelli/Coterra Energy Distinguished Department Head Chair and current SPE president, said petroleum engineering education is at a crossroads, with university enrollments shrinking and ....
March 1, 2026

US datacenters face slew of problems amid grassroots protests against AI

Quihua Huang, associate professor in electrical engineer and leader of the Power, Intelligence and Computing Lab, says demand for grid equipment, like transformers, has spiked, but only one plant in the US produces the type of steel needed for many ....
February 24, 2026

Trump’s U.S. mining push has a big problem

Elizabeth Holley, associate professor of mining engineering, and Bill Zisch, the J. Steven Whisler Head of Mining Engineering Endowed Chair, noted there are not enough mining engineering graduates to satisfy current domestic demand.
February 20, 2026

New reservoir could supply millions with water for 800 years

Brandon Dugan, Baker Hughes Chair, associate department head and professor in geophysics, said multiple steps would need to take place before a reservoir of fresh water under the ocean could be used for drinking water.
February 18, 2026