Critical Minerals

The outsized role critical minerals play in defense and renewable energy applications fuels much of the attention on this sector now. China has raced ahead of the rest of the world in mining, refining

Student researchers in Mines' Mineral and Energy Economics Program are delving into topics from geopolitics and supply chain risks to artisanal mining and responsible sourcing related to the global critical minerals landscape.

Reza Hedayat, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering at Mines, sees mine tailings — the material left over from everyday mining operations — not as waste and a growing environmental concern but an opportunity.

Mines and the US Geological Survey are deepening their critical minerals partnership with a new shared research facility opening in 2027.

With expertise in critical minerals mining, policy, economics and community engagement, researchers at Colorado School of Mines are helping chart a path to strengthened national resilience and resource independence.

The findings, published in the journal Science, show that improved recovery of critical minerals such as cobalt, lithium and rare earth elements currently being discarded as tailings of other mineral streams could meet the U.S. demand for energy, defense and technology applications.

NAMES will host its second annual Native American Mining and Energy Sovereignty Symposium this month in Ignacio, Colorado, on the Reservation of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe.

Savannah Rice MS ’21 work as a geoscience R&D lead at the global metal mining company Fortescue.

By Sarah Kuta, Special to Mines Research Magazine The energy transition is a major undertaking that requires collaboration from all corners of industry — from oil and gas to solar and wind. But some

Economics and Business' Ian Lange leads a federal subcommittee to examine the role of critical metals in transitional energy sources.