Mat Bevel Company sponsor South32 is a global mining and metals company that owns the Hermosa Project, a world-class zinc and lead mine near the small town of Patagonia, Arizona. Pictured above are Hermosa Site Services Manager Chris Gray and Communications Director Jenny Fiore-Magaña.
South32 is a multinational mining and metals company that owns the Hermosa Project, a zinc-lead-silver-manganese development option in Arizona, near the small town of Patagonia, Arizona, in Santa Cruz County. The Hermosa Project is South32’s first project in North America and contains what is shaping up to be one of the largest undeveloped zinc resources in the world.
The development of STEM skills among young learners is a big priority for South32. Guided by the belief that quality education is the foundation of economic and social prosperity, South32 supports STEM programs in the communities and regions where it operates. That’s why South32 has provided grants and sponsorships to Mat Bevel Company over the last four years to develop and distribute The Universe Within STEM world-building curriculum.
South32’s Will Shumway, Senior Exploration Geologist presenting to Chemistry students at Mica Mountain High School.
“The Hermosa Project is poised to be a substantial job-creator and contribute significantly to the state’s economy,” said Pat Risner, Hermosa Project President. “Building STEM skills among local students will be absolutely essential for us to employ regional talent for our project in Southern Arizona.”
That’s why Hermosa Project employees get involved with teaching students about the science and technology of mining in Southern Arizona. Recently, Will Shumway, Senior Exploration Geologist, and Matt Novak, Processing Study Lead were guest presenters during Chemistry Class at Mica Mountain High School. They shared with 125 students what a geologist does in a typical day, and the technology used for mineral extraction methods.
South32 pursues innovative mining technologies to improve efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of mining activities. As one example, South32 is using virtual design construction (VDC) to design and construct complex infrastructure at Hermosa. The technology uses an array of cutting-edge tools for virtually conceiving, planning, designing, and constructing facilities. Much like an interactive blueprint but with a lot more functionality, VDC creates a virtual twin, a 3D model of the structure prior to construction or fabrication. This technology allows South32 to anticipate and proactively resolve problems related to construction staging, traffic management and relocation of utilities.
“We are excited that students are learning about physics and the laws of motion this year through The Art of Kinetics, Module 2 of The Universe Within, said Melanie Lawson, Hermosa Project Communities. “It’s so important to foster innovation, creative problem-solving, technology skills and mechanical-spatial aptitude at a young age, especially when so many kids are exposed to mostly two dimensional digital mobile devices. In contrast, The Universe Within connects kids to the physical world, mechanics, motion as they use materials and tools to construct three- and four-dimensional objects from their worlds.”
Efforts in the U.S. to improve STEM education have largely been driven by demand from the private sector, where employers such as South32 are keenly aware of the lack of qualified candidates for science- and technology-focused jobs. By supporting programs like The Universe Within, companies are also addressing the drastic shortage of females and minorities who are taking advantage of the many opportunities in STEM-related careers.