NM Institute of Mining & Technology

NM Institute of Mining & Technology (NMMA Hall of Fame—2006)

New Mexico Tech has been in existence since 1893, four years after the Territorial Legislature, wanting to boost New Mexico’s economy, decided to found a School of Mines to train young mining engineers. During this period, Socorro was a mining boom town and the site of the Billings Smelter, which processed silver and lead ores mined at the nearby Magdalena District. Socorro was chosen for the location of the New Mexico Schools of Mines, allowing mining engineers to train near the eventual site of their work.

What began as a very small college graduating only a handful of mining and metallurgical engineers began to transform after the turn of the century. In 1927, the New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources (since renamed the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources) was added as a division to the New Mexico School of Mines to function as the state geologic survey. During the 1930’s petroleum engineering was added to the curriculum and quickly acquired more students than mining engineering. Also during this time the school had its first female graduate, who brought the added advantage of being a non-draftable employee.

After World War II, the college developed into a strong scientific research facility for the fields of defense weaponry, atmospheric physics, astrophysics, geophysics, and hydrology. In 1951 the school’s name was changed to “New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology” to reflect this diversity.

Today, while New Mexico Tech offers a broad range of graduate and undergraduate degrees in science and engineering, its contribution to the mining industry in New Mexico and the world continues to be as strong as ever. Many of the mining operations within New Mexico currently employ graduates of New Mexico Tech. Notable alumni who have made significant contributions to the industry include: Dr. George Griswold, member of the NMMA Hall of Fame; Dr. George Atwood III, retired Chairman and CEO of the Duval Corporation; David Rice, retired Vice President of the Potash Company of America; Dr. John Kelly, Assistant Secretary of the Interior under President Kennedy; Morris T. Worley, retired COO of Rayrock Yellowknife Resources, Inc.; and Jeffrey Clevenger, former Executive Vice President of Cyprus Amax Minerals.

As you can see the contributions of New Mexico Tech to the mining industry in the state of New Mexico as well as the world have been significant. To this day, New Mexico Tech continues to produce outstanding graduates for the industry while also contributing to research and development within the industry.

New Mexico Tech was inducted into the NMMA Hall of Fame on February 9, 2006.