What is the relationship between Missouri University of Science and Technology and mining?

Missouri S&T was founded in 1870 as the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy, with our history deeply rooted in mining. In 2006 the name changed to Missouri University of Science and Technology to better reflect its science and technology focus within the University of Missouri System.  

In 2023, when the US Department of Commerce was designating tech hubs, we led a 14-county region - historically the Missouri Lead Belt – to the selection as one of 31 Regional Innovation and Technology Hubs funded through the CHIPS and Science Act. This S&T initiative is called the Critical Minerals and Materials for Advanced Energy (CM2AE) Tech Hub and is part of our research and outreach effort in the region. 

Can you elaborate on the O'Keefe Center for Critical Minerals’ key areas of research?

The O’Keefe Center for Critical Minerals focuses on public policy to encourage recovery of critical materials; developing processes to recover them from existing streams and new sources; identifying new sources in collaboration with the Geological Survey and private companies; life cycle criticality of recovery processes; and sustainability and environmental mitigation of potential hazards of existing and new processes.

For instance, because Missouri has cobalt and nickel resources, we are currently trying to better understand the supply chain vulnerability for these metals. If we want to bring mining back to the US, we want it to be sustainable, and we are currently working with the Doe Run Company to better understand the role of mycorrhizal fungi in the successful revegetation of tailings dams. 

Our largest funding has come from the state of Missouri for a US$15.5 million project to build capacity in the state, as well as investigate the feasibility of producing battery materials from Missouri resources – this public project is done in collaboration with US Strategic Metals and the Doe Run Company. We also get substantial research funding through the Critical Materials Innovation (CMI) Hub, of which Missouri S&T is a member. Through this funding, we are currently working on a project for gallium and germanium recovery from old tailings piles in the tri-state region, as well as a project looking at social impacts and drivers of opposition to mining. 

How important is industry-academia collaboration to train future talent for the mining industry?  

A symbiotic relationship between the private sector and academia is key to ensuring a strong mining workforce for the future. For example, Rio Tinto is doing their part by offering scholarships to some of our students who have demonstrated interest in metal mining. 

Are you noticing more interest in terms of enrollment in mining-related fields than in the past? 

Although it is still not where we would like it to be, we have seen an uptick in the enrollment rate in mining-related fields. At the graduate level, the increase is related to an increase in research, as when you have more research funding, you can hire more research assistants and bring them into the graduate program. We have also seen undergraduate enrollment numbers grow, partly due to renewed interest in mining due to the overall discussions in the country about critical minerals. 

What role is Missouri S&T playing in helping to solve problems in the mining industry today?

Missouri S&T recently achieved the prestigious "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very High Research Activity" designation from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, which puts us among the top 4% of universities in the US in terms of research output and doctoral education. Our work in critical minerals is a key part of that research output.

We are also contributing to workforce development efforts. Missouri S&T is a public institution, which means our fees are lower, and we thus provide access to high-quality education to the broader population. Looking at metrics for return on investment, we rank extremely high, mostly in the top 10, as our students get good jobs. By reducing financial barriers to accessing higher education and offering high-quality academic programs, Missouri S&T is serving the mining industry by training its future talent. We are also partnering with community colleges – such as the Mineral Area College - to train operators and technicians, who are also critically needed in the mining industry.