Preparing the Future Generation

WARM was founded with the goal of training the future generation of mine reclamation specialists. To facilitate this, students have the opportunity to participate in a variety of learning experiences:

Field Trips

Throughout the field season, students are exposed to a variety of mine sites in the Southern Rockies and are able to network with mining professionals. Past field trips have included the Los Ochos Mine in Gunnison County, the Pitch Mine in Saguache County, the Revenue-Virginius Mine in Ouray County, and multiple mines in the Bonita Peak Superfund site in San Juan County.

project work

Graduate-level students at the consortium of WARM universities are required to complete project work within the realm of mine reclamation. Through these projects, WARM students gain hands-on experience in project management, data collection, laboratory procedures, data analysis, restoration techniques, and technical writing. In addition to providing a platform for graduate students to learn, these projects also have opportunities for undergraduate students to participate in data collection and laboratory work.

Internships

WARM students have had the opportunity to participate in internships and graduate-level project work. In 2018 and 2019, WARM students held internships with the USGS working in the San Juan mountain range helping to collect data for a 3D geologic map of the Silverton Caldera. In the summer of 2021, an undergraduate WARM student had the opportunity to intern in the field with the Division of Reclamation, Mining, and Safety.

Professional conferences

WARM students delivered presentations at the 2018 and 2019 San Juan Mining and Reclamation Conferences, and the AEMA conference in 2022 and 2023, and participated in the Rocky Mountain Mining and Reclamation Converence in 2024. In addition to providing opportunities for students to present, WARM also financially supports students who are interested in attending these types of conferences to learn about new techniques in mine reclamation and network with professionals.

mine reclamation course

Since 2020, WARM has offered an interdisciplinary course on mine reclamation taught at Western Colorado University. The course was designed to be appropriate for both upper-division undergraduates (junior and seniors) and as an introductory course for graduate students. In future years WARM would like to offer the course to students at Fort Lewis College, Colorado School of Mines, Colorado Mesa University, and to professionals in the industry to further the collaborative bond with Western Colorado University.