Located 10 minutes from the main Mines campus, the new building is primarily laboratory and warehouse space, including high-bay space, providing opportunities for everything from bench-scale proof-of-concept tests to pilot/demonstration-scale projects.
Colorado School of Mines is opening a 50,000-square-foot facility in Golden to support university-industry-government-startup partnerships that drive innovation and accelerate commercialization, strengthening domestic critical minerals supply chains across the full value chain — from resource development and manufacturing to recycling and workforce development.
Critical minerals are used in today’s energy systems, satellites, cell phones, transportation, medical devices, defense technologies and more, but the U.S. does not currently have sufficient domestic supply chains to meet its manufacturing needs. The 2025 Critical Minerals List from the U.S. Geological Survey identified 60 minerals as both essential to U.S. economic or national security and at risk for supply chain disruption.
“Our plan is to establish a dynamic hub that accelerates innovation and commercialization to provide the solutions needed to solve our nation’s materials supply chain challenges. The key is to foster a collaborative environment where the co-location of startups, established companies, shared resources and the expertise Mines faculty and alumni bring creates synergies that lead to faster creation of the critical minerals supply chains that U.S. industry needs,” said Mines President Paul C. Johnson. “As a solutions-driven university with the top-ranked mining program, expertise and new graduates in all aspects of the critical minerals supply chain, and a 152-year history of working closely with industry, Colorado School of Mines is uniquely positioned to be the nation’s top university partner in this space.”
Located 10 minutes from the main Mines campus, the facility is primarily laboratory and warehouse space, including high-bay space, providing opportunities for everything from bench-scale proof-of-concept tests to pilot/demonstration-scale projects. Mines closed on the purchase of the building this month.
“This facility will integrate Mines technology development and expertise to advance solutions across strategic value chains and foster an environment of innovation,” said Alicia Polo y La Borda Cavero, executive director of critical minerals strategy and advancement at Mines. “We look forward to creating a community where academia, industry and government can come together to secure the materials that society needs. This space will also boost workforce development as we look to engage our students in applying their knowledge in practical ways.”
At Mines, the new facility will be enhanced by a uniquely integrated set of strengths — combining leading academic programs, a growing innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem, deep policy expertise through the Payne Institute for Public Policy, and a strong network of industry partners and alumni — to connect research, talent and real-world application. The result is a steady pipeline of workforce-ready graduates and deployable solutions that support more resilient, secure and scalable critical minerals supply chains.
Mines is currently reviewing inquiries from potential industry partners and startups interested in advancing their ideas and companies within the new innovation hub. To learn more about Mines’ leadership in critical minerals and the new solutions-focused hub, please contact criticalminerals@mines.edu or visit criticalminerals.mines.edu.
About Mines
Colorado School of Mines is a public R1 research university focused on applied science and engineering, producing the talent, knowledge and innovations to serve industry and benefit society – all to create a more prosperous future.
