On Monday, November 13, Department of the Interior Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Water and Science Michael Brain and U.S. Geological Survey Director David Applegate will join partners for a groundbreaking ceremony for the USGS Energy and Minerals Research Facility, a new building to be constructed on the Colorado School of Mines campus. Funding for the facility comes from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and completion of the building is expected to be in Fall 2026. 

This new 190,000-square-foot structure will house the USGS Geology, Geophysics and Geochemistry Science Center and the Central Energy Resources Science Center, both currently housed at the Denver Federal Center. It will be occupied by around 250 USGS researchers and about 170 Mines faculty and students working side by side, with the intent to expand upon the two institutions’ long-standing partnership and history of collaborative research.  

Who:     DOI Principal Assistant Secretary for Water and Science, Michael Brain              

              Dave Applegate, Director, U.S. Geological Survey 

              Paul C. Johnson, Colorado School of Mines President 

What:    Groundbreaking for USGS Energy and Minerals Research Facility

When:   Monday, Nov. 13, 2023  

Where:  Golden, Colorado  

The celebration will begin at 10 a.m. with a poster session highlighting the research that will be conducted by USGS and Mines scientists, faculty and students in the new building. The poster session will be held in Friedhoff Hall in the Green Center, 924 16th Street, Golden, Colo. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. and refreshments will be served. 

The groundbreaking ceremony will begin around 11:15 a.m. Entrance to the groundbreaking will be through the construction site entrance located on 16th Street between Marquez Hall and Alderson Hall.  

# # # 

The USGS provides science for a changing world. Learn more at www.usgs.gov or follow us on Facebook @USGeologicalSurvey, YouTube @USGS, Instagram @USGS, or Twitter @USGS.  

Colorado School of Mines is a public R1 research university focused on applied science and engineering, producing the talent, knowledge and innovations to serve industry and benefit society – all to create a more prosperous future. Learn more at mines.edu.