March 28, 2024 - Montana Tech students and alumni took home top honors from the 46th International Collegiate Mining Competition held in Butte over the weekend.

Montana Tech's men's teams took first and third place overall.

The alumni team also took first and third place overall. 

Montana Tech teams win big at 46th International Collegiate Mining Competition

Photo: Jessica Scanlan

Three dozen teams from the U.S., Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada competed. Montana Tech’s Men’s Team “The Original,” took first place and the Sunshine Trophy, by placing first in jackleg drilling, hand steel, and survey. They placed second in track stand and swede saw. Montana Tech’s Men’s Team “Badgers” took third place overall, placing second in mucking and survey, and third in gold panning and hand steel.

The Women’s Team, Orphan Girl, consisting entirely of first-time freshman competitors, took fifth overall.

Montana Tech had two alumni teams compete. One took home first place overall in the alumni division, after taking first in mucking, swede saw, jackleg drilling, track stand, and hand steel plus third place in gold panning and survey. The second team took third place overall, after taking first in survey, second in gold panning, and third in mucking, jackleg drilling, track stand, and hand steel.

The International Collegiate Mining Competition is held in a different location every year. The last time the games were held at Montana Tech was 2016. Next year’s competition will be held at the Camborne School of Mines in the United Kingdom.