Arizona Mining Update
Summary of recent developments in mining of interest to the university
Kray Luxbacher, university of Arizona department head of mining and geological engineering, at the Tucson campus Main Gate in January 2025.
Leslie Hawthorne Klingler, Research Development Services, RII
— Tucson, AZ —
Big changes are underway in Arizona and across the U.S. as leaders push for stronger domestic mineral extraction and processing.
Arizona is front and center in these national conversations. Here is a brief summary of recent developments in mining of interest to the university.
National and State News
On March 20, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order to boost U.S. mineral production by speeding up approvals, prioritizing federal land for mining, and encouraging public-private partnerships to reduce reliance on foreign minerals and strengthen national security. Read the White House executive order.
Bipartisan lawmakers in both the U.S. House and Senate — including Senator Mark Kelly and Rep. Juan Ciscomani of Arizona — introduced legislation to align how the Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) define critical minerals. Of great interest to the Arizona lawmakers is ensuring the inclusion of copper on the USGS list of critical minerals. The USGS excluded copper from its official 2022 list of critical minerals. Read more from the Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources and from Ciscomani’s website.
The Arizona Legislature passed a resolution highlighting the state's vital mineral resources, urging policies to support domestic mining, streamline permitting, and reduce reliance on foreign imports to strengthen national security and economic growth. Read about the resolution from LegiScan, a legislative tracking service.
Arizona senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego are supporting the Mining Schools Act of 2025, which aims to strengthen the U.S. mining workforce and energy security by increasing mining education and research, benefiting the University of Arizona and the 13 other U.S. mining schools. Read Senator Kelly’s article on the initiative.
The South32 Hermosa Mine in the Patagonia Mountains along the U.S./Mexico border, set to start operations in 2027, aims to reduce U.S. reliance on foreign zinc and manganese, but concerns about water use, air pollution, and environmental impact persist, with construction starting in 2025 and final permits expected by 2026. University of Arizona researchers are working with local entities to monitor air quality. Read more and watch ABC15 Arizona’s onsite video.
University of Arizona News
Mining.com, a news source with more than 400,000 unique monthly viewers, recently published, "University of Arizona mining innovation engine aims to build skilled domestic workforce." Kray Luxbacher, U of A head of mining and geological engineering, is featured prominently.
The University of Arizona-led consortium has advanced in a National Science Foundation grant competition for up to $160 million to promote sustainable mining, workforce development, and economic growth in Southern Arizona, with plans to improve mining practices and engage local communities. Read the School of Engineering article about the NSF Regional Innovation Engine proposal. Learn more about the proposal at the proposal website.
The University of Arizona received a $1.25 million National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) grant to improve mine safety and productivity through advanced data techniques, AI-driven mine planning, geophysical mapping, and autonomous vehicle integration, funding six graduate students over five years. Read the article about the NIOSH grant at UA News.
Lianyang Zhang, professor of civil and architectural engineering and mechanics, focuses on eco-friendly mining practices, such as meaningfully recycling mine waste, while emphasizing the importance of hands-on opportunities for students to address global challenges. Read the School of Mining & Mineral Resources article about Zhang.
A new educational video, Water in the Lifecycle of a Mine, has been produced by the School of Mining & Mineral Resources (SMMR) and the Department of Hydrology & Atmospheric Sciences (HAS). Dedicated to former HAS department head Tom Meixner, the video aims to interest students in mining careers.
The School of Mining & Mineral Resources participated in the Space Settlement Design Competition at Biosphere 2, where high school students designed space settlements, with outreach coordinator Joshua Page mentoring students and showcasing moon mining demos to emphasize innovation in space exploration. Read the School of Mining & Mineral Resources article about the competition.