Mining highlighted at the 2025 West Virginia University Merit Badge University

For the sixth year, the West Virginia University (WVU) Mining Engineering Department and its SME student chapter sponsored the Scouting America Mining in Society (MIS) merit badge at the WVU Merit Badge University. Led by Dan Alexander and student assistants August Lasko and Joseph Statuto, 10 Scouts completed the 2025 cycle. Over the six years, 56 Scouts have earned the MIS merit badge in this program, with the assistance of 20 WVU mining engineering students. WVU and the Mountaineer Area Council annually host the Merit Badge University in Morgantown, WV. This year, nearly 300 Scouts completed 21 merit badges. Four MIS merit badge requirements were completed during the mine tour and four at WVU. Touring the Humphrey Surface Mine The Scouts viewed contour mining at the Humphrey Surface Mine. Coal from three seams, including underground pillars in the Pittsburgh Seam and limestone, are mined here (requirement 5).An advantage of visiting a mine is that the Scouts can ask questions about what miners do in their jobs. Requirement 8 allows Scouts to learn about the types of work people do at mines. Scouts got to see several types of mobile equipment, such as the Caterpillar tracked dozer. It is important for Scouts to see how the mining industry makes use of mined materials and returns the land to productive use. When complete, the mine they visited plans to be developed into a residential/commercial area serving Greater Morgantown, WV. This end-of-mine-life reclamation process is like the “Leave No Trace” value that Scouts apply to their camping adventures (requirement 6).In the afternoon, the Scouts completed requirement 1 by using the 10-mineral kit produced for academic use by the Pittsburgh Section of SME. Each Scout received their own mineral kit and explanatory booklet for later use or sharing with their family and other Scouts. Requirement 2 emphasizes that mines are built where minerals and solid fuels occur. Scouts find where five mines are located in the tri-state area, the mining method used, and what is mined there. Learning about hazards Everyone watched a “Stay Out — Stay Alive” video, which shows the story of how active and especially abandoned mines contain hazards. Miners are trained to work safely with an experienced miner for six months. Visitors receive hazard training and are escorted for their safety while on active mine property. Abandoned mines could have vertical shafts, open cavities, rotting supports, animals and snakes, unstable rock formations, lack of oxygen, and leftover explosives. Water-filled mines or quarries cause a large percentage of casualties and can conceal rock ledges, old machinery and other hazards. Learning about these hazards is covered in requirement 4. Mining in the future is likely to include methods and locations not used today. For example, some countries are exploring the Moon and asteroids for metals, water and building materials. Likewise, oceans contain dissolved minerals in the water, metallic nodules and mineral-rich hot vents on the deep ocean bottom, and diamonds in near-shore submerged sands. Requirement 7 encourages Scouts to investigate future mining opportunities, including mining in space or the ocean, at landfills and through recycling. If you are interested in learning more about how you or your company can help Scouts in your area earn their MIS merit badge, email mec@smenet.org.

Mining highlighted at the 2025 West Virginia University Merit Badge University

Authored by: Dan Alexander

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