A group of Missouri University of Science and Technology students is preparing to travel over 9,000 miles to defend two world championship titles in events based on mining techniques generally known as “mucking.” The students will compete in the 37th Intercollegiate Mining Competition held Wednesday, March 25, through Sunday, March 29, at the Western Australia School of Mines in Kalgoorlie, Australia.

Missouri S&T will send four teams to compete against approximately 40 other teams from around the world in events based on mining techniques used in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Students will compete in timed events like gold panning, surveying, hand-mucking, hand-steeling, track-standing, Swede sawing and jackleg drilling. The Men’s A team and Women’s A team from Missouri S&T both earned first place at last year’s competition.

First held in 1978, the games were created to honor 91 miners who died in a fire at Idaho’s Sunshine Mine in 1972. The competition celebrates traditional mining practices and helps create a global community of mining students. Mining colleges and universities around the world rotate hosting the Intercollegiate Mining Competition.

The following students will represent Missouri S&T:

Men’s Team A

• Brent Fremont, a senior in mining engineering from Edwardsville, Illinois
• Caleb Newman, a senior in mining engineering from Claremore, Oklahoma
• Russell Snyder, a senior in mining engineering from Bates City, Missouri
• Wade Leible, a senior in mining engineering from Perryville, Missouri
• Aaron Wundrack, a graduate student in explosives engineering from Liberty, Missouri
• Jake Meier, a senior in mining engineering from Robertsville, Missouri

Men’s Team B

• Joshua Williams, a sophomore in mining engineering from Fillmore, Illinois
• Daniel Johnson, a senior in mining engineering from St. Charles, Missouri
• Trent Mitchell, a senior in mining engineering from Sheldon, Missouri
• Daykin Schnell, a senior in mining engineering from Lincoln, Nebraska
• Jared Proctor, a sophomore in mining engineering from Collinsville, Illinois

Women’s Team A

• Aubry Brown, a junior in mining engineering from Greenwood, Missouri
• Molly Clement, a senior in mechanical engineering from Souderton, Pennsylvania
• Deanna Fitzgerald, a senior in mining engineering from Salisbury, Missouri
• Kelsey Garrett, a senior in mining engineering from Wildwood, Missouri
• Jennifer Holloway, a junior in mining engineering from Moscow Mills, Missouri
• Abigail Pfaff, a junior in mining engineering from Ste. Genevieve, Missouri

Co-Ed Team

• Katherine Burke, a junior in mining engineering and economics from Honolulu, Hawaii
• Caleb Schwab, a senior in mining engineering from Jackson, Wisconsin
• Jordan Verslues, a senior in mining engineering from Rocheport, Missouri
• Ali Rader, a senior in mining engineering from Cheyenne, Wyoming
• Julie Smith, a senior in mining engineering from St. Charles, Missouri
• Clayton Mears, a sophomore in mining engineering from Portage, Ohio.