South Dakota Mines Proposed to Receive $25 Million to Build Next Generation of Mining Talent

South Dakota Mines is slated to receive $25 million in federal funding to expand mining education and workforce development as the United States works to strengthen its domestic critical minerals supply chain and address a growing shortage of skilled professionals.

President Donald Trump announced Friday a combined federal investment of more than $180 million aimed at strengthening the nation’s critical minerals workforce and increasing domestic production of minerals essential to national security, energy technologies, advanced manufacturing and infrastructure.

As part of the investment, three universities, including South Dakota Mines, are set to receive a share of $80 million in Department of War funding to educate and train the next generation of geologists, metallurgists, and mining engineers.

Trump made the announcement during a roundtable at the U.S. State Department attended by educational leaders from universities across the country, along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick. Rudra Mitra, Ph.D., interim head of the university’s Department of Mining Engineering and Management, represented Mines at the roundtable.

The investment also includes a $100 million Department of Energy grant to expand the nation's mining and critical minerals workforce. The program aims to significantly increase the number of students earning degrees in these fields over the next two years. Funding will support scholarships and other workforce development initiatives. Universities, community colleges, trade schools, industry organizations and other eligible partners will be able to apply for grants.

The $25 million DoW award for South Dakota Mines will establish the Critical Minerals Merit Scholars Consortium, a workforce development initiative involving South Dakota Mines, the University of Kentucky and Missouri University of Science and Technology.

“We are deeply grateful for President Trump’s announcement of major federal investments in mining education and workforce development,” Mitra said. “South Dakota Mines is proud to be selected for $25 million in funding to establish the Critical Minerals Merit Scholars Consortium. This investment will allow us to expand opportunities for students while strengthening the workforce needed to develop and secure America’s critical mineral resources.”

The investment comes as the United States faces a significant shortage of professionals trained in mining, geology, metallurgy and related fields. U.S.-accredited mining programs currently graduate fewer than 170 mining engineers annually, compared with more than 3,000 in China. At the same time, a significant portion of the U.S. mining workforce is approaching retirement.

“This investment recognizes the critical role that institutions like ours play in training the next generation of mining engineers, geologists, metallurgists and related STEM professionals who are essential to America’s energy security, national defense and economic competitiveness,” said Andrea Brickey, Ph.D., professor of mining engineering and management, and principal investigator for the award.

The consortium will create four integrated workforce development programs designed to attract more students to critical minerals fields, expand educational opportunities and prepare graduates for high-demand careers.

The investment builds on South Dakota Mines’ longstanding role in educating professionals for the mineral industries and recent investments in critical minerals education and research.

The university recently opened the Nucor Mineral Industries Building, a state-of-the-art facility supporting mining engineering, metallurgy, geological engineering and materials science. The facility was made possible through strong support from the state of South Dakota, industry partners and alumni, reflecting a shared commitment to preparing the next generation of mineral industry professionals. South Dakota Mines has also added new critical minerals minors and continues research in areas including rare earth elements, advanced mineral processing and materials technologies.

“This funding accelerates our longstanding mission of producing highly skilled graduates ready to strengthen domestic critical minerals supply chains,” said Mines President Brian Tande, Ph.D. “It is an investment not only in South Dakota Mines, but in the students who will become the engineers, scientists and technical leaders our country needs to responsibly develop the resources that underpin our national security and economic strength.”

Tande said the investment will also help Mines attract more students to high-demand mineral STEM fields and build on the university’s strong graduate outcomes.

“By investing in scholarships, education and hands-on workforce development, we can attract more talented students to Mines, increase enrollment and graduation in high-need mineral STEM fields, and build on the outstanding outcomes our graduates already achieve,” Tande said. “Our graduates are highly sought after by companies, government agencies and organizations across the country, and this investment will help us prepare even more students for these critical careers.”

The university’s interdisciplinary approach — connecting geology and geological engineering with mining engineering, materials science and metallurgy — positions Mines to educate students across the mineral lifecycle. This expertise will be showcased at the university’s second annual 4M Expo.

From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, Mines invites the community to this family-friendly event, where attendees can hear from industry leaders, learn about workforce development, explore South Dakota’s critical minerals story and discover the connections among the 4Ms: mining, materials, munitions and manufacturing.

Find the schedule and additional details here.