These materials could cripple America’s defense industrial base

Morgan Bazilian, director of the Payne Institute for Public Policy, co-authors this column looking at the role critical minerals play in the defense arena.
August 28, 2025

A moon rover is driving around a ranch in southern Colorado. Here’s why.

Angel Abbud-Madrid, professor of practice in mechanical engineering and the director of the Center for Space Resources, discusses the university's involvement with the development of a moon rover. The rover has been tested in a lab at Mines that contains simulated moon dirt, called lunar regolith.
August 26, 2025

The energy workforce shortage could slow future growth

Morgan Bazilian, director of the Payne Institute for Public Policy, notes a significant shortage of skilled workers in the energy, infrastructure, construction, manufacturing, advanced technology, and mining sectors could slow growth.
August 26, 2025

Useful metals get unearthed in U.S. mines, then they’re tossed

Elizabeth Holley, associate professor of mining engineering, is quoted about her study, published in the journal Science. The study examined the critical minerals that exist in mine waste being generated by mining operations in the U.S.
August 26, 2025

Time-honored tradition continues for Colorado School of Mines freshmen

Freshmen and new graduate students to Mines carried on the tradition of bringing 10-pound rocks from their homes and placing them in the "M" that resides on Mount Zion. Stefani Tompkins, new Mines provost, is interviewed about the significance of the three-mile hike up to the mountain that happens at the beginning of every fall semester.
August 23, 2025

US could meet critical minerals needs from mining waste, study finds

Elizabeth Holley, associate professor of mining engineering, led a study looking at obtaining critical minerals from currently-generated mine waste. With just a few exceptions, the study concluded the U.S. could obtain all the critical minerals it needs through the processing of its mine waste.
August 21, 2025

US mines are literally throwing away critical minerals

Elizabeth Holley, associate professor of mining engineering, led a study that looked at the potential of harvesting critical minerals from the waste streams at current U.S. mining operations. The study found that the U.S. could get most of the critical minerals in requires through this strategy.
August 21, 2025

We could get most metals for clean energy without opening new mines

A new study, published by the journal Science and led by Elizabeth Holley, associate professor of mining engineering, concluded that the U.S. could get most of the critical minerals it needs by processing the waste streams at current U.S. mining operations.
August 21, 2025

Yes, Forever Chemicals Are in Your Wild Game and Fish. You Should Eat (Most of) It Anyway

Chris Higgins, AMAX Chair of Civil and Environmental Engineering, explains that while the research is still emerging, the risk of eating wild game and fish tainted with forever chemicals is likely comparable to consuming domestic livestock.
August 18, 2025

A gasoline spill raised alarms about Animas River impacts near Durango. The risk is small, not gone, experts say.

Lesley Sebol, manager of the Groundwater Resources Mission Area for the Colorado Geological Survey, called the detection of contaminants at a seep downhill from the spill “significant.”
August 11, 2025