07/11/2024

IME Applauds Senate Passage of Mining Schools Act

WASHINGTON, DC – The Institute of Makers of Explosives (IME) applauds the bipartisan efforts of Chairman Joe Manchin (I-WV) and Ranking Member John Barrasso (R-WY) in the United States Senate to pass the Mining Schools Act of 2023 (S. 912), which will provide much-needed funding to recruit and educate tomorrow’s mining engineers.

“The Mining Schools Act is a critical piece of legislation that builds a pipeline for tomorrow’s mining industry workforce,” said Clark Mica, President of the Institute of Makers of Explosives. “Commercial explosives play an essential role in the mining industry and this legislation is an important step if America is to remain competitive in the development of critical minerals and reduce our dependence on foreign sources.”

Specifically, the Mining Schools Act of 2023 will:

• Establish a grant program for mining schools at four-year public institutions of higher education;
• Authorize $10 million for the grant program for each fiscal year from 2024 through 2031;
• Support student recruitment as well as studies, research projects, and demonstration projects related to the production of minerals; and
• Establish the Mining Professional Development Advisory Board to evaluate applications, recommend recipients to the Secretary of Energy, and conduct oversight to ensure that grant funds are appropriately used.

According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, roughly 221,000 workers will retire or be replaced in the mining industry by the year 2029. In contrast, only 327 mining and/or mining engineering degrees were awarded in the year 2020 which highlights the massive gap in the mining workforce.

While IME applauds Senate passage of the Act, we encourage adoption of additional language that would enhance “safety and efficiency in the utilization of explosives in the exploration for and production of mineral resources”.  

Mica also called for the Senate to include the Mining Schools Act as part of an effort to attach the legislation to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that the Senate must vote on.

“On behalf of the commercial explosives industry, we want to thank Senators Manchin and Barrasso for their leadership on this important issue,” Mica concluded. “The Senate should look for additional opportunities to pass this important legislation including attaching it to the upcoming NDAA bill. Furthermore, we call on Leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives to pass the House companion legislation, H.R. 2685.”