Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) has won a $24 million award from Saudi Arabia to train and educate personnel for the Saudi mining industry.

Missouri S&T was selected to be a partner with the Technical and Vocational Training Corp. (TVTC), a Saudi government entity, and the Saudi Arabian Mining Co., Ma’aden, to establish the Saudi Mining Polytechnic (SMP). Under the agreement, Missouri S&T and partners from industry will train personnel at SMP during an initial five-year period. The award is potentially renewable for another five years.

Missouri S&T’s partners in this venture include Canadian Petroleum Services, Caterpillar Global Mining, The Doe Run Co., Immersive Technologies, Orica Inc. and P&H Mining.

In January 2011, a Missouri S&T delegation visited Saudi Arabia in preparation for the final bid submission. The contract was signed during a second visit by the Missouri S&T delegation in July 2012.

“This partnership provides Missouri S&T a great opportunity to shape the direction of the mining industry in Saudi Arabia,” says Dr. Samuel Frimpong, chair of Missouri S&T’s mining and nuclear engineering department.

With Missouri S&T leading the way, SMP plans to educate an average of 200 professionals annually in mineral processing, as well as surface and underground mining.

“Missouri S&T has a proud heritage of supplying the world with great mining engineers – a heritage that dates back to our founding in 1870 as the Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy,” says Missouri S&T Chancellor Cheryl B. Schrader. “We’re pleased to be a part of this important partnership, as we believe it will transform the mining industry in Saudi Arabia.”

“Developing the skilled pool of talent needed to support the expansion of mining in the Kingdom is one of the biggest challenges we face,” says Ma’aden President and CEO Khalid Al Mudaifer. “We are delighted to be partnering with Missouri S&T to deliver world-class training at Saudi Arabia’s first specialist training institute for the mining industry. Missouri S&T has a long history of excellence and international partnerships, and we look forward to welcoming their team to Saudi Arabia.”

“Due to the significant developments taking place in Saudi Arabia, the TVTC has a new vision for the future of its training that will compete with global standards.” says Fahd Aldohish, TVTC’s general manager of the Strategic Partnerships National Center (SPNC). “We are partnering with the private sector to establish advanced polytechnics that will graduate skilled Saudi nationals in well-paying technical jobs, thus helping reduce unemployment and contributing to community and economic growth.”