RAPID CITY, S.D. (Sept. 26, 2025) – South Dakota Mines, a foundational institution in the Black Hills, is hosting a community event to showcase the evolving world of sustainable mining and the essential role of critical minerals. The university, officially known as the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, has been a driving force in the industry since 1885, growing from a regional mining school into a national leader in the critical minerals supply chain-resources vital for modern life and national security.
Mines is one of only five U.S. universities to house all three key mineral industry disciplines: geology and geological engineering, mining engineering and management, and materials and metallurgical engineering.
The institution will celebrate its legacy and future with the inaugural 4M Expo-Mining, Minerals, Munitions, and Manufacturing. The event is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 4, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Nucor Mineral Industries Building.
Open to all ages, the expo is designed to engage the community with activities ranging from gold panning, sandbox mining, and blacksmithing to keynote talks and interactive discussions with faculty and students. Attendees will also receive free admission to the Museum of Geology, located in the O’Harra Building on campus.
“We really want the community to come to campus and see some of the really cool things our students are doing for national security, agriculture and the environment,” said Andrea Brickey, Ph.D., a Mines professor of mining engineering and management.
A central goal of the expo is to educate the public on the importance of domestic mining and the soaring global demand for critical minerals. These elements, integral to everything from cell phones and electric vehicles to surgical equipment and defense technology, form the backbone of modern society.
“Over the past several years, the mining supply chain has been brought to the forefront of national security,” Brickey said. “We depend on many of these critical minerals for daily life and national defense, but at the moment, the majority are sourced through countries that are not necessarily our allies. Additionally, the United States is a leader in mine safety and environmental protection.”
The field of mining has transitioned significantly from its earlier days, now employing high-tech, sustainable methods like autonomous equipment and artificial intelligence.
“We really want to highlight how mining is done today – the industry is using technology that isn’t even in the public realm yet,” Brickey said.
The 4M Expo in Rapid City aims to blend Mines’ century-plus of expertise with cutting-edge research, demonstrating how modern mining is now smarter, more sustainable, and more essential than ever to the nation and South Dakota.