Federal earmark provides $3M for U of A mineral processing facility
Government backs the School of Mining Engineering and Mineral Resources to strengthen mining workforce.
With $3 million in federal funding, the School of Mining Engineering and Mineral Resources initiates Phase 1 of a major plan to boost the state’s mining education-to-workforce pipeline.
A bipartisan spending bill signed into law by President Donald Trump includes $3 million to the University of Arizona School of Mining Engineering and Mineral Resources for a modular, pilot-scale mineral processing facility.
The facility – designed to strengthen the state's mining workforce while fortifying mineral processing resources that are critical for national security – will be part of the San Xavier Underground Mining Laboratory near Sahuarita.
"The University of Arizona occupies an unparalleled position in its capacity to contribute to the national need for a robust and skilled mining workforce," said U of A President Suresh Garimella. "Our partnership with industry and government expands the impact of our existing strengths in sustainable mining and the scale of our innovative educational programs, and we look forward to what we will be able to accomplish together."
At the facility, faculty, students, and industry partners will use traditional and experimental methods for mineral recovery – crushing rock and separating materials with heat, hydrometallurgical processes and advanced sorting techniques.
"There is a significant need for more metallurgical engineers in the United States, and this processing facility will provide a top-flight training facility to train and educate tomorrow's workforce and our industry partners," said Kray Luxbacher, the Gregory H. and Lisa S. Boyce Leadership Chair of Mining and Geological Engineering and executive director of the school. "This funding represents a crucial investment to bolster the U.S. supply chain for critical minerals."
Critical minerals are key components to modern life, from renewable energy infrastructure and national defense to digital technologies and electric vehicles, yet global supply chains for these resources are under increasing pressure.
"National security and American prosperity depend on securing a domestic supply of critical minerals," said Tomás Díaz de la Rubia, senior vice president for research and partnerships, who is guiding the university's efforts in mining and critical minerals as one of five priority focus areas. "This facility directly combats our reliance on foreign supply chains."
Arizona is the most copper-rich state in the country. The university is home to the state's only mining engineering program, one of only 14 programs accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology in the U.S.
"The U of A brings more than 130 years of mining excellence, a holistic research ecosystem, a focus on environmental stewardship and a land-grant mission that drives innovation in a sector vital to the region's economy and to the nation's future,” Luxbacher said.
The pilot processing facility marks the first phase of MiningWerx – a planned multisite complex that includes classrooms, interdisciplinary labs, an expanded training facility, surface and underground proving grounds and a mining-specific tech hub. MiningWerx will serve as a national hub for extractive metallurgy training and research.
The funding for the pilot processing facility is part of a three-bill "minibus" spending package. The package, passed with an 82-15 Senate vote, includes spending plans for policy areas that include Commerce-Justice-Science, Energy and Water Development and Interior-Environment.
Arizona Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego requested the earmark, under the Department of Energy's Energy Projects. The funding follows an $850,000 award from the Arizona State Legislature.
"With this bipartisan funding, the federal government is showing how its interest in securing U.S. mineral independence aligns with the research expertise and workforce training capabilities at the University of Arizona," said David W. Hahn, the Craig M. Berge Dean of the College of Engineering. "This facility will empower the Southern Arizona community, expanding access to training and education, and will forge a dynamic mining industry center that will synergize with our government and private sector partners in the area."
