U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum visits Mines to discuss critical minerals and energy security

Colorado School of Mines welcomed U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and senior officials from the Department of the Interior and U.S. Geological Survey to campus Oct. 21 for discussions with university leadership and students about the nation’s critical mineral and energy needs.

Secretary Burgum met with Mines President Paul C. Johnson and other university leaders to discuss shared priorities in strengthening domestic critical mineral supply chains, advancing energy innovation and developing the technical workforce needed to support U.S. energy and national security.

The conversation highlighted Mines’ longstanding partnership with USGS, including the new Energy and Minerals Research Facility under development on campus. Discussions also focused on the Golden Nexus, a collaboration among Mines, USGS and the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Laboratory of the Rockies that brings together mineral and energy expertise, capabilities and facilities in Golden to deliver greater impact for industry and the nation.

Burgum also participated in a roundtable discussion with current Mines students, hearing firsthand about their academic experiences and interests in careers supporting the nation’s energy and mineral resources. 

The Secretary also participated in a site visit to the USGS Energy and Minerals Research Facility and joint Mines-USGS briefing on the project. Scheduled to open in 2027, the facility will bring approximately 150 USGS scientists to the Mines campus, expanding a partnership spanning more than 40 years and strengthening Golden’s role as a hub for research and innovation in energy and minerals.