UA Co-Founds Tailings Center of Excellence

As the global demand for minerals and metals continues to grow, so too does the proliferation of mine tailings – the waste materials left over when mining is complete. In an effort to minimize the risk and better prepare mining engineers and operators to manage tailings facilities, the University of Arizona, Colorado State University and the Colorado School of Mines have joined forces to launch the Tailings Center of Excellence. The center is focused on educating engineers on responsible and sustainable mine waste management and advancing research-backed best practices.

"The Department of Mining and Geological Engineering at the University of Arizona has established a longstanding expertise and international reputation in monitoring the health and safety of mining and civil engineering infrastructure," said Moe Momayez, interim department head and David & Edith Lowell Chair in MGE. "We currently have several projects inside and outside Arizona that employ digital technologies, the industrial internet of things and artificial intelligence customized for each site to provide mine operators with real-time insight regarding water quality, seepage and mechanical stability of tailings storage facilities."

The new center’s educational offerings will include online and in-person short courses and workshops, interuniversity certificates and both undergraduate and graduate outreach. The universities will also leverage industry partnerships to keep pace with real-world needs. The Tailings Center of Excellence also will coordinate closely with the Tailings and Waste Engineering Center, a newly established consortium of faculty from Georgia Tech; the University of California, Berkeley; the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Colorado State University.