CREATING A STUDENT-OWNED, STUDENT-LED, AND STUDENT-RUN MINING COMPANY

As the global demand for mineral resources increases, the corresponding demand for well-trained geologists is also increasing. Here I discuss a unique set of courses at the University of Wyoming that aims to prepare students for a career in the mineral exploration industry. These courses are student-led and involve the formation of a legally valid mining company that is both owned and operated by the students themselves. They must operate within a real budget and their decisions have real-world financial, legal, and environmental consequences. A successful discovery results in staking of a legally valid mining claim that is owned by the students via their company. As the legal owners of this claim, they can potentially profit from their decisions via the sale of claims to other companies, or directly mining the claim themselves. The end-result of the courses is an industry-style technical report that is publicly available. Throughout this process, students gain real-world experience with mapping, core logging, geophysical surveying, soil sampling, assaying, and exploration decision-making. They grow to understand that mineral exploration can be both a challenging and intellectually engaging career.