The US Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded US$16 million ($22.8 million) to 16 universities seeking to expand the country’s mining and critical minerals workforce.
Each institution will receive US$1 million through the Providing Opportunities for Specialized Education in Critical Technologies (PROSPECT) Planning Prize.
In the official announcement, the DOE estimates the US will require about 6,000 new mining engineers over the next decade. The broader US$100 million PROSPECT initiative aims to double the number of graduates with mining, minerals, and related supply-chain credentials.
UTEP revives mining degree
The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) plans to use its award to help relaunch an undergraduate mining engineering program in late 2027.
It will be the only mining engineering degree offered in Texas and the university’s first since its previous program ended in the 1960s.
UTEP expects the program could produce as many as 100 mining engineers annually once it reaches full capacity. Industry partners are also expected to provide nearly US$3 million in mining engineering scholarships each year at that stage.
Other recipients have outlined plans spanning mineral processing, student recruitment, scholarships, and vocational pathways.
Colorado School of Mines will increase enrolment and introduce a program focused on mineral processing, extractive metallurgy, and recycling. Its mining engineering enrolment has doubled over the past three years.
The University of Arizona will support recruitment, scholarships, industry workshops, and partnerships with community colleges and technical schools.
Meanwhile, Montana Tech plans to introduce mining certificates, interdisciplinary minors, scholarships, graduate fellowships, and upgraded field and laboratory equipment.
The PROSPECT awards form part of a broader DOE push to strengthen US mining and critical minerals capacity. In September, the department also committed US$73 million ($101 million) to four mining technology projects under its separate Mine of the Future initiative, targeting areas including automation, electrification, sensing, and underground technology testing.
The prize supports training across mining, processing, recovery, and recycling as the US Government seeks to expand domestic critical mineral supply chains.
Write to France Pinzon at Mining.com.au
Main image: University of Texas in El Paso
