Dr. Kimberly Mills Awarded the SME President’s Individual Citation Award
Samuel Engineering is proud to announce that Dr. Kimberly Mills, Senior Process Engineer in our Metals & Minerals group, has been honored with the Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME) 2025 President’s Individual Citation — a distinguished recognition of her technical leadership, professional service, and impact on the extractive metallurgy industry.
A Leader in Metallurgical Innovation
Dr. Mills holds a Ph.D. and B.S. in Metallurgical & Materials Engineering from Colorado School of Mines and has developed deep expertise in hydrometallurgical processes, specializing in rare earths, base, precious, and battery metals. She is an MMSA Qualified Professional in Metallurgy/Processing, serves as affiliate faculty with the Kroll Institute for Extractive Metallurgy, and participates on the Mining Engineering Department Industry Advisory Council at Mines.
Within SME, Kimberly has held key leadership roles—advancing professional development, technical knowledge, and industry standards. Her prior recognition includes the 2014 SME MPD Outstanding Young Engineer Award.
Impact at Samuel Engineering and Beyond
At Samuel Engineering, Dr. Mills plays a key role in advancing our technical capability and delivering value to clients in the metals & minerals sector. Her work in process engineering, design optimization, and metallurgical testing enhances our project execution across engineering, procurement, and fabrication phases. The award underscores the depth of technical talent within our organization and affirms our commitment to excellence, innovation, and client-focused delivery.
What The Recognition Means
The SME President’s Individual Citation is awarded to individuals whose contributions significantly advance their organization and the mining-metallurgy profession. With this citation, Dr. Mills brings distinction not only to her own career but to the entire Samuel Engineering team — reinforcing our reputation for technical leadership and operational excellence.
As global demand for critical and battery metals rises, Samuel Engineering continues to support its professionals—like Dr. Mills—who drive innovation, mentor future engineers, and contribute to higher-value solutions. We remain committed to delivering engineering services that meet the rising standards of the mining and minerals industry, underpinned by the talent and dedication of our people.
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Kimberly Mills on this well-deserved honor!