Mining Engineering’s Weekly Rundown: Episode 3

Welcome to Mining Engineering’s Weekly Rundown, where we break down the latest news shaping the mining industry. As usual, we’re diving into a few major headlines that are striking the sector.

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First off, Freeport-McMoRan is making a major play for the future of mining talent. The global copper and gold producer is investing $7 million into the University of Texas at El Paso to revive its mining engineering program, dormant since 1964. The degree is slated to relaunch in the Fall of 2027, pending approval, and aims to graduate 100 engineers annually, which will help to close a national talent gap. Last year, U.S. universities graduated just 312 mining engineers, far short of the 500 needed each year. The move builds on a $20 million commitment from the UT System Board of Regents and positions UTEP as the only university in Texas offering this specialty. Freeport says the partnership will help meet rising global demand for minerals critical to energy, infrastructure and digital technology.

Secondly, Saudi mining giant Maaden has signed a multi-year exploration contract with Fleet Space Technologies and Tahreez. The agreement covers over 12,000 square kilometers of high-priority ground in the Arabian Shield. It brings Fleet Space’s ExoSphere platform to the region, offering real-time, high-resolution 3D subsurface imaging up to 7 kilometers deep. The goal is to accelerate mineral discovery using satellite connectivity, AI and ambient noise tomography. The initiative supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and aims to turn mining into a foundational sector of the national economy. Maaden says the partnership will set a global benchmark for data-driven, low-impact exploration, while also building local talent to lead future mining operations.

Finally, Albemarle is putting the brakes on its planned lithium refinery. The company has paused development of what would’ve been the nation’s largest lithium processing facility, citing sharply lower market prices. Lithium has dropped 74 percent over the past two years, driven largely by oversupply from China. CEO Kent Masters says current economics don’t justify the $1.3 billion South Carolina project. The halt highlights broader concerns about America’s dependence on foreign critical minerals and the uphill battle to establish a competitive domestic supply chain. Albemarle controls the country’s only lithium mine, located in Nevada, and is investing in direct lithium extraction, but no timeline has been offered for those efforts to advance.

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