American think tanks lament: Only 160 students in the U.S. receive mining engineering degrees annually, while China has more than 2,500.
To reverse the decline of the mining industry, the U.S. must first revitalize its mining engineering, mineral science, and mineral processing education.
Nothing better illustrates the decline of the industry than the current state of academic mining education in the U.S. Only 15 universities in the U.S. offer mining engineering and mineral processing courses. In 2023, only 160 students received mining engineering degrees, compared to over 2,500 in China. There are approximately 70 mining engineering professors in the U.S. Geology courses are more numerous, but many focus on environmental science and hydrology rather than petroleum geology.
Some earth science departments, such as those at the University of Tennessee, are adding critical minerals professor positions. With government funding from the U.S., more institutions will follow suit. Scholarships and grants can help stimulate interest in the field to meet the growing demand for talent in strategic material mining projects led by American companies both domestically and globally.
Source: The National Interest
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1830334318610443/
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