New law could finally address thousands of abandoned mines leaking pollution into Colorado water

Molly Morgan, a Geology PhD candidate, is quoted in this article examining the impact of a new law recently signed by President Biden.
January 4, 2025

An electrical grid on the moon? Colorado School of Mines students work with NASA to make it possible

Mines graduate student Ken Liang and alum Chris Tolten built a prototype of a lunar grid and presented it during a recent competition run by NASA. The prototype worked – and Chris and Ken won a half-million-dollar prize to continue developing their idea.
January 2, 2025

Leadville and other Colorado communities stand to benefit as president signs Good Samaritan Mining Act

Opinion column by Molly Morgan, a Geology PhD candidate, and Mining Engineering professors Elizabeth Holley and Nicole Smith. They write that getting legislation through Congress was a critical step forward in addressing one of the nation’s longest-standing environmental challenges.
January 2, 2025

The E.P.A. promotes toxic fertilizer. 3M told it of risks years ago.

Christopher P. Higgins, university distinguished professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, is cited in this article about how the EPA obtained research from 3M in 2003 revealing that sewage sludge, the raw material for the fertilizer, carried toxic “forever chemicals.”
December 27, 2024

The American industry that wants more government intervention

Elizabeth Holley, Mines associate professor of Mining Engineering, discusses the domestic mining of critical minerals in a story from Kirk Siegler for NPR's Morning Edition program.
December 18, 2024

China’s mineral export ban strikes at the US defense industrial base

Morgan Bazilian, director of the Payne Institute for Public Policy at Mines, co-authored this column. It discusses how the Chinese mineral export ban could cause the U.S. defense industry to experience short-term mineral shortages and higher prices.
December 6, 2024

Five bipartisan actions on energy security as Trump returns to the White House

Morgan Bazilian, director of the Payne Center for Public Policy at Mines, co-authors this column.
December 4, 2024

Underground voids from abandoned mines pose danger

Paul Santi, Mines geology professor, is quoted in this article that was written after a Pennsylvania woman is believed to have fallen to her death in a sinkhole.
December 4, 2024

Minor levels of ‘forever chemicals’ found in water samples taken in Leadville, Lake County

Christopher Higgins, civil and environmental engineering professor at Mines, is quoted about minor levels of PFAS, a class of chemicals that can cause serious health effects, being detected at eight testing sites in Leadville and Lake County.
December 4, 2024

Sound science and practical perspicacity

At its centennial annual conference September 23-25 in New Orleans, the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) named Jennifer L. Miskimins, PhD, PE incoming president for 2026.
December 3, 2024