Mines faculty member testifies before congressional critical minerals working group on U.S. mineral workforce

Washington, DC— Elizabeth Holley, associate professor of mining engineering at Colorado School of Mines, testified before the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party's Critical Minerals Policy Working Group. 

The working group, chaired by Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA) and Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL), explored the need to develop a skilled domestic workforce to support U.S. economic, energy and national security through the responsible sourcing of critical minerals. With low enrollments in mining engineering programs and nearly 50 percent of the U.S. mining workforce — about 220,000 professionals — expected to retire by the end of the decade, the current talent pipeline is insufficient to meet the growing demand for minerals.

“Achieving increased domestic mineral production that is both environmentally sustainable and socially responsible will require innovation across the entire mining value chain,” Holley said. “To meet this challenge, we must develop an interdisciplinary workforce capable of designing and implementing new approaches to mineral exploration, mine production, processing, and reclamation.”

In her testimony, Holley discussed Mines’ vision for the “mining of the future,” which aligns with students’ interest in environmental stewardship, innovation and social impact. She emphasized the need for increased investment in mining and mineral R&D to address complex engineering and social challenges, as well the need for greater coordination among academia, industry and government to meet the strategic critical mineral objectives of the United States.

Holley leads an NSF-funded interdisciplinary research team dedicated to the responsible development of critical minerals in the U.S. Through partnerships with industry, government, and community stakeholders, her team brings unique insights to domestic mineral and mining challenges, including the need for an innovative minerals workforce.

Mines, a public R1 research university specializing in engineering and applied science, is globally recognized for its expertise across the entire mining and mineral lifecycle—from exploration to reclamation, as well as in areas like community engagement, economics, and public policy. According to the 2024 QS World University rankings, Mines is home to the No. 1 mineral and mining engineering program in the world, and the only mineral and energy economics program in the United States.

A full video of the roundtable can be found here.