Cat underground
loader. Photo courtesy of Caterpillar
Caterpillar
is sponsoring a new partnership with South Dakota Mines that explores technologies such as
autonomous robotic mining, cutting edge software used to manage mining and
construction operations, and new equipment that increases efficiency and
safety. These technological advancements will increase sustainability of the
earth’s natural resources while improving productivity and promoting economic
development.
South
Dakota Mines will help lead Cat® Labs MineStar™
Consortium, which partners university faculty and students with Caterpillar
engineers and researchers to help build the next generation of mining and
construction technology. The university has a long history in the development
and advancement of mining. The partnership could involve a range of projects
from research and development in surface mining and reclamation in places like
the Powder River Basin to the development of an underground area to test
robotic mining equipment at the Sanford Underground Research Facility. Cat Labs
MineStar Consortium is conceived to include other institutions, such as Western
Dakota Tech. South
Dakota Mines will work closely with all organizations in the consortium.
“This
agreement is great news for the university and for the economy,” says South
Dakota Mines President Jim Rankin. “The South Dakota mining industry employs
more than 2,000 people who produce more than $500 million in products annually.
This partnership builds on those past successes and will yield new business
opportunities and a fantastic return on investment for the whole region.”
The
university’s partnership with Caterpillar comes alongside an effort to add a
new building on campus that includes three
departments: The Department of Geology and Geological Engineering, the
Department of Mining Engineering and Management and the Department of Materials
and Metallurgical Engineering. South Dakota Mines is one of only five
universities in the United States to have all three departments on campus. The
multidisciplinary research collaborations at South Dakota Mines have a history
of creating advancements and innovation that benefit society.
With
its central and convenient location, South Dakota Mines is well-positioned to
become a hub that fosters innovation in mining. The new agreement with
Caterpillar has potential to yield future opportunities including the
development of spin-off companies and start-up businesses that advance the
overall economic wellbeing of the region while promoting a new paradigm of
mining that has environmental stewardship at its core.