Caterpillar funds new initiative at South Dakota Mines for advanced mining technology
Caterpillar is sponsoring a new partnership with South Dakota Mines for autonomous robotic mining, cutting-edge software used to manage mining and construction operations, and new equipment that increases efficiency and safety.
These technological advancements will increase sustainability of the earth’s natural resources while improving productivity and promoting economic development, the university said.
South Dakota Mines will help lead Cat® Labs MineStar™ Consortium, which partners university faculty and students with Caterpillar engineers and researchers to help build the next generation of mining and construction technology.
The university has a long history in the development and advancement of mining. The partnership could involve a range of projects from research and development in surface mining and reclamation in places like the Powder River Basin to the development of an underground area to test robotic mining equipment at the Sanford Underground Research Facility.
Cat Labs MineStar Consortium is conceived to include other institutions, such as Western Dakota Tech.
“This agreement is great news for the university and for the economy,” South Dakota Mines President Jim Rankin said. “The South Dakota mining industry employs more than 2,000 people who produce more than $500 million in products annually. This partnership builds on those past successes and will yield new business opportunities and a fantastic return on investment for the whole region.”
The university’s partnership with Caterpillar comes alongside an effort to add a new building on campus for three departments: geology and geological engineering, mining engineering and management, and materials and metallurgical engineering.
