University of Arizona to Open New Mineral Processing Facility
In a significant boost to education and industry, the University of Arizona is set to open a new mineral processing plant, backed by a $3 million federal grant. This facility is strategically linked to an underground mine located close to Sahuarita, enhancing both practical training and research opportunities.
The new plant will function as a comprehensive training laboratory. Here, students, faculty, and industry collaborators will engage in the use of both conventional and innovative techniques for rock crushing and material separation.
The investment follows an earlier $850,000 allocation from the Arizona Legislature, underscoring the growing support for enhancing the mining and minerals workforce.
Enhancing Education and Research
Kray Luxbacher, the executive director of the School of Mining Engineering & Mineral Resources, highlighted the facility’s dual role in education and research. “It’ll prove a fertile training ground for those engineers, and it should bring research to the University of Arizona, allowing us to train metallurgical engineers at the graduate level,” she emphasized.
The facility’s objectives are not only to educate students but also to bolster mineral production within the U.S. Luxbacher pointed out a critical gap in the workforce, stating, “If you look at the United States right now, we’re graduating only about 200 mining engineers every year across the country, and we estimate that we need between 400 and 600 a year just to fill industry needs.”
