Deep underground, Colorado builds a quantum future - ME Feature Article

Inside a mountain in Idaho Springs, CO, a century-old mine is taking on a second life. The Edgar Experimental Mine (EEM), once a key producer of valuable ore, now trains engineers and soon may host quantum experiments that could reshape computing. Edgar began as a working underground operation where miners extracted ore from narrow veins deep in the rock. What once produced silver, lead and gold now generates something less visible. In 1921, the Colorado School of Mines (CSM) transformed the mine into an educational facility for mining students, preserving the underground workings as a hands-on training environment. More than a century later, the same tunnels built for extraction are supporting a different kind of industry. Instead of chasing mineral deposits, researchers are using the mine’s depth to study quantum systems, particle physics and train engineering students. Today, a growing network of research laboratories operate inside Edgar. Among them, a new quantum facility is taking shape, where the Colorado Underground Research Institute (CURIE) will turn the mine into a hub for high-scale physics research. The development of the new underground facilities would not have been possible without the hard work of the CSM’s mining engineering department. Over the course of a year, the department worked tirelessly to create a suitable space for future experiments. “The mining engineering department provided the mining expertise, planning and student labor necessary to excavate and prepare the underground spaces required for the quantum laboratory,” said Lee Fronapfel, mine manager of the Edgar Experimental Mine. That work included drill-and-blast excavation, ground support installation, shotcrete application, concrete floor placement, ventilation systems and electrical infrastructure, among other necessary adjustments. “To support quantum research activities, larger underground excavations were created in areas of the mine with the greatest depth of rock cover,” Fronapfel said. “These locations were selected to help minimize environmental interference and provide the stable underground conditions required for sensitive quantum experiments.” Unusual coordination between physicists and mining personnel occurred. Two fields that rarely intersect worked together to create an underground environment capable of tackling some of science’s most complex questions. Now, these departments collaborate closely to ensure all work is carried out effectively. “Because the laboratories are located in relatively isolated areas of the mine, vibration and noise impacts are generally limited,” said Fronapfel. “However, occasional coordination is required to manage activities that could affect sensitive experiments. This is handled through direct communication between mine personnel and quantum researchers.”