HISTORY

Our chapter has been built and continues to grow on the rich, mining history of eastern Pennsylvania. Once focused on the Anthracite coal region, it now encompasses the larger eastern PA region as well as southern NJ. Aggregates, zinc, and iron mining are all part of the region's mining history.

Geographical History

The Pennsylvania-Anthracite Section of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration / AIME has been adapted over the years to include a much larger region than when it was originally founded.

As of February 28, 2018, the Penn-Anthracite Section was joined by the counties that comprised the former Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia Sections - SME so we now encompass all of eastern Pennsylvania along with western and southern New Jersey. We are proudly descended from the founding of the American Institute of Mining Engineers founded in 1871 during a meeting of the leading mining engineers of the time at the Wyoming Valley Hotel on South River Street in Wilkes-Barre, the heart of the anthracite mining industry in northeastern Pennsylvania. We celebrated our 155th annual meeting this past summer. On February 17, 1914, the Pennsylvania Anthracite Section became the 10th local chapter of AIME, so this year is our 112th anniversary as a separate section.

Pennsylvania-Anthracite Section
of the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration

1914 to 2018 PRESENT DAY

Black - Original Penn-Anthracite Section

Green - Former Lehigh Valley Section

Orange - Portion of Former Philadelphia Section

Pink - Unaffiliated Counties

Counties within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Berks

Bucks

Carbon

Chester

Columbia

Dauphin

Delaware

Lackawanna

Lancaster

Lebanon

Lehigh

Luzerne

Lycoming

Montgomery

Montour

Northampton

Northumberland

Philadelphia

Pike

Schuylkill

Sullivan

Susquehanna

Wyoming

York

Wayne

Counties with the State of New Jersey

Atlantic

Burlington

Camden

Cape May

Cumberland

Gloucester

Hunterdon

Mercer

Ocean

Salem

Warren

Founding History

On February 17, 1914, the Pennsylvania Anthracite Section became the 10th local chapter of AIME, so this year is our 111th anniversary as a separate section.

We are descended from the 1871 founding of the American Institute of Mining Engineers. AIME came about from a meeting of the leading mining engineers of the time at the Wyoming Valley Hotel on South River Street in Wilkes-Barre, the heart of the anthracite mining industry in northeastern Pennsylvania. We proudly celebrated our 154th annual meeting this past summer.

Our Section originally covered northeastern and central Pennsylvania and stretched from Carbondale in Lackawanna County at the north end to above Harrisburg in Dauphin County, the anthracite fields of Pennsylvania, the power source of the industrial revolution that changed America. As AIME grew, local sections were formed throughout the country and on February 17, 1914, the Pennsylvania Anthracite Section became the 10th local chapter of AIME, so this year is our 111th anniversary as a separate section.

The former Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia Sections - SME became inactive over the years and SME members in those areas would attend Penn-Anthracite meetings. They requested that the Penn-Anthracite consider expanding and take in these orphaned Sections. After consultations with SME National, these areas on February 28, 2018, the Penn-Anthracite Section was joined by the counties that comprised the former Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia Sections - SME so we now encompass all of eastern Pennsylvania along with western and southern New Jersey.

Chairmen throughout History

Our past chairmen can be viewed in the slideshow below. Serving as Chairman of the Society of Mining, Metallurgy, carries respect within our mining profession and throughout our communities.

Enjoy this slideshow of our past chairmen.

1914 -1929

Robert Van

Norris Arsdale

Awards and Recognitions

SME offers numerous Awards and Recognitions for the membership and our Section has members that have been recognized by SME and its divisions.

A candidate for Fellow must have been a full member of SME for at least 15 years. A candidate must have demonstrated significant and sustained contributions to the minerals industry and to SME. There must be some contributions to both the industry and SME, though significant and sustained contributions can be to either one. The award is restricted to only 1.8% of the SME Membership.

Outstanding service to SME may be to a section, a region, a technical division, committees or as a representative of SME and the industry to the public. Outstanding contributions to the industry may be as a leader in exploration, production, manufacturing, environment, basic sciences, engineering applications, education, management or public relations. Contributions may be evidenced by patents, technical papers, educational activities or managerial contributions. Other contributions may be in the development of exploration techniques, mineral properties, mineral processes, major engineering projects, mineral-related equipment and environmental solutions.

* In order to appropriately acknowledge such distinction, the SME Board of Directors determined in February 2020 to rename the award "SME Fellow Award". Thus recognizing these recipients as SME Fellows. This change was desired to better match the global standard and recognition of "Fellow". None of the criteria have changed nor other parts of the award process. The change is limited to the name only.

2023 - John O. Voigt, F.SME

2021 - John R. Ackerman, PE, PG, F.SME

2018 - Michael C. Korb, PE, F.SME

1998 - Nikhil C. Trivedi, DM.SME

1996 - Walter D. Haentjens, PE, DM.SME

1976 - Thomas V. Falkie, DM.SME

1975 - Donald Markle, DM.SME

SME Fellow (Formerly Distinguished Member Award*)

President's CitationThe Presidential Citation is a non-competitive award presented by the SME President to recognize an individual or group for achieving goals that strengthen SME through activities include growing SME membership, developing sustainable service projects, giving to the SME Foundation, and building awareness of SME in their local community.2022 - Pennsylvania-Anthracite Section SME recognizes the Pennsylvania Anthracite Section of SME for its efforts to organize and execute the celebration of AIME's 150th anniversary in Wilkes-Barre, PA on May 16th, 2021. "We thank the Section for its commitment and recognition of this monumental achievement; its efforts to engage the general public, the political leaders of Pennsylvania and the AIME leadership in observance of this important day in the history of SME as well as its ongoing legacy to preserve the history of the mining, metallurgy and petroleum communities."2010 - Michael Korb, PE2006 - Nikhil Trivedi, F.SME The Erskine Ramsey Medal The Ramsay Medal, established in 1948, and funded by AIME, recognizes distinguished achievement in coal mining, to include both bituminous coal and anthracite. The medal is accompanied by an engrossed diploma containing a citation of the service or achievement upon which the award is based. Election to this honor is by the SME Coal & Energy Division Officers with notification to the SME Executive Committee. Eligibility The conditions of eligibility are as follows:There are no limitations regarding nationality, membership in the Institute, or otherwise.A candidate must be a living person able and willing to present himself in person to receive the award.No person who has been awarded any of the other eight major AIME awards (Douglas, Saunders, Lucas, Rand, Richards, Fairless, Hardinge, and McConnell) is eligible for the Ramsay Medal.1991 - Thomas V. Falkie1961 - Donald MarkleThe Ivan B. Rahn Education AwardThe Ivan B. Rahn Education Award, established in 1995, recognizes distinguished contributions to the educational activities within SME and is open to all SME members who have shown long-term interest in and have significantly contributed to SME activities relating to ABET, student affairs, continuing education, professional registration, and/or the Council of Education (not necessarily an educator themselves). The Award shall consist of a statuette with an engraved inscription containing the name of the award, the name of the recipient, and the date of the award. Election to this honor is by the SME Council of Education with notification to the SME Executive Committee.2017 - Nikhil C. TrivediCoal & Energy Division AwardsJ. W. Woomer Award (formerly the Young Engineer Award)The J. W. Woomer Award established in 1976, brings recognition of engineering professionalism to young people working in the coal industry. Election to this honor is by the Coal & Energy Division Officers with notification to the SME Executive Committee.Eligibility requirements for the award include:The nominee must be a graduate engineer working in the coal industry.The nominee must not reach their 35th birthday before the award is presented.The nominee must have prepared a technical report for presentation at any coal industry meeting or for publication in any coal industry journal or transactions.The nominee must be a member of SME.1983 - John R. Ackerman, PEAIME AwardsHal Williams Hardinge AwardThe Hal Williams Hardinge Award, established in 1958 and funded by AIME, recognizes outstanding achievement which has benefited the field of industrial minerals & aggregates. The achievement so recognized may have been accomplished through writing, teaching, research or administration, resulting in new uses, wider markets, improved management, or through wider dissemination of knowledge. The award shall be a plaque, appropriately engraved with the name of the award, the name of the recipient, and the citation of the particular achievement for which the award is being conferred.2002 - Nikhil C. Trivedi, DM.SMECharles F. Rand Memorial Gold MedalDistinguished achievement in mining administration, including metallurgy and petroleum.2015 - Thomas V FalkieRobert Earll McConnell AwardBeneficial service to mankind by engineers through significant contributions which tend to enhance a nation's standard of living or replenish it's natural resources (e.g. discover major mineral supply, develop process to extend mineral supply).2018 – Nikhil C. TrivediThe Frank F. Aplan AwardThe Frank F. Aplan Award recognizes contributions that further the understanding of the technology of coal and/or mineral engineering.2021 - Nikhil C. Trivedi, DM.SMESME / AIME POSITIONS HELDSME President2010 - Nikhil C. Trivedi, DM.SMEAIME President2016 - Nikhil C. Trivedi, DM.SMEAppointed to The National Academy of Engineering (NAE)2021 - Nikhil C. Trivedi, DM.SME