by Kerry Clines, Senior Editor

MII and the SME Foundation merge

The Mineral Information Institute (MII) and the Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration’s Foundation (SME) announced a merger of their organizations effective Nov. 1, 2008. According to an MII press release, MII is now known as “MII, a Section of the SME Foundation.” The combined organizations will operate out of SME headquarters in Littleton, Colo.

“The influential combination of content, with outreach, along with the proven fundraising of the SME Foundation, provides the industry with a strong program of considerable reach,” said George Luxbacher, 2008 SME president. “It is a winning combination that will do far better than a stand-alone program.”

MII Chairman Marc Levier commented that “the merger of MII into the SME Foundation brings synergy and benefits to both organizations. MII’s materials will now be made available to K-12 teachers from a larger leveraged platform while GEM activities will have a solid supply of quality content materials. The mining industry is the ultimate winner as we consolidate like-minded organizations with overlapping missions and programs in order to bring a unified message with a larger impact to the public.”

MII is dedicated to educating youth about the science of minerals and other natural resources, and about their importance in our everyday lives. This is accomplished primarily through development of materials that are directly usable by teachers in a variety of subjects and grade levels. Materials are distributed free to more than 110,000 K-12 classroom teachers each year to supplement existing curricula.

According to Nikhil Trivedi, 2010 SME president, “The merger of MII and SME is a prime example of one plus one equaling more than two. Here are two groups of dedicated volunteers combining their resources under one umbrella to take their activities to a new level of effectiveness.”

The SME Foundation supports scientific, technical, educational, and other activities that foster interchange and understanding concerning the responsible development of the world’s mineral resources and further the professional disciplines serving the minerals industry.

Marie Patterson, a member of the MII Board of Directors, commented that, “Both organizations will benefit from the merger; more importantly, the industry will strengthen its base with effective educational resources through their joint brands.”