Mission

To advance responsible mining and use of minerals by catalyzing resources across The University of Arizona and our global network to: educate stakeholders on the importance of mineral resources and innovations in modern mining; attract the brightest minds from diverse disciplines to apply their talent to mineral resources challenges; develop the next generation workforce; and provide timely, integrated solutions to address real industry challenges.

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Events

Geotechnical Center of Excellence

Significant geotechnical events are some of the greatest risks facing the mining industry and are high on the risk register for most major mining companies.  As costly as these events are, there are major gaps that keep us from safely and effectively managing risks. Additionally, existing efforts to tackle these issues are often disconnected and conducted in silos, lack interdisciplinary expertise, and knowledge isn’t widely shared. With support from industry experts, The Lowell Institute can change that.

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Virtual Reality for Safety Training

Working with the Colleges of Public Health, Optical Sciences, and Engineering, we created “Serious Games” customizable, reality-based training and evaluation software, which allows workers in industrial environments to improve time-to-competency and safety behavior using gaming.

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Hyperspectral Sensing

A new UA project may soon put drones next to hammers and compasses in the field geologist’s toolkit. A new interdisciplinary UA study is exploring the use of drone-mounted hyperspectral and LiDAR scanners in field geology, remote sensing, geotechnics, and geometallurgy.

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News

J. David Lowell Honored in Heromosillo, Mexico for his Contribution to Mining

April 15, 2019

Every year since 2013, Mundo Minero has recognized the great personalities of the mining industry in Mexico, honoring the trajectory of prestigious mining professionals whose talent has stood out in the generation of new projects, start-up of important mining operations, or for important participation in research and development. This year, the Mundo Minero Board of Directors selected J. David Lowell to recieve an Ostotakani at MEXICO POLIMETALICO 2019 in recognition of his contributions to earth sciences, and especially for his authorship of the "Copper Porphyry Model" international reference in mining exploration works.

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Could Southern Arizona Become the Silicon Valley of Mining?

Jan. 22, 2019

Arizona has long been known as “The Copper State” for its abundance of natural resources and thriving mining industry. In a summit sponsored by the University of Arizona’s Lowell Institute for Mineral Resources, the Arizona Mining Association, and the Arizona  Rock Products Association, Southern Arizona mining industry leaders reflected on the state’s rich history and how, with the right mix of raw resources, university innovation and industry support, they could be a part of the summit’s title: Securing Arizona’s Future as the Silicon Valley of Mining.

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Mining's Role in Arizona's Present

Jan. 11, 2019

Arizona has a long history of mining — there’s a miner on the state seal, and copper is one of the “five C’s” that traditionally made up the state’s economy.

Today, the University of Arizona is hosting a summit called “Securing Arizona’s Future as the Silicon Valley of Mining,” which will include industry representatives, government officials and academics.

One of the presenters is Mary Poulton, the co-director of the Lowell Institute for Mineral Resources at UA. The Show asked her what role mining plays in Arizona’s economy today.

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