In late June with big ideas about the world of mining and one step closer to pursuing careers in the industry, a field in which the current population of engineers is aging toward retirement.

Some of the high-school students already had mapped out their futures in mining, while others had not yet settled on a particular engineering field. Still others -- like the Singley Academy seniors from Irving, Texas -- found themselves completely out of their element. The four members of Singley’s Girls of Technology program are specializing in biotechnology and computer science and were none too sure about mining when they first arrived at camp. But by the end of their fun-filled and eye-opening week, Cindy Martinez and her classmates -- Lesly Hernandez, Alondra Rios and Rubi Garcia -- thought mining might just be the place to land. "Now that I have learned so much about mining," said Martinez, "I am considering it."
 
Eighteen juniors and seniors, eight young women and 10 young men, spent a week above ground and underground learning about mineral exploration and processing, mine operations and the sustainability of mining, safety procedures and blasting. Using actual mine data, teams also competed in a Design a Mine contest at the Sierrita copper mine, about 20 miles southwest of Tucson. The winners got to keep their hard hats.

The mining engineering camp was the first in a series of four weeklong, major-specific engineering camps added this year to the UA College of Engineering’s already robust summer camp lineup. Three other major-focused camps are being held throughout July in addition to the regular Summer Engineering Academy interdisciplinary sessions. The three other camps cover the following majors: (1) biomedical engineering, chemical engineering and materials science and engineering; (2) electrical and computer engineering, systems and industrial engineering, and optical sciences and engineering; (3) civil engineering and aerospace and mechanical engineering.

"The discipline-focused programs offer high-school students various options to pursue the specific engineering interests that they have developed," said College of Engineering Academic Affairs Dean Jim Baygents. "The students who attend the Summer Engineering Academy tend to be highly motivated with regard to prospective careers in engineering. After one summer with us, they often want to do and learn more engineering in subsequent summers."

Peter Rosado was one of the students back this year for more. The senior at Sahuaro High School in Tucson explored a number of academic and career options last year in an interdisciplinary session and was fascinated by an introduction to mining and geological engineering presented by Pamela Wilkinson, education outreach coordinator at the UA Lowell Institute for Mineral Resources.

"After that I got really interested in mining," said Rosado.

Wilkinson, who had filled students pockets with "cool rocks" throughout the week, told parents at the camp’s closing, hosted by Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. at the Sierrita mine, that should their children opt for a career in mining engineering, more than interesting rocks likely would line their pockets. With ample scholarships, plenty of opportunities for internships, and hands-on experience at the UA San Xavier student-run mine, students graduate from the UA mining and geological engineering program with no debt and good jobs, making on average $60,000 a year, she said.

"If they like rocks and don’t mind getting dirty, mining companies need more engineers," said Wilkinson, as the students and parents loaded up in company vans and made their way among trucks bigger than a two-story building hauling 260 tons of rock to tour the mile-wide, 1,400 foot deep open-pit mine.