Mines Professor Recognized for Lifetime Contribution to Educating Future Mineral Engineers

Andrea Brickey, (PhD MinE 99) has been immersed in both mining and education for her entire life. With a father who worked as a coal miner and a mother who was a teacher, it’s no surprise that she found a path combining both fields.

For more than 30 years, Brickey has played a vital role in the mining industry while also shaping the next generation of engineers.

“Mining just feels natural to me. I love that we are providing the materials needed for society,” Brickey said. “What we do is important, and we are always working to improve—ensuring we not only meet society’s needs but do so in a sustainable way.”

Brickey grew up in a family where you were either a farmer or a miner. “If I wasn’t in mining, I would probably be a farmer, raising sheep or goats,” she laughed.

However, the two industries are not that different.

“There is just something about where things come from, and the work and challenges involved in getting those raw materials that inspires me,” she said.

That passion for resource-driven industries and sharing it with others has defined her career. Brickey, a professor of mining engineering and management at South Dakota Mines, was recently honored with the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration’s (SME) Ivan B. Rahn Education Award for her dedication to educating the next generation of mineral engineers.

Established in 1995, the Ivan B. Rahn Education Award honors SME members for significant, long-term contributions to education in ABET, formerly known as the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, student affairs, continuing education, professional registration, and the Council of Education. The last Mines professor to receive the Ivan B. Rahn Education award was Dr. Arden Davis (PhD GeolE 83) in 2014.

“I had no idea I was even nominated. It was a big surprise,” said Brickey of the award.

While Brickey is honored to have received the SME award, she prefers to shine the spotlight on others. “There was a great group of people that received awards during the conference including my favorite professor, John Grubb, and a former student,” she said.

One of Brickey’s former doctorate students, Amy McBrayer (PhD GGM 23), a teaching professor at West Virginia University, was also awarded The Rossiter W. Raymond Memorial Award for her paper on “A Review of Current Scheduling and Design Practices in the Powder River Basin” published in Mining, Metallurgy, & Exploration. It was a paper McBrayer wrote with Brickey while at Mines.

“That is the coolest part as an educator – there is nothing more rewarding than to see your students’ successes. That is why we do what we do,” she said.

In addition, Brickey became an SME Fellow, a designation honoring members who have demonstrated significant and sustained contributions to the minerals industry and to SME. “I did not feel like I was worthy,” Brickey said of being added to the 2025 class of Fellows. “We had the former CEO of Newmont Mining, and distinguished Mines alums that were part of this group.”

Mines alumni Dennis Bryan (GeolE 70), David Hammond (GeolE 69) and James Gebhardt (MetE 77) were also honored as 2025 SME Fellows.

After earning her degree from South Dakota Mines in 1999, Brickey spent 15 years working in the mining industry, focusing on operations and consulting projects across Africa, North America, and South America. Her work spanned the extraction of copper, gold, silver, nickel, phosphate, and coal.

In 2015, she returned to Mines with a new mission—to educate and inspire the next generation of mineral engineers. She emphasizes that the mining industry requires expertise across a wide range of disciplines.

“The skill sets needed in mining are everything—engineering, geology, metallurgy, mineral processing, accounting, legal, data science, robotics, AI—it involves all disciplines,” she said.

As the industry evolves, Brickey remains dedicated to preparing future professionals, showcasing the diverse opportunities in mining, and encouraging more people to explore careers that drive innovation and sustainability in the field.