SME and Freeport-McMoRan forge partnership to bolster mining education
The Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME) and Freeport-McMoRan have announced a four-year strategic partnership, furthering their commitment to the mining industry in light of the recent successful MINEXCHANGE 2025 SME Annual Conference and Expo, which attracted over 7,000 participants. This announcement marks a significant step in their ongoing collaboration to bolster educational and professional development within the mining sector.
Since 2017, Freeport has played a vital role as the exclusive investor in SME’s Academic Career Development Grant Program. This initiative allocates US$100,000 annually for a maximum of three years to select newly employed, non-tenured assistant or associate professors. Such financial support is designed to empower tenure-track professors in engaging comprehensively in essential activities like research, publication, and professional services, all of which are pivotal for their tenure and promotion processes. Notably, since its inception in 2015, 13 grant recipients have successfully achieved tenure, underscoring the programme's effectiveness.
The collaboration between SME and Freeport also seeks to address the long-term challenges that jeopardise the sustainability of educational programs in US mining and mineral processing/extractive metallurgy. The impending labour shortages anticipated due to retirements over the next two decades further accentuate the necessity of these efforts. Under the terms of the new partnership, Freeport will retain its status as an SME Foundation Corporate Roundtable Partner until at least 2028, ensuring continued funding for this vital initiative.
Moreover, the partnership enhances the professional development opportunities available to Freeport’s workforce by granting access to a diverse range of benefits enjoyed by over 14,000 SME members. Freeport is expected to remain a prominent sponsor of several SME events, including its influential roles at the Student Engagement Breakfast, the Women of SME Breakfast, and the Graduate Student Poster Contest during the MINEXCHANGE event.
David L. Kanagy, SME Executive Director and CEO, expressed enthusiasm regarding the strategic partnership, stating, “Given what we have already accomplished together, we are beyond thrilled to establish a formal strategic partnership with our friends at Freeport. Helping to ensure the long-term viability of our mining schools remains a top priority, and we will continue to leverage our resources to make sure it happens.”
Joshua Olmsted, Freeport’s President and COO for the Americas, emphasised the importance of their collaborative efforts, particularly highlighting the Academic Career Development Grant Program. “Being able to support faculty as they move into tenured positions is something that has shown to be effective and is critical to supporting our university partners,” Olmsted said.
This strategic partnership between SME and Freeport-McMoRan is positioned to play an influential role in shaping the future of mining education and addressing workforce challenges in the industry.