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As the world’s demand for minerals increases, the University of Arizona is stepping up to solve mining challenges and improve sustainability.

The recently formed School of Mining and Mineral Resources, which falls under both the College of Engineering and the College of Science, is a collaborative endeavor that has something rather unique to offer.

“We are a truly interdisciplinary, even transdisciplinary school that brings together departments and disciplines from all across campus to deliver the curriculum and innovation for tomorrow’s mining, and to do that today,” explained Misael Cabrera, director of the School of Mining and Mineral Resources.

Cabrera’s vision for the mining school includes reengaging the mining workforce, reimagining mining education and reinvigorating mining research.

“The need for abundant minerals is absolutely urgent,” Cabrera said. “At the heart of it is that if we’re going to replace fossil fuels with electric energy, we are going to need a lot more minerals than we’ve ever needed in the past.”

Before moving to the school of mining, Cabrera was the director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. He brings with him decades of expertise and “sweat equity” in environmental protection and clean-up, which will be critically needed in this new venture to help fuel an abundant mineral supply that’s not just economically sustainable and socially sustainable but also environmentally sustainable.

As the world’s population grows and the standard of living increases, there is a greater demand for products and goods made from mineral resources, Cabrera said.

A move to green technology requires still more minerals. For example, it takes an estimated 2.5 times the copper to manufacture an electric vehicle than a combustion vehicle.

“The green energy transition is going to be a big driver for copper demand as well as some other minerals,” said Jodi Banta, program manager of the School of Mining and Mineral Resources.

The good news is that Arizona now produces almost three quarters of the nation’s copper and is the largest producer of non-fuel minerals in the nation.

In 2020, the Fraser Institute, a Canadian think tank well regarded in the mining industry, identified Arizona as number one in global mineral potential and ranked the state as having the most potential for continuing exploration and development in the world.

“It’s huge,” Banta said. “Obviously mining is going to be very important to the state of Arizona’s economic development, as well as that it’s going to drive a lot of jobs. There are already workforce shortages.”

The UA has long offered mining education. The College of Agriculture and the School of Mines were the first two academic units established when the university started in 1895.

“The University of Arizona already offers all the majors that mining needs,” Banta explained. “We’ve had that mining engineering degree since 1895. There was no need to create a new major or a primary degree, but what’s missing is being able to introduce students to mining, because most students don’t know anything about it.”

According to Banta, 67% of UA students surveyed said they knew little to nothing about mining. Some introductory classes and the interdisciplinary undergraduate minor were designed to help students learn about mining and how to get involved.

Gabby Martin, 21, a junior majoring in geoscience, enrolled in the sustainable mineral resources minor in spring, during her sophomore year. She first heard about it at a meeting for the Society for Earth Science Students club, of which she’s a member.

“If you think of mining and obtaining minerals you think, oh, you’re literally destroying the earth,” Martin explained. “So, I thought it was really cool that somebody took the initiative to make this minor so that you could learn about a bunch of different areas and how sustainability fits into our changing world that’s needing more and more materials to function.”

Cabrera said it’s important to help students understand that “a mining career is not a hard hat and a pickax.”

“Mines for Limitless Minds” Outdoor Career Fair

The University will host its interdisciplinary career fair for mining on Nov. 8, on the UA Mall.

It will be an opportunity “to introduce students to what we call the limitless career opportunities that exist in this industry,” Banta said.

There will be more than a dozen mining companies, suppliers and consultancies showing students what careers are available.

“They’ll come and they’ll recruit for everything from industrial hygiene to accounting, to supply chain managers, certainly environmental engineers and scientists, computer engineers and scientists as well as all kinds of engineers for mining and chemical,” Banta said.

San Xavier Mining Laboratory

The UA is one of only four mining schools in the nation that has a mining laboratory where students can get hands-on experience that prepares them to hit the ground running after graduation.

“Geomechanics classes actually come out here and do geomechanics surveys, look at the ground, whether it’s moving or not, plan new declines, plan new construction,” said James Werner, director of the UA’s San Xavier Mining Laboratory. “Most everything we do out here, we kick back on campus and get the classes involved.”

Between 1880 and 1952, the mine located at 6200 Ocotillo Ranch Rd. in Sahuarita produced silver, copper, zinc and lead. The university first began leasing the mine’s sixth shaft in 1958 and bought the mine in 1975.

The state has allocated $4 million in annual funding for the School of Mining and Mineral Resources, and some of its initial funding was used to modernize the mine. The 15-by-15-foot decline was begun in 2020 and phase one was completed in March 2021. The expansive decline allows access to modern mining equipment.

The unique site, which now incorporates two mining declines, has attracted outside projects and research critical to national defense, geosciences, mine safety and miner rescue.

Education as well as research and testing occur at the university’s SX Mine.

Tour the SX Mine

UA student tours are offered at least once a month. The next tours to the SX Mine are scheduled for Oct. 28, Nov. 4 and 18, and Dec. 2.

Free transportation and food are provided. The tours last about 1.5 to 2 hours and are conducted in a mixed indoor-outdoor environment.

For further information or to make a reservation, check out SX Mine Tour’s website.

El Inde Arizona is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism.

The University of Arizona approaches the midway point of the present season — its last in the Pac-12. It will soon formalize its new affiliation with the Big 12 conference and has already announced intentions to join for the 2024-25 season and beyond.

Here are the latest recruiting updates to know about:

Arizona 2024 football commitments in October:

Quimari Shemwell – Wide receiver/Cornerback, Long Beach Poly High School (Long Beach, California)

Shemwell committed on Tuesday, Oct. 17, and is Arizona football’s newest addition to the 2024 class. 247Sports has Shemwell graded as a three-star prospect, and he also held offers from Washington State University, the University of Utah and others.

Stacy Bey – Two-way player Running Back/Linebacker, Rancho Cucamonga High School (Rancho Cucamonga, California)

Bey committed on Sunday, Oct. 8, just two days after his teammate also committed to Arizona. Bey is graded as a three-star prospect by 247Sports and held offers from Florida State University, the University of Colorado Boulder and others.

Rahim Wright – Cornerback, Rancho Cucamonga High School (Rancho Cucamonga, California)

Wright committed on Friday, Oct. 6, and was Arizona’s first commitment of the month. He is graded as a three-star prospect and one of the 50 best players in the California class of 2024 by 247Sports. He held offers from Colorado, San Diego State University and others.

Decommitments:

Elijah Rushing – Edge, Salpointe Catholic High School (Tucson)

Rushing, a five-star prospect and local product, decommitted on Sunday, Oct. 8. When he committed, he was the highest-ranked recruit to ever sign with the Wildcats.

Keona Wilhite – Defensive lineman, Salpointe Catholic High School (Tucson)

Wilhite was the first of the Salpointe Lancers to backtrack. He decommitted on Monday, Oct. 2, and has since recommitted to the University of Washington on Monday, Oct. 23.

Arizona 2024 men’s basketball commits:

Emmanuel Stephen – Center, Dream City Christian School (Glendale, Arizona)

Stephen is the most recent commit to the Arizona men’s basketball team. The 7-foot tall center is graded as a four-star prospect and the fifth-best player in Arizona by 247Sports. Stephen committed on Tuesday, Oct. 3, and held offers from the University of Kansas, Louisiana State University, Baylor University and others.

Carter Bryant — Forward, Centennial High School (Corona, California)

Bryant is a 6-foot-8 forward who committed to the Wildcats on Wednesday, April 26. He was graded as a four- to five-star prospect by 247Sports and he is regarded as one of the five best players in the California class of 2024. Bryant held 21 offers from schools like Duke University, Gonzaga University, the University of Louisville and others.

Jamari Phillips — Point guard, AZ Compass Prep School (Chandler, Arizona)

Phillips was the first commit in Arizona’s 2024 class. The 6-foot-3 shooting guard out of Chandler, Arizona, is graded as a four-star prospect by 247Sports and one of the top five players in Arizona. He committed on Dec. 18, 2022, and held offers to Kansas, Duke, the University of Illinois and others.

Arizona baseball commits in the last 50 days:

Class of 2024:

Class of 2025:

Arizona softball commits in the last 50 days:

Class of 2024:

Class of 2025:

The effort is an attempt to address what the administration says is a dearth of much-needed, affordably priced, conveniently located and energy-efficient homes.

Last week, CNN reported that – with mortgage rates nearing 8%, steadily rising home prices and historically low inventory of homes for sale – the housing market has been getting consistently worse for two years, and there appears to be no end in sight.

Home sales dropped in September to the lowest level since the foreclosure crisis as surging interest rates and climbing home prices made buying a house unattainable for a growing share of would-be buyers. Historically low inventory of homes for sale continued to push prices up and rates that crossed over 7% in August have pulled sales down to their lowest level in 13 years, according to a monthly report from the National Association of Realtors.

As part of Friday’s announcement, the Department of Transportation will release new guidance on more than $35 billion in lending available for transportation-oriented development projects. According to a fact sheet shared with CNN ahead of the announcement, the administration estimates the guidance “will increase housing supply, while encouraging state and local governments to improve their zoning, land use and transit-oriented development policies.”

“The pandemic really changed the patterns of how many Americans work and live and commute, and right now, across the country, we’re seeing decades-high levels of office vacancies in many downtowns, while at the same time, many of America’s cities and towns face a steep shortage of housing, and families are struggling to afford housing and transportation,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told reporters on a call previewing the announcement Thursday.

Buttigieg said the newly launched programs will build on existing commercial-to-residential conversion projects, “helping to advance those efforts to increase housing supplies and reduce housing costs,” while expanding residential downtowns that are “often already oriented around public transit.”

According to the administration fact sheet, the Transportation Department will also be releasing new guidance that makes it easier for local and municipal transit agencies across the country to transfer and repurpose existing properties “for transit-oriented development and affordable housing projects, including conversions near transit.”

In addition, the Department of Housing and Urban Development will release an updated notice detailing how its Community Development Block Grant fund can be used for projects aimed at boosting housing supply, the fact sheet stated, “including the acquisition, rehabilitation, and conversion of commercial properties to residential uses and mixed-use development.”

HUD will begin accepting applications for $85 million in funding through the Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing program, which makes money available for the development of adaptive reuse strategies and the financing of conversions.

The White House will also release a Commercial to Residential Federal Resources Guidebook Friday detailing over 20 federal programs across six federal agencies with eligible resources, including low-interest loans, loan guarantees, grants and tax incentives for residential conversion projects.

On Thursday’s call previewing the announcement, White House National Economic Council Chair Lael Brainard called the slew of initiatives “a win-win.”

“We know that commercial building vacancies are at an all-time high in some cities and communities across the country, while housing supplies in those same communities remain constrained,” she told reporters Thursday. “This presents an area of opportunity to both increase housing supply while revitalizing Main Street.”

"Little Amal’s Walk Across America" will be nearing its halfway mark when the 12-foot puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee girl arrives in Tucson on Saturday, Oct. 28.

The puppet’s journey, presented locally by Arizona Arts Live, set out Sept. 7 and will hit 40 American towns and cities and six Mexican cities from Tijuana to Tapachula before it concludes in early November.

In all, the puppet will have trekked 11,000 miles including across a vast expanse of America’s most iconic natural landscapes and sites. At each stop, communities host events that Amir Nizar Zuabi, artistic director of The Walk Productions, hopes will “spur conversations in communities across the country around the important role of refugees and newcomers in writing the ongoing story of the United States,” he said in a statement published on the Walk With Amal website.

Amal was created by the South African Handspring Puppet Company and has become, in the words of the British newspaper The Guardian, an “international symbol of human rights” since the journey began in Greece in 2021 and traveled throughout Europe and Canada.

Chad Herzog, Arizona Arts Live executive director, said the public is encouraged to participate in Amal’s journey throughout the day, from the 6 a.m. hike up Tumamoc Hill to witness a land blessing, to a breakfast pitstop at the south-side Galería Mitotera, 1802 S. Fourth Ave., at 9 a.m.

At 10 a.m., Little Amal will catch a ride with the Dos Vidas Car Club, cruising through South Tucson en route to the ¡Hola! Tucson block party at 11 a.m. at the Children’s Museum Tucson, 200 S. Sixth Ave.

At 4:30 p.m., Little Amal will participate in the quintessential American college tradition, a football tailgate party on the University of Arizona Mall, 1737 E. University Blvd. It’s not known if the towering Little Amal will take part in another quintessential college tradition, watching football when the Wildcat football team faces Oregon State at 7:30 p.m. at Arizona Stadium.

Little Amal’s day in Tucson is the result of a months-long collaboration between The Desert Laboratory on Tumamoc Hill, Arizona Arts Live, Dos Vidas Car Club, Galería Mitotera, Children’s Museum Tucson, Arizona Athletics and Flandrau Science Center. All events are free.

Find the schedule of events and more information here.

Tucson will serve as ABF's global headquarters with factory generating more than 1,000 jobs

TUCSON, Ariz., Oct. 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- American Battery Factory (ABF), an emerging battery manufacturer leading the development of the first network of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery cell gigafactories in the United States, today broke ground in Tucson, Arizona on a two million square foot gigafactory. The site will provide an estimated 1,000 jobs, $1.2 billion in capital investment and $3.1 billion in economic impact to Arizona while accelerating the growth of America's clean energy economy by utilizing the region's high-capacity border and transportation infrastructure to ship battery cells nationwide and globally.

The global market for lithium batteries is expected to reach $105 billion by 2025 with the demand set to increase 10 times over the next decade. ABF's battery cells are made with lithium iron phosphate chemistry, meaning the production of the safest, longest-lasting, most reliable and environmentally friendly batteries currently available. With these cells, ABF plans to transform today's single-source energy paradigm, opening the window for using software and technology to store an unlimited inventory of clean energy from sources such as solar and wind for use while also taking pressure off existing power grids.

"We are honored to implement our company's mission of global energy independence in Arizona, a premier destination for emerging technologies," said John Kem, president of American Battery Factory. "We are pleased to join this thriving region and look forward to enhancing Pima County's growing economy by fostering innovation while attracting and retaining residents to Tucson."

"Today's groundbreaking represents a significant milestone for Arizona's battery industry," said Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, who participated in the event. "With this transformational investment, American Battery Factory advances Arizona's clean energy industry and bolsters continued economic growth in Tucson and Pima County. I want to thank the entire team at American Battery Factory for their commitment to Arizona and all partners for their continued support to make this project possible."

Located on 267 acres in Pima County's Aerospace Research Campus – close to world-class companies such as Raytheon – ABF's gigafactory will be the home of energy storage innovation, with opportunities for new technology development. Utilizing rapid modular construction by Sprung Instant Structures, the company plans to have the headquarters, R&D center and initial factory module built by 2025. Using cutting-edge construction technology, the building will greatly limit waste at the site, be airtight and will ensure the protection of the battery cells during production.

The company has recently expanded its executive leadership team, adding former Major General John Kem as president and award-winning Dr. Jun Liu as chief scientist. The company has also secured strategic partnerships with companies like Celgard, Anovion and FNA Group as well as raised significant development capital to make its vision a reality.

For assets including photo renderings of the gigafactory, please click on this link: https://bit.ly/abf-assets

ABOUT AMERICAN BATTERY FACTORYAmerican Battery Factory Inc., a Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery cell manufacturer, is developing the first-ever network of safe LFP cell giga-factories in the United States. The company is dedicated to making energy independence and clean energy a reality for the United States by creating a domestic battery supply chain. Along with creating domestic manufacturing jobs, ABF will play a crucial role in meeting federal and state government climate change initiatives and "Made-in-USA'' national security requirements. For more information, please visit americanbatteryfactory.com.

SOURCE American Battery Factory