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Earth Exploration

Earth is more than our home — its natural resources are critical to every aspect of human life. Mines researchers are building our understanding of Earth’s structure, natural processes, and changing environments. We are using our knowledge to better predict and mitigate natural hazards, understand environmental cycles, address climate change, locate new reserves of critical resources, and develop methods of accessing these natural resources in a way that minimizes our impact on the planet. Explore our Earth research by focus area:

Earth Exploration

Subsurface Mapping

Exploring the Subsurface through Modeling & Mapping

Exploring the Subsurface through Modeling & Mapping

Resource Extraction

Advanced Resource Extraction, Production & Processing

Utilizing Mines’ expertise across petroleum and mining to find and access new resources in a sustainable way.

Earth Planet Volcano

Earth & Planetary Processes

Building our understanding of Earth’s evolving systems and processes, and leveraging that knowledge to benefit society.

Water Resources

Managing Earth's Water Resources

Understanding water resources and cycles to build sustainable use practices.

Safer Geo-Engineering

Engineering Solutions for a Safer Planet

Applying Earth science principles to support the built environment and design safer structures.

Geological Engineering

Underground Infrastructure Development

Analyzing, designing, building, and monitoring underground infrastructure.

Technology ad Critical Materials

Critical Materials & Supply Chains

Developing strategies to ensure access and manage supply of technology- and energy-critical minerals and metals.

Water drop in nature

Natural Resource Geopolitics & Economics

Studying the geopolitical and economic factors that shape natural resource development and management.

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Using wood, a sustainable construction alternative, to build a 10-story building and test its ability to withstand seismic events: “To observe a full-scale tall building with a new lateral system that we believe will be resilient and even damage-free under large earthquakes – that is invaluable, not only for the science community but also the engineering community around the globe. This will add a more sustainable building option for seismically active regions.”

- Dr Shiling Pei, Associate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering

Uniquely Mines: Explore our distinctive opportunities, expertise, & facilities

Edgar Mine Underground Classroom

Edgar Experimental Mine & Underground Classroom

The Edgar mine produced high-grade silver, gold, lead, and copper in the 1870s. Today, as an underground laboratory for future engineers, it produces valuable experience for those who are being trained to find, develop, and process the world’s natural resources.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE EDGAR MINE

Earth Exploration: Research Collaborations

Mines embraces a culture of collaboration and has a history of building strategic partnerships across industry, academia, government, and national labs. Sharing capabilities and expertise enables us to accelerate and broaden our impact as we work together to engineer innovative solutions. Discover our Earth collaborations:

Center for Hydrate Research

Center for Hydrate Research

The CHR is a global leader in hydrate research and recovery, an area that has significant impact on both energy and environmental sustainability. CHR funding and collaborations span across industry, the federal agencies, and non-profit organizations.

Center for Mineral Resources Science

Center for Mineral Resources Science

CMRS brings together a world-class team of scientists from Mines and the U.S. Geological Survey, providing global leadership in mineral deposit and exploration research and education.

Center for Resource Recovery and Recycling

Center for Resource Recovery and Recycling

CR³ is a multi-university cooperative research center focused on sustainable stewardship of the earth's resources. Mines partners with Worcester Polytechnic Institute and KU Leuven to advance technologies that recover, recycle, and reuse materials across industries.

Center for Rock & Fluid Multiphysics

Center for Rock & Fluid Multiphysics

CRFM combines simultaneous laboratory experimentation with rock physics modeling to research the multiphysical properties of rocks, fluids and their interactions.

Center for Space Resources

Center for Space Resources

CSR is dedicated to the human and robotic exploration of space and the utilization of its resources through the joint efforts of academia, government, the private sector, and international collaboration.

Center for Wave Phenomena

Center for Wave Phenomena

CWP is a research center that collaborates with industry, government agencies, and academic institutions to conduct leading research in seismic exploration, monitoring, and wave propagation.

Geology Center of Research Excellence

Geology Center of Research Excellence

CoRE is an innovative industry-academic partnership between Mines and Chevron that promotes world-class research and education. CoRE focuses on scientific and technical challenges faced by the energy industry.

Center to Advance the Science of Exploration to Reclamation in Mining

Center to Advance the Science of Exploration to Reclamation in Mining

CASERM represents a collaborative venture between Mines and Virginia Tech aimed at transforming the way that geoscience data are used in the mineral resource industry.

Colorado Energy Research Collaboratory

Colorado Energy Research Collaboratory

Mines is a member of the Collaboratory, which is a unique Colorado partnership that brings together energy expertise across the state to address the complex energy and natural resource challenges facing the world.

Colorado Geological Survey

Colorado Geological Survey

Housed at Mines, CGS is a state government agency that provides geologic advice to the public to help reduce the impact of geologic hazards, promote responsible development of mineral and energy resources, and provide geologic insight into water resources.

Critical Materials Innovation Hub

Center for Mineral Resources Science

CMI is a DOE Energy Innovation Hub focused on assuring supply chains for materials critical to clean energy technologies. Mines is part of CMI senior leadership and spearheads CMI efforts in education, training, and outreach.

Institute for Initiatives in Latin America

Institute for Initiatives in Latin America

IILA builds external connections with partner institutions in Latin America and mobilizes Mines resources to conduct cutting-edge applied science that benefits local communities and builds research capacities at partner institutions.

Kroll Institute For Extractive Metallurgy (KIEM)

Kroll Institute for Extractive Metallurgy

KIEM was established in 1974 in accordance with a bequest from Dr. Kroll, a world renowned metallurgist. Since its inception, the Kroll Institute has maintained expertise and research capabilities to support the minerals, metals and materials industries.

Mines CCUS Innovation Center

Mines CCUS Innovation Center

MCIC is an independently sponsored research center that highlights applied research focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions by millions of metric tons and enabling communities to transition toward zero-emissions energy generation.

Colorado-Wyoming Climate Resilience Engine

Colorado-Wyoming Climate Resilience Engine

Mines is a partner in the Colorado-Wyoming Climate Resilience Engine, a NSF Regional Innovation Engine to advance climate resiliency research and commercialization efforts across methane emissions, soil carbon capture, earth sensing, water scarcity, wildfires and extreme weather.

Reservoir Characterization Project

Reservoir Characterization Project

RCP collaborates with industry partners to conduct applied research using seismic methods across a variety of geologic settings to predict reservoir performance and enhance field development strategies.

Shared Instrumentation Facility

Shared Instrumentation Facility

The SIF provides centralized access to world-class scientific equipment and engineering instruments on Mines campus. External partners can consult with technical experts and access the SIF through our website.