New Arizona Institute on Sustainability and Mineral Resources Opens

"With this effort, we have the potential to transform mining," said William C. Harris, President and CEO of Science Foundation Arizona. Harris envisions the Institute becoming a world-renowned "go to" research hub for high-tech mining R&D innovation, health and safety methodologies and processes, and education.

"Arizona has one of the richest mineral endowments on the planet and is the number one mining state in the country in terms of the value of minerals produced," states Mary Poulton, head of the University of Arizona's department of mining and geological engineering. "With the Institute, we are employing new sustainable 21st century methods - from minimizing fresh water usage and improving the energy efficiency of materials production to underground robotic mining that leaves a smaller environmental footprint."

The Institute will address the growing demand for mineral resources with eco-friendly practices. "This partnership represents an outstanding opportunity to bring together industry, technical and academic experts to 'dig in' to untapped ideas and innovations in improved scientific understanding of mineral resources, and technologies and methods related to production, efficiency and safety. All of these things have tremendous potential to have lasting benefits for our communities, the environment, the economy, and our company," said John Marsden, President of Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold, Inc.

Major research efforts include:

-- Developing new methods to minimize the impact mining has on the environment. Projects include substituting low-quality water in lieu of fresh water and decreasing energy consumption in mineral processing operations.

-- Improving mine safety. The Institute is slated to be a premiere test site for safer underground mining technologies. These include finding way to more precisely track miners and equipment working underground and studying the heath effects of particulates in exhaust from bio-diesel and synthetic diesel as mining companies look to "greener" energy sources.

With the Science Foundation Arizona grant of $8.7 million, the additional support of $8.8 million from industry partners, and the university research acumen, the investment will assistArizona in expanding its dominance as the nation's number one producer of non-fuel minerals.

Visit www.sfaz.org for more information

SOURCE Science Foundation Arizona

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Copyright © 2009, NewsBlaze, Daily News

Tags: ,ENV,MNG,HED,POL,SciFndn-AZ-minerals

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